Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Your First Time Buying Promotional Imprinted Products?

You haven't used logo imprinted items to promote your company yet? Maybe you've thought about it, but you're not sure if it's right for you or if it is, just where to begin? Let me give you some tips to start you off.

First I'll give you six reasons why you should use them:

1. Advertising specialties are an effective yet inexpensive way to get your name out among the public. It's the longest lasting advertising you can invest in because promotional custom products have the ability to stay visible & in the public's eye for years to come.

2. There's no waste because you can target exactly where & to whom you want your marketing items & your message to go. In most cases, they are given directly to clients & prospective customers.

3. The medium is the message. Products with you name & logo on them are constantly being used.

4. Promotional products make great appreciation & thank you gifts for your customers. They show your clients that you appreciate their loyalty & that you value their business.

5. They generate new & repeated business. Studies have proven that customers who receive customized promotional items return more often than those who receive coupons or promises of upcoming sales.

6. Promotional items foster customer loyalty, referrals & goodwill. And that's a good recipe for a successful business!

There absolutely is no right or wrong way to integrate promotional wholesale products into your business. These products work so well to help you advertise & promote your business that you should be motivated to give them a try, but how & where you you use them is your discretion.

Many businesses like to begin with an inexpensive promotional item first to test the waters on this method of advertising & to get a feel for the promotional products company they are considering. When I say inexpensive, I'm not asking you to compromise on quality--don't ever do that because these items reflect you & your company.


It might also be wiser to  place an order for a smaller quantity, if this is your first time handing out advertising specialties. It's best to see if you're happy with the quality of the items & the quality of the imprint. This last is so important since it's showing off your logo & your company name.  No one wants to place a large order only to be disappointed. Next test your target audience & see the impact your product has on them.

And know your target audience. Know who you are handing your marketing products out to. One promotional item may work well with one group of people & be totally ineffective for another. So do your homework before even considering ordering your logo imprinted product. You could end up turning away from an item that is ideal for your business simply because you didn't hand it out to the right people. One other piece of advise that I can't stress strongly enough......your customized promotional item needs to be relevant to your business & still be useful & of value to the recipient. 


When selecting the product for your first imprinting make sure that the company you are using is selling you products from a vendor they know & have used before. Make sure you ask for a virtual proof & a complete description of the article you're contemplating buying.


Ask about the options available to you & if there are other costs besides the price of the product. There are usually set-up fees, shipping charges & some companies now charge for a proof. This last charge is becoming more common & I, for one, am totally against it & will not pass it on to my customers. If time allows, you can even request a sample of the product before you go ahead with your order.


Upon receiving your order be sure to test out the items that you have purchased. Look them over for consistency in the imprint quality & make sure they function properly. It is important that you do these things before passing them along to your clients & prospects. After all, with your business name & logo imprinted on them, you need to make sure that they are of an acceptable quality to represent your business. They will reflect your standards.

You will find that as soon as you begin using promotional custom products within your company, they will help spread the word about your business & begin to bring you company identity. As a result most business owners notice an increase in new traffic. Logo imprinted products are a great way to help stimulate business without having to spend a lot of time & money on other forms of advertising. It's a simpler & more effective way to advertise your products or services.


These items are used any place there's people........there's no limit to where your logo, company name & advertising message can go! Go ahead, try them & the best of luck.
IT'S YOUR COMPANY......SHOW IT OFF!!!
Ronni Sherman

2 comments:

  1. This article is full of much needed facts for anyone who buys promotional items. It could be your first time or your hundredth time. Our organization gives out new, never been tried items so even seasoned buyers like us need to "test the waters".

    The advise about knowing your target audience is very true. They are always changing. They never stay stagnant. So our promotions have to change too and sometimes it can be hit or miss. Thanks to the information stated here, it should be more hits than misses.

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