Compare These Top Vendors for Promotional Items

Promotional Items

It can be quite difficult to market your business, particularly in a field where there are lots of competitors. Promotional items, if used properly, can improve your reputation and brand. Unlike a traditional marketing ad, these items are hard to miss. Flyers, radio spots, newspaper ads, billboards, and television advertisements are fine, but promotional items provide a more creative way of marketing your business to customers. They generate brand awareness quickly and are quite inexpensive. Any practised marketer will tell you about the high costs associated with traditional forms of advertising. Promotional products come in a wide range of sizes and shapes, so you can always find one that suits your budget.

Benefits

A 2009 study by the Promotional Products Association International found that 83 percent of Americans surveyed liked getting promotional items, 48 percent would be interested in receiving these items more often, and 38 percent feel a continual association between the item and the company that sent it. As promotional products have such a large impact, it is important to know what benefits they can bring.

Advertising

Making sure your brand name is in front of customers and prospective clients is crucial to keeping your business growing, especially if you rely a lot on market connections and word-of-mouth. Your customers need to be able remember your name and reach you easily, and promotional products play an important role in this. Advertising in magazines and newspapers can be a good option, but is often too expensive for small companies to do regularly. Using your products to spread the word is cost-effective.

Staying Power

The memories of print and electronic media fade over time. But, a promotional product provides a physical, permanent link between the product and the business that sent it. A calendar or mouse-mat with your company’s logo and phone number on it will keep advertising for you each day. Your name and business will be remembered every time the recipients see the product, and all at no extra cost to you.

Direct Connections

When customers receive promotional products as gifts they're receiving a direct source of advertising. Media advertising isn't as personal as sending a gift, but those who receive it are more likely to refer their colleagues, friends, and others to your business.

Loyalty

Repeat business is extremely valuable to any company, and sending a high-utility promotional gift goes a long way to creating better customer relations. Not only is it a good means of reminding your customers of you, it's also a great way of showing that you value them.

Pitfalls

Promotional items that are branded with your business logo are a great way to make a lasting impression on potential customers. Items should be selected carefully, however, to make sure that they serve as effective tools in marketing your business to the greater public.

Choosing the Wrong Items

Some of the most popular promotional items include pens, casual clothing, buttons, and other such products. These items are inexpensive to purchase, especially in bulk, and many people will find use for them. However, they may not be the best items to use to represent your company. Promotional items are intended for public distribution, and people will automatically associate the item with your business. This can be a handful of people or hundreds of individuals, so it is important to evaluate all options and select the promotional item that best reflects your business’ image and purpose. If a computer software company decides to promote itself at an event, then handing out mouse pads branded with the company logo is much more sensible and memorable than distributing magnets. Handing out chairs and thermoses make sense for a sports function, but distributing golf balls doesn’t do much for a clothing store.

Items that are Easily Discarded or Forgotten

Simply choosing an item because it is the most inexpensive option is liable to turn into a wasted investment in the end. Items like pens, magnets, and buttons are some of the most common choices for promotional ware but are also easily collected and discarded by individuals every day without even a glance at the branding. If you’re purchasing items in large quantities, it makes sense to spend some time choosing a unique item that sets your business apart from others. Things like calculators and tool kits are more likely to find a place in someone’s drawer than in the trashcan. Small items like pens and buttons are more likely to discarded or misplaced without a second’s thought, resulting in a wasted investment on your part.

Pricing

An estimated $18 billion annually is spent in the promotional items industry according to Promotional Products Association International. The price your company will pay for these items varies according to the type, quantity, and fees associated with the items you purchase. It is possible to find some items, such as pens and stickers, priced at under $1; however, other items such as shirts and bags may cost $30 or more per item.

Shipping fees, setup fees, and color fees are some of the fees you have to consider. Many companies offer free shipping, but if the company you work with doesn’t, you can expect to pay approximately 10 to 25 percent of the total purchase price for shipping. Setup fees depend on the company. Some are free, but others charge $10 to $50 to setup the equipment for your order. While some companies offer full-color printing in the charge of the item, some may charge a fee for color printing. This fee may be per color or per item.

Conclusion

Promotional items are a great way of advertising your business. They can be quite useful for creating awareness about your brand when used correctly. Traditional ways of advertising are fine, but they can be very expensive, and most businesses can’t afford that kind of spending. Available in a wide variety, promotional items are relatively less costly than a newspaper or television advertisement. You can create a reputation for your business among potential customers and clients instantly by giving them these products. While they are an inexpensive way of promoting your business, care should be taken in choosing the right kind of products because they should add value to your business.