The Promo Industry’s Lifestyle Makeover

Our industry is undergoing an exciting makeover. With all the other dramatic disruptions over the past few years (like oh, I don’t know…a global pandemic), it can desensitize us a bit from recognizing quieter movements that happen right under our noses. And don’t get me wrong – this change has been the culmination of many extremely strategic, thoughtful people making intentional moves within their teams to push the needle forward. However, much of this is an unconscious behavioral change we make every day due to what the market demands of us. Content and the way in which we market to end-user buyers is shifting. This is lifestyle marketing and it’s just the beginning of our collective transformation. Here’s how you can succeed within this mindset: 

Lifestyle Images and Videos

As a result of retail expectations, digital content quality and younger buyers in decision-making roles, there has never been a higher demand for lifestyle images and videos. Here’s the move: 

• Suppliers: This is an open request to build deep, accessible lifestyle libraries with beautiful, high-quality photos and videos. Then, promote the hell out of them to distributors and teach them real-world applications and ideas. 

• Distributors: We need to uphold our end of the deal and actually use this content in our social strategies, email marketing, presentations and marketing efforts.  

• Service providers: Create websites, platforms and tools that position this content to thrive. 

Micro-Influencing

The best way to prove the power of branding, merch and print is to show how it fits within our lives. Distributors (and in many scenarios, suppliers) should be sharing photos and videos of product samples in use. Most of us have countless samples in our homes and offices. Turn the camera around and document yourself using them – when you’re running errands, on the boat, cooking dinner, etc. You not only spotlight the product features and real-world ROI potential, but you also build your personal brand as the go-to expert. 

If you want to take this strategy one step further, enlist your end user buyers as influencers. You can incentivize them by offering gifts or $X off their next order if they share photos, videos or testimonials featuring new products or active projects. You can also offer an influencer program where customers can agree to create content with the monthly/quarterly random samples you send them. Essentially, you’d be paying them in product while also building a strong advocate within that customer account. 

Brand Name Strategy

In times of uncertainty, the demand for name brands increases. Brands become the safe haven for consumers who want to reduce risk in purchasing. Our instinct is to stick with the brands we know and trust. Here’s what we do with that information: 

• Sell and feature more name brand options. (That’s the easy answer)

• Change the way we sell products that aren’t brand name. We often treat name brands and their digital content in high esteem and use lifestyle photos and videos to feature them…and they’re never listed on a “specials” flyer. We can still feature generic product in a beautiful, elevated way.  

Clutter reduction

Are you sharing content that consumers want? Think about content as currency. When you post, does the audience feel they’ve received something of value (entertainment, useful info) from you? Or do they feel like you just stole their time and attention with filler content (text-heavy flyers or ads)? Successful content always leaves the audience feeling they’ve gotten the better end of the exchange. Prioritize quality and reduce the clutter so that the customer always feels they are winning. 

Those in our industry who adopt this mindset and execute well will undeniably win. We’re already seeing it. Push yourself and your organization out of the typical comfort zone and tell your branding, merchandising and partnership story in a way customers want to hear and see it.