How to Order Promotional Products in Canada: Step-by-Step Guide

Overview

Ordering promotional products is simple when you follow the right process. Start by defining your marketing goals and audience, then choose products that align with your brand and budget. Next, select customization options that showcase your logo, confirm quantities, and carefully review your proofs. From there, you’ll receive an order acknowledgement before your products move into production. Finally, track your shipment and plan for delivery. By following these four steps, you’ll ensure your branded merchandise creates a strong connection with your audience.

Step 1: Define Your Goals and Target Audience

The first step in ordering promotional products is to identify your specific needs. Before ordering, ask yourself the following questions:

• What is the purpose of these promotional products? Are they for increasing brand awareness, or for a trade show, a corporate event, employee gifts, or customer giveaways?
• Who is your target audience? Who will receive these items? Understanding your audience’s preferences will help you choose products that will resonate with them.
• What message do you want to convey? Ensure that your promotional products align with your brand’s message and values.

Why it matters: Setting clear goals ensures your promotional products resonate with your audience and improve your brand visibility and recall. Research shows nearly 90% of consumers remember the company that gave them a promotional product within the last two years,¹ and over 80% keep those items for at least a year.² That means if your audience values practicality, reusable drinkware can keep your brand in daily circulation, or if they are an employee in need of workwear, a branded jacket can deliver thousands of impressions over its lifetime.

Step 2: Choose Promotional Products That Fit Your Brand and Budget

Once you’ve defined your goals, it’s time to select the right promotional products. The best items strike a balance between brand alignment, audience appeal, and budget efficiency. Below are some of the top promotional product categories with examples of how they’re commonly used:

• Custom Apparel: T-shirts, jackets, polo shirts, hats, and hoodies that keep your brand visible wherever they’re worn.
  • Use cases: Polos make excellent employee uniforms for retail or events, while branded T-shirts are perfect for giveaways at trade shows. Jackets and hoodies are great for employee recognition or seasonal campaigns.
• Custom Drinkware: Branded water bottles, mugs, and tumblers. Perfect for staying top of mind with every sip.
  • Use cases: Water bottles are a go-to for sports sponsorships and outdoor events, while mugs and tumblers are ideal for corporate gifts or onboarding kits.
• Promotional Tech Accessories: USB drives, power banks, and wireless chargers that make practical, modern giveaways.
  • Use cases: Power banks are popular conference giveaways, USBs are handy for educational seminars, and wireless chargers make excellent client gifts.
• Custom Writing & Office Supplies: Notebooks, pens, portfolios, and desk accessories that keep your brand present in professional settings.
  • Use cases: Notebooks and pens are classic for training sessions and workshops, while portfolios and desk sets are perfect for client appreciation or professional gifting.
• Customized Bags: Totes, backpacks, laptop sleeves, and cooler bags are portable branding tools that travel with your audience.
  • Use cases: Tote bags are staples at trade shows, backpacks and laptop sleeves make great employee appreciation gifts, and cooler bags work well for summer promotions and team events.

Tips for Selecting the Right Promotional Products

• Filter by Category and Budget: Use our website's filtering options to search by category (e.g., apparel, drinkware, tech accessories) and price range. This helps you narrow down options quickly to those that suit your requirements.
• Look for Use Case Examples: Below are some product suggestions based on common events and audiences. For example:
  • Events & Trade Shows: Choose easily portable items like custom pens, tote bags, or lanyards that attendees can use during the event.
  • Corporate Gifts: Opt for premium products like custom headphones, high-quality custom tumblers, or custom golf balls that will have a lasting impact after they are gifted.
  • Employee Recognition: Focus on items that feel personal and genuinely useful in day-to-day life. For example, insulated drinkware makes a great gift for coffee or tea drinkers, while a comfortable branded hoodie or custom jacket can be worn outside of work. The key is choosing products that show appreciation while giving employees something they’ll enjoy using.
• Leverage Quantity Discounts: The more items you order, the lower the price per unit. Take advantage of bulk pricing to stretch your budget further while maximizing reach.

Tip: If you can’t find exactly what you’re looking for, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team. We can help source or create custom products tailored to your specific needs.

Step 3: Customization Options That Make Your Brand Stand Out

Customization turns an everyday item into a meaningful brand experience. The right decoration method makes your logo look sharp, last longer, and align with your brand personality. The decoration method you choose depends on the product, your logo, and how you want your brand to be remembered.

Common Decoration Methods

• Embroidery: Ideal for durable, textured logos on apparel such as custom polo shirts and hats, giving a high-quality, professional appearance. This method can be more expensive due to the labor-intensive process, but it's cost-effective for smaller logos and quantities, especially on high-quality apparel.
• Screen Printing: Best for bold, colourful logos on items with flat surfaces like T-shirts and tote bags, offering a smooth and vibrant finish. Generally economical for bulk orders, screen printing becomes more cost-effective with higher quantities but can increase in price for multi-colour logos.
• Laser Engraving: Excellent for hard goods like tech gadgets and metal drinkware, creating a clean, long-lasting logo that resists wear. Though often higher in cost, laser engraving is valued for its durability and is ideal for premium products where longevity and quality matter.
• Heat Transfer: Suitable for intricate, multi-coloured logos on apparel, providing versatility for detailed logos and images. Pricing varies with the complexity of the design, making it a budget-friendly choice for detailed, multi-coloured logos, especially on smaller quantities.

Artwork and File Tips:

• For best results, upload your logo in vector format (.ai, .eps, .svg). High-resolution .png or .jpg files will also work for most products.
• Need help choosing the right customization method? Our team can recommend options that suit your brand’s look and the product’s material.

Note on Modifications: 

Changes can only be made before your order moves into production. Carefully check your order details and contact our team immediately if changes are needed.

Common Customization Questions:

• Are there restrictions on the number of colours in my logo? The number of colours your logo can have depends on the product. Apparel typically allows multiple colours, while hard goods (like drinkware and tech items) may be limited to one or two colours. If your logo has more colours than the product allows, our team will help you adjust it or find a suitable product.
• Why doesn’t my logo appear correctly in the preview? Some products, especially those that use laser engraving, may not accurately reflect the final look in the online preview. If you encounter issues with the design upload or if the preview doesn’t match your expectations, contact our support team. We’re here to help ensure your design meets your standards.
• What if my artwork has a background I don’t want printed? If your artwork file has a background that you don’t want included in the final design, please reach out to our support team after you place your order. We’ll ensure the background is removed before printing.

Step 4: Order Quantities and How to Maximize Your Budget

Every promotional product has a minimum order quantity, but how much you order can make a big difference in both cost and impact.

Key Considerations

• Mixing Sizes in Apparel: When ordering branded clothing, you can mix sizes within the same style to meet minimum order requirements. This ensures a better fit for your team without overspending.
• Leverage Bulk Pricing: The more you order, the lower the price per unit. Larger orders stretch your budget further and maximize reach at events or across campaigns.
• Plan Ahead: If you know you’ll need items for multiple initiatives throughout the year, such as onboarding kits, trade shows, or employee gifts, consider placing one larger order instead of several smaller ones.

Pro Tip: Think long-term. Ordering extra products upfront often costs less per item and ensures you have stock ready for upcoming campaigns, saving time and money in the long run.

Finishing Your Order on StaplesPromo.ca: Once you’ve chosen your products and added your artwork, you’ll see a design mock-up. To move forward with your order, add your items to your cart and checkout. After you have paid, your order moves into production, and you will receive a confirmation email. Tracking details will be also be emailed to you once your items ship. That Was Easy!

Tips for Success When Ordering Promotional Products

• Review Proofs Carefully: Approving an accurate proof ensures your brand is represented with quality and professionalism. Research shows 72% of consumers associate the quality of a promo product with the company’s reputation. ¹
• Plan for Shipping: Most orders take 7–10 business days to produce, with total delivery ranging 7–15 business days. Deliveries outside Ontario may take longer.
• PMS Colour-Matching: If you require PMS colour-matching please contact our team prior to ordering. Additional charges may apply for PMS matching and these charges cannot be added once the order goes through.
• Reorder Easily: Creating an account on StaplesPromo.ca allows you to save past artwork and order history, making reorders fast and accurate.
• Benefits of Creating an Account: Creating an account lets you, store artwork for quicker reorders and customization, update the shipping address separately from the billing address, auto fill contact/billing information for a quicker checkout experience, and access your purchase history.
• When in Doubt – Contact Support! Our support team is able to help with advising on customization, reviewing your product previews, logo placement and artwork, confirming delivery timelines and simplifying reordering.

Conclusion: Bring Your Brand to Life with StaplesPromo.ca

Promotional products build loyalty and keep your brand top of mind. Studies show that 83% of recipients are more likely to do business with a brand that provided them with a promotional item and 90% of consumers remember the business that provided them with a promotional product within the last two years.¹ Don’t miss out on these powerful opportunities for brand awareness, recognition and customer engagement. Explore StaplesPromo.ca today and discover how we can help you bring your brand to life with creative promotional solutions that resonate with your audience. If you have any questions, our team is here to assist you in every step of the way.

References

1 - Totally Promotional. (n.d.). Promotional products marketing guide. Retrieved from https://www.totallypromotional.com/blog/promotional-products-marketing-guide/

2 - American Marketing Association. (2021, October 6). Promotional Products 101: A Guide to Using Them Effectively. Retrieved from https://www.ama.org/marketing-news/what-are-promotional-products/