Even though digital marketing has taken the world by storm, there is no replacement for the person-to-person touch of appreciation. Promotional products are such items which the companies share with their targeted audience as a token of appreciation and gratification towards the loyalty of their customers.
Demand for promotional products such as mugs, notebooks, pens, keychains, and T-shirts is growing rapidly across many industries. If you have recently attended a seminar at your workplace, a flashy shirt, keychain, or notebook with company’s logo would have stolen your attention for some time.
Many organizations use such promotional products to engage with their customers and as a marketing tool to spread their companies' names. It ensures uniformity when using promotional products as corporate giveaways during ceremonies or annual events.
These promotional items must be of some necessity otherwise they will soon make their journey to the garbage bin. These promotional items reflect how much a company cares for its customers and how much they would love to do business with them again.
One of the reasons for this is that the promotional items will remain in the possession of the recipient for as long as they will serve the utility, as opposed to the ads, which wither away in thin air and go unnoticed.
So, by now, you would have recalled at least one instance where you might have glimpsed at promotional products.
Why your customer base wants promotional items?
One of the unique things that make the promotional items stand out from the conventional advertising strategies is that these items are loved by the customers as compared to the ads, which irritate the customers quite often. The psychological implication of these products is much more than you can even imagine.
Freebies have the effect of creating a sense of achievement in the brain. Once the customer has made a purchase and as a token, receives a freebie from you. Their brain starts thinking that they have done something right in making this purchase. Although the products are free, it gives a sense of accomplishment to the customers by making them think that they have earned the items.
Such an effect will make your business flourish by cementing the feelings of loyalty in the psyche of your customer. Another important factor which is the principle of reciprocity. Once we receive something, we are bound to feel like we must reciprocate. The only way in which a customer can reciprocate is by purchasing from the company whenever possible.
Advantages of sourcing promotional products from China
1. Leaving a lasting impression - The promotional items include key chains, rings, crystals, artwork, etc. the aim of these items is to create an interest in the customers and to leave a lasting impression on them.
The corporate promotional items in China are designed with the company name inscribed on it. Some of them also add other details like phone numbers, websites, logos, etc. So, they can leave impressions to customers every time when they are used.
2. Cutting product cost - when you compare the cost of promotional products from China, you will realize that the prices of these products are substantially lower than you can find in your local market. There is an infinite number of manufacturing companies in China, so the costs are driven down because of strong competitions.
3. Maintaining the quality - even though the costs of the promotional products from China are substantially low, you are willing to sacrifice the quality. If you go for low quality, then the whole activity of getting promotional products from China becomes counterproductive. The quality level can be maintained if you hire a trustworthy third-party QC company to arrange inspections in China.
4. Catering to different requirements - Different companies have different priorities and similarly they have different reasons for outsourcing the production of their products. The companies must undertake the right decision so that they benefit from such decisions at the right time. If you can find the reliable China buying agent, then you will be immensely benefitted because they will help you get the best deal on the products at premium quality, as they only deal with trustworthy and reliable suppliers.
How to choose the right promotional items?
If you want the promotional items to carry the desired impact on your customers, then you must carefully pick up them. You must choose the right promotional items, which match the customer base. If your customer base is comprised of small children, then you cannot be distributing pens as promotional items as it would be a futile exercise.
Defining your targeted audience is the preliminary step of selecting promotional items. The next step is to agree on a budget which you are willing to spend on such items. In normal circumstances, businesses allocate somewhere between 1-5% of their total revenue generation to the production of promotional items. This budget is inclusive of the brand merchandise.
It differs among the companies how much they are willing to spend on their products. also, there are different factors which must be adhered to like the occasion, the type of customer base, the effect that you are expecting, etc., overall, you must have a strategy which is beneficial in the long term as well.
Narrowing down the list of items to a few is beneficial as it will save from the confusion that mires such decisions. The final step is to choose among the different distributors. Determining the number of products that you will be distributing is critical, but what is equally if not more critical is whether the product fits the occasion of your choice.
One of the great occasions to showcase and circulate your freebies are business events. However, other events like holiday parties and picnics are also ideal for the distribution of your promotional products. You can also strategize and organize contests and distribute the items as a way of the prize to the customers.
Coupling this strategy with the help of social media promotions will enable you to unlock the hidden potential of the promotional outcomes. Persuading the customers and contestants to like, share and follow is a great way to enlarge your exposure to the customer base and expand your horizons of targeted audience. Doing all of this will deliver you the outcomes that you desire.
How to source promotional products from China?
1. Create a list of potential suppliers
Once you have browsed through the internet or have a sourcing partner helping you look for the right suppliers, the ideal way to go about it is to create a list. The list enables you to have options available if a supplier backs out or whose details do not convert into a lead.
Your approach to using the internet for market research would be like how you search for a product seller by shortlisting product suppliers based on pricing and customer referrals.
2. Focus on quality control
Quality control is the foundation of preventing your promotional products from accidentally getting banned in the country you aim to sell and preventing a disappointed corporate client. A quality control team is essential during product sourcing from China so that all quality-related issues are resolved before your order leaves the Chinese factory. Promotional products are the brand image of a company; hence, they must be of the highest quality.
3. Only pay once quality inspection is approved
This is one of the biggest openings where fraud is most likely to happen. Once your order has been finished, do not make the payment unless you are certain that quality approval is given. If you are still unsure about it, you would need to check the quality of the order yourself, or via a trustworthy QC inspection agent in China, to avoid a mishap with a potential client.
Conclusion
If you are a company catering to corporate clients, China is a great destination to source promotional products. Not only are you saving on costs while getting a wide variety of goods, but you can also obtain high profits and make it a scalable opportunity.
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