Questions to Consider when Choosing Promotional Items

If you’re concerned about choosing the perfect promotional item for any occasion, use this quick and easy guide to give you some direction. Just answer these four simple questions, and you’ll be able to narrow your focus to more specific types of items.

What can you Afford?

This is the easiest question to answer, and since any other decisions you make concerning your choice of promotional items will depend on this one, it should be answered first.

There are two additional points to consider here—first, that it is often the best policy to choose the best quality promotional items you can afford to buy. Choosing good quality items will ensure that your promotional strategies are applied to greatest effect, as the recipients of the items will be impressed that you’ve been thoughtful enough to supply well-made items. Giving promotional items that fall apart within a week is very counter-productive.

The second point is that items that are low in price, such as promotional pens, can have a high perceived value when you present them in the right way. Even if you can afford only inexpensive items, you can still present them in a way that will make them appealing and desirable.

Who is your Target Audience?

Are you planning to give the items to clients, customers, or employees? The answer to this question will often determine which items will be most suitable for your purpose. If you’re planning to give promotional items and gifts to clients or employees, you’ll often prefer to choose items that are appropriate for use in the work place. On the other hand, this may not be the case if you’re choosing items for use in a retail store. If your items are destined to be used to promote your business or a new product line to consumers, you’ll also need to consider the demographics of your target audience, so you can choose items that they’ll find useful.

On what Occasions will you distribute the Items?

The items you choose for trade shows will be very different from those you distribute on most other occasions. Similarly, items destined for purchase in a retail store will not be the same as those used to thank a client for their business or an employee for their hard work. Note also that when giving promotional items to employees and clients, you must differentiate between items distributed for work-related occasions, and those given as part of seasonal celebrations, and personal occasions such as anniversaries and other personal occasions.

How do you Plan to distribute Them?

If you plan to distribute promotional items as part of a direct response mail campaign, you’ll need to choose items that are small, flat and light—these will allow you to keep your mailing costs low, and ensure that the items reach their recipients intact. In situations where you’re taking your promotional campaign to the streets, lightweight items that are small or stackable to fit easily in bags or boxes, and are not breakable is a good option. However, these considerations are much less important when choosing items for trade shows and to keep on hand in the work place, as you will not need to choose items that are easily transported in large quantities.