Promoting the Promotions Industry

If there is one word that describes the promotions industry, it has got to be 'enthusiastic'. The sector is peopled by individuals who naturally see the glass as 'half full', rather than 'half empty'. Those involved in the promotions industry also enthusiastically embrace any new promotional techniques, but are canny enough to know that they cannot ignore well-established and proven techniques.<br /><br />The promotions industry is also very proactive at promoting the sector, its abilities and achievements. The industry's major organisations, the British Promotional Merchandise Association (BPMA), the Institute of Sales Promotion (ISP) and the Voucher Association (VA), have positive PR campaigns. As well as 'policing' the industry to ensure best practice, these organisations also run their own award schemes, to celebrate all that's best in this vibrant marketplace. <br /><br />Another sign of the proactive and diverse nature of this industry is the fact that it supports five core media titles: Incentive & Motivation, Incentive Business, Promotions Buyer (the journal of the BPMA), Promotions & Incentives and Sales Promotion. Use of the Internet as a sourcing tool has also increased greatly with portals such as promotionalmerchandise.org.uk providing a news service as well as an on-line database of suppliers and products.<br /><br />Exhibiting is another of the 'proven' techniques that the industry has steadfastly supported. In the past few years the industry has enthusiastically supported two exhibitions a year: one in London in the Spring (the Promotional Marketing Exhibition) and one in the Midlands in the Autumn (The National Incentive Show, NEC, September). Exhibitions work on the dual fronts of promoting the individual exhibitors, and also promoting the sector itself by putting the industry as a whole in the spotlight. In fact, the BPMA's recently published survey*, The UK Promotions and Incentives Industry Report 2006, confirms that, of all the routes used by buyers to discover new promotional products and services, exhibitions and trade fairs are by far the most popular, meaning that those who exhibit are placing their wares exactly where the buyer is most likely to look for them.

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