Winter is here. Days are shorter, the nights are colder and it’s time to decide how to best reward your employees for all of their hard work throughout the year. To help you gift your team with swag they’ll love while not blowing your budget we’ve put together some of our favorite tips for saving money.

Due to the variety of products and services we offer, we work with businesses of all sizes, from startup to global. All marketing budgets are different, but no one wants to spend more than they need to, so one of the most frequent questions we are asked is:

“How can I save on promo products the next time I order?”

Learning the ins and outs of the promotional product industry takes time. Without having experience saving money can be tough. Here at Namify, we want to give you a jump-start, so you get the best deals on the market‒that’s why we put together this list of methods that can help you save on promo products today.

Whether you’re used to ordering the same thing several times a year, or you’re gearing up for your first bundle of marketing materials, these tips are guaranteed to cut costs and give you more room in your marketing budget.

Plan Ahead

Planning ahead is first on our list for a reason: it’s the most cost-effective way to avoid extra charges.

Press schedules are a real and living thing. If you give the decorator plenty of time to work a job into a Press Schedule, you'll be sure to avoid rush fees, expedited shipping, etc. 

Planning ahead also gives you time to deal with any issues that might arise with orders, regardless of whether the blame falls on the shipper, the decorator, or your nervous intern. 

Plan your promo product purchases well ahead of time (shoot for at least a month) and you can start saving up to $100 per order by avoiding shipping rushes, production charges, holiday price-hikes, etc.

We know last-minute situations come up though, so if you do have to rush your items, minimize the cost by arranging for in-person pick up with your vendor or shipping office.

Use AXOMO to Create a Company Store

In the old days... we recommended buying your swag in bulk, but we’ve found a better solution. Storing dozens or hundreds of items in a closet somewhere, buying things people just don't want or use, giving your swag away to ANYONE that will take it... any of this sound familiar? If it does, consider starting a store with AXOMO.

Instead of blowing through a swag budget and not being sure if you're getting any love back from it, take that same budget and give each team member their own store credit to pick out what they want. Not only will they be more excited to rep their gear, but statistically, only a limited percentage will redeem the credit. That's zero waste, with perfectly happy people.

Save yourself time, money, and frustration by letting AXOMO help you with forecasting your orders, avoiding the hassle of dealing with placing a bulk order, collecting sizes, colors, quantities needed, etc. One AXOMO client recently shared that they saved $15,000 in one year by using an AXOMO store. Find out more now at Axomo.com.

Stick to the Same Setup

Setup fees are often applied whenever an order requires an altered or new printing configuration. This can apply to items that are engraved, screen printed, run through a heat press, etc.

Setup fees range from $25-$100, so using the same setup each time you order can add up to a lot of extra savings. Consider the cost of setup fees whenever you’re thinking about rebranding or when ordering any new promotional product.

Order a Sample

Do Some Digging and Try New Brands

Many production companies deal with hundreds or even thousands of items, so they don't always have the ability to communicate when all of these items have special sales. So if you're willing to take a moment to inquire about discontinued items, alternate styles, or seasonal specials, you can score major deals. And remember, these products usually have nothing wrong with them!  

Another thing that budget-savvy promotional product shoppers will do is ask about brand-specific sales. You can sometimes get similar items from a different brand at a discounted price.

Even top brands like OGIO or Hanes will have sales throughout the year, so keep an eye out for one-time discounts and seasonal sales.

What’s the best thrifty trick you’ve learned to save on promo products? Share it with us in the comments below!