We don’t operate delivery trucks, courier services, FedEx, UPS or any other budget killing logistics. Certainly we all realize that once a great message is expertly imprinted on an appropriate product, it has to be delivered to the target prospect or there is no value in the project. But does the delivery need to consume a significant part of the client’s budget that we don’t earn a cent on?
Low cost or preferably no cost individual distribution is mutually beneficial to you and your client. You get to participate in profit from the entire budget and your client can choose more attention grabbing items to carry their message and there may also be savings from not needing to package each item.
Some B2B distribution is pretty standard. Trade show handouts, client meetings, golf outings and any other event where people gather. B2C requires a bit more thought.
My “secret weapon” has always been schools. When your client’s message is intended for families with children, schools can’t be beat. Here are a few examples.
An automobile dealership had stadium seat cushions made with the school logo on it and a message that they were donated by the dealership along with their logo. They were given in bulk to the school. The sports boosters then sold them as a fundraiser. The distribution cost was zero, the growing family target the auto dealer wanted was a perfect bullseye and the dealership also had a charitable donation for tax purposes.
A sports medicine and rehab group used water bottles with important information on how to avoid injuries imprinted on them. They also indicated that they were provided courtesy of the medical group. The bottles were given to athletic coaches at area schools. Individual distribution cost was zero. Target market was perfect!
A market leading bank which had operated several convenient banking locations inside major grocery stores, built new free-standing full service banking centers near the stores and closed the in store facilities. The bank had grocery tote bags made with the new banking center location shown. The grocery store used the reusable totes at check-out letting their customers know where the bank has moved. Distribution cost zero!
A variation to the distribution examples above are sponsorships. From "walks” for charity fundraising to river cleanups, an advertiser can have their message delivered to large groups at zero cost and be tied to doing ‘good work’ for their community. Hats, T-shirts, water bottles, sunglasses, sun screen, insect repellent, wet wipes, cooling neck towels and many other promotional products lend themselves to supporting civic organization sponsorships.
Game day distribution of marketing items is a mainstay of professional sports and a significant profit center for the teams. They charge plenty to give out an advertiser’s message. Local municipal recreation teams, church sponsored teams and other leagues do however distribute advertising at games without charging for the help!
It is always advised that there is communication and agreement with the teams as to what, where and when the marketing materials will be distributed. A personal note: I sponsored a ladies softball team through the printing company I owned. They were league champions year after year. As such, they always were the first game of the season. I provided imprinted baseball caps to attendees of that first game. In following years other businesses took the sponsorship of what became known as “Hat Day”. The tradition continued for more than 20 years.
Most people are conditioned to think that “delivery” companies will handle delivery. This certainly is the case with retail purchases made online or the phone. For individual distribution of a quantity of goods to a targeted group of people, those delivery companies really can’t do the job. While we do have “drop ships” available from most suppliers and that method may be the only solution at times, it defeats the objective of low or no cost distribution.
When a client identifies their message and target market, your job is to figure out a connection to get the message (on the promotional item) to that group. I can almost guarantee you that it is easier than you may think.
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.