We’re constantly helping our clients to find exactly the right promotional merchandise to suit their brand – like our friends here at Herb Fed Poultry in Easingwold. We’ve recently assisted them with their brief to help create some exceptional promotional products to be proud of.
If you’re looking to buy some promotional merchandise but not sure where to start, let us guide you through what to consider before buying.
1. What’s the Goal?
The ultimate goal with every piece of promotional merchandise is to increase brand awareness, but you could also ask yourself, what are you trying to achieve?
Is the aim to:
Is the aim to:
- Attract new clients?
- Retain existing clients?
- Reward staff?
- Be a perpetual reminder of your products and services. In effect be a ‘silent salesman’ subliminally continually prompting a customer to use you over your competition.
Once you have that on board, you can start planning what your target audience might like to receive.
2. Secure your Budget
To avoid spend spiralling out of control, one of the first things you need to consider is how much is in the pot for promotional merch. Secure the budget and work back from there, detailing how many of each item you may need. At Parkers Branded, we are dedicated to finding the best price that doesn’t compromise on quality. Plus, if you’re prepared and order months in advance or in bulk, the price per item is far more competitive. Don’t forget to consider origination costs and delivery within your budget, so there are no surprises at the end. At Parkers Branded all our prices are calculated and quoted with origination and carriage included in the unit price so ‘what you see is what you pay.’
3. Gather Some Suggestions
Do your research, get some ideas together and ask us for recommendations. If you’re stuck, the team at Parkers Branded are always happy to suggest products that will perfectly suit your audience and budget. For example, in our video, every product that we are discussing has a sound business reason for the end user customer and trade customer to want to buy…
Bobble hats
Bobble hats were chosen because they company sell (trade) to butchers who work in a cold environment and whom they want to remind daily of their products and services.
Jute bags
The company sell at numerous country fairs and shows and want their end user customers to be carrying what is effectively an advertising billboard around those events. Jute Bags are strong, durable and reusable so likely to be used for several years and for a variety of uses.
Tea towels
The company has a large Christmas mail order free range Turkey selling operation and they want to thank their end user customers – and of course get a piece of branded merchandise in their kitchen to prompt them to come back next year. Tea towels are ideal for this.
Fridge magnets
Not mentioned in the video, but fridge magnets were discussed as something that will be displayed on fridges in restaurants, farm shops and retail outlets to constantly remind their trade customers where to re-stock.
Keyrings
Keyrings were chosen because they want to be able to give something ‘cheap and cheerful’ away at shows and fairs that might remind the potential end user customer to get in touch and buy something.
Remember, if you can’t immediately see what you’re looking for on our site it really is unimportant, we have access to the entire supplier base and can find anything.
4. What’s the Message?
The message is entirely led by your brand. For example, if your brand is quirky, you may want to choose a funky product that reflects your vibe. If it’s more corporate, you need something stylish, classic or perhaps luxurious. Other points to consider are whether you want to convey eco-consciousness and go for a sustainable gift , or whether you want to go for a trusted brand name (eg a Stanley Quencher or a Berghaus fleece).
5. Target your Exact Audience
Every business has a different audience, so tailor your promotional merchandise to exactly those people. For example, if you’re a food shop, shopping bags, aprons, tea towels and cookware will hit the mark. If you are a brewery, you may choose beer mats, branded glassware, bottle openers or even rugby balls to target your audience. If you’re sponsoring a sports event, target the attendees by choosing useful products like reusable sports bottles, mini footballs or a sports towel. As mentioned above, every product you buy has to have a sound business reason behind it and when you consult with us and we understand your needs, we can do the strategic thinking and give you the good ideas – that’s what we do that so many other promotional products companies don’t!
6. Decide how the products will be used
You may require promotional merchandise that will be used every day such as mugs, pencils or keyrings. If you are heading to an exhibition, you will need props such as balloons , or value items to include in a goodie bag such as magnets, pencils or confectionery . If you are buying promotional gifts for staff these might include branded clothing , drinkware or luggage that will be on display when out of the workplace. A good place to start is to consider whether you would you like your merchandise to be:
- Useful – a practical product that is likely to be used regularly.
- Memorable – a memento of an occasion or something that will be displayed.
- Sustainable – either recycled or sustainably made to subtly promote your eco efforts.
Need help navigating promotional merchandise? We’re here!
As always, the team at Parkers Branded are on hand to help you purchase the perfect promotional gift to aid your marketing and promote your brand with maximum effect. Browse our product range or get in touch with a member of the team for assistance.
We won’t sell you promotional merchandise but we will help you buy it!
