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One professional, to another
June 2, 2011
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By Peter Kudreikis

As a professional, you establish objectives and budgets that help you find the right venue in the right location for your clients’ meetings or events. In doing so, you measure and ensure success and return on investment (ROI.)

So, when you search for promotional items or attendee gifts, it makes sense that you would you take the same approach. But with millions of options available on the internet, where on earth do you start? Most of the time it’s just easier to do what has always been done. But will just anything do? By working with a professional, you can save time and energy in the search for the right products at the right price.		  

For the same reasons that objectives and budgets are prepared for a meeting or event, objectives and budgets should be the starting point in your promotional item search. And the best place to start is to call on the services of a professional promotional product counselor. Besides having all the tools to properly search out and present credible and unique targeted options for your clients, a real professional takes their job seriously and should go that extra mile for you.

I remember a meeting planner who ordered atomized hand sanitizer for their event, only to see many of the attendees spraying it into their mouths. Unfortunately, the label didn’t say “Hand Sanitizer.” A professional would have sourced properly labeled items, preventing the   potential for liability claims.
With thousands and thousands of promotional distributors to choose from, how do you tell whether the person you are working with is a true professional or not? There are a few signposts that will help you make an informed decision, and allow you to sift through the prospects. 

Your promotional distributor should sit down with you to determine the objectives of your promotion and complete a valid plan to achieve them.

Does your potential promotional professional have accreditation from a viable industry source? What about their company? How long has it been established, and does it have any local industry affiliations or memberships?

But first and foremost, any potential promotional professional will start by asking questions. Lots of them. They will want to know who the promotional products are going to and why and how they will be distributed. They will want to know what your message is and what the recipient should feel in receiving the item. They will also ask how much you want to spend and what quantities you’ll need. They will also want to develop and implement a distribution plan, see the campaign through to completion and finally, measure the results of your promotion.

All of the above would be a good indication that you are working with an industry professional.

Peter Kudreikis, President of PromoCentre, has been supplying promotional product solutions to clients across Canada for more than 20 years. He can be reached at peter@promocentre.ca.

Filed under: The Industry, Columns & Advice

 

  
 
 
 
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