In the world of promotional products, there are amazing products that totally sell, and others that flop hard. To make sure your promotional products don’t fall to the bottom of the heap, you can learn from others’ mistakes. Here are 5 of the worst mistakes you can make with your promotional products.
1. Buying cheap products.
Many promotional product companies offer cheap “door crasher” products that get businesses interested in the idea of promotional products. However, these products are often poor quality, and not valuable to the customer. Think about it: do you want to associate your brand with a cheap, falling-apart reusable bag or a high-quality fabric bag that customers love to use? If you associate your brand with cheap crap, people will assume that’s a reflection of your business. Buy the highest quality you can find.
2. Not thinking from the perspective of the customer.
Even if you buy a decent quality product, if it’s not something the customer will use, keep, or enjoy, it’s money down the drain. For example, a great promotional product for a music shop would be custom-branded guitar picks. Their customer base consists of people who play guitar, so they’re much more likely to use the product. This is a better choice than something boring like a pen, because they’re targeted directly to the customer. Find your business’s niche and pick a product that reflects your user base.
3. Not buying something useful.
Promotional products absolutely must be useful, or else they will end up in the trash. For example, some companies offer huge reusable bags with long straps. While they may look big and luxurious, the bags are actually not that functional and customers are unlikely to use them. A good design goes a long way to getting customers to use your products and rep your brand. Buy promotional products that are useful so customers keep them and use them often.
4. Ordering without consulting a pro.
With the advent of online ordering, you may think you can figure out the best promotional products for your brand. But why would you rely on yourself when there are experts ready to help you out? You can benefit from industry professionals’ years of experience in the field, all at no extra cost. If you’re choosing your own products, you’re wasting your time.
5. Lack of custom branding.
A promotional product should have a call to action, such as contact details for your brand. If you’ve made cups with just your logo, you’ve made a mistake. It’s important to have something on the product that leads customers to your brand, such as social links, a phone number, or your website. Make sure your promotional products have custom branding, and if you’re not sure what information to include, make sure to consult with a professional. If you visit Brandability, their website may provide you with more information.
