It’s Not Your Job!
You Shouldn’t Have To Choose Between Price and Quality
by Kevin T Williams, REV Branding
It’s an age-old question that anyone in business has been forced to ponder when making purchases, “Should I choose Price? Or Quality?” We hear this same question in the branded gift business as well…daily. It’s a situation that business professionals feel necessary to put themselves in, when usually a broader opportunity exists, and they should not have to feel this way. When presented with this question, we tell our clients …“It’s not your job!” It’s ours.
Imagine you are planning on exhibiting at a trade show, or a community event, with hundreds of potential customers in attendance, and you have budgeted $2 per item for branded giveaways that will advertise your brand and your message, personally with the recipients. You want to ensure you have plenty of giveaways for the event, however because the $2 was thrown out there as a cost-ceiling, your focus is on the price. Imagine further you get invited to have a table at the local networking function, with a smaller number of targeted, proven prospects. For this event, you bring a smaller, more personable gift item to hand out, with more call-to-action branding…quality over rice. Sound familiar?
The answer is clear, isn’t it? Take both!
Price
Who doesn’t like paying nothing for something? Lowest price is the best! But does not always mean that you get what you are looking for, right? A Google search for branded Magnet Business Cards, quickly returns a ton of options, provided by numerous never-heard-of websites that promise to get you those magnets for pennies. A few things you are not ready for are apparent surprises when your shiny new magnets arrive in your office. An awesome price got you magnets that are so thin that they don’t even hold up your office team work schedule on the breakroom white board because the magnets are too thin and flimsy. Sure, the magnets have your branding, but are not useful at all. Or the t-shirts you got online were a great price, however your audience tells you that they shrank in the washer and the imprint rubbed off after one washing, totally voiding your entire advertising benefit. Best price is the best….but know what you are getting yourself into.
Quality
You’ve spent much of your professional life projecting you and your company’s brand as a quality, trusted brand, so why would your gifts and giveaways be any different. The items you give are a direct reflection of you and your brand. You want your client to say, “This is cool!” You want your recipient to remember the item you gave them AND you want them to hang on to your gift for months to come to keep your brand top of mind. Companies that do this right, see their gift stay with their customer on average for 8-months, according to Advertising Specialty Institute, asi, one of the promotional products industry authorities. Who doesn’t want their branding in their customers’ faces for 8-months or more?
Best, Proven Method to Get BOTH Quality and Price
Just as you would trust Auto Professionals to replace the tires on your car, trusting your Promotional Products Distributor to procure the best quality products, targeted for your audience, at the best possible price is the most proven way to enjoy both quality and price. Benefit from the relationships a skilled Promo Professional has cultivated over their professional lifetime with suppliers and manufacturers. Lay all your plans on the table. Let them know your thoughts, events, audiences and the culture of your company, and let them come back to you with a flurry of recommendations. Chances are, your Promotional Products Professional has been down this road many times before and has a solution for you. And the best part…their work is usually free to you. Taking the time to plan out and pass along your promotional plans will not only help you receive the best quality promotional items at the best possible price, but will help you build that relationship with your Promo Pro, so they are well versed in your preferences on product and price points. With that relationship, your products buying tasks become more of a pleasure each occasion.
Take Away
You can have both Price and Quality!
Plan out your exposure and branding programs for a few months or even a year out. Identify the needs of the audiences at the events you are attending. Capitalize on the expertise of your Promotional Products Professional to ensure you get the products that have the greatest “WOW-Factor”, where your customers will want to hang on to these useful gifts for months to come. Stand out in your field with these few simple strategies, and you will see, this really “Isn’t Your Job”, but it is your benefit.
About the Author
Kevin T Williams is Sales Executive at REV Branding, matching the perfect customized branding, apparel, and Promotional Products to any businesses customer demographic. “Always at your service”.
His writing contribution credits include Hotel Executive, Sports Events Marketing, and Men’s Health Magazine to name a few.
You can connect with Kevin on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram
