You were used to cramming back in college. So who says you cannot cram your promotional items?

While we sure think planning in advance is the mark of a good marketer, we tip our hats off to those who manage, by some miracle, to whip up a highly successful event on short notice. It’s nothing short of a miracle, however, if you know which supplier will bend backward to accommodate your rush orders of promotional items.

If you’re seeing a virtual Closed sign with every supplier you meet, perhaps you haven’t heard of the solution for the chronically late decision maker: rush promotional items. These fast-turnaround items are the best thing for those last-minute marketing events.

While we don’t recommend that you do last-minute promotions every time, here are some tips on winging it when planning a marketing event on short notice:

Delegate
They say “Too many cooks spoil the broth,” but when you’re planning a marketing event, you cannot expect to emerge from it triumphant and alone. Assign a task to each member of your team.

Improvise
You don’t expect to get the best venue if you plan late, but you can make up for it with attractive décor or by getting the best caterer. The idea is to make the best with what you have.

Let go
If you cannot improvise, let go and move on to the next best deal. A marketer’s good trait is accepting defeat and learning from it.

Compare
Don’t choose the first item you see in an online catalog just because you are in a hurry. When choosing from rush promotional items, compare the production time for each item. The trick is to find rush promotional items that can be processed in 5 working days. There are custom pens, luggage tags, brain stress relievers, key chains, golf balls, fleece and plaid picnic blankets,

Enjoy
Enthusiasm is infectious, so make sure you have some fun during the event. Worrying about how you could have improved on things will only stress you. Take it as a learning challenge, and resolve to do better next time.

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Remy is a Promotional Adviser specializing on Promotional Premium T-shirts, Rush Promotional Items and Promotional Custom Merchandise Store.