Posts Tagged sales and marketing
Case Study: Distributor Sends Season’s Greetings With Watches
Posted by Gallant in Promotional Ideas on October 9, 2009
Challenge: When the holiday season rolled around last year, Michael Caputo, owner of Athol, Massachusetts-based distributor Caputo Business Services wanted a way to thank his top clients and wish them a merry Christmas. “We wanted our promotion to stand out among the year-end greetings our clients receive,” Caputo says. “It had to be something that was unusual but classy, simple and unique, while also having staying power and substance. I wanted to feel a sense of pride in presenting the item.”
Solution: Caputo tapped Tulsa, Oklahoma-based supplier SELCO to design 30 pocket watches that featured the company’s black-and-white logo on the watch cover and website on the watch face.
The pocket watches weren’t simply wrapped up and mailed out—the sales team made appointments and Caputo personally presented the watches on behalf of his company. “I made sure to tell the recipients that the watches were custom made by SELCO and that their watch was one of only 30. They were made to feel part of an exclusive group,” says Caputo.
Result: “The clients were predominately impressed with the exception of one client who had no idea what to do with a pocket watch,” Caputo says. “I carry mine daily and love it, and about half of my clients carry their watches daily. I’m not sure a wristwatch would have been as well-received because many clients wear brand-name watches.”
Written by Audrey Sellers at PPB Magazine
Posted by Gallant in Business Tips on October 5, 2009
Excellence – Truer Words Were Never Spoken
The less you associate with some people, the more your life will improve.
Any time you tolerate mediocrity in others, it increases your mediocrity.
An important attribute in successful people is their impatience with negative thinking and negative acting people.
As you grow, your associates will change.
Some of your friends will not want you to go on.
They will want you to stay where they are.
Friends that don’t help you climb will want you to crawl.
Your friends will stretch your vision or choke your dream.
Those that don’t increase you will eventually decrease you.
Consider this:
Never receive counsel from unproductive people.
Never discuss your problems with someone incapable of contributing to the solution, because those who never succeed themselves are always first to tell you how.
Not everyone has a right to speak into your life.
You are certain to get the worst of the bargain when you exchange ideas with the wrong person.
Don’t follow anyone who’s not going anywhere.
With some people you spend an evening: with others you invest it.
Be careful where you stop to inquire for directions along the road of life.
Wise is the person who fortifies his life with the right friendships.
If you run with wolves, you will learn how to howl. But, if you associate with eagles, you will learn how to soar to great heights.
“A mirror reflects a man’s face, but what he is really like is shown by the kind of friends he chooses.”
The simple but true fact of life is that you become like those with whom you closely associate – for the good and the bad.
Note: Be not mistaken.
This is applicable to family as well as friends.
Yes…do love, appreciate and be thankful for your family, for they will always be your family no matter what.
Just know that they are human first and though they are family to you, they may be a friend to someone else and will fit somewhere in the criteria above.
“In Prosperity Our Friends Know Us.
In Adversity We Know Our Friends.”
“Never make someone a priority when you are only an option for them.”
“If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude.”…………………..Colin Powell
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
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
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.
Making Sales in Tough Times
Posted by Dan in Business Tips on April 6, 2009
There’s only one problem salespeople face when times are good—getting sloppy. It’s easy to be deluded by success into believing success is due to our incredible ability to convince customers to do business with us. Truth be told, we believe customers are flush with cash and just want to place orders.
For the moment––and perhaps longer––customers are cautious, somewhat fearful and far less willing to sign our orders. They are more thoughtful and slower to act. In such circumstances, what are salespeople to do? Simply hope for the best or emphasize lower prices? I offer these 20 tough-times sales tactics:
1. Keep customers and prospects informed, but don’t bombard.
There’s been hardly a day since January that the warehouse retailer, Costco, hasn’t e-mailed to its customers.
2. Don’t blink.
There’s a tendency to want to hunker down and let the storm go by. This is the time to increase your visibility, particularly since the competition will likely become invisible, waiting for the good times to roll.
3. Offer help.
What customers need more than anything else is help with innovative ideas. Be their sounding board. You’re the expert. Help them. If you can’t be of assistance, you don’t get business. Show them you can deliver more than a product or service.
4. Stay away from stupidity.
In tougher times, the scam artists come out of the woodwork to prey on companies and salespeople feeling the impact of a downturn. It’s easy to be drawn to such offers as “100 FREE leads” or “We’ll make you more appointments than you can handle.” Salespeople are believers who fall for a good sales pitch.
5. Hang on to customers.
In the summer of 2007, Sprint Nextel sent letters canning a group of customers who called too much. While getting rid of high-maintenance customers may seem tempting, it can backfire. Wharton professors Jagmohan Raju and Z. John Zhang indicate that dumping low-value customers may actually reduce profits, while efforts to enhance their value can be counterproductive. Instead of firing high-maintenance, low-value customers, a better approach may be to keep them but find more efficient ways to serve them.
6. Get serious about prospecting.
The goal of a prospecting program is long-term growth, not instant sales. Get serious about identifying those who fit the profile of your best customers and start staying in touch with them via opt-in e-mail and direct mail campaigns, for example. Let them get to know you are serious, competent and can help them. It pays off over time.
7. Focus on value.
A clear shift is taking place with buyers. They want to know, “Where’s the value?” If this isn’t made clear, will they go elsewhere?
8. Make every meeting valuable.
Because most meetings waste time, have a clear purpose when you ask for a meeting and make sure the customer agrees it is worthwhile. Stop dropping in on customers.
9. Answer communications.
Prompt, clear and complete telephone and e-mail responses send the message that you’re timely and efficient, qualities that will set you apart from a majority of other salespeople. Use the spell-check, too.
10. Know the economy.
Reading trade publications is essential, but not enough. Know what’s going on in the economy, both short and long term. If you must choose one source, make it USA Today online (www.usatoday.com) with its concise, helpful and accurate information.
11. Keep your antennae up.
It’s easy to get blindsided in tougher times. Listen to customers. Don’t ignore their concerns and fears. Make sure your sales pitches and presentations speak to these issues and send the message that you are in sync with their concerns.
12. Show customers ways to reduce costs.
Don’t assume your customers believe you are looking for ways to save them money. In fact, they may actually feel you want to do just the opposite. Always be alert for cost-cutting solutions and be sure to let them know this is how you’re working for them.
13. Tighten your schedule.
We all fall into regular routines and would go nuts if we didn’t. Yet, this can work against us. Giving customers proper attention takes time, including making sure we stay in contact with them.
14. Introduce proprietary products.
There is nothing more useful and beneficial than proprietary products and services. Look at your supermarket’s shelves. Name brands are disappearing and lower-cost store brands are taking up more space.
15. Always tell the truth.
While being truthful is always essential, it’s even more important in difficult times when customers need candid, thoughtful advisors more than ever. In such times, you can demonstrate to customers your true value.
16. Make every minute count.
Never call a meeting without having an agenda. Also set time limits for meetings. If you’re making sales calls, do everything you can to group them as close together as possible. If you’re traveling to a specific area, arrange other appointments; don’t plan to drop in and hope someone will see you.
17. Stop the jargon and BS.
Some customers will tolerate it in good times but not when they are stressed and under pressure. Tougher times require plain, clear and direct talk. If you don’t stop acting as if everything is coming up roses, you’ll come across as disingenuous or a fake.
18. Be patient.
Acting rushed sends customers the message that you’re panicked. We don’t see it as much in ourselves as we do in others––and we don’t want to be around them. It’s time to nurture customers, not bombard them.
19. Don’t over promise.
This is a tough one. When there are fewer or smaller orders, salespeople often have trouble resisting the temptation to over promise just to get an order. Then, when you can’t deliver on the promise, the empty excuses only serve to undermine your credibility, and the next order goes to a competitor.
20. Don’t rely on the past.
While Shakespeare said, “The past is prologue,” it may not be today. It’s always more comfortable to look backward than forward and talk about what may lie ahead. Where we have been is more comfortable than an unknown future. How many salespeople say, for example, “I know what my customers want,” while totally oblivious to the changing behavior, needs and wants. They are blinded by a past that may lead them down the wrong path.
In tougher times, selling is more challenging than ever. To be successful and buck the trends, we must make use of every resource we can. These 20 tactics can be helpful in making the most of a difficult economic environment.
Sales – Tips For Selling During a Downturn
Posted by Dan in Business Tips on April 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.