Crossing Over
Whether you’re a seasoned distributor or new to the industry, the idea of combining print and promotional products can be intimidating. There are major differences between a label and a lanyard, a business card and a cardigan, and expertise in one doesn’t translate to the other, right?
Not necessarily.
The products and processes might be different, but the goal in both industries is largely the same: spreading your client’s message and increasing awareness of your client’s brand. In many cases, combining print and promotional products is the best way to accomplish this, so why not double up? Read on to learn the basics of the combo sale.
Getting Started
If you’re a print distributor with little promotional products experience, or vice versa, the biggest challenge in making a combo sale will likely be a lack of familiarity with cross-industry products. “My experience has been with working with distributors, both print and promotional, that there is a learning curve to ‘the other side.’ (Print selling promotional or promotional selling print.) There is an intimidation factor there for your first time,” said Bob Schwei, director, print and packaging for Wayland, Massachusetts-based iPROMOTEu.
For Schwei, there’s a simple solution: Don’t focus on the product—focus on the message. “The most successful campaigns I have seen using a cross-channel marketing campaign are those that focus less on the actual product, but more on the pain point of the target audience with the goal of targeting a response or course of action [from] the recipient,” he explained. “All too many times I feel we are caught up on what product we can combine with a printed commodity to make an impact. We lose sight of what the expectation or the goal of the customer is.”
Selecting a Market
Certain markets have an inherent demand for combined print and promotional products. Jennifer Hoyt, senior marketing associate for Stouse Inc., a promotional product supplier based in New Century, Kan., mentioned health care, insurance, real estate, membership clubs and automotive, among others, as good places to start. “All of these markets rely on incentives to persuade or reward their target market and use printed materials to communicate their needs,” she said.
“In other words, their potential clients need programs to provide communication, reminders and incentives for buying, participating or donating,” she added. “Items that generate awareness and provide long-lasting visibility at an economical price generally work well for these programs.”
These markets are a good place to start, but don’t limit yourself to the obvious choices. Do your homework, and it could open plenty of sales opportunities. “My feeling is as long as you know your audience, any market is a viable option,” noted Schwei. “Understanding who the recipient is or who is being marketed to is crucial.”
Preparing for Pitfalls
Where traditional print or promotional product sales can often be made with the involvement of a single supplier, combo sales can be a bit more complicated. “When working on a multi-faceted campaign, typically there are multiple vendors involved,” said Schwei. “This is part of the value a distributor brings to the table—the ability to work with many vendors, yet uphold the same brand integrity, recognition and protection,” he continued. “There are typically multiple substrates involved when building a campaign, and knowing how each one will affect color, appearance and shape is critical.”
Meanwhile, Hoyt cautioned distributors against getting too comfortable with their existing business. “Many distributors have said, ‘I do all the printing for ABC Motorcycle Company,’ but then find out ABC is buying motorcycle plates, leather coasters, VIP loyalty cards, etc. from someone else,” she explained. “All companies are typecast by their customers. [Customers] may know you produce direct mail and printed media, but never thought to ask you for a magnet or hitch cover.”
Your clients can’t buy products they don’t know you’re selling, and you can’t sell products if you don’t know what’s available to sell. And that makes it critical to keep an open dialogue with customers and suppliers alike.
“Selling printing and promotional products is not like going to a seventh grade dance, with boys on one side and girls on the other,” Hoyt concluded. “Successful distributors mix the two frequently by working with suppliers, asking questions and assisting their customers in the sales process. Relationships that start with good printing can lead to promotional products sales and vice versa.”
- Companies:
- iPROMOTEu
- Stouse LLC
- People:
- Bob Schwei
- Jennifer Hoyt