Did you ever see a fishing rod select the proper bait, put it on the hook, cast the line and real in a fish? Neither have I! It takes a fisherman or lady to do the work. They have to select the fishing rod and all the other equipment to ensure success and it takes their talent and knowledge to land the fish. The credit for catching the limit absolutely goes to the fisherman.
Not so in the promotional marketing/specialty advertising industry! The theme of this article may be familiar as I write about it often. But it is more critical now than ever. Promotional Products Don’t Work regardless of anything you may read or see promoted in the industry. They are no more than the fishing rod! What works is the proper and creative use of promotional products to deliver messages. What works is the talent and knowledge of the people in this industry that understand the value they bring to their clients.
There was a time when this industry was known as the “novelty” business or by less dignified names like “trash and trinkets” or “swag.” Some still do use product oriented names that detract from the actual work being done. If you allow or contribute to the notion that the “products” are the industry then you are contributing to the decline of the industry as we know it. This very publication surveyed distributors and found a majority call this the promotional products industry. Certainly this is influenced by the industry association calling itself a products association, but you don’t have to tag along with this misnomer.
If you want to remain relevant you need to establish a unique value, something clients can only get from you. The sale and distribution of promotional products appears to be concentrating around a few mega-players in the industry. Some of the largest suppliers are looking at alternative distribution channels as well. But all these activities only address selling promotional products – NOT promotional marketing or specialty advertising. That requires your knowledge and talent. Clients don’t buy coffee mugs because they want to buy mugs. They have a specific outcome they want to achieve. It may be to improve employee loyalty or to give prospecting support to a sales organization. If you build a concept to reach the desired outcome, the product becomes an afterthought - not the main focus of your interaction with the client.
The industry association was founded in 1904 as the Specialty Advertising Association International (SAAI) but changed its name to Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) about 20 years ago. At that time the consideration was that people not involved in the industry would better understand what we do. In reality and considering the current marketplace the opposite occurred. People who have client contact are seen as salespeople, not professional marketers and branding experts. Clients became customers buying commodities and the acceptance of promotional specialty advertising as a legitimate advertising discipline declined.
But just because our association confuses what we do with what we use – you don’t have to. What do you call your business? If your business name suggests you sell products, think about changing it. If you don’t ask clients how they intend to use the products they are asking about, even if a reorder, you are giving up the chance to be a special value to them and to protect you business relationship from the internet product pushers.
Since we bill only for products and not the services we provide, it is easy to see why so many people conclude we are in a products business. The tangible and durable nature of the media (the promotional product) we use almost invites this. But carrying an appropriate message to encourage a specific outcome is what businesses invest in, not mugs, ball caps, or pens. It is our job to help our clients understand this and to sell them the outcome they want.
One final and interesting note, business owners are more willing to invest in their business than they are in buying promotional products! Structuring your conversation around meeting objectives rather than the best price on a flashlight will produce stronger income for you and your client!
Gregg Emmer is chief marketing officer and vice president at Kaeser & Blair, Inc. He has more than 40 years experience in marketing and the promotional specialty advertising industry. His outside consultancy, which provides marketing, public relations and business planning consulting to a wide range of other businesses, has been a useful knowledge base for K&B Dealers. Contact Gregg at gemmer@kaeser-blair.com.