3 Pitfalls You Can Avoid When Choosing A Promotional Gift Supplier

Finding a trustworthy promotional gift supplier can be daunting and tedious. But it’s vital to take the time and sift out the good from the bad so you can make an informed decision, thus maximising your return on investment. Other than that, it is important to find a supplier with whom you can form a relationship for ease of business. There are some mistakes many business owners make that can easily be avoided when selecting promotional gift suppliers. At Brandability, we decided to list the top 3 pitfalls that usually tend to surface, so you can be educated when facing the choice between potential promotional gift suppliers. By bearing these in mind, you will be in a better position to make the right choice when selecting a supplier to craft your promotional items. 1. Not Choosing an Experienced Supplier Why is experience important you might ask? Without it, you’d be left to your own devices. An inexperienced promotional gift supplier won’t be able to guide you in choosing the perfect branded gifts for your unique clients. They won’t know the importance of keeping up with trends and you’ll be left with outdated gifts and a ‘hit or miss’ approach. If you’re investing your hard-earned money in growing your business, that simply won’t do. Other than that, a more experienced supplier will have built up a reputation for the level of service they provide. This makes the task of getting references on their previous work a lot easier too. Inexperienced suppliers will have a shorter track record, meaning that there is a risk as to what one can expect when opting to make use of their services. To determine if a supplier is experienced or not, have a look at reviews their past clients have left online. Such reviews can be found on Google, HelloPeter, and TrustPilot, for instance. Another way to see how much experience a supplier has is to read their 'about' page and see how they describe themselves, when they were founded and what they offer to clients. 2. Thinking It’s All About The Prices For most small businesses and startups, a limited budget is usually available for things like promotional gifts. This, of course, means that when selecting a branded gift supplier, the price of the products they offer will play a role in their decision. And rightly so. However, one must tread very carefully to think that pricing is the primary consideration when choosing a promotional gift supplier. Sure, value for money is very important. But some things like reliability, quality of workmanship, good service and experience are just as important and sometimes, this comes at a slight premium. Working with a budget is a reality and checking a supplier’s pricing is part of the selection process. It is advisable to also think about the other elements we have mentioned above as this will also play into the success of the campaign you have planned to use the promotional items for. Getting a supplier you can count on to deliver is equally as important as the price points they offer. 3. Choosing a Supplier with a Limited Product Range Generally, a good supplier will have a variety of products that range from affordable items to a more premium group. None of your clients is the same and a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach simply won’t cut it. By that same token, your company is unique and deserves bespoke products to communicate its brand and offerings. Choosing a supplier with a small product range will only limit you in your creativity and ultimately not give you the results you want. Choose a supplier with an extensive range of branded items and reduce the risk of having to settle for the second best. It also means that you are more likely to find the products you need to match the needs of your campaign. When launching new campaigns, you naturally want the ability to know that your suppliers are capable of stepping up to the plate with suitable products. 4. Not Taking Value-Added Services Into Account Sure, a supplier’s most important task is to get your ordered products to you. However, ideal suppliers will go out of their way to make the process of buying promotional items as easy and stress-free as possible. Value-added services are those services that the supplier offers above and beyond a good product. It is usually geared towards ensuring high customer satisfaction. A few things to consider here are what kind of additional services the supplier offers. This can range from helping you choose the right gifts and sharing their industry insights with. It also includes things like the number of delivery options they have available and if they can, for instance, arrange next day delivery when you need last-minute assistance. Another important factor is if they can effectively help you to brand your promotional products by means of a dedicated artwork department. Be sure to ask potential suppliers about their additional services and think about how these can aid you practically when launching new campaigns. Why Brandability Ought To Be Your Go-To Supplier Brandability has the expertise and experience to assist you with all your branded promotional gifts and queries. You don’t have to take our word for it though, as we have a 4.8 out of 5 rating on TrustPilot. We also offer a range of additional services, like a rush service, live chat functionality with our branding experts, dedicated designers who can assist you with your branding and more. Our online store features thousands of products, with many more being added on a near-daily basis. Thus, we are bound to be able to assist you with the promotional items that match your campaign and budget. Give Brandability a try today. Click here to get started.