We all do it. We get a new set of golf clubs and expect to be on the pro tour. We buy a Fitbit and the pounds magically will fall off. Remodel the kitchen and all your recipes taste better!
Regardless of the profession, tradesman or teacher, artist or accountant - each will have a selection of tools they need to do their work. Today the category of “tools” include a large and growing number of virtual tools rather than the physical ones.
The Internet, websites, contracted support services, Artificial Intelligence (AI), video, hundreds of data management software programs all make the claim that your business will improve if you buy what they are selling.
The problem with relying on tools to get the job done is that virtually every tool is available to your competitors. It might be better that your tools and activities contribute to you being different, better, more unique!
Before investing in any new tools, take a good look at what user input is required to get full benefit. Also being honest with yourself, will you religiously add the data necessary for your shiny new CRM program to make it worth having?
Speaking of marketing, are you expecting that AI will generate your marketing materials and do a better job than you can do? Well, that is not exactly what AI does. AI annalizes huge amounts of data, very quickly and can handle routine correspondence automatically. If you have been keeping excellent and detailed data on all your business for many years, then you might find good value. AI certainly can analyze millions of data points from the Internet, but that would simply give you the same information your competitors are getting and not be specific to your business and customers.
Right now the most widely used tool is a website. No matter if you build it yourself or hire someone to build it, you need to decide what you expect the tool (website) to do. Is direct commerce your goal where people will find your site and place orders without your involvement? Is it a place for existing customers to place reorders? Do you see it as a place where you can discuss customer needs and develop new promotions for them? Will you update the site daily so customers can check the progress of their orders? Maybe you are considering a larger investment and will include all these features.
The first step if you are building or updating your website is to check current trends. What you likely will find is that people won’t simply arrive at your site and buy something! Optimizing to get a better placement on search results can be part of your overall strategy to drive prospects to your website, but will not get the job done all by itself.
What has been a concerted effort to automate business functions using AI and other machine learning, failed to eliminate the need for actual client contact. Many (maybe most) websites have a function to “chat” in real time with a live person. Some provide a phone number for contact that people don’t have to search for. While direct client contact is a recommended option for websites in general, it is an absolute necessity for anyone in the promotional products media industry.
Regardless if you sell promotional products or the value, purpose and message delivery they provide, the “product” is incomplete. When you go online and order insulated boots, you are buying a complete product. As long as they fit well, the transaction will be complete. If they don’t fit or you change your mind, just return them for a full credit.
Promotional products media requires completing the product with an imprint or other message. Clients certainly can fill in the blanks but that bypasses your advice which may lessen the potential for a great promotion, making future business less likely. Clients changing their minds and returning a custom imprinted product certainly is out of the question.
Before buying fancy new tools, be sure you have the time to get them up to speed and support them with a constant flow of data. Consider if the same time investment working with existing clients might be more profitable. I am not and never have been opposed to technology. Our promotional products media industry is a unique business that requires a bit of specific consideration. We are not a retailer. Our clients are not making individual buying decisions when they use promotional products. Tools built to influence or generate retail business are not normally a perfect fit for us.
I did a bit of electrical updating to the lighting in my house recently, installing 25 new recessed lights. My 115 year old lineman's pliers worked perfectly! That tool is still available for purchase from the same company. Sometimes new isn’t better - it pays to thoroughly check first.
Gregg Emmer managed Kaeser & Blair’s marketing, catalog publishing and vendor relations for more than 30 years. Prior to arriving at K&B in 1991 he owned and operated a graphic communication company featuring promotional products and full service printing. Today Emmer’s consulting work provides marketing, public relations and business planning consulting to a wide range of businesses including promotional industry suppliers, venture capital and market research companies. If you are interested in growing your business (or privately commenting on articles) contact Gregg at gregg.promopro@gmail.com.