Choosing promotional items for your company isn't rocket science, really. In fact, you have to work really hard to choose completely the wrong promotional items, ones that will do your company absolutely no good and might do them harm. Promotional items are really that good for your business. If, however, you're really determined to choose the worst possible promotional items for your business, you can do it by making every one of these mistakes when choosing and ordering your merchandise.



Put absolutely no thought into what you hope to

achieve with your promotional campaign

After all, any advertising is good advertising. If, on the other hand, you want to get the most out of the money you spend on promotional items, it pays to consider what your goals are for this campaign. Different approaches are better suited for different goals. A campaign that aims to increase repeat business by sending out mailers to everyone in town is a scattershot approach when you only want to reach your existing customers, for instance.

Choose promotional items strictly on the basis

of price with no thought to their purpose

If cheap printed pens are the perfect item to give away at a community event, they'll do just as well at an industry trade show, right? Not if you want to make a good impression on the industry colleagues with whom you'll be doing business. If your intent is to increase name recognition, inexpensive printed pens can be a useful tool. If, on the other hand, you want to attract retail distributors to market your new line of gizmos, a plastic pen printed with your name isn't enough of an incentive to get them to drop by your exhibition stand.

Assume that all promotional items suppliers are the

same and order from the first one that pops

up when you go an internet search

The top UK promotional items suppliers often have exclusive contracts with top quality manufacturers and feature items that you can't find anywhere else. In addition, there's far more to your buying experience than the range of promotional items available. Expect the best suppliers to offer professional art studios to help create your artwork, knowledgeable sales representatives who can make suggestions and offer advice, and a commitment to excellent service and timely delivery.

Give no consideration to your business image

when choosing promotional items

Creating a brand image is important, and choosing promotional items with no thought to the image you're trying to project can sabotage your efforts. Your best bet when choosing promotional items to advertise your business is to consider the market that you want to attract, and choose items that will appeal to them in utility, quality and aesthetics.

Wait till the last minute to place your order.

How long can it take to print up 5,000 pens, after all?

While many suppliers of quality promotional items can work with tight schedules in a pinch or an emergency, you'll get the best quality if you give them plenty of lead time with your order. Contacting a promotional supplier well before an event gives you time to work with their creative department to develop the perfect artwork, review samples and make corrections if needed. No one does their best work in a rush, and you do want their best work to represent your company, don't you?