“What promotional item should I use?”
“What is HOT right now?”
As a promotional products rep, I get these questions ALL the time. People want to know which items are going to give them the best bang for their buck in the ad-specialty world.
Being that there is no one particular “magic item”, my primary objective for my clients is to help them narrow down the MASSIVE amount of options there are.
Here are 5 questions I always ask to help my clients do just that, and why I ask them:
[QUESTION] In what type of environment will the items be used?
[WHY I ASK IT] This will give me an idea of the logistics challenges that you may face when it comes to this project.
If you’re planning on using the items in a mailer, I may have some follow-up questions about packaging, how the mailers are being assembled, if you’re using USPS vs. FedEx/UPS , what else might be going into the mailer, etc.
If you’re planning give-away items for a trade show, I’ll likely recommend small compact items that are attractive and likely to be kept and used throughout the course of the show.
[QUESTION] What is the demographic you’re targeting?
[WHY I ASK IT] At the end of the day, who do you hope picks up or receives your item? What do you hope they do with it? This has a huge affect on which items will be the most effective.
If your event is for high-level executives, I won’t recommend the same items as if the event was for High School Students.
[QUESTION] How many items do you think you’ll need?
[WHY I ASK IT] This is for a few different reasons.
The first being, that this will help me help you when it comes to planning. Sometimes when I ask this question some folks haven’t considered how many people will be attending their event, how much merchandise they think they will sell, how many addresses in their database, etc.
The second reason is because most items in the promotional products industry are based on tiered pricing, meaning that the more you order, the better price I’m able to give you.
The third reason is because if the project is especially complex and there are a lot of screens that had to be set up for different items, dies that needed to be created, etc. it creates a lot of guesswork while estimating your work if I don’t have a quantity to work with.
[QUESTION] What is your budget per item?
[WHY I ASK IT] This helps me narrow down the selection in a massive way. If someone needs 1000 items and needs to be around $4 each, I likely won’t recommend any backpacks, high-end tech items, etc.
The same can be said on the flip-side. If a client has a $100 per item budget, I likely won’t recommend any of the normal items typically geared towards the trade-show “grab and go” type clientele.
Obviously, the higher the budget, the higher quality the item. Your promo rep can always give you an idea of what your end-goal will cost and help you make adjustments to meet budget goals. (For example…let’s say you were thinking a full-color dye sublimated mug before, but that put you a little bit over budget. Your promo might suggest a similar mug with a 4cp decal that costs a less, but accomplishes the same goal).
[QUESTION] When are the items needed?
[WHY I ASK IT] Believe it or not, this actually helps me narrow down the selection of items a lot of the time. If a client is dealing with a tight turn-time, I will likely have to pull items from a selection of products available via quick-rush. A lot of manufacturers I work with have a 24-48 hr production rush and a short-timeline will likely have you limited to these type of items. This might also result in us having to charge rush-fees, and/or expedite shipping.
The reverse of this? If you are planning for an event that is months from now? This will give us a TON of room for creativity, and your price will likely be affected in a positive way.
Still need help?
Give me a shout. I’d be happy to help you plan your project!
Call me at 615-779-8036.
