The sales of promotional products is a very basic business. If you take the time to learn sufficient information about the products of a few dependable suppliers and match them to your current customer list, you will steadily increase your income. The key is to carefully and thoughtfully enter the market without getting sidetracked by misinformation.
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Don’t get ahead of yourself
Nearly everyone who attends a promotional products show for the first time is overwhelmed by the hundreds of suppliers offering a vast array of items in all product categories. The first-time visitor thinks that he must visit every booth to make sure he doesn’t miss anything. That’s an error. Instead of running from booth to booth and spending small amounts of time with each supplier, take the time to visit a fewer number of booths where you can spend the necessary time to understand the products you see. Spend a little time examining the show program before you enter the hall and make note of the suppliers who offer products you think might be appealing to your current customers.
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Many things to buy
At promotional product trade shows you can find a number of exhibitors who are service providers offering solutions they claim will make your transition into the industry easier. Most of these services can help you, but many are complicated and not suitable for those starting out. Instead of spending time at your first show listening to pitches for often costly services, focus on learning about products and meeting suppliers.
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Competing with current distributors
It’s difficult to compete head-on with experienced distributors. Smart people don’t try to do so initially. Instead, they learn how to best offer products to their current customers or acquaintances. Once you obtain sufficient product and industry knowledge, you will be able to branch out and call on larger companies.
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Getting EQP Pricing
Many people worry so much on getting last column pricing that they become distracted from what’s really important. They waste huge amounts of time obsessing over the fact that their competitors might be getting lower prices. The best way to sell promotional products is to focus on sales, and not the exact amount the supplier is charging. You will earn the right to get EQP pricing from a supplier once you’ve developed a solid relationship with him, by placing orders and paying for them on a timely basis.
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Learn products slowly
No distributor knows everything about every product before he makes his pitches. Since it’s impossible to do so, don’t even try. Instead, take “baby steps” by learning the products of a few quality suppliers and effectively presenting them to your customers. Having viable customers should be a higher priority than product knowledge. That will come over time.
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Searching for products
There are several web-based product search engines available to you. Some charge a fee for their use, while others are free because they are paid for by the suppliers who display their products on the sites. When starting out, it’s more cost-effective to use a free service such as www.distributorcentral.com. It offers a complete array of products and is easy to use.
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Containing the clutter
Paper catalogs are a necessity in the industry, in spite of the fact that search engines have helped to somewhat decrease the need for them. Many people starting out spend too much time trying to cope with the large amount of catalogs they receive. The best way to stay organized is to file them by categories. Select a few suppliers for each product category such as plastic products, writing instruments, bags, drink ware, etc. and place each supplier’s catalogs in individual folders, filing them in alphabetical order. File the others at the back of each category in a “Miscellaneous” file.
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Multi-Line Reps
They are people who represent the products of several suppliers and are paid by them on a commission basis to make calls on distributors. They function as a bridge between distributors and the suppliers they represent and can be quite helpful in expediting or solving problems with orders.
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Regional Associations
Made up of distributors, suppliers, service providers, and multi-line reps, they function primarily as networking groups. Most of them offer monthly luncheons or dinner meetings and yearly table top shows. The cost to join one of these associations runs around $100 and they are located in all parts of the country.
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Industry certification
Many professions offer advanced degrees and certifications. If you sell promotional products and want certification, PPAI (Promotional Products Association International) offers two levels of certification. It provides education classes and events that PPAI members and non-members can attend to acquire the points needed to reach Master Advertising Specialties (MAS) and Certified Advertising Specialist (CAS) certifications.
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PPAI
Promotional Products Association International is the non-profit membership organization and trade assoication for the promotional products industry. Its members include distributors, suppliers, and service providers. PPAI charges a fee for membership, which is based on a company’s sales volume in a calendar year. Its offices are located in Irving, TX, and it hosts the largest trade show of the year every January in Las Vegas.
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ASI
The Advertising Specialty Institute is a service provider in the industry that also sells memberships to distributors, suppliers, and other service providers. It is a privately held company located in Trevose, Pa, that sells different products to its members, including imprinted catalogs, a web-based search engine and order entry system, and numerous other offerings. ASI holds five large regional trade shows each year in the following cities: Orlando, Dallas, Las Vegas, New York, and Chicago. It also runs a weekly traveling show that visits all major U.S. cities.
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