Promotional products supplier brief: a template to fill in section by section

These two sections open the brief because they guide everything else. The same budget is not used in the same way to attract visitors to a stand or to thank loyal clients.

“Goal” section, to fill in:

• the occasion: trade show, seminar, welcoming employees, end-of-year gift, product launch;
• the expected result: get noticed, say thank you, build loyalty, bring a team together;
• how you will judge the success of the campaign, if you plan to judge it.

“Audience” section, to fill in:

• who receives the product: prospects, clients, employees, partners, the general public;
• the context of use: office, building site, travel, home, outdoors;
• specific expectations: discreet product, premium product, product suitable for children.

For measuring the return, the guide dedicated to promotional products ROI details the method; the brief simply states whether it is planned.

These three sections set the limits within which the supplier must work. Leaving them empty means receiving proposals outside the framework.

“Quantity” section:

• the number of items per product, and whether it is firm or estimated;
• any breakdown by colour, or by size for textiles;
• the possibility of a restock later, which justifies undated artwork.

The minimum quantity varies by product and is shown on each product page; our guide to the minimum order quantity helps you decide.

“Budget” section:

• an overall budget or an amount per recipient, specifying whether it is excl. VAT;
• what the budget must cover: product, marking, packaging, delivery;
• the acceptable flexibility if an option is worth it.

“Deadline” section:

• the date by which the products must be on site, not the order date;
• whether this date is fixed or flexible;
• the person who approves the proof, and their availability.

This last point is often forgotten. The production lead time runs from the approval of the proof: if the approver is away, the whole schedule slips.

This is the section that avoids technical surprises. Fill it in with the person who holds your brand guidelines.

“Files” section:

• the logo as a vector file, in .ai, .eps, .svg or vector PDF format, with text converted to outlines;
• the variants available: full version, symbol alone, one-colour version, light version for dark backgrounds;
• the Pantone references of your colours, in the Solid Coated range;
• failing a vector file, the image you have, flagging that vectorisation may still need to be planned.

“Marking constraints” section:

• the desired position, bearing in mind that it depends on each product’s own marking area;
• the number of colours in the logo and any gradients;
• the expected finish: bright colour, tone on tone, understated engraving;
• required or forbidden elements: mandatory mention, slogan, website address, rules from your brand guidelines.

The process then follows from the product and these constraints; the marking techniques page helps you understand the proposals you will receive.

“Delivery” section:

• the exact address, with the name of an on-site contact and their business contact details;
• access constraints: delivery time slots, loading bay, floor, reception closed on certain days;
• the number of addresses, if the products must be split between several sites;
• the desired packaging: in bulk, in batches, individually wrapped;
• for a trade show, the address of the stand or storage area given by the organiser.

Shipping and parcel tracking arrangements are detailed on the delivery page. Finally, note who checks the parcel on receipt: count the boxes, open one at random, report the slightest discrepancy straight away.

Here is the condensed brief, to copy as it is into a shared document. Each line calls for a short answer; a line left empty is a question your supplier will ask you later.

• Project: name of the campaign, main contact, proof approver.
• Goal: occasion, expected result, measurement planned or not.
• Audience: recipients, context of use, specific expectations.
• Products considered: product families in mind, products to exclude, inspiration.
• Quantity: per product, firm or estimated, breakdown by colour and size.
• Budget: amount, excl. VAT basis, scope covered.
• Deadline: date products must be available, fixed or flexible.
• Files: formats supplied, logo variants, Pantone references.
• Marking: position, colours, finish, required elements.
• Delivery: addresses, contacts, access, packaging.

Keep each completed brief with the corresponding quote and proof. For the next order, you will start from a base that is already right instead of a blank page.

An identical brief sent to several suppliers makes the answers comparable: same quantities, same deadline, same scope. Check that each proposal responds to each section, and be wary of one that passes over a section in silence, especially the files and the delivery date. The criteria for deciding between offers are gathered in our guide to choosing your promotional products supplier. If you already know what you want, the configurator also lets you turn your brief into an order, product by product, with the proof at actual scale.