When it comes to hosting an exhibition stand, promotional products are one of the hardest things to organise. Whether you regularly order products to hand out to attendees or you’re trying it for the first time, you need to ensure you have considered absolutely everything before you head to your event. Whether it’s using a trusted supplier or transporting them into the venue, the more you plan in advance the better. With that in mind, here are 9 top tips for using promotional products in your business:
1. Make sure you’re considering your target audience
One of the first things you need to do when deciding which promotional products you’re going to purchase is to take a look at your target audience. Using the customer avatar you would have created during the inception of your business, you can think about what kind of promotional products they’re going to want and need.
Although you may be tempted to go with the most popular choices available, you may find that it is something your target audience wouldn’t be interested in. Ideally, you want your ideal customer to stop and look at your stand because they’re interested in either your promotional product or what it is you have to offer as a business.
2. Think about how many you need to order
Another great thing to consider before you order your promotional products is the quantity you need to purchase. The best way to work this out is to think about the maximum capacity of the event versus how many people you think are going to visit your stand. Although your number may seem high, it is better to be over-prepared than under.
3.Consider your overall marketing budget for the year
If you’re ordering promotional items for an event, you need to think about how much money you’re going to be able to allocate from your overall marketing budget. Although it may not seem as important as social media advertising and paid ads, promotional products can be incredibly expensive and you need to factor that into your budget as soon as you possibly can. For guidance when it comes to setting a marketing budget, you can visit this site here.
4. Consider how you’re going to ensure it is on brand
Once you know what product you want to order and how many you’re going to purchase, you need to think about how you’re going to ensure it is on-brand. The easiest way, of course, is to change the colours and add your company logo. Although most people tend to go for something that is subtle, the more obvious your branding is the better.
If you’re struggling when it comes to the design of your promotional product, why not speak to a professional designer? They will be able to look at the product specifications, putting together a variety of different designs that represent your brand. Although it may cost you a little more, you will find it’s much better than putting a design together in-house.
5. Make sure you’re choosing a trustworthy supplier
One of the most important things you need to do when ordering promotional products is to ensure you’re choosing a trustworthy supplier. Although it may take a little longer to find the right company, you can be sure you’re going to be getting quality products and service at the right price. If you’re unsure, you can ask for several different companies to send samples to you.
Once you have several different samples to look through, you will be able to make an informed decision about which supplier is going to be the best fit. If you’re looking for a long term partnership, you may also want to consider meeting each supplier in person before you make your decision. Often, you will find this is the best way to gauge your future working relationship.
6. Don’t forget to factor in lead time
Although you may find a number of companies offer next day delivery, you need to factor in lead time for those products that are going to take a little longer than normal. If you are ordering just a few days before your exhibition and event, you need to be prepared to accept that they may not arrive in time. If it’s an emergency, you may find you can pay a premium to have them delivered immediately. To avoid any delivery issues, you might want to consider choosing a company that is local to you.
7. Think about When You’re Going To Use Them
Although you know you’re going to be using your promotional products at exhibitions and events, there are lots of other ways in which you can use any stock you have left over. Whether you hand them out to staff or you use them in company meetings, you will definitely be able to find a use for them. If you regularly attend events, you may find that the remaining stock will also be suitable for any future events you’re exhibiting at.
Make sure you are quality checking products when they arrive
Once your products arrive, you need to be sure you’re quality checking each and every batch you receive. Although it can take some to sort through everything, you want to be sure you have received the service you have paid for. If you do notice an issue, you need to call your supplier as soon as you possibly can.
Ask customers and clients for their feedback
Finally, once you have been handing your promotional products out at a number of different events, you can start to ask your customers and clients for their feedback. In some cases, you may find that people are coming back to your stand because they want to stock up on more of your promotional items. If that’s the case, you know you’ve made the right decision.
