by Don Sanders, 11/14/2004

Stand out from the Crowd



The promotional products industry offers a wide range of advertising materials that distributors can use to promote themselves. Salespeople can choose items produced by suppliers, associations, catalog houses, and on-line services. The choices seem almost endless. When picking a marketing piece for yourself, the most important thing to remember is to select materials that will have the most dramatic impact on your recipients.

Think outside the box

Truly creative ideas cause people to remember you. Only using samples or multi-page, full-color catalogs imprinted with your company name are nice but not particularly memorable. The creative salesperson thinks outside the box by using a very unique item as their marketing vehicle. You need to develop an effective marketing plan for your business. During the planning process, ask yourself a few basic questions:
v Am I really communicating my full capabilities?
v Do I need more than catalogs to promote myself?
v What makes prospects remember the last time I visited them?
v Am I having a hard time getting in to see new prospects?

Here’s what one salesperson did to market herself:
My name is Tammy Winston and I sell for a distributorship based
in the Denver area. Since I live and work in a remote part of the state,
most of my customers are located in small towns all over Colorado.
Due to the mountains, it is sometimes hard for me to call on my customers
as frequently as I would like, especially in winter.

I knew that it was critical for my customers to keep me in mind, so I decided
to create a completely unique calling card in the form of a “calling coin.” I
contacted one of my favorite suppliers who produces coins and had them
strike 500 two-inch coins containing all my pertinent information. You can’t believe the positive reaction I get from prospects and customers when I present them with my calling coin. In fact, my customer retention rate has increased by 30% since I started using the coins. As far as I know, I may be the only person in the industry using such a unique product to get attention for my company!

Put a new spin on business cards
The exchange of business cards is one of the simplest means of information sharing. At one time, all cards were basically the same--a white card printed in a standard color with the person’s name and company, address, and phone number. If that is what you’re still using in today’s highly competitive world, it’s time to update your image. Here are some tips on creating a buzz with your calling card.
1. Print your cards on 100 pound cover stock paper.
By giving people extra thick cards, you will cause them to take notice of you by the thickness of your card.

2. Put your photo on your card.
Who can forget your smiling face!

3. Use unconventional calling cards.
Rather than having them printed on paper, try ones produced in 3D, or on a polymer material.

Catalogs alone are not the answer
One of the biggest mistakes salespeople make is using generic catalogs as their calling card. Are they letting catalogs serve as their marketing vehicle because they lack confidence in their own selling ability? Even a catalog displaying thousands of products can never be better at selling than you! Never hand out catalogs that people have seen a hundred times. Instead create
a unique piece that tells your company story and something about you. Create something unique by doing these things:
· Give out glossy photos of yourself.
· Print your biography on a card as a leave-behind
· Create a monthly newsletter to give to prospects.
· Perfect your hobby and share it with others

Personalization is SO important
With the deluge of direct mail advertising that we all receive, you have to take extra care to get through to your prospects. One way to set yourself apart is by including hand-written notes with any materials that are mailed or left at a prospect’s office. A business card alone will not do the trick. On every occasion, include a brief written description of why you are contacting the prospect, either by mail or in person. You will make an even greater impact if you use tastefully imprinted note cards for your hand-written messages.

YOU can beat the mail!
To be assured that you stand out from the competition, take the time to hand-deliver as many materials as possible. Hand delivery assures that the intended prospect receives your materials and it gives you the opportunity to assess the prospect’s work environment—something you just can’t get with a phone call or with the mail. Knowing that a prospect has received the materials is the first step in successfully closing a sale.

The next time you receive a business card or a catalog from a supplier, take a moment to reflect upon what you really know about the person who sent them, or better yet, what you know about the company they work for. Your goal is to be more effective by sending quality marketing materials to your prospects that are explanatory AND unique. If you are serious about expanding your business, you will do whatever it takes to stand out from the crowd.