1,000+ attendees, including hundreds of end-buyers of promotional marketing as a medium. Over 100 suppliers presenting. A standing-room only (300+ attendees) keynote address to kick off the day, by none other than PromoCorner’s own Bill Petrie. Such was September 25th, as the Michigan Promotional Professionals Association descended upon Ford Field for our 6th Promotions That ROAR!
It. Was. Madness.
This was the first time as a Distributor that I’ve had the opportunity to welcome guests, and we were fortunate to have people from five different organizations take time out their day to join us for a curated tour of our crazy, mixed up supply chain that is the promotional marketing industry. Ours was a unique experience in one additional way.
Not one of our guests had EVER before used a distributor to purchase what we sell.
And, they all buy an eye-raising amount of our medium.
It’s not as cut and dried as it seems (one buys a lot from a screen printer), but each of these prospects shared the opinion that adding another human into the purchase of branded merchandise presented an additional touch point they were willing to avoid if at all possible, and when they were able, each sought ways to not have to involve ANYONE else in the process.
As we took our guided tour of the show floor and talked about the unique capabilities many of the presenters had at their disposal, it didn’t take long for the light-bulbs to start going off for most everyone in attendance. As our guests considered the ways products from the lines being represented might be incorporated into their own strategies and efforts, the level of creativity jumped dramatically, the quality of the questions being asked improved, and there was a shared sense of value in attending an event like this.
Nothing is guaranteed and much is left to be done, but if for one day we did nothing more than increase awareness of our medium and the ways the creative application of our products can enhance most anything a company is trying to accomplish, we considered the day a success. I have higher hopes than that of course, and I left the event with a sense of accomplishment, both on a professional level but also as an advocate for our medium and what we can do when given the right set of circumstances.
If you haven't attended and end-user event with your clients and prospects, you’re missing out on a MAJOR selling opportunity. There’s no better place to showcase your knowledge, experience, and relationships with supply chain partners than in face to face encounters with everyone together. There’s virtually no down side. Contact your Regional Trade Association to find out their 2020 end-user friendly show-schedule and get planning for next year!
Roger has spent 20+ years making complex concepts more understandable for both buyers and sellers alike, and has devoted the majority of his recent career to injecting purpose via philanthropy to his sales and marketing efforts. He’s intent on making the world a better place and his nirvana exists at the intersection of Mission, Passion, Profession and Vocation. He loves the outdoors and seeks memorable experiences whenever possible. Contact Roger at roger@socialgoodpromotions.com or 810-986-5369.