Putting together an idea for a promotion with custom merchandise is a fun experience. You can get as creative as possible with the hundreds of thousands of merchandise items available. Couple this with the ability to imprint absolutely anything you need on these items, it’s no wonder that specialty advertising with custom merchandise is one of the largest growing media today.
One very important aspect of creating a new promotion, however, is often the part that is sometimes the last piece of the puzzle, the distribution method. The method you choose to actually deliver your merchandise to the end user can add just as much to the impact of your promotion as the product itself. The distribution plan is the piece that gets the message to the right people. It’s what makes your promotion a powerful targeted plan which reduces wasted advertising, a benefit not found with most marketing media.
There are many types of distribution methods available. Most fit under three main categories – Personal Distribution, Carrier Distribution, and Third Party Distribution. In this article we will review some of the methods involved with Personal Distribution methods, and we’ll review the other two methods, Carrier and Third Party Distributions, in our subsequent article in a few weeks.
Personal Distribution plans include methods which you or someone associated with your organization hands the item to someone. Some of these methods include:
- Point of Purchase (POP): sometimes called over-the-counter (OTC). The specialty item is presented personally usually with some ceremony like: “Ms. Jones, we have a limited number of these (name the item) for our regular customers. We’d like you to have one in appreciation for your business.” If a premium incentive promotion is geared to attract new customers, you should add “Do you mind registering for our preferred customer plan? We’ll notify you in advance of any upcoming sales.”
- Take One: Customer takes an item, usually small and inexpensive, from a container imprinted with an appropriate message like: “Free. Please take one. We sincerely appreciate your business.” Containers are usually located on the sales counter or in waiting rooms. Or in the case of hotels, restaurants, and hospitals, at a place convenient to guests or patients.
- Leave Behind: Item left with customer by service people or sales reps. Can be left with or for neighbors as well.
- Event Distributions: Sometimes called “At Function”, items are distributed at and in association with special events like ground-breaking ceremonies, grand openings, company picnics, company tournaments and events external to the company like public events, civic organization meetings and events, and county and church fairs.
- Trade Shows: Technically the same as Event Distributions, trade shows and specialty advertising are bread and butter partners in marketing. Trade shows, conventions, and association meetings are outstanding opportunities for booth and on-floor distributions.
- Self Liquidation and Loss Leader: Technically premium distributions, items are sold at cost or less normally as an incentive associated with purchase of a service or product. Items may be sold without a purchase as a tie-in to prompt voluntary advertising when customer sends in coupon and payment for the item and receives more information.
- Employee: Items are issued free or at cost or less to employees who act as voluntary “advertising agents” for their employer by displaying and distributing the item inside and outside their place of work. Employers may issue several items to each employee asking they distribute them to friends and relatives for expanded exposure of the message.
- On-Pack: With this distribution method the specialty item is physically attached to a product and used as a premium incentive to buy that product. The product manufacturer or distributor normally attaches the specialty item to the product, but not necessarily. You may be attracted to this method to feature or introduce a particular product and for the added value it gives a product which otherwise would be a slow mover.
Personal Distributions are usually the most cost-effective method of delivering your promotional items to the end-user. This leaves more room in your budget for the actual product and message.
In our next article we’ll review the methods involved with Carrier and Third Party Distributions. Until then, enjoy your promotional planning!
Tags: distribution, planning
