Selecting the right promotional merchandise vendor

The success or failure of a promotional marketing campaign is largely dependent on the type and quality of any merchandise used. It is therefore crucial to choose the right promotional merchandise vendor – one with the relevant experience and expertise to meet the promotion’s objectives.

But in order to discover new and innovative ways to make a positive and lasting impression on customers, prospective customers and employees, it is not enough to simply find a vendor that sells promotional merchandise. The difference is found with those suppliers that are passionate about what they do - as passionate about the service they provide as they are about the merchandise they design and source.

A good starting point in finding the right promotional merchandisevendor is to seek advice from relevant trade associations such as PROMOTA, BPMA or ISP. Member companies are obliged to operate to a strict code of conduct. This enables customers to feel reassured about their integrity, competence and professionalism.

If the order is particularly large or complicated, it is essential to select a supplier that has in-depth knowledge of the particular product sector and a proven track record in handling similar orders. Recommendations can often be obtained by word of mouth.

For large orders, it is also advisable to request actual production samples rather than relying on mock-ups. Extra time should therefore be factored into the total schedule to allow for the approval process.

There are just some of the factors to be taken into consideration when selecting a promotional merchandise vendor.