Many businesses are already aware of the immense potential that promotional corporate gifts have to boost business but are at a total loss as to how to make the best use of them. Amazingly, there are scores of ways to increase your bottom line by giving out promotional gifts. The following are just 3 often overlooked favorites:

1. Give them out as employee bonuses: Too often business owners and their marketing departments are so wrapped up in pleasing existing customers and courting new ones that they forget all about the people working so hard to help make that happen. However, a business's employees are its most valuable asset. Pleasing one-customer or prospect benefits your bottom line, certainly, but keeping your number one sales force--your employees--happy can bring you endless streams of clients and leads, benefiting your bottom line today, tomorrow, and every day thereafter.

2. Give them out as raffle prizes: The next time you host an event--be it a corporate conference or a charity fundraiser--hold a raffle. People love the opportunity to win something for nothing (or next-to-nothing depending on your raffle-entry terms). And by using promotional gifts as your prizes, you can buy just a few larger, "high-ticket" items and wow not just the prize-winners but everyone who enters and even all those who just watch.

3. Give them out as raffle tickets: A raffle is a multi-layered marketing opportunity. In addition, another way to maximize that opportunity--in addition to buying a handful of more expensive promotional items to give out as prizes--is to purchase a large amount of a very inexpensive promotional item to give out instead of paper tickets. This way, everyone who enters gets to take something with your name on it home with him or her, making everyone who enters a winner!