Promotional Items

When it comes to customers, it's best to give promotional items that will be valued by the customer without getting overly personal. You might not want to give a customer a framed picture of him and his wife. He might not appreciate that, especially if he just met you. That actually might scare him into getting a restraining order against you.

I'm only kidding. High-end promotional items should reflect authentic thought and genuineness. Promotional items should also reveal your good taste, if indeed you have good taste. I'll share one of the essential rules of promotional gift giving--stay out of the bathroom and the bedroom. If you find yourself looking at toothbrushes and you're not a company that sells or markets toothbrushes, consider something else.

Who Gets What?

When it comes to giving promotional gifts to customers and clients, there are three general categories: trade shows and conferences, customer appreciation, and new business. Each category calls for different gifts and different business promotional products. When conducting trade shows, it's usually best to order promotional items in massive quantities, especially if it's a large event. Cheap imprinted pens and buttons are a good bet when participating in these events.

Customer appreciation and new business prospecting require gifts will a little more thought in a much higher price range. You don't want to reward loyal customers with cheap promotional items like key chains and you don't want to attract new business with coffee mugs. Those items are great for prospective job candidates and potential customers, but not free spending, loyal customers.