Archive for September, 2009
Promotional Products – Recession Proof?
Posted by Dan in Business Tips, Promotional Ideas on September 30, 2009
That headline caught my eye on a recent issue of Folio, a magazine for publication professionals. While the related article focused on how publishers are cutting costs and mining for new business, that edgy header spoke to me of a profound opportunity our industry should not ignore. It reminded me that, in these dark times, our industry has perhaps its biggest chance to leap-frog ahead of other media and fill the bill for marketers who want to reach, impress, engage and create a memorable brand experience for their customers and potential customers. As bleak as times are, there may have never been a better time for promotional products.
Despite the doom and gloom, I recently talked with a guy who is not about to let these dark days rain on his parade. His name is Jacob Scoby and he sells for full-service distributor Custom Specialties, Inc. in Lenexa, Kansas. Last year Scoby hit nearly $600,000 in sales. But wait—he’s only 25 and just completed his first full year in sales. Scoby started at the firm fresh out of college with a degree in kinesiology from Kansas State University. When he didn’t get into med school, he joined his brother, Luke Scoby, at CSI in July 2007. He thought he’d give it a shot. Now he’s hooked on the business.
With no experience or formal training, he made those sales the hard way—by locking himself in a room with a list of prospects and making cold calls. “I failed miserably at first,” he says, “But I’m a competitive guy. I wanted to beat the top sales guy in the office.”
For Scoby, making a sales call is second nature—maybe because when he was about 10 years old, his dad would ask him to dial phone numbers and get people on the phone before his dad took the receiver.
Listening to Scoby talk, it’s easy to see why he’s so successful. “I’m not a traditional type of salesperson. If their business is on hold right now or they are doing business with their brother-in-law, I see where else I can help. I want them to think of me down the road. I want them to get to where they are trying to go whether it’s a sale for me or not. I want to be an overall resource.”
Scoby says the biggest mistake salespeople can make is sitting back and waiting for the orders to come in. And the second biggest mistake is to put all their eggs in one basket by having just one or two clients. He believes in diversifying along with being humble, not pushy, showing customers a warm personality and remembering that no matter how good you are, you can always do better.
“That’s where my competitive personality always kicks in,” he explains. “It’s hard for me to imagine being in a job that’s not totally dependent on how I perform. If I had the same paycheck coming in every two weeks, it would be hard for me to be motivated.”
Scoby readily admits he’s going to have to work harder this year to meet his goals. “Even if the economy was hunky dory, I’d say I’m going to work harder in 2009 than in 2008 because that’s just me,” he says, adding that he’s still optimistic about exceeding sales from 2008.
Scoby says 70 percent of his customers so far this year are new customers—won through all those phone calls and a liberal dose of super service. “I find my own customers. It’s not hard to find new people to call. I’m not afraid to pick up the phone and call a multi million-dollar company. The possibilities are endless. Everyone is a potential customer.”
His advice to all promotional products salespeople is simple: “Activity, activity, activity. You’ve got to keep enthusiasm up. Don’t get discouraged. It’s hard to not get down in the dumps when you don’t have a good day or week. Do it until you fail and then do it again. Don’t get stagnated in the fact that you don’t have customers coming in. The (salespeople) who are successful don’t see a limit—y
Communications 101 – Communicating with younger employees
Posted by Dan in Business Tips on September 16, 2009
Generation gaps in the workplace call for new approaches to communicating with younger employees.
The generation, born between 1978 and 2000 and considered the most tech savvy group in the workforce, isn’t getting high marks from employers. A www.jobfox.com poll found that only 20 percent of bosses characterize millennials as great performers, compared to 63 percent for baby boomers and 58 percent for members of Generation X.
However some, such as Jobfox CEO Rob McGovern, say the blame for millennials’ poor performance ratings doesn’t fall on the youngsters. McGovern says corporate leaders need an attitude adjustment when it comes to millennial professionals and that understanding their four key motivators will improve the relationship between the two groups. Those motivators are:
• Balance. Millennials don’t accept the nine-to-five work week like preceding generations. They want to set their own hours.
• Full force. This generation wants to begin contributing immediately. Companies should help them see how their work is important and how it affects the bottom line.
• Stability. Employees in this group seek long-term positions. As long as their goals are met and they can maintain a healthy work-life balance, they will remain loyal employees.
• Leading edge. Millennials know that staying current when it comes to technology is important and want to keep their skills up to date. Providing learning opportunities will encourage them to stay put and not look for better opportunities elsewhere.
Florida Restaurant and Lodging Show 2009
Posted by Gallant in Life at Gallant, Press Releases on September 11, 2009
The largest gathering of food service professionals in the southeast will be taking place this weekend at the Orlando Convention Center. PMQ’s Orlando Pizza Show, Ultimate Barista Challenge® USA are just a couple of special events to enjoy. Gallant, Inc will be in attendance. We’ve been providing our clients quality advertising specialty items for over fifteen years. Come join us this weekend, Sept 11th through Sept 13th, for a chance to win a free vacation getaway. We are also giving away free t-shirts every hour.
Check out the official link here
Make Your Brand Successful!
Posted by Gallant in Business Tips, Promotional Ideas on September 11, 2009
Where will the next great Marketing gimmick come from? The Terrible Towel has without a doubt been in every stadium in the NFL. Where else has it been? Try the top of Mt. Everest, Iraq, presidential inaugurations and the Olympics. This simple Marketing tool has become an icon in the sports world. It was a simple idea taken to the next level. Where will the next idea come from? Will it be you?
Read the full article about the Terrible Towels here
Selling 101 – Advice for The Youth of our Industry
Posted by Dan in Business Tips on September 9, 2009
Hide your inexperience in sales by learning and avoiding these rookie mistakes.
Ah, to be young. You’re full of promise, energy and a complete and utter lack of experience. This last trait can be particularly damaging to young salespeople, as they spin their wheels working hard to book sales but get nowhere. If you’re a new salesperson, or you know someone who is, here are a few tips for making it look like you’ve been around for a while.
• Don’t offer too much information
In an effort to impress, rookies often list too many details and offer prospects a laundry list instead of a persuasive pitch.
• Show deference
Resist the temptation to march into a meeting proclaiming, “I can help you.” The people you’re selling to are executives and successful in their own right. You are a salesperson. Instead try saying, “A lot of our clients have the same problem. Let me show you how we’ve helped them.”
• Keep your eyes on the goal
Inexperienced salespeople often go on sales calls without a clear outcome in mind and are happy with a mildly sincere, “Thanks for your time, and I’ll be in touch.” If you don’t ask for what you want, you won’t get it. Have in mind that you want either a contract or at least another meeting.
How to Save Your Job
Posted by Dan in Promotional Ideas on September 3, 2009
By the time you read this, I hope the market will be stabilizing, housing starts will be up, consumer confidence will start kicking in, your next big sale will be on the horizon and our industry will be clawing its way back from the muddy depths of the recession. Ah, that’s the optimist in me.
In reality, I know the economy has a way to go. The worst of it is the growing unemployment stats and our industry isn’t immune. In the past few months the downsizing dragon has been rearing its ugly head as lack of business has forced some companies to close factories and eliminate long-held positions. What can you do to protect your job? A natural tendency now is for people to lay low and try to blend in to avoid the ax. Wrong, says author Robin Fisher Roffer. Instead, she recommends you learn to be you—only better in 2009. Here are a few of Roffer’s suggestions from her book The Fearless Fish Out of Water: How to Succeed When You’re the Only One Like You:
1. Let go of your fears. While your first instinct might be to hide in your office and bury yourself in paperwork, don’t give in. Be visible. Speak up. Let your creative spark loose. Don’t let your fears keep you from achieving something great for your company. “Remember, being authentic as an employee isn’t about self-expression for its own sake; it’s about bringing all your unique gifts to the table in order to benefit your company,” says Roffer. “You have to put yourself out there completely and fearlessly in order to keep your organization alive and growing.”
2. Uncork your marketable personality traits. If you are a creative person or a good problem solver, strengthen those traits and let them work for you. If you come to work each day and just do your job the way you were trained but don’t look for better ways of doing things or ways to save your company money, you are doing the company and yourself a disservice. “Stifling these personality traits at work will only harm you in the long run,” she says. “Sure, to your higher-ups you might be known as the guy who does a good enough job and stays out of the drama, but think about how pleased your boss would be if you came to him with a money-saving idea right about now.”
3. Push your boundaries this year. Have you cloaked your personality to try to fit into the mold at your workplace? Have you tried to become what higher-ups expect? It’s time to be true to yourself. Rather than hide your attributes just to fit in, look for ways to make those attributes work for you. “If you’re convinced you’d accomplish more by taking an active role with customers rather than toiling behind the scenes, for example, approach your boss with the idea,” she says. “It may seem scary to make such a bold move in tenuous times, but leaders will appreciate any innovation that will get business moving right now.”
4. Go to the top with good ideas. If you have some ideas that can save or make the company money, don’t keep them bottled up. Your boss doesn’t have all the ideas and neither does the company president or owner. Good ideas come from people at all levels. Ask for some time with higher-ups to share those ideas. “Read the company website,” suggests Roffer. “Listen carefully to team pep talks from higher-ups. If you can manage it, introduce yourself at company events and ask at the appropriate juncture in your conversation, ‘What’s keeping you up at night?’ The answer should reveal the challenge they need to meet or the special project they want to put into motion. You could be the person to support their efforts.”
5. Learn to communicate in a common language. Yes, you’ve got some great ideas but stop, take a breath and figure out what’s important to the person to whom you are selling those ideas. “While there isn’t exactly a wrong way to be at the office, there is a wrong way to express your ideas,” notes Roffer. “Sometimes an idea that seems perfectly clear to you might not be so obvious to those around you. A successful fearless fish will stand in the shoes of the person she is pitching and explain with visual words and concrete examples how the idea will benefit the business.”
6. Identify your fearless advocate (and become one). It’s easier to feel confident when someone you admire is cheering you on. If you don’t have that cheerleader or advocate now, find someone in your office with whom you can connect. Perhaps you can even establish a mentoring type of relationship that will benefit you both. “Once you’ve found an advocate, you should start advocating for someone as well,” says Roffer. “Be a leader to the newly arriving fish out of water at your office. Compassionate leadership benefits everyone. Learning from younger or less experienced people spurs evolution and creates staying power for the senior members of the team. For the fish out of water, an added benefit is that by generously sharing your own expertise, you become involved and integral.”
Recession Defense
Posted by Dan in Promotional Ideas on September 3, 2009
Four Ways To Keep Your Customer Service Top-Notch And Indispensible
Flexible Workforce
In the face of staff cuts, cross-train employees so they can fill a variety of roles.
Spoil Your Staff
Uncertainty about their jobs can shatter employee morale, so offer work schedule flexibility and other rewards to compensate.
Invest In Low-Cost Technology
Consider purchasing small pieces of new equipment that make your workers’ lives easier.
Play Favorites
Keep your best customers happy with fast service, extra attention and flexible rules.
An Economic Lesson from the Past
Posted by Dan in Promotional Ideas on September 3, 2009
An enterprising early-American offers inspiration and a review of basic economic principles.
In 1806, Fred Tudor departed Boston and arrived in the Caribbean port of Martinique with a shipload of ice harvested from his dad’s pond in the dead of winter. Despite naysayers, Tudor made the ice last by insulating it with sawdust and hay.
The first day of Tudor’s arrival was a smashing success with people paying high prices for the ice. But the next day brought about a problem. All the ice had been unloaded but, in an act of misguided kindness, the boys at the dock had washed off the insulation. This created a puddle of water and lots of screaming people offering to pay any price for the ice they now missed. Thus, Tudor’s ice idea was a failure.
Tudor returned to Boston, poorer but wiser. Yet he had learned two key parts of marketing—the importance of adequate storage and the profitability of high demand in the face of scarce supplies. He set about raising new capital and bought the rights to harvest ice from several local ponds. Travel got risky as the War of 1812 broke out and he put his plans on hold. After the war, however, Tudor sent a ship to Havana—not with ice but with thick cedar planking and sawdust—and built an icehouse to keep the ice fresh. Then he had ice delivered to test whether the icehouse worked. It did.
Next, Tudor asked for a 10-year exclusive contract to be the sole ice supplier in Cuba and Martinique. No one thought it was a big deal since folks were not used to having ice in those locales. Then he started giving the ice away, especially to bartenders, along with exotic frosty drink recipes. The free ice created a demand, so Tudor began charging higher and higher prices. (Remember, he held exclusive rights.)
This ingenious marketing concept was later adopted by King Gillette and is commonly called the razor or razorblade theory. It works because the company practically gives the razor away and once customers need new blades they find only your blades fit that razor.
Tudor returned to New England, bought up the ice rights of hundreds of ponds and commissioned the manufacture of huge ice saws to cut ice blocks from the ponds. He compounded the strategy throughout the South; it’s been said he invented the mint julep just to sell more ice. For 80 years, Tudor and his heirs were the “Ice Kings” of America, all from a product nature supplies for free. And he became a multimillionaire in the process.
ROI Sells
Posted by Dan in Promotional Ideas on September 3, 2009
Are you incorporating The Sixth Sense into your selling strategies? If you’re not selling with heart and passion, my guess is you’re not delivering the value end buyers, promotional consultants and distributors not only expect but demand in today’s market. Joe Scott, MAS, provides a telling observation. He views the shifting sands of media in a weak economy as a distinct advantage for our industry. As Scott states, “A lot of organizations are decreasing their marketing presence during this economy. If they switch to an engaging medium like ours they’re going to get noticed, and they will be able to track ROI. We have a phenomenal opportunity in front of us. We just need to realize we have the best promotional solution there is—end of story.”
If that doesn’t get you fired up about your chosen profession I don’t know what will. Hall of Famer Bill Bywater, my mentor and rabbi, has always told me to follow the dollar. His clear, simple advice is more applicable today than ever. No matter the overall economic conditions, there are always industries that are prospering. Whether you agree with the recent stimulus package adopted by our congressional leaders or not, the legislation offers insights to selling opportunities. Firms focusing on engineering, environmental concerns and energy to name just a few will benefit from well-conceived strategies that include our products as they communicate their capabilities. A call to your state economist may be one of the best calls you make this year. Find out about conditions in your state and capitalize on the opportunities they represent.
The present times may be the most difficult you have ever experienced in this business or any other. And because it’s not business as usual, it’s more important than ever to get back to FUNdamentals. If you’re not having fun it shows. Enthusiasm breeds enthusiasm, and there is no doubt in my mind that enthusiasm breeds sales. And besides, which of your clients would not benefit from a messenger delivering a positive, results-oriented solution. Former Board Chair Paul Kiewiet, MAS, CIP, once told me a story about Kellogg’s and its advertising strategy during the Great Depression when its chairman astutely decided to double its spend on marketing and advertising. In the 1930s there were more than 60 cereal companies in the U.S. Today you can count the players on one hand.
Former PPAI board member Joel Schaffer, MAS, has been delivering webinars to distributors telling them “where to go.” He has carefully assessed top buyers in our industry as researched by PPAI and determined new opportunities in healthcare, professional services and fund raising. Joel has diligently studied the markets and shares his findings with passion. No doubt other suppliers are doing the same. This is yet another illustration of the importance of the distributor-supplier relationship and why heart connections make such a difference. As Benjamin Franklin so wisely stated, “If we do not hang together, we shall surely hang separately.”
Tell your stories in ways that create attention. I believe ROI is best understood when we define it with our real life experiences. The result is real value, and the picture you paint becomes one every buyer not only understands but relates to in a personal, sensory way. Like Chip and Dan Heath, authors of Made to Stick, I believe we make heart connections when our selling strategies employ simple, unexpected, concrete, credible, emotional stories.
For me it’s the canvas backpack from Two Fingers Tequila I received while walking down the pedestrian mall at Arizona State University more than 30 years ago, the 1940s hand fan from the Lennarson Swanson Funeral/Furniture/Hardware Store that serves as my personal air conditioner, the 1970s bottle opener advertising my father’s Chevrolet Oldsmobile dealership or the satin jewelry roll I received just last year when I purchased shoes for The PPAI Expo Awards Dinner. There’s no doubt where I’ll shop for my next pair. The services we provide and the products we sell result in tangible, effective connections. Even though some of the businesses they advertise are long gone, the products employed to create customer loyalty remain to be seen and are used lovingly yet today. Think about your stories and share them with passion. Your ability to deliver results is another important component of the FUNdamentals.
Great Sales Tips during a downturn…
Posted by Dan in Promotional Ideas on September 3, 2009
It seems like everywhere you turn there are ideas and tips for selling your way through the recession. But how many of them actually work? Here are a few no-brainers that have risen to the top of the “What do we do now?” pile.
1. Include a compelling offer in your ads
Use free information about your products or services to produce inquiries or interest in your website.
2. Get contact information and follow up
Most customers don’t buy the first time.
3. Eliminate risk
The biggest reason people don’t purchase things they want or need is that they don’t want to risk disappointment or, worse, losing money. Eliminate this risk with liberal money-back guarantees.
4. Excite customers
Sending thank-you notes and gifting them with free trips or coupons will make customers like you and recommend you to others.
5. Make it easy to buy
Create several points where customers can make purchases on your website.
6. Charge more
Frequently when customers balk at prices it’s because the reason isn’t justified. Make sure to explain your value to prospects.