Promotional Product Buying Mistakes

Mistakes to Avoid When Buying Promotional Products

It’s no secret that promotional products can be a highly effective addition to your existing marketing strategy. When used correctly, promotional products have the ability to increase brand awareness and keep you in front of your prospects for when they plan to use your products or service. Here are a few common mistakes to avoid when buying promotional products:

Waiting until the last minute
There are many promotional product companies that can handle rush orders with little to no problem, but waiting until the last minute costs more and it will give you less time to fix mistakes, should they arise. Supply chain issues have been discussed in all industries.  One of the hardest hit industry is Promo. If you know that you’re going to need promotional products for an event, make sure you give yourself enough lead time between your purchase and the event. If you need a timeline for your specific project, reach out, Kirkwood can help. 

The items aren’t tailored to your audience
One of the most common mistakes businesses make when buying promotional products is selecting a product that you like rather than one your audience will like. Rather than choosing items that appeal to you, try to pick items that your audience will enjoy and appreciate.

A common promotional item is koozies, and while they’re great for many businesses, they’re not right for everyone. If you’re an office supply store, a healthcare provider or a company that’s geared towards children, koozies may not be the right promotional item to throw into your marketing mix. On the other hand, if you’re a craft brewery, koozies would be more appropriate.  With thousands of products, Kirkwood can help, pair down your choices, based on your audience.

Too much or too little information
When was the last time you saw a pen that tried to cram too much information on it or a white mouse pad with only a logo? This is a common mistake that businesses make,  putting too much or too little information on their promotional items. It’s fairly common for businesses to pass out promotional products with nothing more than a logo. At the very least, give people a way to reach you – whether that’s a phone number, email address or website URL. 

Don't chose your product, based just on the price
If you’re on a tight budget, it’s easy to just buy the cheapest items you can find. However, when you have less money to spend, you should focus on quality instead of quantity. Don’t compromise your brand’s image with a cheaper version of a more expensive item. For example, if you have $5.00 to spend on each promotional item, you should buy the highest quality item you can buy for $5.00 rather than buying a cheaper version of the item so you can save money.
​
When ordering your promotional items, don’t rush through the planning stages. Take time to find the right items for your audience, order far enough in advance and don’t dismiss an item simply because it’s more expensive.

At Kirkwood, we have an onsite showroom with thousands of products you can review. Finding the perfect promotional product sometimes happens when you actually can ho0ld the piece, verses seeing it in a PDF.  Reach out should you require help marketing@kirkwoodus.com.