However, before even thinking about picking and choosing its suppliers, the company needs to make itself known in the industry. The key to doing this is to build relationships as well as gross sales dollars. According to Smith, a distributorship just starting out should go to trade shows to educate manufacturers as to its capabilities. As PPI Graphics grew, manufacturers eventually started calling on the company, at which point it was able to be more selective about who it would work with. There are a couple of reasons why this is beneficial, one being that at busy times of the year, jobs can fall through the cracks. Working within a limited pool of suppliers allows distributors to develop relationships and build order numbers and dollars spent.
- Companies:
- Merrill Corporation
- PPI Graphics