Keeping up with technology and innovation trends is a big part of what we do here at alphabroder… this is especially helpful when unexpected things happen, like suddenly working from home or needing to communicate with your customers virtually.

Here are our top six tips and tricks for decorators, promo product distributors, and other industry pros to keep in touch with your clients.

1.  Let’s start with a year-after-year customer favorite – the Digital Lounge. 2020 has seen a huge increase in the combination of innovative videos and tried and true social posts we are offering, giving you the ability to effectively communicate without leaving your desk.  The assets on our Digital Lounge are functional and practical vehicles with the pep and energy of a live visit. Use the Digital Lounge content to give your customers a good impression of what you can do, making you more appealing as a valued team member.

Tip:  Create a calendar using our collection of grab-n-go social media content from your favorite brands. ​​We’ve even included ideas for captions and hashtags.

2.  Try our strategic marketing collateral for your virtual sales kit. By combining sleek sophisticated design and available personalization, we’ve created some of the most awesome and timely marketing assets for you to use to date. Our storyboards and flyers are conveniently located at alphabroder.com and are organized by industry including hospitality, corporate, education, healthcare, and workwear. Use an application like Adobe to add your logo and contact information.  Easily done right from your couch.

Tip: Rewards and recognition are great ways to keep the team connected. Pair these flyers with your design ideas to keep your customers morale up.

3. Instead of asking, “Where should we meet?” the big question right now is “How can we meet?” A video call is a perfect replacement for a face-to-face meeting – it’s just as personal as a traditional meeting, but you can participate from anywhere.  There is even a group video calling features which allow up to 10 people to join a video call session.  Here at ab headquarters, we use Skype to connect with our remote employees. Other programs to try include Microsoft Teams, Webex, Google Hangouts and Zoom.

4. New Stuff! Set-up a hot trends and best-seller virtual meeting with your distributor rep. (At alphabroder, we do this all the time.) We know how tough it can be to remember new styles and identify everyday essentials that work. We are pleased to offer our sample program to help you show the latest and greatest. Take note of styles that get your heart racing (or at least beating) and order them as a sample, decorate and send them off to your customers.

Tip: Try value-based selling by offering your customers samples that show good, better, best options.

5. Did you know we offer E-books and E-catalogs? We have a robust offering making it easy to download and share ideas via email when you can’t visit your customer. Every book or catalog that alphabroder produces is housed in one convenient spot in the marketing resources area of alphabroder.com. Plus in most cases, these catalogs can be customized with your logo and contact info.

Tip: Try choosing one or two E-catalogs to start with and create a campaign that can be easily modified for all your customers.

6. With the WFH movement booming, integrating the latest and best technology is a must. Our Design Studio gives you the power to create a virtual t-shirt or any other apparel choice and then share it with your customers. Housed on alphabroder.com, with over 12000+ designs and clip art plus the ability to upload a customer’s logo, this tool allows you to show exactly what a finished product can look like—virtually.

Whether you are new to working from home or have been using your couch as an office for years, consider trying one or all of these innovative tips and techniques. Once you get everything dialed in and synced up, you’ll wonder if you ever need to go to the office again.