
We can never escape the sheer fact that promotional merchandise and brand experiences are excellent tools to boost company engagement and leave positive, memorable impressions on your values team members or clients. Once you set your swag budget, there are more considerations to make in order to get the most out of your investments. Here are surefire tips for maximizing your swag budget.
Partner with a Vendor
You should take it upon yourself to partner wit a vendor that does warehousing, shipping, and fulfillment for you. Getting the right products packaged beautifully and shipped to hundreds of addresses is a complicated process. This is especially the case if there are international logistics involved. And in the event of damage or delays, customer service can be a nightmare.
The ideal vendor will not only manage the entire design and production process in-house, but also leverages their expertise to get the goods into the right hands-on time and for less money than any other third-party manufacturer.
Plan Ahead to Avoid Stock Issues
It is important that you leave a buffer in your swag budget for last minute appreciation efforts. Either way, it is also important that you plan ahead for everything else you intend to create. Account for any forecasted new hires and set a swag budget for each holiday or milestone you plan to recognize with gifts for employees, prospects, and clients. Once each occasion is set and quantities are estimated, you can certainly order in bulk and prevent any potential stock issues.
Have Realistic Marketing and Sales Goals
We can never conclude without mentioning the sheer fact that your marketing and sales goals are a good starting point to help you. For instance, if you have plans to invest in promotional products to commemorate a milestone, how may clients and employees will receive them?
To how many prospective clients do you plan on sending gifts per quarter as part of your sales strategy. Once you nail down an estimated quantity for each initiative, tack an additional 10% just in case something happens.