Promotional Products - Slip-Ups That You Can Avoid
Using promotional products to give to clients can be very rewarding as it brings great benefits to the company. However, if a promotional item campaign fails, it’s almost always not due to chance or bad luck alone. If you want promotional products that spell business success, avoid these common mistakes in the selection and design of items.
• Slip-Up No. 1: Not including the contact details. What if a potential corporate client saw your brand name or logo in a coaster, and he gets curious about your company? He wants to get additional information, but the coaster says nothing about how he can contact your company. Unless your purpose of not placing any contact info on your promotional item is because you created a buzz campaign, you should place some contact details. This way, you’ll be able to effectively disseminate info and possibly have customer feedbacks.
• Slip-Up No. 2: Being too conventional and just plain boring. One reason why you’re giving promotional gifts is for your company to be recognized and ultimately stand-out despite many other contenders. You can do this by choosing promotional items with colors, designs, and styles that are attention-grabbing. If you are using promotional T-shirts, make sure that your brand name and logo is clearly visible and identifiable.
• Slip-Up No. 3: Being behind the schedule. Whether you’re having a trade show or an important event coming up in a month, remember to contact your promotional supplier at least a month in advance. With making good promotional products comes tremendous personalization with brand names, color logos, and company motto. This means that a lot of time is needed to meet the requirements of a specific promotional item. If your orders come in too late, there’s a high probability that you won’t get the items on time for the anticipated event.
• Slip-Up No. 4: Settling for the cheapest promo item available. In many trade shows and conferences, people tend to give items that have nothing special and different about them. Instead of giving items that are just a ‘little something’ for the guests, give promotional products that truly speak of your company’s goals and image. Choose ones that are innovative rather than dull and traditional.
• Slip-Up No. 5. Giving promotional items that are inappropriate. Of course, if you want to effectively advertise your company, you have to give your clients promotional products that cater to their interests and preference. Otherwise, it’s like talking to your target audience in an entirely different language.
Tags: Promotional Gifts, Promotional Items, Promotional Products
November 6th, 2008 at 3:57 pm
Great. But I still wonder if “Slip-Up No.4″ is true or not. It’s because, in my country, especially on my city, there are not many rich people. They just want to get the cheapest item.
With this, maybe I can add Slip-Up No.6, which is not investigating customer behaviour on the area where you want to promote your product.
November 7th, 2008 at 7:46 am
ha ha.. Andre.. i wonder which country ur from.. there r ‘N’ number of slip-ups when u look at it 4rm micro level.. but Slip-Up no 3 is often faced by many… either the company is late in placing their order or @ times even when placed the order on time, the supplier delays in delivering the order on account of other huge work orders, specially arnd the festive seasons. to avoid this confusion, i usually place orders for my business gifts directly from the source & this most often works out faster n cheaper… like Apple for example have a pretty quick delivery system.. i received my order of ipods for Diwali within 2 days, so i’m guessin single orders would be delivered even faster..
November 7th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
On number 1: You wouldn’t want to be too obnoxious about contacting information, it should be small and discrete, a small URL at the bottom corner would be the perfect thing, they could get more information from there
On number 4: Spending a few more cents and getting a reliable product is something people often overlook. If a product breaks soon after the user receives it, it gives a very poor impression.
November 8th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
very true article,i really admire your knowledge about promotion skills.Really helpful for all involved in business and want to promote their new products or service.This tatics will surely guide them to achieving success in any kind of business.The most important thing is that new business people can learn much from your blog.
November 10th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
Our company recently was in auto expo, there a teddy bear keyring was distributed by our staff there, i noticed it had nothing representing our company name or logo in it. I was quick to identify the problem & only from the next day we gave the promotional keyrings with our logo in them.
November 11th, 2008 at 7:47 am
Since a substantial amount of resources is expended in the production of promtional gifts, it is very important to pevent slipups by paying attention to details. Remember that all work good done is wasted if there is a slip-up even a very minor one. Remember that that impression of your company is usually formed by such minor details.
November 11th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
Yes, using promotional product you can get benefit to your company by clients and other staff with respect to the Slip-Up No. 5. “Giving promotional items that are inappropriate. Of course, if you want to effectively advertise your company, you have to give your clients promotional products that cater to their interests and preference. Otherwise, it’s like talking to your target audience in an entirely different language.” here sounds tend to what you make level or respect to your staff the feedback will same as yours.
November 11th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
In regards to Slip Up 3 : lot of time is needed to meet the requirements of a specific promotional item. If your orders come in too late, there’s a high probability that you won’t get the items on time for the anticipated event.
1) This is a major slip up with upcoming companies where in the desired items are not delivered in time which are also called as Last minute hiccups hence it should be a pre planned event and have to make sure that the product is delivered in time
November 12th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
I agree with the slip-ups here for the promotional gift items. It really is frustrating when we’re trying to locate, anywhere on the product such as a mug, a phone number or email address on how to contact that certain company. This is a major slip-up or mark down for the company. As suggested by Lex earlier, they should place the contact information on the side or the bottom corner.
November 13th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
I would also like to add this: don’t give food items! This is an annoying gift idea from a company, mainly because it is presumptuous, and while it won’t likely make a client angry, it could leave them with a bad image if you send them the wrong thing. Not to mention you could send them something that they are allergic to.
I had a company send me a candy bar once. I hate chocolate.
November 14th, 2008 at 11:31 pm
Oli, you are absolutely right and I fully support your opinion! To give away food items makes sense only if one promotes the respective food item. Otherwise, it just goes wrong.
The 5 tips (”slip-ups”), listed above, are very useful and one should read them carefully before attempting a promo campaign. I personally like Slip-up 2 - this is a point that most companies evade to read and think about. Aiming for the new, unconventional, attractive and catchy - this is the key to a successful campaign!
November 14th, 2008 at 11:36 pm
Yea food gifts seem a bit weird if you don’t sell or have something to do with food. For instance: Why give away cake when you sell suits? It makes no sense. But if you sold chocolate giving away promotional candy makes sense.
November 17th, 2008 at 10:12 am
I really like slip up #4. I thought it was a good point you made that the gift should match what that company’s values are. This will help the customer connect his or her promotional item with your company.
November 22nd, 2008 at 6:20 pm
Promotional Candy i think is the Last and the Occassional Offer which can be given on an individual like Festivals
Western Countries have less festivals wen compared to India
And in India every festival marks its own presence and Sweets and Chocolates are the most important part of the Same