Generally when you think of promotional items, you probably think of small, relatively inexpensive products, right? Mugs, t-shirts, things like this which are affordable for all businesses great and small, and which can still perform the required task of garnering attention. Some businesses, however, choose to take a different tack, opting for more eye-catching promotional tools, and this can be hugely beneficial.
One-of-a-kind promotional products
Investing a little more into the promotional side of your business can really pay dividends, and one-of-a-kind branded products are a great way to do this. Think about a company which chooses to put its logo on a few custom-made t-shirts. Sure, this can work. For many organisations it can be a terrific way to develop a bit of awareness about their brand. It is cheap, and lots of people see it. The downside is, though, that most of the people who see it don't ever give it another thought. It's just another t-shirt, with something they don't recognise on it. Unless your brand name or logo is extremely catchy, it is likely most passers-by will remain just that, rather than turning into customers.
With one-of-a-kind promotions, this problem is somewhat nullified. Imagine a motorbike zooming past with your brand name on it. Anything written or drawn on something this noticeable is much more likely to stick in someones memory. The same applies for something like a surfboard - this provides you with a huge amount of advertising space, and while most surfboards have various logos and patterns on them, strategically placed additions can be hugely noticeable. Using a unique item to promote your brand ensures that you maximise the potential recognition which your company can gain from this marketing technique.
These big name brands are maximising recognition potential with these huge brandings
What's more, is that, rightly or wrongly, people make an association between the item on which you promote, and your brand itself. If you advertise yourself on something cheap and tacky, people will draw an intuitive link between the promotional item and the products you sell. Maybe, if the potential customer actually looked up your brand, they would find out that you actually sell high-quality products. Unfortunately, they may never find this out, as the immediate assumption is that what you sell mirrors that on which you advertise.
In contrast, consider a more unique promotional item, which stands out from the crowd. Aside from being more noticeable, it is also going to be responsible for generating more positive thoughts about your brand, particularly from those who are interested in the item on which you advertise. If you create a branded surfboard, people will instinctively think you create more high-quality items than if you advertise on a cheap mug. Surfboards are expensive, so surely a brand name written boldly across the bottom must sell high-quality items, right? On top of this, you are more easily able to capture the attention of those who are interested in surfing. Chances are, if you advertise on a mug, this benefit is eliminated. There are very few people in this world who are passionate about mugs. Surfers may or may not be the target market of your company, but if they aren't, there are plenty of other unique promotional products which will be seen and generate interest from the demographic you're after. For example, a motorbike if you're in the automotive industry, or a table tennis table if you retail sports equipment.
What is minimum order quantity and how does it affect me?
Of course, this all sounds great in theory, but how is my small start-up going to afford promoting on something so big, you might ask. Generally, producers and distributors set a minimum order quantity to ensure they aren't spending more than they're making in the manufacturing of a product. Likely you've heard of the term 'buying in bulk'. The concept is simple - if you buy lots of something, you get a discount. This is a great concept because it works for both the buyer and the seller. The buyer, quite simply, is able to get a lot of something for less than the combined cost of each item individually. The seller is able to sell lots of stock, and even at a discounted rate, make more money. This concept doesn't work, however, if the buyer does not want lots of an item. This may be the case for you, as a business, if you are delving into the realm of using one-of-a-kind promotional products. Minimum order quantity means you are forced to buy in bulk. If you are a smaller company, or don't want to spend too much on promotions, this could prove to be a fiscal issue for you, right?
No minimum order quantity means you don't have to buy in bulk
Fortunately, some custom-made promotional equipment companies, including Branded by Disrupt, offer orders with no minimum order quantity. What this means is you can order as few of the products as you like, at no extra cost. The absence of this means that if you don't want many of an item, it's not a problem. If you want just one promotional surfboard, order one. Make your promotions count.
One-of-a-kind branded products may seem excessive, expensive, and just not worth it. In reality, they can be a unique and memorable way to advertise your company, and really help to grow your brand. Utilising promotional equipment which can be purchased with no minimum order quantity enables you to order as few pieces of equipment as you want, keeping costs down while boosting sales up. Branded by Disrupt offers a wide range of unique sporting equipment on which to advertise, and importantly, demands no minimum order quantity. Check it all out here.