Monthly Archives for April 2013

Non-Cash Incentives Drive Top Sales Performers

NO-50-dollar-bill-340pxIn February, 2013, research from the Aberdeen Group, a Boston based research firm, shows top-performing companies are more likely to motivate their sales teams with non-cash rewards and incentives.   That information supports data in an April, 2012 article in Incentive Magazine that states best-in-class firms were more than twice as likely (21% vs. 10%) to use non-cash incentives as industry average or laggard firms.  The Aberdeen research goes on to show that firms with formal internal sales emplyee recognition programs had 14.8% higher team quota attainment and a 5.9% higher customer renewal rate.

So what types of non-cash rewards are most likely to motivate a company’s sales force?  As is the case with every corporate merchandise purchase aimed at employees or customers, the answer depends on the audience.  A target audience consisting mostly of women prefer home, health and jewelry selections.  A male based demographic is motivated by lifestyle products like backyard grills, technology items and recreational equipment.  Group travel appeals to all participants, and verbal praise, public recognition and peer-to-peer recognition remain important ingredients to a successful incentive program.

Professional incentive management professionals can offer a variety of tools to build a custom program aimed at the sales associates of any company, large or small.  And since the most important members of that sales team are the top performers, it may be time to call your incentive program professional and investigate more compelling non-cash rewards for better sales results at the end of the year.

Customer Service That Is Good, But Not Great, Is Not Good Enough

customer-service1In our world of exploding social media channels and on-line ratings sites, customer word of mouth can be a far-reaching evaluation of the products and services of any company.  In consideration of that fact, attention to an outstanding customer service experience should hold equal importance to the quality of the products being sold.  And I believe that level of service starts at the beginning of the sales process.

While most companies like to advertise “amazing” customer service and “flawless” attention to detail when presenting their products and services, the reality is many times closer to “average” service and “questionable” attention to detail.  To be fair, it’s not always easy to be responsive, patient and attentive when working with customers who may have unrealistic expectations.  But managing those expectations from the start is the responsibility of the account manager, not the customer service associate whose job it is to ensure customer satisfaction AFTER the sale.

In the world of selling promotional merchandise, outstanding customer service has become one of the most important things that sets us apart from countless other competitors.  The work of establishing a solid basis for total customer satisfaction begins when a product is first presented to the client for consideration.  The following checklist represents some of the most basic things to consider before processing an order for branded merchandise:

  • Establish type of event; client demographic; budget
  • Discuss and record all client preferences for decoration method (logo size, placement, color)
  • Present all options for special packaging or custom inserts (samples should always be shown to client for approval)
  • Confirm timing for in-hands delivery date; carton labeling; ship method; freight cost
  • Present and secure signed approval of art proofs for EVERY order
  • Keep client informed of all steps in the order process until the order is delivered (when to expect art proof; when does production begin; when will order ship; when will order be delivered)
  • Follow up with customer after delivery to get feedback

If a corporate customer comes to expect this type of service from their promotional products partner from the beginning of the sales process, those competitors who don’t offer that same level of personal attention may eventually be replaced.  It’s not enough to be good – we should all be striving for customer service greatness!

Send me your stories of exceptional customer service and I will share them with my audience.  Let that positive word of mouth begin here!

(Image via business2community.com)

Increase Your Socially Responsible Footprint

corp soc respAccording to BusinessDictionary.com corporate social responsibililty (CSR) is “A company’s sense of responsibility towards the community and environment (both ecological and social) in which it operates.”  This concept has been around since the late 1960’s, and since that time corporations increasingly realize the value of the improved brand reputation that comes from a commitment to CSR.

CSR initiatives are a powerful branding tool when executed in a way that demonstrates a true commitment, rather than just a PR gesture.  Printing on both sides of the copy paper and recycling pop cans isn’t enough to establish a company as socially responsible.  Using sustainable materials in manufactured products;  reducing energy consumption in operations; and donating employee time to community projects are all practical ways to increase the corporate socially responsible footprint.  Oh – and let’s not forget another important action that can demonstrate our pledge to social responsibility – buying and distributing promotional products that are eco-consious, and, in some cases, sourced from fair trade, fair wage suppliers.

Examples of socially responsible products range from gourmet food produced in Yonkers, NY by a bakery committed to fair wages and community renewal, to tote bags made in Cambodia from recycled mosquito netting.  Jewelry is created from tagua seeds that are harvested from the sustainably-harvested Ivory Nut Palm grown in the rainforests of Columbia.  And something as simple as an organic cotton coffee cup sleeve ($3.00 for an opening order minimum quantity of 100 pieces) supports Kenyan mothers of children with special needs.  The prices vary as widely as the products, so there is a product and a pricepoint to fit most corporate marketing needs.

Most of us understand that not everything purchased to promote brand awareness can be eco-friendly.  Sometimes the pricing can’t meet the budget guidelines, and other times the product options don’t offer choices that speak to the target audience.  But with all else being equal, companies that actively promote their corporate social responsibility programs by putting their brand on products that speak to their commitment to society and the planet, are viewed more favorably.

Earth Day is April 22 – now is a good time to give visible testament to how your company plans to increase your socially responsible footprint!

(Image courtesy of Tawheed Manzoor)

Uniqueness Is In The Eye Of The Beholder

uniqueWhen a customer says they want a unique promotional product to represent their brand, what they are saying is that they want an item that provides a positive emotional response in their audience.  Maybe something new to the market, but more likely something their particular audience is not accustomed to receiving.

For instance, I imagine that there have been many highway safety kits, road atlases and tire gauges given away by car dealerships over the years.   But how many times has a car dealership given a branded mobile phone holder or dual USB car charger?  And, hopefully, the car owner would use the phone holder or car charger far more than a roadside safety kit, giving the car dealership the advertising value they are paying for by providing more “impressions” every time the driver gets in the car.  Those items are not new, unique products, but they would likely be new to that audience, and therefore elicit a more positive response.

As a promotional products provider I have sometimes fallen into the trap of omitting product ideas in customer presentations that represent items I have sold many times in the past.  I leave out options that I perceive to be “stale” or “overdone”, but just when I think I have put together a wonderful assortment of unique, creative ideas, my customer will ask for samples of the same item I consciously left out of the mix.  Why?  Because that customer has never used that particular item in a campaign and it represents a fresh idea in their market. (Note:  when this happens, it’s not a proud moment for me)

Logo merchandise uniqueness can mean different things – a totally new product; a classic product with a new twist; or a product staple that is used in a new way aimed at a different audience.  As it turns out, most of the time, the uniqueness truly is in the eye of the beholder.  So consider what has been done in the past to excite your audience, and take another look at ideas that are “new to you”!