Common Mistakes when ordering merchandise

• Not allowing sufficient lead time to get products made. The more time provided the more likely it is businesses will reap benefits such as lower costs and a fully customised product. Rushing the thought process and not taking the time to consider small adjustments that could improve the product and campaign will affect the overall quality. 
• Not giving high quality artwork. Inferior artwork or logo design will impact on overall product aesthetic. See section on artwork for specific advice. 
• Not choosing a product with some correlation to your organisation or not relating the product back to your core message.  Every product distributed is a direct contributor to your brand image, therefore it is critical to ensure the item does not conflict with your business, image or industry.  If it doesn’t strengthen your brand, think carefully about why you are choosing that product/quality/design. 
• Choosing a product that is not appropriate to your audience or targeted consumers. Avoid ego-based decisions about what you like personally and have a good understanding of your target market and the best time to provide them with a product. 
• Choosing a manufacturer based on price alone. If you choose the cheapest product from the cheapest company you are likely to get the cheapest quality and service. Research demonstrates poor quality products, products that are not useful or are faulty can lead to the recipient having a negative perception of the company providing the product. 
• Not working with a professional organisation who understands the intricacies of the industry and products. 
• Viewing promotional products as “giveaways” rather than a way to motivate consumers and elicit responses. Items presented as Promotional Gifts rather than giveaways also help add value and significance, suggesting the receiver is particularly important to the organisation providing the product.
• Not considering promotional products as a consistent marketing tool, instead used for a one off campaign or to burn spare marketing budget. 
• Approaching the product in the same way you would approach other advertising such as television or print advertisements. It is a tangible item and needs to be treated differently. 
• Purchasing from web based companies who can – and in some cases have – literally disappeared over night. Consider reputation and industry standing when choosing product provider. 
• There has been instances of dangerous promotional products harming stakeholders, and being picked up and publicised by media, escalating the negative attention.
• Being deterred by the perceived high unit cost of promotional products in comparison to other mass media. Whilst the one-time exposure cost is higher, this needs to be considered in relation to the expected lifespan of the product, significantly above most other advertising. 
• Expecting a branded item to do all the marketing and communications work for a campaign and not exploring ways of integrating promotional items with other advertising. Often the product is best used to amplify other targeted marketing. 
• Not utilising a well conceived distribution plan. Whilst other media typically has pre-defined audiences, merchandise gives the distributor greater control over the targeted audience. This can be a great benefit when the audience is well considered, or wasteful if little consideration is given to the intended audience and ways of reaching them. 

APPA suggests the following guidelines;
What shouldn’t I hear from my promotional products company?
•       That they will undercut any price.
•       That promotional products are so cheap they can not be guaranteed to work.
•       That there is no reason for them to be an APPA member.
•       That there is no reason to sign off on art work approvals.

APPA notes potential pitfalls include:
•       Sizing and quality inferiority
•       Late deliveries
•       Lack of duty, safety and custom requirements
•       Payment in advance without delivery guarantees
•       Human rights infringements

Successfully marketing your promotional product

There are several key factors to getting the most success out of our promotional product;

The right time and the right place. Often promotional products are best integrated with a promotional campaign. You have hopefully considered the best time and place before purchasing the merchandise, and have a clear idea in mind e.g. at a company event, or as an ad-on with sales. A key benefit of promotional merchandise is that you determine where you will target and reach clients. If there has been a change in circumstances and you need to reconsider the most appropriate time for distribution, remember that the right circumstances will give a promotional product campaign maximum effect.   Putting the right product in the right place will also increase the likelihood of it being admired and envied by other potential customers. The right product is critical; however it also needs to be implemented successfully. Promotions are being increasingly run online, with consumers registering on websites to attain promotional gifts. This is invaluable for data collection, although the additional step may limit some people’s ability for redemption and participation.  Also consider where the recipient will use that product, ideally somewhere that will remind users of a company’s services at the most beneficial time.  Some organisations give a small branded gift to clients at times when they have had an anniversary with an organisation, to make them feel valued and acknowledge the relationship.

Distribution & Packaging. You also need to consider how you will give the promotional item to your valued customers or employees. This may be as an ad-on with a purchase, at a corporate event, trade show, posting to customers, registering for promotion online and so on. Depending on the situation, some methods will be more effective and have greater cost-benefits than others. If the item is large or heavy, it may end up being far too costly for mass mailing, and recipients at an event may find it inconvenient to carry around for the duration of the event. How you get particular products into people’s possession will impact on the cost and impact of the product. Effective packaging can add an interactive layer to the promotional gift. Some companies present their merchandise in an eco-friendly branded bag that recipients can re-use and help minimise environmental impact.

Results. Promotional items are often best used as part of a campaign, which can complicate measuring the success of the product on its own. It is also impossible to determine the exact number of brand exposures a product will bring in its life cycle. However, if you have approached the campaign with particular goals and objectives in mind you should be able to attain clear and measurable results as to its success. Organisations are also able to use promotional products as incentives to increase consumer response, and then track the results. Consider ways to increase publicity and further engage with the recipients of your promotional merchandise e.g. competitions/promotions where the recipient takes a photo of themselves with your merchandise in an exotic or unusual location and posts it on your website or on social media.

Hints for ordering Promotional Merchandise

Prominent logo, message, slogan or website URL on product. Often there are several options and the most obvious location is not always best. For instance on a mouse pad, the centre may not be the best option for a company logo and address details as this area is typically covered by the mouse. Effective placement of key information will help ensure maximum benefits from a product.

Simple but engaging. A product does not need to overwhelm to impress users. If the design or artwork is too complicated it may be confusing for the consumer and harm the building of a clear brand message for a company. This is also important because the item is likely to leave an impression on many people (who may only have a moment for the item to engage with them), not just the recipient.

Colour choice. Typically bright, vibrant colours have an impact, as they break away from corporate shades such as greys. They will also ensure that particular product is noticed in a crowded room! However, this is only beneficial if it does not contradict a company message or portray an image that isn’t desirable for a business. Classic corporate colours can bring a sense of professionalism and dignity and may be particularly suitable if designed for use by corporate users in an office environment.

Link brand with product. Try to choose a product that has some correlation to your brand, as this will give maximum impact, particularly in terms of when, where and how you will be remembered by a consumer e.g. a beverage provider giving away customised stubby holders. However, generic items such as t-shirts can also have maximum effect if they have a custom design to relate back to the company in question. Linking the product with a campaign, memorable catch phrase or company message will help the item signify more than just a logo or symbol.

Get quotes in writing. This will ensure there is no confusion about what is included or not included in a price e.g. freight, GST, sample charges, and set-up costs. Also enquire about payment charges (e.g. credit card surcharge) and whether payment is required upfront. If you are getting quotes on several products before making a decision, check how long the quote is valid for and ensure the quoted figures are still accepted when placing the order.

Placing the order

1. After choosing the Promotional Products Provider and product desired you can begin the ordering process.
2. Provide an official purchase order stating agreed pricing, as well as anything else of importance e.g. desired lead time, decoration option and delivery address.
3. Give your artwork to the provider, as per minimum requirements. They may require you to provide your artwork using their artwork templates which dictate where artwork can fit on a product, indicating bleed and outlines. 300dpi artwork is preferable to ensure the artwork will remain at a high quality on the promotional item. Use artwork template (if provided) to demonstrate exactly where you want your artwork positioned and provide PMS colour code to ensure the closest possible match.
4. Typically the organisation will offer you a tangible sample of the product desired before mass-manufacturing the order, and/or a visual mock-up of how the promotional product will appear. Mock-ups are a time-efficient way of ensuring the product is being manufactured as desired and need to be approved and signed off by the organisation before the product will be manufactured.
5. The Promotional product will then be manufactured and distributed as required.

Tip – The Creative Locker has a range of patented and exclusive products to guarantee you a unique product sure to impress!

Determining the best product

Sometimes the right product is not the most convenient or best priced. Often the right product is one which relates to the chosen market. Whilst nearly everyone appreciates a promotional item, finding ways to remind your consumers of a business at key times will have a better bottom line on company branding and sales. Some corporations even choose several different promotional items, with varying benefits and price points to target different consumers within one campaign. First considerations of what product to use should involve several key factors;

Practicality. Generally items that are practical and will be used many times by the consumer are most effective.  It also needs to be a practical, audience-relevant product that makes sense when used within your promotional campaign.

Uniqueness. If possible choose a product, design or decoration options that will instantly grab people’s attention due to a unique, novel, clever or creative feature or function. Typically, the more useful and novel the product, the higher the impact it will have. However many companies successfully give something neutral away, items anyone can make use of. This is particularly appropriate if the target market is quite wide or difficult to determine.

Visibility. Choose a product that will be seen, appreciated and make an impact on the desired audience. That audience may be just the person or people given the item e.g. edible items which will leave a short but sweet impression on the recipient. Other promotional items with a short expiration and use date such as balloons are likely to be visible on the day they are received, particularly at public events and locations, but will not make repeated impressions in the long term. Similarly, seasonal items e.g. gloves might be highly visible and make great impressions during winter but will be unused for the majority of the year. Ultimately the best items in terms of visibility will be those that are designed to be visible to the company’s desired audience for an appropriate (hopefully extended!) length of time, thereby ensuring the maximum number of impressions per product.

Company Image & Branding message. There is also the necessity to balance the company image and branding you want to get across with this product.  If the product, artwork and design is too far removed from the company image commonly accepted it may confuse consumers. If you are not happy with what a particular product or design says about your organisation, consider an alternative. If the item lacks professionalism or is unreliable it can harm the reputation and perception of an organisation. Good understanding of a company’s brand values and the articulation of these values through a promotional product is essential to a clear branding message. Ideally the product will have a natural relationship or ties with your brand, and marketing communications theme. To get a branding message clearly noticed on a product, the best approach may be to avoid trying to replicate every detail of the traditional logo.  Instead, consider developing a slightly modified version of your logo. Promotional items are typically long lasting, and should be chosen with care; creating merchandise with a strong correlation to an organisation’s products, services or target market. This will ensure the item is not just long lasting, but has long lasting value to the brand.

Order Quantity – Consider how many people you are trying to reach with the product. Perhaps only one hundred people are targeted to receive a high quality product. Alternatively you may wish to give thousands of people an item that is not as expensive, but will ensure far more people are reached. Typically, the higher the purchase quantity the less each item will cost per unit.

Materials, Design & Additional Features – Talk to your promotional products provider about the varied printing options, additional features and materials often available for different products. Each minor decision will impact on the price of the product and overall perception of the end user. 

Choosing the right Promotional Product

Before you choose a product and product provider consider;

Purpose. What are you trying to achieve with this promotional product or campaign? This may be raising branding awareness, driving sales, thanking clients or a variety of other reasons. If you have a specific goal it may be easier to determine how successful the promotional product campaign has been.

Company history with Promotional Merchandise. Have you had any notable successes or failures when using promotional items in the past? If so, have you identified any particular strengths or weaknesses which are of relevance to your current campaign?

Target Audience. Identify, research and consider the demographics of your consumers or potential customers. Particular target markets will respond to the same product in different ways, and being aware of both desired and potential responses will help plan the product and its distribution.  Understanding the target market and their purchasing behaviours will allow you to reach them in the most effective channels via the most suitable product – one which will be relevant to them and worth their time and use. Try to develop an idea that is relevant to your audience whilst creating a point of difference from other promotional items they may be offered. Ideally, the promotional gift will add something to the relationship between the business and target. Once you have determined your target market and audience for your campaign, or the information you wish to divulge from recipients, make sure you clearly relay this to the organisation providing your products. This will ensure they can get the product made to meet those specifications and may even have some ideas to help the process!

  

Message communicated. The message is often as simple as a company logo, however slogans, messages, contact information, website URLs and images can also communicate a clear and effective branding message.  If the product is part of a themed campaign, the product and message may be tailored accordingly to create a cohesive branding message. The message will need to be positioned on a product for maximum effect, and some products will better communicate particular messages that others. Keep in mind that the message will come from the product as well as any branding messages imprinted on that product. A poor quality product or one with inferior artwork will communicate an image not intended or desired by the company presenting it.

Budget. It is important to determine the budget before getting too invested in particular products. Knowing whether you can be flexible with your budget for maximum effect may help get more benefits. Often (seemingly) similar products can have substantially different pricing due to differences in quality, design and material. Promotional companies may have different options to accommodate varying budgets. Often increasing the number of units purchased will mean a decreased price per unit, allowing organisations to reach more stakeholders at effective pricing.  However, it is important to consider additional costs including freight, set-up costs and methods of delivering the product to clients. Related costs could also include point of sale materials and the costs of getting items into stores and locations, staffing costs to deliver the product and packaging changes that might be necessary for maximum effect. Keeping a clear budget is important, however the costs should be balanced against the expected return on investment for the promotion, including repeat business potentially generated. Consider the cost of the item then divide it by the anticipated number of times the company logo or branding message will be seen, then decide if you find the cost of the item worthwhile. Of course, the cost per item for Mass Branding will be substantially different to a higher quality creative gift.

Turnaround time. If it is needed for a promotional campaign next week it may be possible, but could come at a higher price or inferior design capabilities than a product given optimum turnaround time. Make the most of whatever time you have by contacting a reputable promotional products organisation as soon as you begin contemplating the use of promotional merchandise.

Reputable organisation. If you have worked with promotional product providers in the past and have had success, they are probably a good place to start the process. Choosing a new provider to save money may work out; however there is also the possibility of disappointment.

Things to consider;

Have you worked with this particular organisation before? If so, was it a success?

Do they offer valuable knowledge and services as part of providing the product?

Do they have a reputable image in the industry?

Are they associated with any professional promotional bodies?

Can they help provide you with a wide range of products and price points?

Can they provide you with a product or design no other organisations can do e.g. an exclusive patent on a key product of interest?

Can they provide you with catalogues or websites indicating the range of products available?

Promotional Products Statistics

Some promo stats sourced from our friends at APPA and The Advertising Specialty Institute.

Trends in the promo product world

The Promotional Products Industry influences and is influenced by, certain trends. Increasing awareness by end users, as well as businesses becoming more accountable of their environmental impact has contributed to particular trends in the industry.

Eco-Friendly, or Green Products are increasing in popularity. Manufacturers and clients are constantly seeking ways to minimise their carbon footprint. Phrases such as socially responsible, renewable, sustainable, biodegradable, organic and recycled are increasingly popular ways to describe the environmental or social benefits of some merchandise. However, it is important to be aware of misinformation or lack of education as to what actually constitutes an eco-friendly product. For example, many plastics are not able to be recycled and many people don’t recognise the difference between recycled and recyclable material. However, the more a product is likely to be reused by a consumer can also be of some long term environmental benefit. Whilst eco-friendly products are a great idea, be cautious about over-using, or misusing them. If your organisation has made no other moves towards eco-friendly initiatives (or has no plans to continue this in the future)  it might send a mixed message to your recipients.

TIP:  Eco-friendly Examples include TCLs Hessian Jute Bag, RPET Cap and Visor, 3D Neoprene Coaster to eliminate wasted napkins and Hessian Coaster.

Increasing awareness about Product Safety has lead to higher quality control of products. Organisations are increasingly aware of potential hazardous elements in promotional products, for example phthalates, calcium and lead may be found in cheap promotional products. Whilst historically many organisations were driven solely by price, highly publicised cases of promotional products which have caused harm through lack of safety measures has meant people and organisations are rightfully demanding products that strictly adhere to safety standards.

Technology is another important trend. Just as technology is enabling manufacturers to create more sophisticated promotional products, consumers are also more technologically savvy. This means products complementing electronic devices such as Laptop Sleeves, iPhone Pouches & Arm Bands, Camera Cases, Mouse pads and GPS Cases are increasingly welcomed. Technologically advanced products are impressive, though typically more costly promotional incentives. There are also more instances of promotional items being imprinted with a company’s website address, encouraging consumers to interact with their organisation online. If gifts are particularly savvy technologically or in supporting technology it is likely consumers, particularly in younger demographics will value and use them regularly. However, it is important to be aware that a promotional product at the cutting edge of technology today might appear outdated in as little as 6 months. E.g. promotional USBs will continue to decrease in use due to increased smart phone capabilities.

The trend of presenting and appreciating quality products with a high perceived value has developed – often a small increase in spend per item can raise consumers’ perceptions of a company.  Research indicates that when a consumer is given a faulty or extremely cheap promotional product they may connect that poor item or experience to that company, leaving a negative perception. Whilst in the past consumers were often happy with any free product, an abundance of inexpensive products with little intrinsic value has left consumers far more appreciative of good quality promotional products which serve a purpose. The best products engage with the consumer, challenge or amuse them and have a real purpose and use. Technological advances have made higher quality products easily possible. There is also improved quality control by suppliers, with manufacturing facilities taking more care to ensure products manufactured are in line with current standards.

Organisations are more aware of the value of allowing increased lead time for products. By giving sufficient time to consider the benefits of products businesses can ensure they have optimum time and opportunity to find the right product at the best price. Increased lead time can also save on the costs of the product, ensuring the most cost effective freight (particularly when being manufactured overseas). This ties in with the reality promotional product distributors are being acknowledged as an important extension of organisations’ marketing departments with knowledge and ideas rather than merely the means by which to purchase the item required. If budgets and lead times are considered from the beginning of the promotion, suppliers and distributors can pass on advantages such as reduced minimum order quantity and cost and time efficient manufacturing.

Even in tough financial times promotional products for pets are popular. Pet-centric promotional items, such as pet rugs and pet balls are a cost effective way for people to spoil their pets and spread positive brand messages. Despite many societal changes, people’s relationships with their pets remain stronger than ever and pets are valued members of many households. Promotional items aimed at pets are a fun way to remind consumers that a business is animal and family friendly.

Retail trends such as what is fashionable in clothing or technology are closely monitored and acknowledged by Promotional Product Professionals. Consumers are appreciating retail-inspired products that take into account contemporary fashions and desires. More attention is being paid to sizing of apparel, moving away from one-size-fits-all apparel to enable a range of sizing and styles.

Gifts that bring a unique offering, including those trends listed above may help make a promotional campaign truly savvy and reflective of current consumer desires and the environment the business is operating in. 

Tip – The Creative Locker is very trend savvy, offering a great range of eco products e.g. 3D Coaster & tech-savvy products e.g. Hat with LED lights.