Free promotional items
Free promotional products are always a hit with people. There's something about the word "free" that draws people's attention. It makes them respond to an invitation, arouses their curiosity to a certain product, influences their perception about a certain brand, and generally gives them a positive feeling about the entity giving the free item.
Giving free promotional products sure has a lot of benefits but companies need to have the right strategy in order to make their strategy work for their business. It is not just about giving away freebies such as clocks, mugs, and caps. It is about the integration of the free promotional products in the overall marketing or promotional campaign of an organization.
Companies can maximize the benefits of free promotional products if they understand how the promotional products work. They need to get the right promotional products at the right price, and most importantly, at the right source.
There are literally thousands of promotional products in the market and hundreds of suppliers in the United States. Add to that the many number of suppliers from around the world that have put up their electronic storefronts. An American manufacturing firm, for instance, may be sourcing products from a small firm in China.
The path to a free promotional products campaign could be a long and complex process for the inexperienced in the field. You face the constant challenge to make smart decisions every step of the way from the time you pick your promotional product to the time you distribute them to their intended recipients.
One of the first important steps is to find a good vendor that satisfy your requirements for free promotional products. The Promotional Products Association International has a list of accredited members, which could be a good starting point for your search. Promotional specialty magazines would also have their own recommendations.
Most of the vendors act only as middlemen for the promotional products they offer. They do produce the items themselves, but they can serve as brokers in sourcing what you need from manufacturers. They can also manage the production process according to your specifications.
Choose a vendor that will not only give you stock samples but allow you to see how your logo should appear in your chosen item before you make your final order. Certain logos, for example, may not appear good in some very small products, or the colors of the item may not jive with your company's logo.
Before deciding on the vendor, canvass at least three suppliers. Don't rush to make a final decision until you are sure that the vendor can deliver your requirements. When you place your orders, give enough lead-time of no less than three weeks (longer if you have more requirements). Keep in mind that there could also be some kinks that could happen during the production of your promotional products. It will be difficult to find solutions to some problems if the deadlines are too tight.
Promo Magazine, a specialty magazine on the promotional and marketing industry, offers additional insights on how to guarantee hassle-free fulfillment of free promotional products. It features the following suggestions from Tom Quinn, director of a fulfillment services trade group based in Virginia.
1. Find a reputable vendor to complete the project. Many times brand managers delegate the selection of a third-party fulfillment center to the advertising agency. Make sure the agency chooses a provider that meets the requirements of the program. Consider not just the cost but the skill of the third party provider in receiving, warehousing, shipping, customer service, and data management.
2. Identify the promotional materials with a part number. After you have selected the promotional materials, institute a part numbering system to identify the products. The numbering system can be very elementary, such as 3Q0501, which means that the promotion was completed in the 3rd quarter of 2005 and the part was 01. This is the most basic of requirements for a successful program, especially if there are many products involved in the promotion. For example, the consumer orders the men's blue T-shirt, 2XL, with the silver logo and trim. The warehouse sees this part as 3Q0509, and will pick the product for shipment based on the part number and not the description.
3. Set up special procedures to receive promotional materials. Great inventory control starts at the receiving door. It will be necessary to open and hand-count a number of boxes to make sure the promotional items have been produced and packed to specification. Often promotional products, based on the value of the items and/or complexity of the order, will require 100% inspection and counting prior to formal receipt and storage in the system.
4. Establish reorder points for each product. Nothing will turn off consumers faster than not receiving their promotional products—and this generally occurs because the fulfillment center has run out of an item. It is important to monitor inventory and establish a reorder point based on monthly or daily usage and the turn time of the manufacturer of each promotional product.
5. Check each order before it is shipped. The fulfillment center must employ a quality check of each order, particularly if the promotion contains a large number of products.
6. Ship the products in a timely fashion and consistent with the ordering process. You can improve brand loyalty by matching the shipping period to the ordering method. If the ordering method is clipping a coupon, enclosing $1.00, and including a self-addressed envelope, then a four-to-six-week week shipping window is expected. However, if the promotion drives the customer to the company's Website and the order is placed online, then the order needs to ship in one or two days, because this is the customer's expectation.
7. Use packaging materials to further brand the product and company. The customer's first interaction with a specific brand may be the receipt of promotional materials. Investigate packaging materials that can be produced with the brand logo and other call-to-action statements to reinforce the brand message. Also remember to choose packaging materials that will make it through the shipping process and still come out looking good.