Promotional Products can be one of the most successful marketing strategies for any company.
Not only do your clients get a cool item they can use, but your brand gets increased exposure, which is proven to increase sales. Whether you are ordering for a large corporation or a blossoming small business, the right promotional strategy can work wonders for your company. However, in order to maximize the success of these products, here are some common mistakes you want to avoid…
1. Sending the wrong artwork…
When sending your artwork to a vendor, be sure it is in the right format. Stay away from JPEGs. Send your logos as PDF and EPS files instead.
2. Placing your order too late…
Plan your events ahead of time to avoid rush charges and added stress. This is especially true during the holidays. Start placing your Christmas orders in November or even October! You want to have plenty of time to make sure your order comes out just right.
3. Ordering the wrong products for your audience…
This is key. Be strategic in your selection of promo items. Who is your company trying to reach? Make sure the products you order will grab the interest of your audience so they get maximum exposure to your company!
4. Not imprinting contact info or website…
What’s the point of getting your brand out there if your prospective clients don’t know how to find out more? Always make sure they have a way to reach out to you, whether it be a phone number, email address or website.
5. Imprinting too much info…
Don’t bombard your audience with too much information either. Leave it at your logo, call tag and phone number/site address. The more info you imprint, the harder it will be to read. Try to grab their attention in a way that will leave them wanting more. Hopefully their curiosity will make them pick up the phone and call you!
6. Giving away expensive items too often…
High quality promo items are good to give away to top customers, but don’t be frivolous. Giving away premium products to people who are not interested in your business is a waste of money.
7. Not giving away your items enough…
Don’t be stingy! Get out there and distribute those promo items! They won’t do you any good sitting in your closet.
8. Not having a distribution plan…
You may ask, “Where should I distribute my products?” Good question. Try golf tournaments, school events, tradeshows, parades, charity walks, etc. It’s even better if your company can sponsor an event!
9. Buying low quality items…
Spend a bit more money ordering useful items that people will keep, not cheesy products that they will toss. You don’t want your brand to be associated with an item that fell apart or no one wanted.
10. Failing to track revenue…
Measure your ROI for promo items and compare to other forms of advertising. Are some products more effective than others? If so, reorder them! Remember that the perfect product for you may not be the perfect product for someone else. Your business is unique, and you want the promotional items you choose to reflect that!
