School may be out for summer, but opportunities in the education sector never slow down for distributors. That's not to say the selling experience is like one big party starring John Belushi. Remember those all-night study sessions? Yeah, that's more accurate.
The problem is, not all schools are created equal. What works for the small-town elementary school probably won't benefit the city's community college. You'll need a different approach to account for a client's individual needs, which means it's time to hit the books.
Not sure where to begin? Chip Brady, senior account executive for American Solutions for Business, Glenwood, Minn., has you covered. Here, Brady talks about an apparel job that earned him high marks with a large Midwestern university.
Print+Promo (P+P): Describe a promotion of yours that you consider one of American Solutions for Business's best.
Chip Brady (CB): University staff needed apparel to wear at various events (e.g., trade shows, fairs, etc.). We leveraged American's Just-in-Time Apparel program to help remote offices order logo wear simply and without minimum-order quantities. The Just-in-Time Apparel program is a Web-based tool that allows end-users to order branded apparel in quantities as few as one piece. It helps to eliminate obsolescence and the need to stock apparel internally.
P+P: What items were featured in this promotion?
CB: Polos, woven shirts, outerwear and T-shirts [were featured].
P+P: How was this a profitable promotion for your company? For your client?
CB: By automating the order process on the front end, university staff are able to log on, select the item, size and approved logo, and submit the order into their purchasing system. On the back-end, the automated process eliminates the time and potential for error associated with manual ordering. University staff is able to order in quantities as few as one piece, eliminating cumbersome group orders or minimum quantities that result in a shelf full of unused apparel.
P+P: Did you encounter any challenges with this particular promotion? If so, how did you overcome them?
CB: Educating the end-users as to the simplicity of the process. It was so simple that people were a bit suspicious of it. We overcame that by demonstrating the site, then using word-of-mouth from satisfied users.
P+P: Do you have any advice for your peers attempting a similar promotion in the education market?
CB: University branding standards are detailed and strict. (The standards include limitations on apparel colors, logo usage and how the apparel will be utilized.) The schools will have staff members responsible for management of the brand. Be sure you are regularly communicating with the university's branding team. Ask for their published standards, follow those standards and ask the branding team to review proofs to assure compliance.