I don’t know about you, but I love summer. It’s my favorite season, however I know it can be a slow time for promotional products sales, especially in July.
While it’s always important to take some time off, I’ll be doing that, I also know it’s a great time to re-energize your promo sales and explore new opportunities.
Here are 10 proven ways to heat up your summer sales.
1. Get out of the office. The summer is a great time to get to know your prospects and clients better and enjoy yourself too. A casual breakfast or lunch can yield great results. In my own business whenever I’ve had breakfast or lunch with a client amazing opportunities presented themselves. Remember, people buy from others they know, like and trust. Meeting your clients on more casual turf builds that know, like and trust factor.
2. Send a promotional idea of the week email blast. Your prospects and clients are always looking for new ideas. Send them a new, innovative promotional idea every week. Preferably send it out the same day, so they will come to expect it. Keep it short and don’t just push products. Provide marketing tips along with new product ideas. This helps position you as a marketing professional and puts your company name top of the mind as the first one they’ll think of when they’re ready to place an order.
3. Host a Christmas in July party. It’s never too early to start thinking about holiday gifts. Here’s a fun idea, host a Christmas in July party or sale for your clients or prospects. Show them innovative holiday gifts at a cost savings when they order early.
4. Form strategic alliances. Who else serves the same target market but is not a direct competitor? Meeting planners, trade show display companies and graphic designers can make great alliance partners for promotional products sales professionals. The summer is a great time to get to know each other. Explore ways that you can work together for mutual benefit. Consider hosting an open house for all your current clients and prospects.
5. Spotlight fall promotions: Now is the time to be selling fall promotions. Halloween, Breast Cancer Awareness month, Thanksgiving are all coming up. Make appointments to get in your prospects office to share new ideas and secure promotional orders for upcoming events before your competitors do.
6. Explore new networking opportunities. In person networking is still one of the best ways to grow your sales. Get out there in a big way and look with an open mind at new groups to join. Look for groups where you are most likely to meet people in your target markets.
7. Re-activate dormant accounts. Just because someone hasn’t purchased in a long time doesn’t mean they’re not interested. A casual phone call or compelling email telling an inactive account about an innovative new product or idea that can help them promote their company or service can reinstate an old relationship. At the very least, ask if you can put them on your idea list and continue to send them new marketing tips. The important thing is to keep your company name on their radar screen.
8. Energize your social media. Stay connected and look for ways to update your social media accounts. Take a look at what others are doing in our industry. The key to social media is to engage your clients by posting interesting questions, providing helpful tips and sharing promotional success stories. Social media can also be a great research tool to find out what’s important to your most wanted clients so you can best meet their promotional needs.
9. Self promote. Self promotions help you sell more. Your core suppliers will have great ideas and special offers to put your logo on. When networking, instead of just handing out your business card, give a small self-promotion with your company name such as a box of mints, flavored lip balm, or a micro-fiber cleaning cloth. You’ll be remembered for what you do and you will get new business. No matter where you are this summer, on the beach, at the supermarket, on an airplane, always have a business card and self promotion handy. You never know where your next big order is coming from.
10. Stay informed. Opportunities abound when you look for them. Consistently read business articles, listen to podcasts and get to know what’s happening in your area. Corporate name changes and new business openings are good opportunities for you to sell more.
Enjoy the summer and happy selling!
Rosalie Marcus, The Promo Biz Coach, is a promotional products business expert, coach and speaker. Combining her skills and years of experience in promotional sales, she helps her clients sell more at higher margins and quickly and easily increase their sales. Get a free special report: 10 Proven Ways to Thrive in Promotional Products Sales… in Any Economy at www.promobizcoach.com. Contact her at Rosalie@promobizcoach.com.