As many of us adjust to working from home and prioritize our health and our families, we are also responsible for helping our customers adapt their marketing strategies to this strange new world. We believe branded products are needed now more than ever as physical contact is constrained. Your product assortment can be key in helping your customers keep their identity in front of their clients. Branded merchandise is uniquely positioned to deliver a touchpoint when you can’t physically be there.
We are in the media business, yes it’s apparel, a water bottle or a charging station – but when you put a brand name on it, it becomes media.
Many of your customers will be re-thinking their media mix in the light of what’s happening. This is now not only about awareness, consideration and conversion, it is about connection. Nothing does that better than a physical product. At alphabroder, we call this the power of Dimensional Media.
This is what you do every day.
And now is your chance to help your customers weather the storm and come out stronger than before. Talk with your clients now about how your services and products can be the communication bridge they are looking for.
Here’s what we learned so far:
- Bright spot industries. Agriculture, Construction & Utility, Convenience Stores, Curbside Delivery Restaurants, First Responders including Police, Fire, EMT; Fitness Virtually, Food Delivery Services, Fundraising, Healthcare, Logistics and Transportation, Mental Health: Counseling and Wellness; Tech Companies, University Recruiting, Virtual Company Meetings and Events.
- Over communicate. With physical touch limited, dimensional media offers best-practice choices for enabling companies to be present in front of their customers. They can also have some of the lowest CPI (cost per impression) available when compared to other advertising mediums.
- Set aside time to plan for the post-crisis future. Many of us are dealing with various fires that require immediate attention, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be looking ahead. Start making plans now for how you will help your customers recover and find new opportunities. Keep your client’s brand identity in front of their customers with the power of branded products.
David Clifton, expert marketing strategist and Chief Marketing Office at alphabroder was a welcome contributor to this blog post. We look forward to more insights from David in the future.
The biggest thing will be expendable funds to support these efforts to get back to normal. as of now we are seeing a big slowdown in our A/R’s —-this is going to be a big problem in the days ahead. Even though our products important –they are not essential.
We are pushing forward, but I think the next 6 months will be critical for us.
Hi Charlie, yes we 100% agree that there are major challenges related to the coronavirus that we are all facing right now and the next months could be tricky. The good news is the branded product industry is hard at work helping customers continue to work effectively, serve their customers, and support their businesses in the midst of the crisis. So glad to hear you are pushing forward. We are all in this together.
I had some big orders that cancelled, they are education and banks. I am reaching out to my clients here and there but i still do not know what to say , you do not really want to sell at this time so I am still not sure what approach to take.
Also, how about companies that I am targeting?
Thank you! We checked in with Joe Hoffmann | Regional Vice President of Sales at alphabroder to get his help and expert advice.
Joe says, “Great question, and one that we should all consider during this extraordinary time. Everyone needs to be sensitive to the situation that our clients are going through right now. The last thing you want to do is apply sales pressure at the wrong time.
* Continue to Communicate with Your Customers – Even if you aren’t actively selling them right now, you need to stay connected.
* Lead with Empathy – Be there for your client and show you care. An empathetic partnership in these times is the right thing to provide and will pay dividends over time.
* Proceed Carefully – Take a read on your outreach conversations. If the customer is hurting, avoid a sales conversation. Avoid any hard selling tactics. Let the customer lead.
* Remember, You Are a Solution Provider – Position yourself as a resource to help build a strategy that can be executed when the time is right. Even if the client isn’t ready to buy now, offer to plan for future needs with your client.
As far as companies/industries to target right now, think about industries that are still busy.
* Trucking & Logistics
* Government Agencies
* Utilities
* Supermarkets
* First Responders (Fire/Police/EMS/Security)
* Corporate Clients – it’s more important than ever for major players to ensure their brands have an audience. We just need to provide alternative methods of distribution. Think about drop shipping products directly to end-users as they work at home.
Lastly, don’t give up on your existing clients. While schools are closed in most places right now, they still have budgets in place and students are starving for connection to their schools. Think out of the box – consider ways that schools can provide product to sports teams and graduating seniors in lieu of events that aren’t happening.
Good luck!”
EXCELLENT IDEAS! Thanks! Joan
Joan, thank you for taking the time to leave us this positive note about our blog! We really appreciate your business and your feedback. Please let us know how we can help you in the future.