Every week there are articles published that are of interest to promotional products industry professionals across the land. To save you time, a rotating group of PromoKitchen chefs have culled the internet for the ones you should read and the ones you should skip. This week’s Dish was authored by Chef Nate Bailey.

Tips for Your Strategy on Branded Merchandise – “Must Read” Article of the Week

This article covers some basic 101 information about effectively using branded merchandise and promotional products for events like grand openings and event sponsorship.  It points out some great high visibility items and how a pen giveaway will almost certainly always fall short of representing the brand properly.  I also liked this article because it took the time to not just discuss product ideas, but also ROI and the marketing goals and objective of any brand activation.

Marketers Everywhere are Rethinking Middle America Post Trump – Inside One Effort to Help Them

“Stereotypes kill, and having expertise in the culture you’re trying to reach is critical.”  This article struck me.  How many times does a client call and tell you that they are going to a show and they need our help.  That show may be a show for HR people, accountants, lawyers, engineers...fill in your demographic.  The client says it’s for accountants, and what do you do?  You start looking for stereotypical accountant items - pens, pencil, calculators, etc. But that stereotype and the promotional product that comes with could fall flat and result in an ineffective campaign.

Your Sales Team: Give Them What They Want, What They Really Really Want

Sales is 1 parts creative and 2 parts HUSTLE. This article talks about ways to personally motivate your sales teams and make sure they have all they need to succeed.  It’s not JUST about getting paid.  It’s about motivating a process and rewarding process that will generate results.