There is a bit of wisdom (old saying) that you can be right or you can be happy, but not both! This certainly may qualify as wise counsel at home, but in business being right makes us happy!
Getting from the public perception of a “trash & trinkets novelty business” to being a recognized media took a whole generation and dedicated workforce helping clients build their businesses. The industry improved the quality of products, speed of production and assisted in educating the public on the effectiveness of promotional products media.
The growth and success of promotional products media was a direct result of relationship marketing. By building a relationship with clients and they with their customers, long term profits and loyalty resulted.
The most recent decade has seen a huge shift to transactional marketing. Mostly the result of the Internet and changes in retail, the idea of customer loyalty is all but nonexistent. The goal of transactional marketing is to generate the highest number of new orders with no concern of future business. Unfortunately acquiring new business has seen a 60% cost increase over the past 10 years. New business is also lower margin.
Businesses have tried to counter this with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software, rich content on websites, customer surveys and other outreach.
Now - all of a sudden (50+ years later) ad agencies of all size and age have discovered relationship marketing! In the past few years the abundance of instructional information on relationship marketing has developed. There are books, websites, seminars and consultants a plenty. All teach what we have been doing since the 1950s.
There is an unfortunate irony however. Many of the current leadership of the promotional products media industry are putting more effort into transactional marketing. There is a dislike for face to face client contact and a desire to do it all on a digital device. There is even a degree of disrespect for the work we do that is reminiscent of the trash & trinket days, but now calling promotional specialties - swag.
A quick look online shows that there are hundreds of promotional products media distributors with a presence. Most that I reviewed did not emphasize their physical location (although it could be found) with the hope that business might come from anyplace, not only locally. But considering trends and the potential disruption from ad agencies, treating your local clients in a little more ‘old fashioned’ way might just be the perfect way to build your relationship.
Search for reasons to contact clients that are not directly tied to business. Things like business awards, promotions, charity work, civic event volunteering, donation recognition, family member accomplishments, etc., provide opportunities for contact to comment and congratulate - without it being a sales call. Local business publications, online searches and networking generally provide timely information for you to react to.
A surefire way to build relationships is to let clients and prospects see your face and shake your hand! The easiest way I know to do this is to be a guest presenter at local business meetings, chamber of commerce breakfasts or other activities where a group of business people gather. Normally a 10 minute talk on the power of promotional products media and a well selected gift (appropriate specialty item with your message on it) will give you the opportunity to greet everyone.
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.