Different Terms You'll Hear For Promotional Products

The four major groups of promotional products include:

• Advertising Specialities
• Business Gifts
• Incentive and Awards
• Premiums

Advertising Specialities are useful or interesting articles of merchandise, usually carrying an imprinted advertising or promotional message, given with no obligation. Ad specialities are also referred to as promotional products, give-aways and adcentives.

They're usually distributed in large quantities for an advertising-type purpose such as creating awareness/remembrance of a company, encouraging goodwill between a company and its clients or calling attention to a special benefit of a company or its products; usually without obligation.

Virtually every type of business use advertising specialities from time to time. Specialities are also used a great deal by non-profit organisations like schools, churches, clubs and amateur sports leagues. Your promotional marketing company can provide creative guidance for choosing just the right item for your organisation.

Business Gifts are a product given by a business to its customers, employees, friends or other influentials for goodwill and without obligation.

The imprint on such products is frequently the giver's company name or logo and sometimes they are personalised with the recipient's name as well. However, the imprint on a business gift is usually smaller and placed in an inconspicuous spot, known as a subtle imprint.

Sometimes there is no imprint at all on the product itself, but it is part of the accompanying card or tag. Some common reasons for gift-giving include thanking customers for their patronage, developing business contacts, recognising employee performance/longevity and celebrating special occasions and holidays.

Incentives and Awards are recognition merchandise, often personalised, used to acknowledge performance and milestones and motivate people toward a specific behaviour or objective, be it more sales, fewer accidents, etc.

It is the fastest-growing segment of the promotional products industry, mostly attributable to corporate Britain's increasing focus on motivation, workplace safety and goal-setting.

The most typical products associated with this category have been plaques, service pins, trophies and award jewellery. But today, many other types of products are used as incentives and awards. Products are often selected to reinforce the theme of a special incentive program, like an automotive accessory for a driver's safety program.

More and more companies are using catalogue programs in which points are earned and redeemed for merchandise chosen out of a catalogue.

Premiums are often the same product as an ad speciality, but unlike an ad speciality, the recipient must do something to receive that product. Also, a premium is not always imprinted. When you buy a box of cereal with a toy inside, you have received a premium.

The same is true of the T-shirt you receive by mailing in a proof-of-purchase coupon to a manufacturer or the sleeve of golf balls you received for recommending someone who joined your golf club.

In both cases, an action was required before you obtained your gift. There are several different kinds of premiums, each with different requirements regarding how the premium is received. Some common types include sweepstakes; self- or semi-liquidators; on-pack, in-pack or near-pack; dealer loaders; trading stamps; contests and mail-ins.

Marketing Tips for Promotional Merchandise Market: