If you think the process of selecting the right promotional products is as simple as flipping through a calendar and picking items that look clever is all there is to it then think again. Companies that accomplish successful promotional product campaigns put a lot of strategic thinking into what type of products they will by, who they will give them to, and what they hope the campaign will accomplish. Different companies have different approaches for determining exactly what promotional products they will use. If you aren’t sure how to go about your selection you can take a few simple steps to make sure that the resources you are dedicating to your promotional products campaign are worthwhile.

1. Decide what you hope to accomplish by using promotional products

2. Decide who you would like to have the products and how many

3. Decide how much you can spend

4. Evaluate the products in your price range

5. Execute your campaign

6. Evaluate the effectiveness of the campaign

Promotional products can be used to accomplish a variety of objectives. One common purpose is to improve visibility in the marketplace. If this is your goal then you have more latitude in the type of promotional products you select. If your goal is to keep your company name in front of your customers then you need to select from products that will typically be right in front of people. This might include a calendar or a magnet.

One often overlooked step in selecting promotional products is thinking about who your target recipient is. In other words, what type of person do you want to end up with your items? An obvious example is selecting a product that is typically male, such as a golf product, when your target is the soccer mom. A better choice might be a visor or a calendar.

Thinking about how much you can spend on promotional products is a necessary evil. There are so many products available in so many price ranges that unless you set some guidelines you will have a very difficult time making your selections. Promotional products are generally group by price so if you know what your parameter are you will have a much easier time making your selections.

As you evaluate the various promotional products that are available, think about about your goals and who will be receiving the items. Picture yourself as the person who will be receiving the item and imagine how they will be using it. Is the item purely decorative? If so, how likely is the person to keep it?

When you are certain that you have made the right selection, go for it. Buy your items and distribute them. Give your customers a little time to receive the items then gather feedback on what they thought. This will help you determine if the campaign was successful. You can then decide if you would like to run similar campaigns in the future or if your strategy needs some adjustment. With careful thought and planning your use of promotional products can raise your visibility in the market place and in turn help to increase sales. After all, isn’t that really what it’s all about?