A Page From Our Playbook

We want to share with both potential buyers of promotional products and with our professional consulting distributors, a few ideas on creating real promotions from your promotional product purchase.

The type of product selected should be matched to the message the organization wants to convey. Certain items can create an altruistic image of caring, of concern for well-being, of someone willing to make a positive difference where we work, live and play. These types of products lend themselves very well to creating public relations that speak with heart to our communities.

Typically, organizations that are willing to give away these types of products are members of the local Chamber or Commerce as well as one or more of the local service clubs. As a community service item, ask for some floor time to explain the benevolent program being sponsored even before you are ready for distribution. Accompany this with a write-up for any associated print or on-line publications.

There may be some great opportunities ahead for the formal introduction and distribution as well. Depending on the specific product, select from items such as a Health Fair, Jaycees Carnival, Community Festival, new or classic Car Show, etc. This may provide an additional forum for delivering your message to the community, particularly if there is an associated website or social media network.

There may also be ways to coordinate service clubs, boys or girls community organizations, church youth groups, etc., to help with distribution. Volunteers helping seniors with information, or helping parents with child identification kits, build an even greater sense of community. In some cases, it might even create a perfect blend for asking first responders such as police, fire and EMS/EMT teams to join your event.

The goal really amounts to putting the PROMOTION back into promotional product purchase. As a sponsor, the buyer is helping individuals, their families and the community at large in exchange for placing their logo or message on the item. It amounts to a unique opportunity where the benefit is an altruistic message of caring to make a difference.

While this is written with our particular line of products in mind, many specialty advertising items can indeed benefit from a similar approach. While we won't encourage others to "lift" our ideas verbatim, we share the concepts presented here with an open mind. We believe potential buyers can work better with their promotional product consultants to build better programs. We have faith that the professionals in our distributor network will find value with these approaches and remember Medi-Facts as the source, and even take a few extra minutes to understand our products. And finally, we even openly sharing the ideas with fellow suppliers as we have a firm belief that when the industry as a whole succeeds, we all can ride a higher wave.

This information was extracted from the Medi-Facts Public Relations MediaKit, a toolkit for our professional consultanting distributors. Qualifying distributors may obtain a free download by following the "Distributors, learn more here" link found on our website.