Category Archives for Trade Tips

Summer Is Coming

coolerAlthough we are still battling winter, we buoy our spirits with the knowledge that before long summer will be here.  Before that happens, however, the saavy corporate buyer can take advantage of supplier price specials on summer items like t-shirts, sunscreen and coolers.  And, for an added bonus, the timing of these first quarter specials allows us to think ahead of the spring/summer corporate events, and take a little extra time to explore some of the exciting options for creative product branding.

For instance …

  • Coleman coolers can be decorated on every side, including the top of the lid, with the corporate colors, graphics and marketing message;
  • the right screen printer can turn a simple cotton t-shirt into a fashion statement with brand graphics as subtle, or bold, as the corporate advertising theme dictates;
  • and simple items like SPF15 lip balm, insulated beverage holders or acrylic sport bottles offer a logo billboard that has full color, full wrap decorating potential.

Creative graphics can be as basic as adding an all-over solid imprint matching the corporate logo color, and adding the logo on top.  To add a little more style, there are millions of professional photos and graphics available on various internet sites like Shutterstock for very low prices.  Or, in the case of companies with larger marketing departments, in-house graphic artists can create something completely original.

Taking advantage of price specials on the right product for the next event makes budget sense.  Working with your promotional products provider in March to brainstorm creative branding options for a gift-with-purchase program that launches in July, gives the process owner peace of mind, and the recipient a more exciting gift experience.

Easy Does It

easyIt may be true that not much in life is easy, but when corporate customers launch a promotional merchandise fulfillment program, it is the duty of the distributor partner to make it appear that way.

In this case, appearances should be a bit deceiving, since, in fact, to design a user-friendly, budget-conscious, logistically innovative on-line corporate store requires a great deal of research, planning and focused management of countless details.

To begin the process, nothing can happen before an anlaysis is performed of past customer purchasing trends.  What do they buy? How often? In what quantities? (to name a few of the more obvious questions).  Does everyone have internet access?  Are there department budgets to consider and track? Do purchases require management approval? (moving on with a few considerations that may be less apparent).

And the background due diligence is only the beginning of a long building process that moves from research to web design, order management, storage and packaging, and final product delivery.   All stages of the process – from proposing the program to fulfilling the orders – must be thoroughly analyzed and impeccably executed.  I view the work of the program management team as the engineering, design and build process that will eventually become the final structure in which all of the work will take place.

But, back to the easy part.  The reason program RFP’s are issued and contracts are executed is so that the corporate marketing and procurement departments don’t have to manage all those details.  Once a supplier partner has been chosen, the sometimes confusing and complicated process of launching a logo products store should be seamless.   The distributor takes care of the day to day challenges of moving branded products to the end recipients, and the corporate administrator should only need to allocate an hour or so each month to review the progress of the program with the account manager.  If the client begins fielding calls about product quality, web site ineffciencies or shipping delays, then process improvements are in order.

Consider how your current program is operating, and if it isn’t easy for you, the customer, then schedule a time to meet with your program manager to discuss how to get things back on track.

Taking It To Extremes

1349975049According to the Global Industry Analysts, Inc (GIA) report on the popularity of extreme sports, the global demand for these high adventure activities is expected to surge. No longer reserved for the eccentric, the customer base is broad and comprises of teenagers and young adults to more mature, mainstream sectors of the population.  Some extreme sports have even surpassed more conventional sports in popularity.

What does that mean for corporate marketing departments?  For one thing, it means that companies targeting daring, sports-minded consumers should be conscious of the fact that some of those sports may fall into the the extreme category, and the promotional merchandise they give away should be able to stand up to the same elements these sports enthusiasts endure.

A few products that can hold their own under extreme conditions:

Eco Extreme Speaker Case:  Durable, high quality speaker case that can be used by snowboarders and hikers – but is also perfect for golfers and boaters.  It’s a waterproof case that floats, with built in speakers to carry the sound of an iPhone, Ipod or other MP3 player, and can withstand falls, drops and the elements.

Quench Hydration Packs:  Made from durable 840D polyester, this ready-for-anything backpack offers a large main comparment and a separate rear compartment that holds a 2-litre water reservoir.  Extra pockets for storage and padded back panel, waist belt and adjustable straps gives the sports enthusiast the ability to stay hydrated while climbing that last 100 feet.

Sunglasses by Coleman:  Polycarbonate frames, polarized lenses and rubber molded detail for comfort make these sunglasses an essential part of the arsenal when the sun is shining off the helmet of the biker in front of you.  Shock proof case provides protection and microfiber cloth keeps them clean.

Extreme sports are gaining in popularity for participants and spectators.  Sports of all kinds have been popular since the beginning of time.  Corporate marketers looking to get their brand in front of an active, aggressive audience need to consider products that can keep up with their lifestyles.   Ask for samples and take them for a test drive – if you dare!

Product Safety And Sustainability

gogglesSafety and sustainability will continue to grow in importance when considering promotional product options,  and an argument can be made that these issues should carry as much significance for the buyers as the merchandise budget.  Promotional product vendor partners have an obligation to proactively address the issues of safety and compliance before presenting product options for client consideration – and at the same time should continue to promote products and practices that support environmental stewardship.

To help with the issue of product safety, the promotional products industry can look to the Quality Certification Alliance (QCA), “… an independent, accreditation organization whose mission is to elevate the standards by which industry firms that import and/or manufacture promotional products provide consistently safe, high-quality, socially compliant and environmentally conscientious merchandise.”  Recalls and product safety issues could damage the brand image, and worse, potentially harm the recipient.  Knowing and supporting the product suppliers that comply with established safety standards is a best practice that will protect both the company brand and the customer.

Regarding the growing demand for more earth-friendly products, there are many ways for the promotional product vendor, and corporate customer, to do more while maintaining its focus on strengthening the brand identity.  Reducing energy consumption and recycling paper in the office are always a good place to start.  But it’s not difficult to go further by using branded products made from recycled materials, requesting biodegradable eco-friendly packaging materials, and finding printers that use water and soy based inks for screenprinting.  In some cases, the cost may be a bit higher, but the long-term gains in a healthier planet, as well as the appreciation from the educated, eco-conscious consumer, will pay dividends that may not have been considered.

Safety and sustainability are easy issues to support during a casual conversation or in a well-drafted mission statement.  But as more consumers begin to question the impact of corporate give-aways on their planet and in their homes, it may be time to incorporate that discussion during the next meeting with your promotional products provider.

Trade Show Checklist

trade-show-crowdd1January signals the start of the 2013 trade show season.  The time when every company takes stock of the success of the shows from the previous year, and moves forward with a fresh perspective and  renewed energy for marketing their business. Some companies have a dedicated trade show associate who is famililar with the routine and has the execution of details down to a fine science.  For the rest of the corporate world, a trade show checklist can be a helpful tool when the task falls to one or two willing individuals who stayed in the room just long enough to be “volunteered” for this sometimes daunting assignment.

  1. Fill out and submit application. This provides the opportunity to submit payment and secure booth space.  Tip:  best booth space is at a high traffic location that limits congestion (no exits, entrances or restrooms)
  2. Confirm exhibitor services & accessories.  Carpet, table, chairs, curtains, electrical, wi-fi, audio-visual, telephone, housekeeping, lighting and security.  Tip:  most trade show organizers will include this information in the exhibitor packet, but it is always prudent to check everything against your own internal list.
  3. Prepare booth.  The construction, layout and graphics of the booth should allow easy display of all product, with creative methods of highlighting new merchandise or services.  Tip:  the money saved on a smaller booth space or fewer shows could be well spent on better display graphics to maximize the experience for the customer
  4. Order promotional materials.  Advertising, print material, product give-aways, pre-show mailings, and customer hospitality items.  Tip:  allow for a minimum of three to four weeks lead time for delivery of custom branded products
  5. Make reservations for booth staff.  Airlines, hotels, ground transportation and dinner reservations should be made as far in advance as possible.  Tip:  respect for the comfort of the staff will pay high dividends with a positive attitude at the show
  6. Establish shipping logistics.  Arrival, labeling, storage, and return of all shipped items should be determined and confirmed with carrier and trade show manager.  Tip:  poorly labeled packages have a way of getting lost
  7. Follow up on all leads!  Do this in the first week after the show.  Confirming the possibility of a sale, or even casual interest for future consideration, will provide valuable feedback for the next trade show.  Tip:  potential customers want to hear from you, but it’s unlikely they will make the time to place the first call

Trade shows are an effective way to reach new audiences, but only if they are well executed without any embarrassing glitches.  Make a list and check it every day until the show is over and you’re back at your desk – you will be glad you did!

(Image via photopin)

Global Study On Effectiveness Of Promo Products – Part III

Cats_Out_of_BagThe cat is out of the bag!  The Global Advertising Specialties Impressions Study conducted by ASI (Advertising Specialty Institute) concludes that bags generate the most impressions of any other branded product in the study.  That finding may beg the question – what are impressions?  In this study, the number of impressions a product derives is calculated by “… multiplying how long a recipient owns an item to how many people he comes in contact with each month while using it.”

Keeping this definition in mind, it should be no surprise that bags come out on top considering they are frequently used, particularly in public places, where they are seen by other people.  Next in popularity of impressions are caps – then writing instruments, outerwear and t-shirts.  The items that create the fewest impressions are those intended for personal use, like USB drives, health and safety items, and consumables.  These items are given to impress the recipient, and are selected with a different campaign goal in mind.

Finally, one of the most important questions corporate customers have about advertising specialities is how they stack up against other media in terms of cost effectiveness.  According to this study, promotional merchandise is less expensive per impression than almost any other type of advertising.  It beats out prime time television, national magazine and newspaper ads with a cost of 0.6 cents per impression vs 1.8 cents for TV and magazines, and 0.7 cents for newspapers.  With the ability to take a more focused approach to the recipient while giving even the smallest companies the ability to achieve the same ROI as major corporations, branded products have a unique and undeniable place in the advertising world.

It’s always beneficial to have tested data to help marketing teams decide how to best use their budgets in order to achieve the highest return on investment.  Now that you know the facts, the next meeting with your promotional products provider should be a lot more productive!

Global Study On Effectiveness of Promo Products – Part II

rememberDo you ever wonder if that logo product that was distributed at the recruiting fair kept your company front of mind, or did your brand message fade as soon as the lights went out?  According to the 2012 global study on the effectiveness of promotional products conducted by the Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI), owners of branded promotional merchandise remember the advertiser 87% of the time, with outerwear being the item with the highest advertiser recognition at 97%.  And when it comes to the question of how recipients really feel about the advertiser, an average of 52% feel more favorable after receiving a branded item, with outerwear once again leading the charge with a 73% approval rating.

This data shouldn’t surprise us considering how we all feel about receiving free “stuff”, but amid the growing sensitivity to what impact waste has on our environment, many corporate givers have begun to consider the fate of these promotional products.  To help ease those fears, the study results show that if a recipient gets something they don’t want to keep, 66% of them give it to someone else, 18% put it away and forget about it, and only 16% throw it away.  This is good news for the advertiser since the impression from the re-gifted item goes beyond the targeted customer, and also for those concerned that our merchandise not go immediately to the landfill.  Of course, this also gives us all good reason to consider the usefulness of an item when looking at promotional product options.  (does anyone really keep those foam fingers?)

The study rounds out the question of the effect of promotional merchandise by asking if the recipient was persuaded to buy from the advertiser after receiving the gift.  According to the study, when consumers were asked how likely they were to do business with an advertiser they hadn’t previously done business with after receiving an item, about 31 percent said they were more likely to do business with them in the future.  With nearly 1/3 of the recipients likely to support the corporate giver after receiving a branded item, it’s not hard to understand why that tool remains an important part of the overall marketing initiative.

Next week Part III will summarize the study’s findings on number of impressions and cost effectiveness of promotional merchandise.  Stay tuned!

Global Study On Effectiveness of Promo Products – Part 1

globeWith the goal of providing corporate customers a statistical cost analysis of the value of promotional merchandise in their brand marketing intiatives, the Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI), the largest media and marketing organization serving the ad specialties industry, sent a  research team to 12 cities from July through September, 2012, to poll nearly 5,000 consumers about the branded products they had received.  In New York, Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles, Seattle, Dallas, Philadelphia, London, Paris, Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal respondents were asked questions about how many promotional products they had received, how they used them, why they kept them, and their impressions of the advertisers that gave them the items.

In this first of a three part series of articles that will summarize the high points of that study, I will focus on the most popular products by category.  Since products are the carriers for the brand logo, it’s important to know which items are most likely to be used by the targeted audience.

In the United States, the following results were reported for the most popular products by category, and their appeal by gender and age.

  • Writing Instruments – 50%  (most popular with women and older adults, 55+)
  • Shirts – 43%  (most popular with men and younger adults, 21-34)
  • Bags – 29%  (most popular with women and older adults, 55+)
  • Calendars – 21%  (men & women are nearly equal on calendars, age 45+)
  • Desk/Office Accessories – 17%  (most popular with women and younger adults, 21-34)
  • Caps/Headwear – 16%  (most popular with men, age 45+)
  • Drinkware – 14%  (most popular with women and gen-x consumers, age 35+)
  • USB/Flash Drives – 9%  (most popular with men and younger adults, 21-34)
  • Health & Safety – 8%  (most popular with middle age women, age 45-54)
  • Outerwear – 5%  (most popular with younger men, age 21-44)

Knowing which products are popular in a particular demographic is important, but the study also concludes that these products are kept by the recipient for an average of 6 months, with awards being held the longest at 7.6 months and writing instruments the shortest at 5.1 months.  Knowing that each promotional product will be around much longer than any other form of advertising makes a strong case for the importance of branded merchandise in any corporate marketing initiative.

The next 2 articles will summarize the study’s findings on the recipients’ view of advertisers and the cost effectiveness of ad specialties.  Once all data has been presented, it should give corporate marketing teams a solid place to begin meaningful conversations with their promotional product providers about their 2013 campaigns and the logo products that will be selected to represent the brand.