You know you want to do something, anything, to boost sales (or employee morale), but you’re just not quite sure how to go about it. While the journey getting to your goal seems daunting, fear not – this is when your promotional consultant can save the day and really shine.
First Things First
What you’ll need to do right away is sit down with her and discuss what you want to do – the more specific you can be, and the more lead time you give her, the better. (Planning campaigns on the fly is a recipe for disaster!) From your initial conversation, she’ll be able to get a handle on your goals and every component of the promotion will tie-in with that.
Some common reasons for crafting a marketing promotion include:
- Introducing a new product or service
- Recognizing employee achievement
- Thanking customers for referrals or business
- Building your company’s name recognition in the community or marketplace
- Increasing sales or membership
- Increasing trade show registration and trade show marketing
Because promotional products can elicit such strong feelings of loyalty, appreciation and excitement like few other mediums (but at a much lower cost!), you and your consultant will need to discuss which item(s) will work best to get your message across in your promotion.
There are literally hundreds of thousands of imprintable promotional items from which to choose, and each item category has many options. Take pens, for example. They can open with a click, twist or have a cap. The prices can range from 35 cents to over $15 each, and not all pens or pen styles come in the same colors – pen selection depends primarily on supplier availability. Are they going to have what you need, when you need it? Guiding you through this labyrinth of choice is where your promotional consultant is invaluable.
Make A List – And Check It Twice
Before any questions can be answered, though, you need to answer a few questions so you and your consultant have as much information as possible and to make sure you’re both on the same page. Decisions should be based on all the specific components of the project because each single part is crucial to the final masterpiece campaign. Share everything with your promotional specialist to make her a part of your team. After all, everyone has the same goal – your success!
Here’s a basic promotional planning self-questionnaire and checklist you can use to prepare for your initial and follow-up meetings with your consultant before each new project. The more the two of you can decide upon early and with decisiveness, the better chance your promotion will achieve your goals and bring you a huge return on your investment.
Questions to consider and discuss with your consultant before beginning a
promotion:
__ What do I want to accomplish?
__ What specific item(s) do I have in mind?
__ How will the item(s) be used?
__ Can I see some examples how promotional items have been used to make a campaign a successful one?
__ Who will be receiving the items?
__ Who am I targeting with this promotion?
__ How will the items be distributed?
__ Approximately how many pieces do I need? 50? 500? 5,000? 50,000?
__ What’s my budget for the item(s)? (Both per item, and the total including shipping, artwork design, etc.)
__ What date do I need the item(s) delivered?
__ What date will I be giving the item(s) out?
__ What color(s) do I want the item(s) to be?
__ What color(s) will be imprinted?
__ What will the copy conveying my message say? (Will I want the company logo to appear as well?)
__ Will I have a specific imprint color match (PMS)?
__ Do I need special packaging?
__ Do I need to have art made or designed?
__ Is my art camera-ready?
__ In what format is my electronic art produced and saved?
__ What resolution is my art?
__ Do I have a hard copy of camera-ready art?
__ If the imprint will be more than one color, do I have color separated art?
__ What else do I need to complete this project?
__ What action do I want recipients to take upon receiving the promotion?
__ What kind of results can I expect from the promotion?
__ Is a follow-up step necessary and/or recommended?
Learn By Example
Like the following examples, the information you and your consultant glean from your responses to the questionnaire can give you some ideas how to turn your answers into action.
Situation: A restaurant has two goals: To thank customers for their business and increase sales during non-peak hours from 1:30 p.m-4:30 p.m.
Idea #1: Give out magnets with the restaurant’s basic information.
Imprint the restaurant’s name, address, telephone number, fax number and hours of operation and make a flier stating orders placed between 1:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. will receive a discounted price or free item. Distribute the magnet and flier together by handing them out at the restaurant or in person.
Idea #2: Use a magnet attached to an imprinted postcard.
The postcard will have the special offer and the magnet can be removed by the recipient and used for future reference. The magnet postcard can be mailed, handed out at the restaurant or delivered in person.
Idea #3: Give out a punch-out key holder.
Imprint the restaurant’s information and offer on the key holder and give it out at the restaurant. Offer to punch the key holder of patrons who place orders between 1:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. When they get 10 punches, customers turn in the keychain and will get a free meal, dessert or other predetermined offer.
Idea #4: Offer a 16 oz. travel mug.
Imprint the restaurant’s information on the mug, then give them out or sell them with drink purchases. Patrons who bring the travel mug in again and have a meal between 1:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. will get a free drink.
Result: In each case, not only is the restaurant showing its customers appreciation for their business and building goodwill, it’s also promoting patron retention by enticing them to come back repeatedly for a free meal/drinks upon getting their card punched completely.
And don’t miss these add-on sales opportunities with the restaurant:
- Pens at the counter and for the staff for customers signing their credit card slips
- Mints or candy served with the check
- Calendars, because they are 365 chances to get your company’s name in front of someone while saying “thank you.”
Situation: A non-profit association wants to increase attendance at its annual trade show and conference.
Idea #1: Mail items with trade show information.
Send a “Things To Do” notepad with numbered lines to be filled in. On each sheet, imprint the association information at the top and a “Register for the Conference” reminder on the first line.
To keep postage costs down, consider using a notepad with 25 sheets.
Idea #2: Advise show attendees if they register before a certain date, they’ll receive a gift.
When attendees pick up their badges, give them a tote bag, pen, breath mints, phonecard or foot massage lotion – anything they’ll use and appreciate while working or walking a trade show.
Result: Attendees are not only reminded of the event daily, but buzz is generated by the promise of a gift upon registration.
Situation: A city hotel wanted to thank travel agents and meeting planners who gave them referrals and bookings.
Idea #1: Mail a thank you note on a postcard that has a picture of the hotel.
Writing a personal, handwritten note on the postcard sends a special, “I care enough to take the time to write this” message. Sometimes, it’s the little things that mean the most.
Idea #2: Deliver a jar filled with candy and imprinted with the hotel’s name and phone number.
The candy jar is a nice thank you and will keep your name on the travel agent’s desk. You can return making sales calls and fill the jar with more candy.
Idea #3: Give a picture frame engraved or etched with the person’s name.
They can be mailed or delivered in person and will be used, no doubt, to proudly display a photo of one of the travel agent’s great getaways.
Result: Immeasurable goodwill and prime real estate on the travel agent’s desk because of the imprinted picture frame. The candy jar is a fabulous gift because everyone loves food, and it can be easily shared and enjoyed with others in the workplace!
By doing some homework ahead of time and using this checklist to generate questions and queries for your consultant, the two of you can develop a promotion campaign to dazzle recipients and generate amazing returns.
Kayla Tollen, CAS, MEd., president of Kayla Advertising in Key West, FL, has been in the promotional products and marketing industry for over 18 years. She is a national public speaker and author covering such topics as special event marketing, brand building, employee recruitment and client appreciation programs. Try not to hate her because she spends every day in paradise.
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