How Many Promotional Products Should I Order?

Promo Expert

Published: May 11th, 2020

When it comes to promotional products, you want to ensure you have enough to hand out. Our guide will help you figure out the right amount for your next order. This lesson features a touch of math, a helping of logistics, and some good old-fashioned common sense. By the end, you'll have a good understanding of how many promotional products you should order for your business or event.

You may know exactly how many of something you want or need—like a dozen donuts for your morning meeting or exactly $100 worth of groceries a week. When it comes to promotional products, though, sometimes it isn't so easy to figure out exactly how many you might need.

Let's consider the options!

By the Numbers

If you're running an event and you need customized products, it's helpful to consider past events. Did you organize a similar event last year? Check any turnout data you've collected ... sign-in lists, registration rosters, participation reports ... to predict potential turnout for this year. Having a general attendance number is a good first step to figuring out how many giveaways or marketing pieces to order.

When it comes to ordering apparel, you probably have a pretty good idea of how many people might be coming to your event, like an invite-only golf tournament or nonprofit 5k fundraiser. In those cases, "what size" is just as important as "how many." If you don't know everyone's preferred size beforehand, this handy group buying guide can help you figure out how many of each size to order.

If you're not ordering for an event, but want to get personalized portfolios for your sales team or stock your supply closet with custom sticky notes, your office manager or HR personnel will probably have a good idea of exactly how many to order for your business.

What Events will You Attend?

It's also helpful to consider your marketing schedule. If you're going to be presenting at a dozen trade shows throughout the year, you should consider ordering all of your marketing materials up front. Promotional items like personalized water bottles, custom pens, and imprinted stress balls can easily be stored for future use or later events (or even donated to a nonprofit if plans change or shows get cancelled). Plus, ordering in bulk not only saves you money per item, but saves you on shipping charges for repeat orders.

On the other hand, if you're doing a super-specific campaign or event ... like Skin Cancer Awareness Month, which happens in May - you might want to order a more limited quantity of items like single-use sunscreen packets. Whether you need a small order for a one-time meeting or a big batch of goodies to help you build brand awareness year round, the search feature on our website can help you filter by minimum quantities so you always have just enough!

When it comes down to it, certain products and quantities are going to work best for different events. If you're trying to promote your brand and create a memorable impression, it might make sense to order personalized magnets or custom note pads. On the other hand, if you're working on getting thank-you gifts for established customers or VIP clients, you might order fewer, higher-quality products like gold-plated pens.

Did you know?

If you're hesitant about committing to a quantity of products, help yourself to a sample! Our current sample policy is in place so customers can order one blank or randomly imprinted free sample up to $7 (for qualified customers and addresses) and additional samples can be bought with a credit card. If you're worried about quality or size, you can try one out before you commit to more. It's just another way to make sure you love the product before placing an order!

By using past event data, thinking about budget, and factoring in the number of upcoming promotions, you've got an equation to help you figure out just how many products to order for any event. If you've still got questions or need a quote, you can chat with our friendly promotional professionals by calling (866) 312-5646, emailing us at info@qualitylogoproducts.com, or trying our live chat feature!