Thanks to Gregg A. Emmer, VP, chief marketing officer of Batavia, Ohio-based Kaeser & Blair for the following submission. The complete, original text reprinted here has not been edited by BFL&S.
As the number of people who have expanded their businesses by adding promotional products to the mix increase, so too does the confusion about what exactly they “sell” to their clients.
There are always circumstances where not having all the facts might just be a blessing. The often repeated statement about bumble bees continuing to fly only because they don’t know it is impossible comes to mind. But for most things and certainly in business, understanding exactly what it is that you do will help you do it better. This however, is not always clear. The terminology and language that is customarily applied to the specialty advertising or promotional products industry doesn’t help either!
A very unscientific study (a bunch of people were asked the same question) I conducted suggest that the overwhelming opinion of those who sell in this industry when asked what they do for a living stated “I sell promotional products”. Since the “selling” is what generated the money, the statement is accurate on its face but well off the mark if you consider why the client is involved in the transaction.
Work from what you know rather than what you think!
A university professor I was fortunate to have studied with insisted that all successful communication is outcome based. When the outcome (or objective) is clearly identified and the process to get there is developed working backwards, results of the communication are almost always better. In the simplest terms, it is better to work from what you know rather than what you think!
With that in mind, think about what our clients ask us for. We are more likely to here “I want to motivate my sales people” rather than “I want to buy some watches”. Your customer wants the “outcome”. Now consider that advertising is not outcome based but rather it is informational. It may contribute to an eventual outcome, but rarely will there be a direct cause and effect from the advertising. Years ago I boiled it down to: Advertising Informs, Marketing Motivates. So based on outcomes desired by our clients we would be more accurate calling this the “promotional marketing” industry or “marketing specialties”.
Whenever a promotional item “promotes” it is marketing; when they provide incentive its marketing; as rewards, marketing! And that is all great news for us.
Marketing creates an environment where sales can take place. Increasing store traffic, instilling customer loyalty, providing more value as a free gift with purchase offer or simply solidifying a relationship with a thank you gift – promotional products provide a substantive element in the marketing messages business send.
Working backwards - …find a way that works and how it was done by someone else doesn’t matter.
Magicians have always fascinated people because everyone wonders “how did they do that”. With a world of variables and unknowns you might consider dozens of possibilities. You might guess right but probably not – and you will never know if you actually got it. If on the other hand you approach the illusion (objective) with “how can I do that” you will find a way that works and how it was done by someone else doesn’t matter.
A popular TV show examines crime starting from the outcome and working backwards through the facts to learn how the outcome occurred. In marketing this is amazingly effective as well. Let’s look at an example. Two major competitors were going to merge. The workforce feared job losses which the employers assured were not going to happen. The objective of a promotional marketing project was to reinforce this message and improve productivity and cooperation. So the point of focus became what makes people feel secure in their jobs. Since all marketing is emotive, or triggered by emotional connection, it is essential to tap into the emotion of security. Some of the things that touch these emotional triggers are: a pay raise, a job promotion, new company letterhead with your name on it, a new office with your name on the door, a parking place near the door reserved for you, your photo on company literature or marring the CEO’s offspring!
Based on the need to build an emotional connection between the employee and employer that demonstrated to the employee that they are secure in their job – the company took the recommendation of using apparel displaying the new corporate logos and the employee’s names. Route sales people received jackets; office staff were given sports shirts and the manufacturing group got sweatshirts. Personalization was the key to reaching the objective and there was no advertising involved – only marketing!
When you identify your client’s objective you are getting in touch with what they really want to buy. Selling them the outcome they want rather than imprinted “things” protects your margins, guarantees additional business with the client and allows you to propose a project based on what you know (the outcome desired) rather than what you think (these are great coffee mugs and people seem to like them).
So the next time you are asked what you do for a living, you may respond: “build relationships; grow businesses; increase revenues; enhance productivity; recognize achievement or encourage greatness”!
That might seem a bit grandiose if you focus on the selling of a pen or fly-swatter but not if you sell the outcome.