OnFulfillment Blog | Promotional Swag (2)

Summer is over. Fall has just begun. The days are getting shorter, and the temps are dropping off—well, a little bit at least. We all know what that means: it’s time to start thinking about the holidays.

Before you say it’s still too early—Halloween is still a month away, after all—it’s important to point out the benefits of getting an early start. This is especially true for businesses looking to order corporate-branded holidays gifts for their customers and employees.

As we all know, the holidays are synonymous with inventory shortages and inconsistent quality. The closer we get to December, the harder it will be to guarantee targeted items will be available, at least in the quantities required. Replenishments will be available—eventually—but likely not until sometime in the new year due to growing demand. Popular brands and “must have” products will be even harder to come by if not ordered early.

When we meet potential new customers for the first time, the initial discussion is invariably dedicated to information gathering. They heard about us, requested a meeting, and want to know what we do, how we do it, and—ultimately—how we can help them solve a pressing or immediate business problem.

We wouldn’t have it any other way. We love sharing our expertise with prospects and customers alike. We enjoy meeting new people and hearing about the challenges they are facing with respect to their marketing fulfillment or event management obligations. And most of all, we welcome the opportunity to present them with solutions that help them achieve their goals.

That’s why we’ll never turn down a serious request. But we also know that not every prospective customer is enthusiastic about filling out a form and scheduling a blind meeting. We’ve often wondered if there wasn’t a better way to help prospects get up to speed about what we do so they can educate themselves prior to an initial consultation. A way for them to learn about our software, our services, and our innovative approach so they can arm themselves with information and come prepared with pertinent and relevant questions. Or perhaps a way to determine whether OnFulfillment is even a good fit for their needs before they submit a meeting request.

Your company is celebrating a major milestone, and you’ve been asked to find a nice brand-name gift for employees. Unfortunately, the budget doesn’t cover the projected costs.

Or imagine your department is hosting a large meeting and you’d like to present attendees with a high-quality branded polo shirt, but the price tag for a recognized brand means you’d have to cut corners elsewhere.

Or you want to find a memorable giveaway for an upcoming event, but don’t want to break the bank. What do you do?

It’s time to consider dupes.

Every year, the most popular trends in fulfillment and merchandise seem to skew ever younger. Or, more accurately, the generation driving trends remains constant, while the rest of us grow older and farther away from what is currently “hip.”

This year, as one might expect, popular trends are being largely determined by social media influencers and the millennial/Gen Z lifestyle. For these consumers, products must look good enough—and be socially conscious enough—to be included as part of their story. For the companies who understand the process, these postings become free advertising to the most coveted demographic.

So what are the trends to look for in 2024? What issues are making these influencers sit up and pay attention while making them feel good about their purchases?

This April, OnFulfillment is celebrating 25 years of meeting the marketing and event fulfillment needs of customers around the world.

To mark this Silver Anniversary, we’re looking back at how the company has evolved over the years. We started with a general overview of the past 25 years (provide link) and are following that with a deeper dive into the various services that have made us an indispensable partner for our customers. (Last week) we covered printing. Today, we’re taking a closer look at how OnFulfillment began offering branded merchandise and other promotional items.