Before recommending promotional merchandise, we want to understand what you’re trying to achieve. Who is receiving it? Are you selling it or giving it away, and why?
Those answers should guide the choice. An item can look great, but it still needs to make sense for your audience, your budget, and the campaign you’re planning.
Choose something people have a reason to use
One project involved a client in the tobacco industry who wanted something for events at golf clubs.
We developed custom cigar holders that fit onto a golf cart, giving someone a place to put their cigar while golfing. It was something useful for that particular audience and setting. The client’s own customers started asking for the product because it wasn’t something they had seen before.
That’s the question to ask before choosing a giveaway: What purpose does this item serve for the person receiving it?
Make sure the cost makes sense
It’s easy to choose something because you personally like it. But when you’re producing items to give to customers, you have to consider what they cost and what you’re trying to accomplish.
We like stainless steel mugs, for example. But even though we like them personally, ordering them as a mass giveaway wouldn’t necessarily make financial sense for our business.
Think about the cost of reaching a potential customer and the value of that relationship. An item you love might not be the right choice for a large giveaway.
If you’re selling the items, consider what you can reasonably charge and how many you expect to sell.
Have your logo files ready
If we had a nickel for every person who took a screenshot of their logo on a phone and handed it to us, we’d be independently wealthy.
Keep your original logo files somewhere you can find them. A vector file allows the production company to resize your branding without losing sharpness. Keep JPEG and PNG versions available, too, and ask which format is needed for the job.
If you aren’t sure which file to send, ask before placing the order.
The design can also affect the price. Depending on the item and printing method, simplifying a multicolor logo to one or two colors may reduce production costs. Have that conversation before placing the order.
Look carefully at the proof
Always ask to review a proof, a preview showing your artwork on the item, before production. Look at it as though you’re seeing the information for the first time.
You see your own address every day. That familiarity can make a mistake easier to miss.
Double-check the address, phone number, email, and any other contact information. If you have a friend you trust, give them the proof and ask them to look at it, too.
Also, discuss color expectations. Something may look different on a computer screen than it does on the finished product. Make sure you understand those differences and have the agreed details recorded in the proof.
Plan before you need it
For a Shore business preparing for the summer season, an outdoor event, or a holiday promotion, merchandise should be part of the marketing plan early.
We like to start planning at least three months ahead.
The time needed depends on the item and supplier, so confirm production and delivery dates before committing. Leave room to correct a problem, too.
If an item has Santa Claus on it and arrives after the holiday, you may have missed the opportunity to sell or distribute it when it mattered.
Planning merchandise for an event or promotion? Tell us who it’s for, your budget, and when you need it. We can help you work through the options.
