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What’s an old guy like me doing in a place like this?

Chalk it up to curiosity and a continued quest to be relevant to society.

2/15/2023 | Joel Schaffer, MAS, The Take Away

Hearing all about ChatGPT and artificial intelligence, I went to the AI site, registered, and screwed around. I entered “how can promotional products help a business” and what I got is below.

Promotional products are a popular and effective marketing tool that can help businesses in several ways:

  • Brand Awareness: Promotional products help to increase brand visibility and recognition by putting your logo, message, or website in front of your target audience. They provide a tangible connection between your business and potential customers.
  • Customer Retention: By giving away promotional products, you can show your appreciation for your customers and encourage them to continue doing business with you. For example, if you're a restaurant, you can offer branded coffee mugs to your loyal customers.
  • Trade Show Giveaways: Promotional products can be used as giveaways at trade shows, which can help attract people to your booth and increase leads. By giving away something useful like a keychain or a pen, you can leave a lasting impression on attendees.
  • Employee Motivation: You can use promotional products to motivate and reward your employees. This can help to increase morale and boost productivity.
  • Cost-Effective Marketing: Promotional products are a cost-effective marketing tool compared to other forms of advertising, such as television or print advertisements. They are also a long-lasting form of advertising, as most promotional products are kept for an extended period of time.

In summary, promotional products can help businesses increase brand recognition, retain customers, generate leads, motivate employees, and provide cost-effective advertising.

Well, there it is. I no longer need to do the research, no longer need to Google, no longer need to sit and write. My homework is done for me.

I then entered “write a business plan for a promotional products business” and this is what I got to take to the bank or to investors to get money:

Executive Summary:

In this business plan, we will outline the steps for starting a promotional products distributorship. The objective of this distributorship is to provide businesses with high-quality promotional products that help increase brand recognition and customer loyalty. Our distributorship will offer a wide range of products, including pens, keychains, mugs, and more, with custom imprinting options to meet the needs of each client.

Market Analysis:

The market for promotional products is growing, with an estimated worth of $22.9 billion in the United States alone. The demand for promotional products is driven by the need for businesses to increase brand awareness, retain customers, and generate leads. Our distributorship will target small to medium-sized businesses in a variety of industries, such as restaurants, retail stores, and service providers.

Products and Services:

Our distributorship will offer a wide range of high-quality promotional products, including pens, keychains, mugs, and more. We will also offer custom imprinting options, such as screen printing, embroidery, and laser engraving, to meet the specific needs of each client. Our products will be sourced from trusted suppliers, ensuring that we provide our clients with only the best promotional products.

Marketing and Sales:

Our marketing strategy will focus on building brand awareness and establishing relationships with potential clients. We will use a combination of digital and traditional marketing techniques, such as social media, email marketing, and direct mail, to reach our target audience. Our sales strategy will focus on providing excellent customer service and building strong relationships with our clients. We will also offer discounts and promotions to encourage repeat business.

Operations:

Our distributorship will be based in a small office, with a small team of employees. We will outsource production to trusted suppliers, reducing the need for in-house production facilities. Our operations will focus on providing fast and efficient service to our clients, ensuring that their promotional products are delivered on time and to their specifications.

Financial Projections:

Based on our market research, we expect to generate $500,000 in revenue in the first year, with a net profit of $100,000. We will finance our business with a combination of personal savings and a small business loan. Our goal is to break even in the first year and reach profitability in the second year.

Conclusion:

Starting a promotional products distributorship offers a unique opportunity to provide businesses with high-quality promotional products that help increase brand recognition and customer loyalty. With a focus on excellent customer service and a wide range of products, we believe that our distributorship will be successful in this growing market.

I am amazed. I would not send the drafts as is, I would massage them and add a little of me, but where this world is heading and how fast it is going boggles my aged brain. To those of you not living in a 55 and up community, get with it now. AI can add a lot to your business and currently much is free. 

How about my art? Do I have talent or what?

 

All three: pens with my initials, a bookcase filled with ad specialties and an image meaning I will jump through hoops for your business were unique designs generated on and downloaded from Dall-e. AI applied to creative art and design. To do art well, you need to learn how to direct the creation with the right words. 

Don’t discard your brain yet, just get into AI now and grow with it.



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 a 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.
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