How to Understand How to Handle Promotional Gifts Professionally
Are promotional gifts a waste of time or a valuable selling resource? Are they a headache to produce, or a must have for any company wanting to promote itself and its image? Well, by the promotional gifts that I have received recently, including gifts from companies who themselves specialise in these products, I’m certain that many companies like what happens with promotional gifts.
I was speaking to a customer who has recently started dropping a promotional mousemat into all outgoing orders. Just one mat per order, but that’s enough. Since starting that repeat business has increased and he’s also started mailing the mousemats out to those customers that haven’t ordered for a while, also with a decent success rate.
The biggest problem encountered with any promotional items is lack of time. All too often I hear that people have been struggling to get promotional items produced in time for their event. They have started looking around the market 10 days before the event, with no idea what they want or what the finished article will have printed on it.
Start earlier. Allow 3 weeks from agreeing with your supplier how the logo will be printed to receipt of the items at your office. Add on a week or two to get proofs made and the same again for shopping around and getting quotes, and you really need to be starting your planning 5 - 8 weeks before the event, more if you then have to ship the items elsewhere.
The other problem often encountered boils down to sheer fright. Many people hear talk of proofs, logo formats and the likes. If this starts to go over your head then tell the promotional gifts company you are dealing with that you need extra help. Don’t be afraid of them! If they don’t help or still can’t talk in your terms, go elsewhere.
A friendly company will have the ability to take a logo from your website and produce your promotional items from that. OK, if it’s an umbrella with a huge printing surface then a website logo is unlikely to print well, but with items such as pens, just a name and phone number is likely to be sufficient.
Make sure that you choose something suited to the recipients and something that they will keep and use again. That way, they will be more likely to remember you and use your services again in the future, The gifts don’t have to be expensive, just don’t always go for pens!
Whatever you decided to do, promotional gifts can drive further sales and custom. Make sure you allow time and don’t be afraid if the contact starts getting too technical - just tell them to come down to your level. You are the customer, after all!
You can also try to apply for a government grant online - if this works out, you will have more money for promo.
