By reading
this article you must have been in the right place
at the right time with one or more customers who have
said to you, “Can you do…?” As a salesperson
your first inclination is to say ‘yes’. This
article is the first of many to follow that will educate
you and your staffs on how to enter, sell, and be profitable
in either arena.
 The
very first consideration to make when seeking to add promotional
products to your product line is that just about anything
can carry an imprint. That said, the promotional products
industry is comprised of over 15,000 suppliers with more
entering this lucrative industry every month. What can
be confusing to any distributor is sourcing the best vendor
for the job or even how to speak the lingo to receive
the ‘right’ information to prepare a quote.
How do you gain the knowledge you and your staff needs
to service your customers and be competitive?
Let’s
take a look at the makeup of the promotional products
industry. The industry is comprised of (1) true ‘vertical’
manufacturers, those suppliers who actually manufacture
and imprint the products they sell, (2) suppliers who
purchase product from overseas sources and imprint on
demand, usually at low quantities of 12 or more units,
and (3) suppliers who are simply brokers. Many existing
uniform and promotional product distributors alike are
seeking ways of truly offering the one-stop shopping experience
for their clients and feel there is money left on the
table with existing customers should they not diversify
their product offering. Traditional promotional products
distributors, over the past few years, have begun to place
a heavy emphasis on apparel and especially uniform business,
through the use of popular supplier marketing tools such
as blank apparel wholesaler website links. Many of the
same uniform suppliers dedicated uniform distributors
have known about for years, are now taking a more serious
look at the role of the promotional products distributor
and have decided to actively participate in promotional
product industry-related shows such as the Promotional
Products Association International (ppa.org),
Advertising Specialty Institute (asicentral.com)
and regional tabletop shows.
Years
ago, early on in my promotional products career, I recall
a time when a fire department I had sold fundraising items
to asked if I could provide their uniforms, beyond the
basic hat or imprinted t-shirt. I spent two weeks trying
to determine who in the uniform industry produced ‘dress
blues’, only to find out that items such as pants
came unhemmed and the sport coats needed custom measurements.
I remember asking myself, do I have the confidence to
take custom measurements? In the end and after much research,
I knew I was not equipped to add this new level of detail
to my business and politely declined. By being upfront
with the department I was able to retain their non-uniform
business, patch and embroidered hat business. Ultimately
I would remain primarily focused on the promotional products
business, while still offering event and minimal uniform-related
items.
Is
it difficult to add promotional products or uniforms to
your product mix? No. It all depends on your level of
commitment, customer base and comprehension of what your
customer is truly looking for. A common thread exists
between the two product lines. Is the customer brand conscious?
Brands play an important role whether you are selling
promotional products or uniforms. The same holds true
for embellishment techniques. What has the customer done
in the past and are there at least two samples available?
Why two samples? Always keep one for you as a reference,
should you need or desire to forward one to the supplier.
When is the in hands date? Delivering product on the 5th
of July just won’t work. Trusted suppliers are key.
What is the demographic of the user? Age, product use,
and geographic location all play an important role in
any programs success.
What
are some of the areas you need education on to sell either
product?
- Product
availability
- Sourcing
- Product
specifics
- Embellishment
techniques
- Supplier
sources
- Marketing
tool availability from industry suppliers
- Artwork
requirements
- Industry
terminology
- Sample
costs
- Order
processing and follow-up
- Shipping
costs
What
internal administrative functions will need to be managed?
Order
financing. Many suppliers will request a prepay for first
time orders irregardless of your credit history. Will your
current customers provide you with deposits or can your
cash flow support prepays and deposits to suppliers for
a ‘new’ industry?
What about all of those new catalogs and marketing flyers
you will receive from your new supplier base? Do you have
the physical space for these and time to file them?
Supplier
relationship building
 Putting
a face to a name is very important when entering a new industry
and building your business. Suppliers like to know whom
they are working with and your plan for mutual success.
In many cases, your business represents their only sales
force to end-users. Understanding each of your levels of
commitment can be very beneficial not only for special pricing
considerations but also when working together to resolve
a dispute with an order. A hint is to get to know the local
salesperson very well for your key suppliers. These individuals
can either be factory or multi-line representatives. They
have vested interest in your success and will often spend
time to not only educate you but provide random samples
you could borrow for presentations saving you actual product
sample expense and shipping.
Who
in your organization will initially become familiar with
this new product offering and related order management techniques?
Will one person become educated in this new area and share
their knowledge with sales and support staff, through weekly
educational seminars? Who will be the ‘go-to’
for your sales staff and how will the accountability for
orders be divided within the office? Anytime you start something
new there will be a learning curve involved, which can mean
valuable time taken away from your core business and focus.
Making the decision to add either promotional products or
uniforms to your business can be very exciting for any size
organization and lucrative, if done properly.
Building
relationships with both customers and suppliers alike is
the foundation of a strong business. Understanding what
your customer wants by being a great listener and translating
their needs to suppliers in a clear and effective method
is the key to added profitability for your business. In
today’s market it is all about adding value for your
business and making business decisions you and your busy
staff can support.
Tamara
Borello, MAS
Tamara is the CEO of Promotional Products Center. An 18-year
veteran of the promotional products industry she served
on both the distributor and supplier sides and has earned
a designation as a Master Ad Specialist. She and her organization
actively work to support distributors in and out of the
promotional products industry. Tamara may be reached at:
tamarab@promoproductscenter.com
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