"I was doing some research, and based on what I'm seeing, I'm going to need you to reduce the price on those tumblers twenty-five cents per unit."
Have you ever argued with a client over a request for a price reduction?
Granted, most of us won't get into an actual argument with a prospect when the time for price negotiation rears its head, but we ALL have been in situations like the one presented in the sentence I heard from my new client on the other end of the line. I've sat with countless salespeople batting around ideas and counters for a request like this one, but most of the time, the salesperson caves, the price gets reduced, and the order begrudgingly gets written.
This time was different. You see, during the discovery phase of the sale, I found out that the owner of the business was a veteran who had fought for our country. I also found out that they were a military family, and their youngest son had lost his life in combat. As a father with a child in the military myself, that loss carried a lot of weight with me.
As we proceeded with the steps necessary to pick the most appropriate product for their objective, the client decided they'd like to choose a tumbler. As a PromoCares veteran, I was well aware of the Patriot line of drinkware from Hirsch Gift, and I proudly presented that product as the appropriate tumbler for the job.
At our next meeting, I explained the connection between the Patriot line and Homes for Our Troops, the non-profit benefactor of 20% of the proceeds from these particular tumblers. As this information's significance became apparent to her, my contact leaped from her chair and raced out of the room, returning excitedly with Bob (the owner) in tow.
"Tell him what you just told me!" she said.
As I recounted the connection for Bob, his face contorted with emotion. What began as grief quickly turned to surprise, and a mega-watt smile flashed across his face as he internalized what I was explaining.
"Tonia, let's be sure to explain why we chose these when we hand them out at the picnic. It's one thing to get something nice from us, but once people realize the connection, I think they'll be even more proud to show them to their friends," Bob said as he headed for the door. "Roger, you've got MY vote; just make sure you take care of Tonia."
Imagine my surprise when our subsequent discussion included the previously referenced request for a discount. This was NOT one of those times I was going to give in, but I needed to find a polite way out of the problem.
"Tonia," I said, "I understand the nature of your request, but I have to tell you that I won't be able to give you that which you're asking. I CAN sell you another tumbler at the price you're looking for, but I cannot discount the Patriot tumblers, as their price is a reflection of the contribution they're making to Homes for Our Troops."
Silence. As the old salesperson's saying goes, "The next person who speaks loses." The pause was pregnant and becoming uncomfortable.
"Fine," she said. "What am I supposed to tell Bob if we don't get those?"
By tying the product we were selling to one of their core values, I had created value. When Bob realized his staff would cherish the product more because of the story that came with the product, the decision had cemented in his head. Tonia wasn’t just buying tumblers any longer; she was creating a narrative that accompanied the product. A narrative that was worth the premium.
Your clients don’t deserve the value of the connection if they’re not willing to pay for it. Simply put, you can’t have the story AND the discount.
Roger has spent 20+ years making complex concepts more understandable for both buyers and sellers alike, and has devoted the majority of his recent career to injecting purpose via philanthropy to his sales and marketing efforts. He’s intent on making the world a better place and his nirvana exists at the intersection of Mission, Passion, Profession and Vocation. He loves the outdoors and seeks memorable experiences whenever possible. Contact Roger at roger@socialgoodpromotions.com or 810-986-5369.
Used with permission from PromoCorner
Ever feel like projects keep kicking off but never seem to end? Has working from home blurred your workday boundaries, making it impossible to unplug at night or on weekends? Are you already exhausted just reading those two questions?
You are not alone. That low-buzz anxiety may seem alienating, but it’s actually extremely common, even if your Instagram feed tells a different story. Throughout the pandemic, at home and at work, we’ve all been asked to do more with fewer resources. And business-as-usual? That’s long gone, baby. Even prior to the upheaval of 2020 that we are still navigating today, we’ve become an always-on culture, where work permeates every aspect of our home lives and vice versa. So, what steps can you take to better limit stress, work more efficiently, and reclaim that precious work-life balance?
Here are a few small strategies you can implement right now:
Establish Boundaries on New Work
If your project list is so daunting that it’s paralyzing your productivity, with new items continually added to your plate and seemingly none of them getting completed, take a breath. Cut yourself some slack. And most importantly, ask whoever’s moving the work your way to assign urgency levels to each task to help you better prioritize.
We all know how it gets to this point: Everyone wants their project to be at the front of the line. But when each task is hot, and all projects are emergencies, you’re being set up to fail. The best way to dig yourself out of a hole is to go to your boss with your project list and politely ask for their help. Be sure to get clarity on your role and boundaries for each task, discuss specific urgency levels, and ask them to assign each with High, Medium, and Low priority.
This helps in multiple ways: First, you’ll leave with an action plan—which is way better than a non-action plan, like idly watching your inbox as it slowly spirals out of control. Second, seeing your task list laid out helps your supervisor notice how much work they’ve directed your way. You might be their go-to person (take it as a compliment, you’re probably killing it!), but actually seeing the weight of your list can serve as a wake-up call for your boss.
And finally, simply identifying which tasks aren’t a priority is extremely valuable for your mental state. Remove those from your list and set them to the side. Sure, you’ll need to do them eventually, but it’s one less “today problem.”
Give Yourself Small Wins
Do you sometimes have such a large, complicated project that even thinking about it makes you irrationally tired? Step away from the couch and put down the blanket – this is no time for a procrastinap. We’re going to get through it together!
Break big projects down into several smaller tasks
Sometimes the phrase “small wins” seems interchangeable with “low-hanging fruit.” But when you’re working on something large and complex, breaking it into smaller pieces is a very valuable win. Start by outlining the work and defining its stages—that little act of project management results in something extremely valuable: a plan for success.
Get directional feedback early
On larger projects, it’s very tempting to make your idea bulletproof right out of the gate. We’re all guilty of this: You want to blow it out, shave down the rough edges, and make it stakeholder-ready before you share anything. But what if your vision isn’t their vision? Rather than backtracking later after hours of work, seek gut checks early in your process. Make sure your idea and plans are clearly defined, then share them in broad strokes. Once you get a sign-off, you can build out the next step. Then, the next.
These agile check-ins save you time overall, and they give your boss or client confidence in the project’s progress.
Find a small task you can complete in under 30 minutes
Completing small tasks is a proven psychological motivator. What if you blocked off half an hour to clean out your inbox, organize your files, or wrap up a loose end? Once you’re done, you can cross that off of your list, giving you a much-needed sense of accomplishment. Cross a few more off at different intervals throughout the day, and guess what? You’ve set an avalanche of productivity in motion. Way to go! You’ve eliminated a few tasks, cleared some physical and/or mental clutter, and now you can better focus on the larger tasks at hand.
Reward Yourself – You’re Worth It
In this work-from-home era, it’s tough not to overextend. Remember to reward your accomplishments. Did you finish a draft? Take your dog for a short walk, fresh air will do wonders. Did you respond to a mountain of emails? Have a light snack and scroll through your social media for a few minutes – you might need to set a timer for this one so you don’t go overboard. If you’ve just finished back-to-back-to-back Zoom meetings, run a quick errand or start your dinner meal prep and save yourself time later. Taking intermittent breaks will allow you to come back refreshed and ready to tackle your next task.
Over time, implementing these small strategies will help you get your workday back under control. In the interim, if you want to reward yourself with a few more minutes of reading before you get back at it, check out these other productivity tips on the SAGE Blog: Improve Your Time Management Skills With SAGE Project Management or 10 Products to Help Boost Your Work From Home Productivity.
Used with permission from SAGE
The overarching theme we can expect to see in business and in technology this year is mapping out new territory, according to Fjord Trends 2021; the 14th edition of an annual market research publication produced by Accenture Interactive, a division of worldwide and billion-dollar digital agency network Accenture. The report, which focuses on how people, organizations and brands are meeting human needs, and which notes seven trends overall, states that with the chaos of COVID-19 came an awareness of what matters most. Having spent the duration of 2020 facing disruption in every facet of life, people are now relishing a renewed focus on and longing to help others solve their greatest challenges and prepare for a brighter future; something that has segued into change for companies, their services, their supply chains and their interactions with end users.
The seven themes, according to the report, are as follows:
Collective displacement: COVID-19 upended end users’ lifestyles, causing their homes, which were once intimate spaces, to also serve as schools, offices and workshops. Brands should help end users find their place in the world again by providing them with key experiences, and focus on new ways of communicating with others at a distance, while providing immersive, realistic digital experiences; texture, transparency and control are key experiential elements.
Do-it-yourself innovation: As people develop unique solutions or “hacks” to solve their problems—such as a parent and at-home worker using an ironing board as a standing desk, the report states—and use technology to communicate ingenuity, there is growth in creativity and the way platforms, like TikTok, are being used. The report suggests the line between customer and creator has blurred, and brands should view themselves as co-creators, considering their products or services as unfinished, and inviting users to build and expand on their own.
Sweet teams are made of this: Employees’ homes also functioning as their offices has segued into conversations about the ethics of remote work, such as appropriate wear for video calls and remote workers’ right to privacy. The report states there are four major areas of opportunity for employers—technology, culture, talent and control—and suggests companies “decouple” from the notion of a physical office space, and instead, design and plan to work in a virtual or hybrid environment.
Interactions wanderlust: As a result of pandemic-related concerns and precautions, people are spending more time indoors and in front of screens, particularly to connect with the world. The screen-time surge has led to a degree of sameness in templated designs. Brands should disrupt sameness by tailoring unique design, content and enjoyable experiences to best suit their audiences. Brands that provide live experiences, such as entertainment and performances, or networking and socializing, are encouraged to continue doing so, or go the hybrid route.
Liquid infrastructure: Because the way people are buying and experiencing products and services has changed, brands must reconsider their supply chain structure to provide satisfaction from the first moment to the last. Supply chains will be evaluated according to growth, flexibility and agility, in addition to efficiency, with a push toward local and sustainable options, and consumers are seeking full customization up to the time of delivery.
Empathy challenge: The pandemic shed light on inequalities across all industries and worldwide. Consumers are looking to engage with companies that are prioritizing what is most important to them and their mission, and developing company operations and stories (or narratives) around these priorities.
Rituals lost and found: A ripple effect of the pandemic was the cancellation and postponement of customary rituals, from birthday parties and holiday celebrations, to weddings, funerals and births. Being unable to participate in these life events has adversely affected collective well-being. Brands can help end users navigate the “new normal” by helping them create new rituals that suit their current lifestyles.
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Danielle Renda is associate editor of PPB.
Used with permission from PPB.
For your sales reps to work cohesively, they should feel connected to each other. When your team members feel a genuine connection with their colleagues, they will be more likely to communicate better, help each other and work together to solve problems. Fortunately, you can foster collaboration in many ways by using different approaches to team building.
Thadoi Thangjam, a content marketer and digital marketing executive at Vantage Circle, has outlined six types of team building approaches that work whether your sales team is working from home or back in the office.
Keep reading this issue of Promotional Consultant Today for Thangjam’s team-building ideas.
1. Activity-based team building. With this team-building approach, look for ways to give your sales reps a break from their daily routine. Try organizing an outdoor team lunch or a virtual team lunch if your employees are working from home. During the lunch, Thangjam says you can have your employees complete various mental or physical activities that will inspire laughter and boost moods.
2. Communication-based team building. Thangjam says communication-based team building is ideal for helping new colleagues get to know each other. One example of a team-building activity to try with your sales team involves a puzzle. Divide employees into small groups and give each group a jigsaw puzzle with missing pieces. Team members will need to find the missing pieces by negotiating with other teams.
3. Skills-based team building. This type of team building can enhance your sales reps’ skills while allowing everyone to have some fun. Thangjam recommends trying the “Back of the Napkin” challenge, which promotes creative thinking and teamwork. Divide your sales team into smaller groups and give each team a napkin and pen. Give them a series of problems or questions to solve by writing on the back of the napkin. The team with the best solution wins.
4. Personality-based team building. Your sales team is probably full of many types of personalities. Some people may prefer working in smaller groups or independently, while others may enjoy getting together in large teams. With personality-based team building, you can pair sales reps based on what they enjoy.
5. Problem-solving-based team building. Thangjam notes that problem-solving activities can improve communication, interpersonal relationships and mend differences to reach a common goal. To make this work for your team, introduce fun games or exercises and help your sales reps learn how to work together as a team.
6. Value-based team building. This kind of team-building approach works for both your team members and your organization. The goal with value-based team building is to create meaningful experiences for employees while contributing to society. This could be volunteering together, hosting a food drive or cooking for a cause.
Team building does not have to look the same every time. If you traditionally use the same team-building activities, try something new. By considering the approaches above, you can fine-tune your efforts to suit everyone on your team. You’ll end up sparking some fun and setting the tone for a positive work culture.
Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Thadoi Thangjam is a content marketer and digital marketing executive at Vantage Circle.
Used with permission from PPAI Media.
By Gloria Lafont
When we need any kind of information, the internet is the first place we go—and we expect to find it within seconds. We usually do.
We are all aware that marketing online is important. But how important is it for the promotional products business?
It’s always good to have some facts at hand and not just go by intuition or hunches. Plenty of data proves that in the B2B space, buyers go to the internet. Let’s look at a few stats:
89% of B2B researchers gather information about potential purchases through the internet - Google
Before interacting with a website, the average B2B buyer conducts 12 different online searches - Google
In the promotional products business in particular, the online component of marketing is hugely important for growing your client base and sales.
There are three reasons why internet marketing is critical to the success of your promo business:
1. Buyers who are searching have an immediate need and are ready to buy.
People are researching vendors, and when they contact a provider, they have already done their due diligence and are ready to buy.
Keyword research tools such as Google’s Keyword Planner show that there are tens of thousands of searches every month, in each tens of thousands of different search terms related to promotional products.
That’s why, if you have high sales goals and need to add new clients to achieve those sales goals, it makes sense to invest in SEO and paid advertising. Showing up when people search is a surefire way to attract these ready-to-buy buyers.
2. People are googling you and your business.
You might think that you don’t have to pay that much attention to your online presence if you are not looking for aggressive growth. You are relying on referrals and a more personal approach by meeting people at functions, cold calling and other one-on-one types of activities. Maybe because you don’t have the bandwidth and prefer to grow slowly, or you just want to maintain the same level of sales.
The point is, when you meet someone new, or someone refers you, the first thing they are going to do is google you. If what they find is a generic cookie-cutter website (that says nothing about your personal approach to business, who you are and what you bring to the table) you’ve lost your chance of making a great first impression.
You will be judged by your website and social media presence—or lack thereof.
So google your name and business name and see what comes up, and do what is necessary to show up the way that you want.
3. People spend a great deal of time on social media. You need to be there.
People are checking in and out of social media all day long, and as they do they are discovering brands and following them.
Social media is a source in making purchasing decisions for 84% of B2B executives - Leadspace
You don’t want to leave the field wide open to your competitors. You want your brand to be the one they discover, follow and build familiarity with.
Social media also allows you to build relationships with your existing clients and stay top of mind. As you follow them and they follow you, you’ll be engaging outside of the business transactions. This is how relationships are built these days.
If you feel overwhelmed by the thought of digital marketing and how to put a plan in place, get help. You don’t need to go it alone. Just don’t be left behind.
Start by educating yourself. Take advantage of the free educational digital marketing resources, specific for the distributor business, available on ActionMarketingCo.com.
Used With Permission From promomarketing.
Today is International Women’s Day (IWD), an annual event to celebrate women’s rights and inspire people to continue to push for gender equality. This event, sanctioned by the United Nations, is a chance to address gender bias and take meaningful action to create a more inclusive and gender-equal world.
March is also Women’s History Month, making this an ideal time to reflect on the vital contributions of women throughout the ages. Whether your team chooses to support women-owned businesses, contribute to charities benefitting women or get involved in some other way, this is your chance to celebrate the women on your sales team and in your organization.
Susmita Sarma, a podcast host and content creator at Vantage Circle, has outlined some inspiring ideas to commemorate women. We share Sarma’s ideas in this issue of Promotional Consultant Today. 1. Pile on the purple. Sarma notes that purple is the international color for uplifting women, signifying justice and dignity. You can set the stage for celebrating women all month long by encouraging your staff to wear purple. 2. Show your appreciation. Use this month to show the women on your team how much you value their hard work and contributions. Write a personal note thanking your female reps for everything they do and consider giving them a gift card to an upscale restaurant or shop. For increased employee engagement, be sure you are offering desirable perks and benefits, adds Sarma. 3. Plan a (virtual) ladies’ night. For a fun way to bring together all the women on your team, consider an evening of stand-up comedy from a favorite female comedian. You could also host a virtual watch party of a movie with strong female characters. 4. Introduce family-friendly work-life balance policies. If your company could do a better job supporting working moms, now is the time to put some new policies in place. Could you work to get moms a more compassionate maternity leave or give them a more flexible schedule? Look for ways to give the working moms on your team some balance. 5. Commit to empowering women. In honor of Women’s History Month, think about how your organization could launch a women’s empowerment program or get involved with groups that support women. Sarma recommends asking your female employees which organizations mean the most to them. 6. Give social media shout-outs. Use this month to publicly applaud the exceptional women on your team and in your industry. Sarma says you could interview women on your team about how they got into their roles and share some of their favorite inspiring quotes. 7. Re-examine your compensation. If you want to get serious about gender equality in the workplace, conduct a salary audit of women and men in the same or similar roles. Now is the time to make sure the women on your team are paid fairly for their work and that they have equal opportunities for advancement.
On this day, think about how you can lift up the women on your team all month and throughout the year. While some fun recognition is a nice gesture, take a good look at how your company could empower female employees. Whether it’s providing more flexibility or leveling up on pay, when you better support women at work, your entire organization wins.
Stay tuned for tomorrow’s PCT, where we highlight tips for making your workplace more equitable for female job candidates and employees.
Source: Susmita Sarma is a podcast host and content creator at Vantage Circle.
Used with permission from PPAI
Consumer sentiment continued to improve in February, building on a January upswing. The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index reached 91.3 in February, up from 88.9 in January. Its Present Situation Index, based on consumers’ assessment of current business and labor market conditions, also climbed, from 85.5 to 92. However, the Conference Board’s Expectations Index—based on consumers’ short-term outlook for income, business and labor market conditions—fell marginally, from 91.2 in January to 90.8 last month.
The monthly Consumer Confidence Survey, based on a probability-design random sample, is conducted for The Conference Board by Nielsen, a global provider of information and analytics around what consumers buy and watch. The cutoff date for the preliminary results was February 11. The survey results did not fully capture the events surrounding the Texas power crisis nor the loosening of dining restrictions in New York City.
“After three months of consecutive declines in the Present Situation Index, consumers’ assessment of current conditions improved in February,” says Lynn Franco, senior director of economic indicators at The Conference Board. “This course reversal suggests economic growth has not slowed further. While the Expectations Index fell marginally in February, consumers remain cautiously optimistic, on the whole, about the outlook for the coming months. Notably, vacation intentions—particularly, plans to travel outside the U.S. and via air—saw an uptick this month, and are poised to improve further as vaccination efforts expand.”
Consumers’ assessment of current conditions improved in February, with the percentage claiming business conditions are “good” increasing from 15.8 percent to 16.5 percent, while the share saying that they are “bad” fell from 42.4 percent to 39.9 percent. Consumers’ appraisal of the labor market also improved. The percentage of consumers saying jobs are “plentiful” increased from 20 percent to 21.9 percent, while those claiming jobs are “hard to get” declined from 22.5 percent to 21.2 percent.
The Conference Board reports that consumers were marginally less optimistic about the short-term outlook in February. The percentage of consumers expecting business conditions to improve over the next six months fell from 34.1 percent to 31 percent; however, the proportion expecting business conditions to worsen also declined, from 19 percent to 17.7 percent. Consumers’ outlook regarding the job market was also somewhat mixed. The percentage expecting more jobs in the months ahead decreased from 30.4 percent to 26.1 percent; while those anticipating fewer jobs also declined, from 22.1 percent to 20.6 percent. Regarding short-term income prospects, 15.2 percent of consumers expect their income to increase in the next six months, down slightly from 15.8 percent in January. Conversely, 13.2 percent expect their income to decrease, down from 15.5 percent last month.
During my journey of building a million dollar business while working less than 4 hours a day, I became obsessed with setting goals.
It all started in my senior year of college when I read “Think & Grow Rich”. I took the concepts of “TGR” to heart and created my own road map of goal-setting based on Napoleon Hill’s teachings.
As I began to streamline my business, I found myself interested in exploring new interests in business.
First, I got into blogging, then podcasting and finally video production.
All of this content creation built my personal brand which led to recognition of being on lists like Silicon Valley’s 40 Under 40 List and PPAI’s Rising Stars. I don’t say this to brag, rather I say this to illustrate a point…
I was manifesting the whole time without even knowing what the word meant.
Let’s back up…
For those of you that might not know it, I’ve been on a spiritual “soul seeking” journey since the Spring of 2019. You see my depression settled in hard around February of 2019 and after doing some deep “shadow work” I realized that I had been chasing success...
I was chasing goal after goal and doing the things that I thought I was supposed to do rather than what I wanted to do. As I crossed off yet another goal from my TGR process, I only became more empty. How could this be?
Well, interestingly enough Pixar’s latest blockbuster film “SOUL” illustrates two of the things I just mentioned…
Near the beginning of the movie, they show a character as a “lost soul” in the astral realm only to be woken up in the 3D earthly plane to realize he hated his job working as a hedge fund manager.
SPOILER ALERT…
Later in the film, the main character, Joe Gardner achieves his dream only to say “I thought I’d feel different." The point? Just as I had been feeling before I “woke up” if you will...chasing goals rather than being present.
Anyway, for more on the movie “SOUL” check out this YouTube video I made that breaks down the deeper meaning of Soul.
I digress…
Back to Manifesting
The title of Napoleon Hill’s classic book from 1937 tells you everything you need to know about manifesting - “Think & Grow Rich."
Despite not even knowing the meaning of the word “manifesting” until 2019, I had manifested my dream business because of the teachings of TGR in less than 5 years!
If you haven’t read, TGR, I highly recommend it and for the purposes of this post I’m not going to recap TGR. Rather, I’d like to include my process of manifesting since being on the spiritual path that consists of a hybrid approach of “woo” and TGR…
Rules of Manifesting
Visualize what it is you want to bring into your personal reality.
Get clear on why you want this and what it will feel like once you have it.
Release: That’s right. It’s counterintuitive but forget about it! The clingy energy of “needing” and “wanting” is what will keep you from achieving your dreams.
Read Your Power Statement Daily: In this guide, I teach you how to write a “power statement”. An effective power statement should be read in the morning daily. You can think of this as a goal and reading your goals daily. The magic of a power statement over a goal is it’s an affirmation that puts you in the state of achieving your dream(s).
That’s it!
Manifesting doesn’t have to be hard. The key really is to release expectations and any (and all) clingy energy!
For more on manifesting, check out my SOUL SEEKR podcast and specifically listen to episode #88 which is all about a sacred ceremony that’s known for amplifying your manifesting abilities!
To Living Your Dream Life, Sam
Sam Kabert is the creative director of SwagWorx and the creator and co-host of the podcast “WhatUp Silicon Valley!” A risk taker who embraces permanent beta, Sam is leading the transformation of his family-run office supplies business into a promotional products powerhouse. Sam can be reached at Sam@SwagWorx.com.
Are you looking to capture people’s attention? For a promotion that really packs a punch, consider choosing a product that partners your client’s organization with a social good program. By giving back to a cause that their audience cares about, you can help them to build trust and loyalty as well as lasting relationships and brand recognition. Here are five of our favorite products that give back and the causes they support:
SAGE #53091
Keep your customers dry with this umbrella, featuring a 42” arc for wide coverage from precipitation and their brand’s logo prominently printed. They’ll love the easy auto-open feature keeping them ready for rain at a moment’s notice, and your clients will love knowing that they’re giving back to a good cause while getting their brand out there.
The Rainforest Action Network’s mission is to “preserve forests, protect the climate, and uphold human rights by challenging corporate power and systemic injustice through frontline partnerships and strategic campaigns.” 1% of the net proceeds from the Terra Umbrella will be donated to RAN.
SAGE #56805
Whether your customers like their drinks blazing hot or ice-cold, they’re sure to love this insulated 20 Oz. bottle. With a copper lining and double-wall construction, this water bottle keeps drinks hot for 12 hours and cold for 24. You can cover all 360 degrees of this bottle with your customer’s brand for endless impressions on a product that their recipients are sure to use time and time again.
With your purchase of the Basecamp Tundra Bottle, you’re directly supporting Basecamp’s mission to donate $100,000 to the Wounded Warrior Project. Wounded Warrior Project is a nonprofit organization that helps veterans and active duty service members through various programs, services, and events.
SAGE #69207
Microgreens are the newest tiny veggie to take the food world by storm. They’re the small, edible seedlings of various vegetables and herbs rich in nutrients and packed with flavor. With the large branding area for your customers’ logo, they’ll get plenty of facetime with their recipients while they grow these tasty greens perfect for topping salads, pizzas, and more.
Feed the Children was established over 40 years ago and strives to end childhood hunger. In the United States, Feed the Children distributes donations of food and other products through a network of community partners, provides classroom support and school supplies to underserved communities, and mobilizes resources to offer quick help when natural disasters strike. For every grow kit purchased, 1% of sales is donated to Feed the Children.
SAGE #66296
Stainless steel tumblers are a promotional heavyweight and one of the top-reigning promotional products. You can’t go wrong with these ubiquitous, useful, and universally-liked tumblers printed or engraved with your customers’ design, and they’re sure to have the perfect beverage to fill them.
Likewise, masks are another mega-popular product that is sure to please. These reusable face masks are manufactured in the United States and feature a sleek design suited to the curves of the wearer’s face to ensure a smooth fit for safety. With masks likely to remain common even post-pandemic, your clients are sure to garner plenty of impressions as their customers wear these out and about.
Home For Our Troops is a publicly funded 501(c)(3) whose mission is “to build and donate specially adapted custom homes nationwide for severely injured post-9/11 Veterans, to enable them to rebuild their lives.” For every face mask sold, Patriot Coolers will donate $1, and for every tumbler sold, 30% of the net proceeds are donated to Home For Our Troops.
If you’re looking for an easy way to clue your customers into products that give back, we’ve added an extra special SAGE Email Campaign this month chock-full of promotional products that support a good cause. SAGE Email Campaigns are a foolproof way to add email pieces to your marketing plan that boost your sales, drive traffic to your SAGE website, and more.
To learn more about the importance of giving back, check out our blogs on corporate social responsibility and PromoCares.
How much of your time do you actually spend selling? It may be less than you think. Most sales reps today spend more time managing their sales than making them. The latest research shows that good sales professionals spend less than a third of their time selling. The rest of their time goes to administrative tasks around sales and demand generation.
Fortunately, there are some steps you can take to boost your sales productivity—the amount of time you actually spend selling. Doug Davidoff, CEO of Imagine Business Development, has outlined five ways sales reps can spend more time selling and become more efficient at the backend tasks.
In this issue of Promotional Consultant Today, we share Davidoff’s strategies to maximize sales productivity.
1. Map out how you acquire customers. According to Davidoff, the first step in maximizing your sales productivity is examining how you get your clients. Instead of building out your entire methodology, Davidoff encourages sales professionals to map the customer acquisition process and look for waypoints. This allows you to make your repeatable process a series of repeatable mini processes that you can input as needed. The process is similar to how football teams execute their playbook or how hitters adjust to pitches and situations in baseball.
2. Establish a service-level agreement. Another way to enhance your sales productivity is to be sure you have a service-level agreement (SLA) in place. An SLA defines what every lead definition means and how to manage those leads. Davidoff says that a strong SLA enables everyone to spend their time focused on selling situations rather than figuring out what to do and when to do it.
3. Scale back on all the systems. Sales professionals often use a dizzying array of technology to do their jobs. From forecasting to lead scoring to marketing automation, many sales reps use CRMs, document sharing, video, chat and other tools to try to be more efficient. However, the opposite is often true. Trying to maximize each system’s efficiency ends up slowing everyone down, notes Davidoff. The solution? Use the apps and tools that make sense, but make sure they all connect to a single system and a “database of truth,” he says.
4. Build and execute contextual plays. Most sales reps either execute their sales cadences like robots or have little time to have a focused conversation. Davidoff says you can boost your sales productivity by designing contextual plays—or ways to free up a sales rep’s genius to engage with the prospect or customer.
5. Tap into the power of the playbook. A well-defined and documented playbook gives your sales team a leg up on those without one. Playbooks are powerful, says Davidoff, because they help sales professionals move swifter and more efficiently. The goal is to ensure those on your team do not get bogged down by manual processes, so be sure to integrate and automate your playbook into your existing systems.
To truly be more productive in your sales efforts, think about how you spend your time. It also helps to consider how your various systems and tools may be bogging you down rather than helping you increase your output. When you apply the strategies above, you can help your sales team stay focused on the high-value actions that lead to sales.
Source: Doug Davidoff is CEO of Imagine Business Development. He has worked with more than 1,500 small and medium-sized businesses to make sales growth predictable, sustainable and scalable.
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