So my test worked...I didn't publish any new posts for weeks just to see who was reading the blog, and I actually got some comments wondering when new stuff would go up! Either that, or I got lazy/busy in the dog days of summer. Your choice...which is a great segue to my latest post, the holiday buying season.
The holiday season in the promotional merchandise industry, accoding to some sources, accounts for between 30% and 45% of the annual volume across the board. Yikes. I'm eager to see how this dog economy will impact corporate spending on holiday client gifts and employee incentives, but I have a feeling folks will dig deep to make sure they don't get tagged as scrooges. OK, I'm hoping they dig deep. But the reality is...they should dig deep.
Specialty advertising pays long term dividends when done right. I'm not talking about slapping your logo onto the next fad that comes along (nylon string backpack anyone?) and hoping folks see it. I'm talking about taking the time to strategize about how you want your brand to be incorporated into a merchandise program. Think about logo placement, color scheme, packaging, delivery. How can you make this unique? What did you do last year? Was it received well by your recipients? Did you take the time to find out? Are you shooting in the dark this year?
Budget plays a role in your decisions, of course, but I've worked with some savvy marketers who are smart enough to see the big picture...maybe that $50 item is actually more efficient (read: cheaper and easier) than sourcing 3 other items and consolidating them into a package. You may want to leverage a brand item to raise the perceived value of the gift, and perhaps not even logo the item at all (hint...just the packaging).
Last thought on the holiday season kicking off. It has already kicked off. You cannot start thinking about your programs in November. Remember...this is a crazy time for everyone, including our factories. Don't get caught flat footed. Tip: back out the production & delivery time from your event date. For domestic manufacturing and in-stock merchandise, figure 4 weeks plus a week delivery to be safe. For an event in the 2nd week of December (typical), you need to ORDER your program items by November 3rd. That's just 10 weeks from today, people.
You have been warned!
