SAAGNY Webinar: Supply Chain Challenges, Changes in Business Create More Reasons for Distributors to Expand

This SAAGNY webinar entitled “Thrive: Your Guide to Prosperity in the 2020s” is for promotional professionals who wish to expand their businesses beyond selling promotional products to include other engagement solutions, including: brand gifting, gift cards, surprise and delight technologies, and incentive, recognition, event, and other engagement services that can help clients achieve their business goals.

 

The Sept. 29 webinar for the Specialty Advertising Association of Greater New York and five other regional promotional products associations went beyond the growth opportunities to cover some of the latest breaking news and challenges about the industry. The program featured Paul Kiewiet, Executive Director of Michigan Promotional Products Association (MPPA) and Bruce Bolger, Founder of the Enterprise Engagement Alliance at TheEEA.org and its BrandMediaCoalition.com outreach program.

 

Paul Kiewiet is unique in the promotional products industry because he came to the field as a founder of an overall promotional agency, which handled other promotional needs besides products, including incentive programs and other services. Kiewiet’s recent book, “Summit: Reaching the Peak of Your Potential”, is available on Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com. The book is “geared for those who wish to turn their job in the promotional products industry into a profession that allows them to reach their full potential and become their best selves.” 

 

To access the SAAGNY program, click here. This Brand Media Specialist outreach program is sponsored by Pulse Experiential, Bulova and Citizen Watch, Links Unlimited, Callaway, Oakley, Ray-Ban, Performance for Industry, Luxury Brands, and Ugg. 

 

Here are some of the highlights from the program. 

 

Today’s supply challenges are unprecedented and could continue for a year or more. It’s a perfect storm of shipping backlogs, higher costs, labor shortages, Covid-related manufacturing shutdowns, and trucking challenges, and it won’t get much better for as much as a year or more. It’s a time for understanding of what customers and suppliers are going through.

 

Buy local. While US manufacturers are also suffering supply chain and shipping problems, they often are in a better position to be more responsive and provide better customer service than large manufacturers that depend upon China or other imports.

 

Be inventive with business gifts. For companies looking for business gifts, consider gift cards or surprise and delight gifting, for which there are fewer supply chain issues. You can improve your margins by recommending unique packaging or other ways to enhance the gift experience. 

 

Promotional distributors have an opportunity to become true professionals. Expanding into brands, gift cards, and technology, and other services is an obvious next step for many distributors. Don’t be afraid to charge for your time assisting with managed outsourcing but make sure you are transparent about the value you are offering.

 

Educate your customers and prospects on delivery and pricing challenges. Make sure that all your customers know that they must order now for Valentine’s Day, let alone the holiday season. 

 

It’s time to stop selling and start listening. The days of asking how many, when, and for how much are long over. Success goes to those who have the confidence to ask sincere questions about the prospect’s goals, areas of pain, and other needs, and to know where to search for solutions even if unable to provide one on the spot.

 

The pandemic has created an opportunity to expand the $40 billion market for incentives and gifting moving through retail. Many distributors are already selling brands, gift cards, gifting, and engagement technology, and many are also qualified to represent select regional incentive or recognition companies, etc. to expand.

 

What is required of distributors wishing to become promotional professionals? The time necessary to get to know the different types of services in brands, gift cards, technologies, meetings, and events, as well as select trusted vendors. The opportunity might also warrant an update to your company’s web site or Linked in page. 

Trade show and conference attendance could be significantly down for a year or more. The 60% of those who are concerned about Covid-19 don't wish to be in enclosed places with lots of people for too long, while many of the 40% or so who are not concerned will not attend events with mask requirements or will not comply. Many people are becoming accustomed to doing without all of the travel, and the work-at-home experience makes at least some people more selective about the events they wish to attend, Covid or not. The longer the pandemic, the more habits will become permanently changed.

 

Lessons from the pandemic and any life adversity. Kiewiet spells out his own life lessons and their application to business with the acronym PAIN RELIEF. 

 

P stands for positivity, maintaining optimism even during the most challenging of times.

A is for asking the right questions, always trying to find out what a client needs or their areas of pain.

I is for inspiration, continually searching the source for new ideas. This is particularly important now.

N is for negotiating, always looking for win-wins. Don’t always accept the first offer.

R is for reinvention, having a stable base from which to pivot. 

E is for evaluation, taking the time, whenever possible, to examine the details and risk of each decision. 

L is  for life, living in the present, valuing the simple things.

I is for innovation, always looking for new ways to relieve pain or solve a problem.

E is for endurance. Persevere. Don’t give up. “This too shall past.”

F for the future, always look forward and plan to the extent possible.

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION

 

Paul Kiewiet

MPPA Executive Director

Paul@brandkiwi.com

 

Bruce Bolger

Brand Media Coalition

Bolger@TheICEE.org

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