Are You Providing Added Value?

One of the reasons distributors are so successful is that they provide more than single-item sales. Distributors generally have a whole portfolio of offerings for their clients, which allows them, in some cases, to gain business by combining several different types of printed products needed for a single project into one overall order.

But can distributors do more?

Using a distributor to single source several individual pieces of a project can save a client time and money. But there may be an opportunity to create a greater value for the client.

For example, if the project is a mailing which consists of a letter, brochure, folder, sell sheet, reply card and envelope, should the distributor simply source each piece to the most cost-effective supplier?

Should he or she go a little further and check the mailing weight of the combined package? Or check the dimensions to be sure the client will not have to pay a penalty?

Should the distributor go still further to analyze the contents of the entire project, looking for unnecessary redundancies or ways to combine pieces to make printing and mailing more efficient? Conversely, are there items missing from the project that could enhance its success?

Fewer of today's buyers have an in-depth knowledge of prepress and printing processes. They rely heavily on outside vendors for advice. Show them the added value they may be missing from other suppliers and you could engender a loyal relationship that could last for years.

Bill Drennan, Editorial Director