If you’ve ever wrangled swag for an event, you know the headache: spreadsheets, missed shipments, and a whole lot of “Where’s my hoodie?” emails. Automating swag fulfillment sounds like a dream, but the reality is often messier than the sales pitch. If you’re running events (virtual, in-person, or hybrid) and want to get your company’s branded stuff to attendees without losing your mind, this guide is for you.
We’ll walk through how to set up automated swag fulfillment workflows in Postal. We’ll cover the real steps, call out the gotchas, and make sure you don’t waste time on features you don’t need. By the end, you’ll have a working system—or at least know why you don’t.
Why Bother Automating Swag Fulfillment?
Let’s be honest: manual swag fulfillment is a time suck. Even if you only send to a few dozen attendees, details get missed. Automation isn’t magic, but it does help you:
- Reduce shipping errors (no more typos on shipping labels)
- Save hours of admin time (upload a list, not 50 individual orders)
- Track what was sent and when (no more “Did it ship?” Slack messages)
- Scale up for bigger events, instead of scaling up headaches
But don’t expect automation to fix everything. If your attendee data is messy or you’re picky about swag quality, you’ll still have to double-check the details. Automation is about getting the boring parts out of your way.
Step 1: Get Your Swag and Event Details Sorted
Before you touch Postal, get your ducks in a row. Automation can’t fix bad inputs.
What you need: - A finalized list of swag items: Know exactly what you want to send (t-shirts, mugs, whatever). Confirm inventory with your vendor or warehouse. - Attendee list: Names, emails, and—if you want to ship direct—physical addresses. Don’t assume you have these: confirm with your event platform or registration form. - Event timing: When should swag arrive? Before, during, or after the event?
Pro tip:
If you don’t have attendee addresses (common for webinars), Postal can help collect them via “magic links.” But you’ll want to plan this ahead—people are surprisingly slow to respond.
Step 2: Set Up Your Swag Inventory in Postal
Log into Postal. If you’re new, get your account set up and poke around a bit so you’re not flying blind.
- Upload your swag items:
- Go to the “Marketplace” or “Inventory” section.
- Add the items you plan to send. You can use Postal’s vendors or (if you have your own stash) set up a custom inventory.
-
Check lead times and minimum order quantities. Some items take weeks to produce—don’t get caught off guard.
-
Check your stock:
- If you’re using Postal’s inventory, make sure they actually have what you want.
- If you’re using your own, get it shipped to Postal’s warehouse before your event.
Stuff that trips people up:
- Not all items are available in every country. Double-check if you’re shipping internationally.
- Swag options change—what was available last quarter might be gone.
Step 3: Build Your Automated Workflow
This is where Postal’s automation features come in. The basic idea: you set up a “campaign” or “trigger,” and Postal takes care of sending swag to each person on your list.
Option 1: Bulk Send with an Attendee List
If you already have attendee addresses, this is the fastest method.
- Create a new Campaign:
- Name it something obvious (“Spring 2024 Webinar Swag”).
- Choose your swag item(s):
- Select from your uploaded inventory.
- Upload your recipient list:
- Use a CSV file with names, emails, and addresses. Postal has a template; use it.
- Set delivery timing:
- You can ship immediately or schedule for later. Be realistic—shipping always takes longer than you think.
- Review and launch:
- Double-check everything. Postal will show you a preview before you hit “send.”
What works:
- Good for in-person events or when you have all the data.
- Hands-off once you launch.
What doesn’t:
- If addresses are missing or wrong, your swag goes nowhere.
Option 2: Use Magic Links to Collect Addresses
For virtual events or privacy-conscious folks.
- Create a new Campaign as above.
- Select “Collect addresses via Magic Link”:
- Postal will generate a unique link for each attendee.
- Send the links:
- You can have Postal email them, or you can copy/paste links into your own email tool.
- Attendees fill in their shipping info:
- Postal tracks who’s responded.
- Set a deadline:
- After a week or two, close the campaign and process the shipments for those who responded.
What works:
- Privacy-friendly, since you’re not storing addresses you don’t need.
- Lets you avoid sending swag to people who don’t care.
What doesn’t:
- Response rates can be low (sometimes <50%).
- Some people never fill in the form—build in reminders.
Ignore:
- Postal’s “engagement” metrics here aren’t that useful. Focus on who actually got their swag.
Option 3: Trigger Swag Sends via Integrations
If you’re using a CRM or event platform (like Salesforce, HubSpot, or Zoom), Postal can hook in and trigger swag sends automatically.
- Connect your integration:
- Go to Postal’s “Integrations” section. Follow the prompts for your tool.
- Set up a trigger:
- For example, “When someone registers for Webinar X, send them a swag code or Magic Link.”
- Map your data fields:
- Make sure names and emails line up, or you’ll get a mess.
- Test it:
- Always run a test before you go live. You don’t want to send 100 mugs to the wrong address.
When this makes sense:
- You’re running frequent events or want to automate swag for sales/marketing sequences.
- You have decent data hygiene (CRMs are notorious for bad addresses).
Step 4: Monitor Shipments and Handle Issues
Automation isn’t “set it and forget it.” Stuff will go wrong—packages get lost, addresses bounce, people complain.
- Track shipment status:
Postal gives you basic tracking. Don’t expect Amazon-level updates, but you can see what shipped and when. - Handle returns and failures:
Some items will bounce. Decide ahead of time if you’ll resend or just move on. - Communicate with recipients:
Set expectations. Let people know when to expect their swag, and who to contact if there’s an issue.
Pro tip:
Keep a stash of extra swag. There’s always someone who says, “I never got mine.”
Step 5: Review, Learn, and Simplify
After your event, take 10 minutes to review:
- How many people actually got swag?
- How many needed manual follow-up?
- Did automation save you time, or just move the headaches around?
What’s worth it:
- Automation for larger or recurring events.
- Using Magic Links for privacy and data quality.
What’s not:
- Overcomplicating things for a small group. Sometimes an old-fashioned spreadsheet and a trip to the post office is faster.
- Relying on Postal’s reporting for deep analytics—it’s fine for basics, but don’t expect miracles.
Common Pitfalls (and How to Dodge Them)
- Bad data in = bad swag out. Double-check your attendee lists before uploading.
- Vendor lead times: Don’t promise next-day delivery. Swag moves at the speed of supply chains, not wishful thinking.
- International shipments: Customs is unpredictable, and Postal can’t fix that.
- Forgetting to test: Always do a dry run with yourself or a teammate.
Keep It Simple, Iterate as You Go
Automating swag fulfillment in Postal can save your sanity—if you keep your process simple and stay realistic. Start with one event, review what worked, and make small tweaks. Don’t get seduced by every feature; focus on getting swag to the right people, with as little hassle as possible. The best workflow is the one you’ll actually use.