WHY YOU DON'T ALWAYS NEED SOMETHING DIFFERENT - SWAG - Series

With some clients I get the same litany every year when we are working on their promotional product buys: “I’m looking for something different.” I always have to ask, “What do you mean by different?” To that I usually get an “I don’t know” or a blank stare.

Here are some interpretations of something different. In thinking about your own purchases and need for novelty, do any of these ring true for you?

Different Than Last Year. The client has become bored with what he distributed last year and is looking for something new.

The Newest, Latest, and Greatest. These clients want whatever is hot this year, no matter what it is and regardless of if it is right for their company.

Same Thing with a Twist. Let us say they have been giving away pens for years. These clients want a pen again, but a different design or color.

Something Cheaper. Some clients think that if they choose something different than before, they will save money. Sometimes that is true, but not always. They often do not know how to tell me that they are budget strapped. So, this saves face.

Unique, Way-Out, One-of-a-Kind. These clients want to stand out from the crowd no matter what. They want to be seen as innovators and market leaders. They want highly customized items that one could not purchase anywhere.

Whatever category you fall into, here are some things to keep in mind if you are thinking about switching to new types of promotional products:

Customers Don’t Get Bored Quickly. You may have seen your same notepad or pen a thousand times and you are bored with it. Your clients, on the other hand, appreciate your generosity even if it is the same thing that they have received before. I have had clients who have ordered essentially the same items for nearly a decade. Their customers have used up what was given the previous year and like to get replacements.

The Latest Hot Item May Not Be Hot for Your Company. Recently reusable shopping bags have been all the rage. But if you have a business-to-business clientele, it may not be an optimal choice.

Don’t Change for Sake of Change. Even if you use the same item such as a pen, if you keep changing the design or color, you will likely have a hodgepodge inventory of promotional items. This jumbles your image building efforts. It also may show that you are not that successful and trying to squeeze every last dime out of your marketing budget by using up your on-hand inventory, even if it doesn’t present a unified image.

Cheaper Is Not Always Better. Granted, there may be times where you do have to cut back on expenses. But do not sacrifice your marketing image just to save a few bucks. Cheaper items which may not be of the same quality as you were using before can hurt your reputation.

Highly Customized Equals High Price. Always have to chuckle when I encounter clients who want to have some way-out custom product and then want some ridiculously low quantity such as 25. Yes, a truly custom product that makes you stand out from the crowd is an image builder. However, it is a costly strategy since custom products require additional costs such as mold fees and high quantities (maybe into the tens of thousands). Carefully consider whether this is a custom item you would like to use over time. If it is, then the investment in customization may be worth it.

Way-Out Unique Products May Have Limited Use. It may be attention getting, but if it has low utility, a way-out unique product decreases the long advertising impact that promotional products typically provide.

Thorne, Heidi. SWAG: How to Choose and Use Promotional Products for Marketing Your Business (p. 36). UNKNOWN. Kindle Edition.