As warmer weather swiftly approaches, summer promotional items take their place at the forefront of industry profits.
With the warmth of summer on the winds, the promotional products industry is once again gearing up for a hot selling season. From classic favorites, such as beach balls and frisbees, to innovative golf products, these items will make a big splash.
Like most industries, the summer promotional products industry was hard hit by recent economic woes. However, manufacturers say that business is now beginning to return to normal.
"This summer, I believe we will see golf-based products come back to past volume," said Bob D'Andrade, director of marketing at ATdesigns, Toronto. "The industry has been somewhat negatively affected since Sept. 11 [2001], but it seems to now be coming out of its doldrums."
D'Andrade said that golf items such as bag tags, divot tools, ball markers and money clips generally sell very well throughout the summer months.
Rob Robinson, advertising and trade show coordinator for Miami-based Bullet Line, said that items such as insulated products, cooler bags, waterproof containers, flying disks, personal fans and sports products have always done well in warmer months. "The summer is an outdoor activity season when children are out of school and there are a lot of company picnics," he said. "These items tend to serve their purpose well during this time of year."
Robinson also pointed out that summer promotional items should have a certain quality that attracts customers to them. "The product should make the recipient say, 'This is great—I'm going to use it when we go out on the boat,' or 'This is perfect for a day at the park,'" he said.
Due to their seasonal nature, it goes without saying that summer promotional items fare better in warmer months.
Mix Business with Pleasure
For Bullet Line, which enjoys year-round warmth with its southern Florida location, warmer weather in different parts of the country only means increased sales. "Summer product sales are definitely affected by the seasons and will naturally slow down in cooler months," said Robinson. "However, with us being based in southern Florida, our local distributors are able to sell these products year-round."
D'Andrade reiterated that there has been an upswing in sales for summer- and tourism-related industries previously affected by the downturn of business since Sept. 11. "Any of our distributors that service the golf industry, hotels, resorts or casinos have seen their businesses grow over the past several months," he said. "Let's hope that the economy and the upcoming presidential election does not dampen the progression."
With both companies marketing strictly to distributors, D'Andrade said that working with distributors naturally allows ATdesigns access to varied types of industries. "As a specialist of custom items, we market to distributors who wish to offer their clients unique items," he explained. "The competition can sometimes be very tough, but by selling custom items, the competition is significantly reduced."
Speaking of competition, Robinson and D'Andrade agreed that there are some challenges involved in the manufacturing and fulfillment processes of summer promotional products. Said Robinson, "Summer items tend to get used a lot, so we try to keep our selection as durable as possible."
D'Andrade said that while he sees no unique challenges involved in manufacturing summer promotional items, custom-manufactured products come with their own set of complications. "Any order that runs from 100 to 100,000 items that is supposed to be produced in two to six weeks and is totally unique and filled with complex design and color requirements can present a concern," he laughed.
When it comes to creative ways to feed clients' fancies, Robinson suggested that distributors create a mini trade show of items. "Distributors should ask their suppliers what their top-selling summer products are and put together a sample kit featuring a mix of the top five items from their top suppliers," he explained. "The distributor can then add a few items that the particular customer may have requested. The customer may very well choose an item from the standard favorites instead of what he or she previously had in mind."
Along those lines, manufacturers were eager to supply distributors with a list of selling dos and don'ts.
Said D'Andrade, "Book orders early. No matter how hard you work during the summer, it's pretty hard to get anyone's attention if you leave any bookings until the warmer weather actually arrives." He continued, "When warmer weather arrives, all you should be doing is following up on your pre-booked orders, ensuring that deliveries are met and re-orders are looked after promptly. Also, no one wants to store summer-based items over the winter because you might have missed the window of opportunity to deliver."
By way of advice, Robinson provided distributors with a three-point formula for successfully selling summer promotional items. "As with any group of products, it is good to know your clients' needs and ideas," Robinson said. "It is also important to know what products are popular at the time by asking suppliers questions," he said. "The last, and sometimes most important, thing to do is familiarize yourself with the products so that you can make the best presentation."
Smooth Sailing
Looking ahead, manufacturers say that the outlook for summer promotional products appears bright. "By the look of the current market, I am optimistic about the future of summer-based products," said D'Andrade. "As more people decide to vacation at home, we should be able to enjoy domestic benefits in the volume that demand can create."
Robinson concurred that summer-based product sales will remain strong. "Fun- and activity-based products usually leave a lasting impression on end-users—especially if the item is one that they can use the following summer," he said.
D'Andrade, however, cautioned that optimism is to be tempered by economic factors. "Looking at the bigger picture, the economy and employment figures must remain strong for any tourism industry to behave optimistically," he said. "As those sectors feel confident in their sales, they need to promote again in order to set themselves apart from their competition."
By Cynthia T. Graham