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Why Use Promotional Products?
Promotional Products are
being positioned more and more, not as a pure product, but as part of
the promotion buyer’s marketing and communications mix because
of their effectiveness in delivering and reinforcing a message with the
target audience. The right promotional product with the right
message will become a part of the
user's daily life, and reinforce a positive feeling and association with
your brand.
Product VS. Program
Advertising
Product sales are made when the customer asks a have-you-got question.
It's delivery of a commodity with little or no research into why that
item is selected.
Idea or Program selling
is rooted in knowledge of what promotional products are available and
appropriate for a specific client challenge or goal. Program
selling
requires an understanding of how a client's business works, including
their unique targets and obstacles.
The Branding Company
specializes in program design and management, which is why we ask so
many questions in early meetings. We take an interest in your
business operation and want to learn as much as we can about what
results you want to achieve. We then with you on the 'How' and
then together tailor a specific solution using
a mix of promotion and incentive products.
Promotional Product
Categories
Advertising Specialties
Ad specialties have these key elements: 1) an advertising or promotional
message; 2) placed on (or with) a useful item, and 3) given with no
strings attached.
Premiums
Require an action or investment from the recipient. Ex., Buy a
book, Get a free bookmark.
Incentives
A promotional product is offered as an incentive to produce a specific
action. Ex. Reach a sales target and get a free vacation (incentive
travel programs, sales incentives).
Rewards
Plaques, service pins, trophies, award jewelry and other gifts that
signify performance or honours can be categorized as recognition awards.
Business Gifts
Typically given by businesses to customers and employees, and
occasionally, suppliers. In the context used here, business gifts are
not extravagant gifts and trips.
Gift-giving reasons cited by companies are: to thank customers, to
reward referrals, to recognize employee performance and longevity and to
build relationships.
What is PPPC?
In 1956, a group of
people actively engaged in the promotional products business got
together and legally formed a not-for-profit, federally chartered
organization in
Montreal called Specialty Advertising Counselors of Canada (SACC).
The name was later changed to Specialty Advertising Association of
Canada (SAAC) in 1982,
updated to The Promotional Products Association of Canada (PPACanada) in
1992. On November 1st, 2007, the current name of Promotional
Product Professionals
of Canada Inc. (PPPC) was adopted. The PPPC head office remains in
Montreal today, staffed by full time employees to serve it’s over 1,700
members in both official languages. The nationally recognized
association provides a number of benefits to its members:
- PPPC National Convention
The
National Convention takes place in January each year and is the largest
gathering of members in one place, to do business, to learn, and to
network. It is the industry event of the year, with educational
seminars, meetings, social networking events and the trade show
featuring over 600 booths and a total of 5,000 industry professionals.
-
PPPC Publications (PPPC Weekly, promoVantage, promoXpert, Idea Book)
The
PPPC Weekly newsletter is sent electronically with news and updates.
Printed quarterly, the promoVantage magazine is mailed to promotion
buyers to promote the industry, while the promoXpert magazine is mailed
to individuals within the membership to promote the Association and its
many benefits. The Idea Book of promotional products is produced once a
year for distributors to show promotion-buyers/clients the hundreds of
promotional product ideas from suppliers.
- PPPC Image Awards Program
Each year the PPPC
honours the best in the Canadian promotional products industry with the
popular Image Awards program. The Image Awards recognize the most
creative campaigns using promotional products and programs by member
companies. Nomination and submission occurs in the fall.
Following that, approved submissions are then
reviewed by a panel of judges including a a mix of industry and
non-industry officials. These judges are usually senior sales
persons, business owners and post-secondary educators. Each
submission is scored on a point system. The top qualifiers are
announced and recognized as part of the National Convention in January.
The Branding Company continues to be honoured with recognition for
client campaigns and is a multi-time winner of Image Awards in several
categories.
- PPPC Education (Certification,
On-Line Education and Ambassadors)
PPPC provides seminars
and workshops for the professional advancement of its members, leading
to industry professional certifications – Certified Advertising
Specialist (CAS) and Master Advertising Specialist (MAS). PPPC
also offers online education towards CAS/MAS Certification, including a
mix of audio lectures and webinars. The PPPC Ambassador Program
offers free on-site speaking engagements by its Ambassadors to business
groups across Canada on the uses and effectiveness of promotional
products.
The TBC team are all enrolled in the CAS/MAS education program and
actively pursue education opportunities to become more valuable assets
to our clients. |
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