Remember the phrase, “do not try this at home”? This is our stance on promotional products.
Promotional products (such as branded cups, shirts, pens, etc.), can give your brand everyday brand awareness – they are truly powerful. But finding the right product for your unique brand or event takes experience and depth of product knowledge. “How large is the imprint area? Is it one color? Is there a set-up fee? Is there a generic option that has better quality than the brand name?”
There are so many options out there - it’s difficult to know what you’re getting if you don’t work with someone you trust. Many online businesses try to lure you into giving them your credit card number without ever speaking to a human being.
Self-promotion can be hectic, especially understanding what can capture the attention of your clients and keep it. To remedy this, you can solicit the help of professionals (side note: did you know there is a Masters program for promotional products?!). These professionals will act as your lifeline when you decide to take up promotional campaigns for your products and services.
Here are a 6 reasons to use a real live person vs online sites for promotional products:
cost (Hint: It's Free!)
Let’s just get this out of the way first: it should be completely free. Any reputable company that offers promotional products will have competitive rates regardless of whether or not they offer live expert help. Pricing should be very transparent and should depend on how many items you purchase, not whether or not you get consultation with your purchase. Online retailers who don't offer phone or live support are simply making more margin on the product sale.
Tailor-made recommendations
This is one of the best benefits of using an expert to help you get the right promotional products. Different companies have different themes and brand stories. A professional will help you map out your promotional campaign according to your budget. They have extensive knowledge on every type of promotional product in your category, and relationships with vendors to get you the best deal. On the other hand, online promotional products can be a total wildcard. You have no one in your corner to guide you through or warn about mistakes that could really cost you.
Product updates
Using a promotional expert helps to identify promotional trends in the market and how you can implement them. These updates can offer your business a chance to stand out from the rest and save costs. What are the latest products that are flying off shelves? These are usually the products that promotional experts have their eye on – they’ve already priced them out with vendors to get them quickly and cost-effectively. For example, this year, the pop-socket took promotional products by storm – they were the “it” item conference attendees were clamoring for!
exclusivity
As opposed to scrolling through online stores, with product after product all looking the same, promotional experts can offer you exclusive products. They have a wide range of products in their databases. The advantage comes when these products are curved to fit your business perfectly. Some professional companies can be the only ones offering an exclusive product that can increase your brand awareness and keep your name in front of the right prospects.
Trust
Since you get to face to face interaction with an expert, you can ask questions and get immediate answers - this helps you decide on the promotional packages you really want. You're able to build a relationship that can last years. This way you can eliminate stress, especially at the holidays, instead of trying to come up something new every season.
Personalization
When considering online options you're on your own. If you acquire the services of an expert, you have a personal adviser at your beck and call. They are a good source of information you can use when shopping for promo products. Why use expert vs online? They are there to ensure your seasonal promotional campaigns are proficient and successful. Brand awareness is to be observed at all times.
Looking for these services? Here at Ironmark, we are obsessed with providing high quality promotional products tailored to your exact brand specifications, target audience or event experience. We will serve you with a smile on our face and offer you expert information. We are hardworking and take your business as seriously as ours.
We have our very own Promo Insider, Cheryl Hokanson, who holds a MASI™ (Master of Advertising Specialty Information) from the Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI), the promotional product industry’s largest membership organization.
Talk to Cheryl today! And let us add some professional promotional magic to your business.
