Promotional products are the only form of advertising that people thank you for, but there are a few things to be mindful of when ordering promo to ensure you are making the right choice for your business. Here are the top five things not to do when ordering promotional products:

1. Don’t order without a clear goal. What do you hope to achieve by giving away promotional products? Do you want to increase brand awareness, generate leads, show your appreciation or drive sales? Have you considered the types of products that your target audience would be interested in based on the overall goal? Once you know your goal and understand your audience, you can choose the right promotional products and supporting strategy.
2. Don’t order products that your audience won’t want to keep. A few questions to ask yourself: Where will I be sharing these products? When do I expect people to use the products? Would I want to use this product? Being mindful of your audience and strategic about your promo proactively garners positivity towards your brand.
3. Don’t order products that your target audience won’t use. As stated above, think about what your target audience would actually want to use and appreciate so that they will want to keep the item.
4. Don’t over-order on any singular product. It’s tempting to order a large quantity of a product for a more favorably discounted rate. However, if you don’t have a plan to distribute them, you could end up with a lot of leftover inventory. Brands evolve and so should your promo products.
5. Don’t forget to track your results. Once you’ve distributed your promotional products, be sure to track the results. This will help you determine which campaigns were successful and which ones need improvement. For example, if lead generation was your goal: How many people completed a form after visiting your website using the unique QR code that was placed on the product?

By following these five simple tips, you can be more strategic with your promotional products orders and maximize the ROI.

Here are some additional tips for ordering promotional products:

• Find a promotional products distributor that asks good questions. A distributor that asks good questions will be better equipped to support your promo goals and will be able to recommend products that your audience will value.
• Read reviews to help make sure the distributor you choose has a good reputation and a track record of delivering quality products on time.
• Be clear about your expectations and requirements when you place your order.

Applying these recommendations to your next promotional products order will have you wondering what else could you achieve with the support of strategic promo?