To those who understand and have probably tried it, the promotional products industry is an interesting one, with endless opportunities for distributors and suppliers and bountiful perks for customers. You may wonder why promo products work so well, but a lot of it has to do with the lasting impression of a well-designed and useful product.
This article will focus more on distributors and what they can do to succeed in a highly competitive and dynamic industry. Read on to learn more.
Understanding a Promotional Products Distributor’s Roles
It may seem as though a distributor has only one role in the promotional products industry: to source and deliver high-quality promotional products for their clients. However, there’s more to it. In truth, this field is complicated to the extent of requiring promotional product distributor solutions providers like AIA to give distributors the support they need to succeed.
As a promotional products distributor, you are also tasked with:
1. Offering Promo Products Advice
Though your clients are experts in their niche, they often won’t have the right grasp of what would be perfect as a promotional product in their field and that’s where you come in. As a distributor, you are expected to be a promotional products expert, thanks to years of experience and the right positioning that empowers you to keep up with the hip and trendy marketing patterns.
With a better understanding of the ins and outs of this industry, it should be easier to source the merchandise your clients need as efficiently as possible. Not only that but you will be well-versed in offering recommendations based on the needs and budget of your clients.
2. Developing and Enhancing Clients’ Ideas
As a distributor, you will often have amazing ideas for your clients on the most ideal products and how to use them effectively. They will rely on you to evaluate their brand, audience, and events and suggest the most appropriate ideas for each situation, but that’s not all. At times, your customers may come up with complex ideas that they aren’t sure how to approach.
They expect you to help them execute such ideas and enrich them where possible.
3. Enhancing Planning Efforts
Though this will depend on the relationship you have with your customers, you can be their planning partner for events to ensure they get everything right. With a deep understanding of logistics details and the other elements that can affect deliverability, you will find it easier to help them decide the best course of action for maximum savings and convenience.
At times, customers may even forget to order crucial pieces for their events, and if you have a close relationship, you can create a quick plan for them without breaking the bank.
4. Customising Services to Your Clients’ Needs
Not all customers are looking for the same level of service whenever they come knocking at your door. Some want their products to be more stylish than others. Some want to see, touch, and write with a custom pen before buying it. With different customer needs in consideration, it’s up to you to customise your services to meet those needs with ultimate excellence. Luckily, you can use your expertise and the available resources to personalise the services you offer in a way that guarantees customer satisfaction.
Solutions You Can Use to Enhance Business Efficiency
In addition to your experience and the network you’ve created in the promotional products industry, you will need to utilise the appropriate solutions to enhance your performance. Some of the best solutions to consider include:
1. Partnerships With Solutions Providers
Among the top benefits of teaming up with a highly capable solutions provider is the sheer amount of resources they have at their disposal. If, for instance, you are looking for a dedicated success management team, they will offer the best individuals for that role so you don’t have to go all out and risk messing with your concentration on crucial business operations.
Additionally, they will help you expand your network to ensure your business runs smoothly and even evaluate the performance of all strategies you’ve implemented together to ensure they are working as expected. A worthwhile provider will even have the technology you need to enhance your services and guarantee the effectiveness and efficiency of your operations.
2. Value Added Services
Given the rapidly growing competitiveness of the promo products distribution industry, most companies have resorted to using the oldest tricks in the business book: attractive discounts and low-to-average prices. Yes, you will get results with such strategies but only for a short period.
To ensure longevity, you will want to capture your customers’ attention and retain it by providing excellent customer service. Implement systems and policies that facilitate more effective customer order and query tracking, and ensure your staff is properly trained to handle customer concerns.
3. B2B E-Commerce
It’s common for distributors to brush off the idea of implementing an e-commerce platform for their customers because they don’t expect B2B customers to take a direction similar to that of B2C customers. A closer study of these two models shows that B2B customers also prefer having the option of ordering online.
That’s why you should invest in a powerful e-commerce system capable of providing your customers with a seamless online shopping experience. Make sure it’s a comprehensive solution with all the services a customer would need when shopping online so you are sure of meeting their expectations.
4. Order Processing and Inventory Systems
The same businesses that don’t offer an online shopping experience typically won’t have modern order processing and management systems, and that’s the worst combination in such an industry. Manual order management processes are generally inefficient and can make you miss multiple opportunities.
Investing in advanced order processing and management solutions helps you save time and money in the long run with the added benefit of running your operations more effectively. You’ll also want to add an inventory management system to your investment to ensure you never run out of frequently ordered items. Remember, the more efficiently you run your business, the better the customer experience will be.
5. Hiring Solutions
Your team plays a key role in determining the trajectory of your business towards success. Take the time to benchmark positions and evaluate candidates against such measures. You can also leverage hiring services and other solutions to ensure you acquire the most capable candidates for open positions.
Once you’ve hired the right teams, invest in their continued development to ensure they remain efficient and effective in their roles.
Get the Support You Need to Run Your Business Effectively
Though the promotional products industry can be quite complicated depending on how you look at it, there are several measures you can take to improve your chances of success, and one of those is implementing the right solutions. Thanks to a whole collection of viable solutions for different use cases, you should be able to run your business more efficiently and stand out from the competition.
AIA, as one of the leading solutions providers for promotional products distributors, offers innovative products and services to ensure your business thrives in this dynamic industry. Visit their website to find out how they can improve your business and help you reach your goals.
