Without question they are necessary and it’s the nature of the beast that budgets are always smaller than we would like, but this sets the scene for good organisation and creativity. Always an interesting challenge!
It has been well established over the years that promotional gifts are an important part of the marketing mix. Getting the most from your spending allocation for promotional merchandise will often be a creative balance between working towards your marketing goals, the demographic of your target audience and the method of distribution, all of which come within the constraints of the budget available.
For many companies, whether the available budgets large and small, promotional pens are a popular choice. They are affordable, small enough to be easily distributed and always well accepted. There are many other small and inexpensive products which work as well as promotional pens, such as mousemats, key rings and coasters. Larger promotional items which are well liked, such as mugs, umbrellas, bags, t-shirts, sweatshirts and caps, also offer great opportunities for marketing, but require larger storage space and perhaps a different method of distribution. Storage and distribution costs may be saved by carefully choosing your promotional items with these factors in mind.
One of the best ways of making sure you get the quality promotional products you require at the best price is to ensure you plan far enough ahead to allow for the lead times involved. Times quoted are usually from approval of artwork, so having your artwork complete and ready to go is fundamental in the ordering process. Most promotional gifts will be turned round within 10 days, but of course this can vary according to stock availability and the print method used.
The costs of your promotional products can escalate quickly if you don’t allow enough lead time. When time is short there may be a restricted selection of product available to you along with increased charges for express delivery. If you do find that you have to act on the last minute, the key to getting the best for your budget here is flexibility. If you get in touch with one of our knowledgeable customer service team, they will know if there are any particular offers you may benefit from and proffer alternative suggestions or close matches which can be delivered within your time frame.
Another point to bear in mind if you need to save on your print budget is to consider the method of printing used and whether you can restrict the number of colours used in your artwork. Often the most cost effective printing method is by screen, although this will not be suitable for all products. The fewer colours you require, the fewer individual screens will be needed, so the set-up costs will be reduced accordingly.
Importantly, in the drive to save money always beware of those ‘too good to be true’ offers. Cheapest rarely means best. Remember good service is vital to ensure you have the promotional products that you require, exactly as you want them and on time. The quality of your merchandise is also vitally important as it reflects the quality of your company. The last thing you want to do is to compromise your brand by using poor quality promotional gifts which send out the wrong messages to your customers and clients. Using a reputable and well established company, such as PG Branding, to fulfil your promotional requirements ensures you spend your budget well to get the best ROI.
To sum up, promotional gifts are an important part of current marketing strategies, which means that most companies, large and small, allocate a dedicated budget for such products. Everyone wants to make the most of their available budget, so appropriate time and effort has to be applied to use it wisely and to make the best investment to build the brand and/or drive sales and bring in new customers. Our experience here at PG Branding can help you choose the best promotional products for your brief and support your mission to make the most of your marketing opportunities.
Thank you for this very wonderful post. Every year, my problem with my business is trying to make my set budget last up until the turn of the new year. The tips you provided here will surely help me.