Every professional company invests in promotional products to endorse their brand and help build the reputation of the firm in the market. The products are distributed during conferences, ad campaigns, meetings, etc. and help reinforce the firm’s brand value to the people to whom the products are presented.
Outsourcing the development of promotional products to China offers a considerable scope of getting a good quality product at a minimal cost. Its understanding of manufacturing technology and a world-class product development ability allow the country to offer a host of innovative solutions for effective brand development. These products are made on low budgets and allow clients to save considerably on their advertising expenses. However, with plenty of promotional products developers and manufacturers available, choosing the right one becomes a challenging task. Also, companies can make a mistake in the selection and development process when they outsource promotional product development to China.
Here are three mistakes made when outsourcing promotional products development to the country:
Not focusing on communication: It is important to state the requirements and specifications accurately while outsourcing the production and development of promotional products to a Chinese firm. Unclear communication leads to development problems, substandard quality levels and worse. As such, it is important for the outsourcing company to inform the developer and / or manufacturer of all requirements. Making sure specifications and instructions are understood clearly is a first step.
Not informing the firm of expected delivery timeline: Development of promotional product involves a complex lifecycle that includes different stages like creating a prototype, testing, evaluation and batch production and further testing. If a company delays the processing at any step, it percolates down the succeeding stages and affects the delivery schedule. Imagine a product that was meant for Christmas arriving at your doorstep after the season is over. To avoid this, it is important to have a team of professionals who evaluates the process and ensures development is done in time as per schedule.
Overshooting your budget: A company benefits when it is able to cut down on the cost of products and generate profitable returns. While outsourcing the development, it is important to consider the cost charged from you. In case the expenses outweigh your promotional product development budget, your company will have to bear losses. Informing the developer of your budget and making sure the firm can develop the product within your expectations is crucial for an effective promotional products development strategy.