I recently had to produce a thank you card/collar hanger to go around one of the newest and “greatest” sports bottles. In a conversation with the distributor, I inquired whether this was an internal or external promotion. It was internal. This distributor has worked with the client for 20 years plus. During that period of time, he estimated they purchased at least a dozen different sports bottles and more than a dozen coffee mugs. I’ve always been sarcastic when asked “what’s new” at a trade show, I would answer “have they seen everything that is old?” After hearing just how much drinkware this client buys, I realize that “new and different” is important. However, when buyers change, it seems there is no respect for history. The newbie simply applies their personal interest to the selection of a promotional item. The good consultant tries to steer them away but there is only so much advice you can give if they are not interested.
Not too long ago, I witnessed a distributor with a plan. The first promotion was a six-tier kitchen coffee mug holder. The mug had an attractive decoration on the front and the second side had a line drawing and a story of “great women in history”. It was attractive and, for me, it was a throwback to the days when the world was filled with premium continuity programs. The mug that I saw was apparently one of six in the set. Each, while matching, had a different design with a different woman. It was a continuity program for a cosmetic company. The sales representative was to bring a new mug in the series each quarter for 18 months. Continuity programs work very well. They open doors for sales appointments, build loyalty, create brand awareness and help move product. Most readers will not remember continuity programs with encyclopedias in supermarkets, let alone remember what a 26 volume encyclopedia was. This built tremendous shopper loyalty week after week since people needed all 26 volumes to complete the set.
Nabisco’s Canadian Division ran a program with me where they offered a complete set of Time Life books on the history of World War II. There were 12 beautiful picture books in the series. The first time the sales rep walked in to see the cookie buyer, he or she gave the buyer volume 12. You bet that they got in the next time, as the buyer knew the remaining 11 volumes would be theirs only after entertaining the sales rep repeatedly.
Another very successful program was a pewter medallion program created for Lavoris Mouthwash. The company wanted dentists to use that mouthwash, as well as, give samples and coupons to their patients. First out of the gate was a wooden plaque with 24 1-1/2” holes. Into each hole went a pewter medallion. Each medallion in the series was related to dentistry. If the dentist only had one visit, they had an incomplete office decoration that had only the initial three medallions. As they saw the sales rep more often, their wall decoration began to fill.
Promotional products build goodwill, increase brand loyalty and, in many cases, build desire. As small as the promotional product may be, the desire to have it is stoked by continuity. I have seen a travel mug mailed in a self-promotion program and the top withheld until the prospect sees the buyer. I have been a part of a cookbook program where Proctor and Gamble had us go back to press due to increased demand. Perhaps Millennials are not the collectors their parents have been, but there are enough collectors in the world to make continuity programs valuable marketing tools.
We have at our disposal an infinite amount of product with which we can build continuity programs. It takes foresight, creativity and planning to move away from a helter skelter use of a tee shirt, towel, etc. and turn it into a graphic continuity program and story. Why, it was only 80 years ago your great grandmother got a set of dishes, one a week, shopping in the supermarket. Now, who even goes to a supermarket when Whole Foods is on line?
Joel D. Schaffer, MAS is CEO and Founder of Soundline, LLC, the pioneering supplier to the promotional products industry of audio products. Joel has 48 years of promotional product industry experience and proudly heralds “I was a distributor.” He has been on the advisory panel of the business and marketing department of St. John’s University in New York and is frequent speaker at Rutgers Graduate School of Business. He is an industry Advocate and has appeared before the American Bankers Association, American Marketing Association, National Premium Sales Executives, American Booksellers Association and several other major groups. He has been a management consultant to organizations such as The College Board and helped many suppliers enter this industry. He is a frequent contributor to PPB and Counselor magazines. He has facilitated over 200 classes sharing his industry knowledge nationwide. He is known for his cutting humor and enthusiasm in presenting provocative and motivating programs. He is the only person to have received both the Marvin Spike Industry Lifetime Achievement Award (2002) and PPAI’s Distinguished Service Award (2011). He is a past director of PPAI and has chaired several PPAI committees and task forces. He is a past Chair of the SAAGNY Foundation, Past President of SAAGNY and a SAAGNY Hall of Fame member. He was cited by ASI as one of the 50 most influential people in the industry.