Blog Advice - Top Ten Mistakes

Blogging rule? I thought you just signed up with Blogger and start writing. I hope nothing that I've said previously about blogging left you with this idea. It is easy to get started, but like anything else worth doing, it takes time, research and thought to get it as right as possible. I'll keep directing you to articles and blogs that will help you.

For a five minute tutorial that just provided me with the most quality information per minute in my blogging career visit Jakob Nielsen's Alert Box.

Here is #1 as a sample

1. No Author Biographies
Unless you're a business blog, you probably don't need a full-fledged "about us" section the way a corporate site does. That said, the basic rationale for "about us" translates directly into the need for an "about me" page on a weblog: users want to know who they're dealing with.

It's a simple matter of trust. Anonymous writings have less credence than something that's signed. And, unless a person's extraordinarily famous, it's not enough to simply say that Joe Blogger writes the content. Readers want to know more about Joe. Does he have any credentials or experience in the field he's commenting on? (Even if you don't have formal credentials, readers will trust you more if you're honest about that fact, set forth your informal experience, and explain the reason for your enthusiasm.)

For our purposes, since we are business blogs, our "about us" is even more important. Make it very personal. I'm going to change my right away.

There are 9 more here plus all the other advice on websites and blogs FREE.

A Personal Brand - Part II

In Friday's post, we discussed the importance of having a personal brand, and that the first step was to create a slogan that provided your customer with a view of how you were going to help them deliver advertising to their clients.

Now this slogan needs to become part of the culture, and every aspect of your business should wrap itself around that branding. Years ago, when we only served the bicycle industry, we came up with the slogan "Enhancing the Bicycling Experience." Each new product needed to somehow make Bicycling more fun, less hassle, faster, easier. You get the idea.

Our sales presentations, catalogs, POS materials, were all produced with the slogan in mind.

If your new slogan were to be a take of on ours, it could be "Enhancing Your Brand." Your opening pitch to a new client could be "Your company is not about your latest product or service, it is really about your brand. The value is not set by a potential buyer based on the ability of the company to sell or make or deliver. The value is in the perceived worth of the brand. My job is to help you build that brand. While we're at it, sales and profits will also improve as you use promotional products strategically."

The brochure you leave, the website you build, the e-mails you send, and the blog posts you write should all point back to this idea.

Now, when the client begins to discuss the next promotion, or the repeat of one they've done for years, you have the opportunity to become a critical resource for them, by pointing out how to make minor or major changes in the plan that will enhance the brand.

A Personal Brand

As you may recall, I've been listening to TOP SECRET. And I have been learning a lot. Now, if I'm learning a lot, and I've been in the sales and marketing biz for 3 or 4 decades, imagine what YOU might learn if you're a bit shorter in the tooth than me. So spend a few dollars and buy the system.

But that wasn't what I was planning to talk about. David Blaise, author of the Top Secret Method, points out over and over again, that we are NOT in the product business. Rather we are in the business of getting a message to our customer's customer. We sell space on products to do that.

If we agree that we sell space for messages, how come our business cards and websites make it appear like we are really selling things? Why are we slaves to the newest thing, instead of creative ways to make our sales vehicles more effective? Most important of all for the purposes of this post, does our personal branding reflect this POV? I suspect not. And at this very moment, even California Springs Line has missed this point.

We know that we are providing an advertising vehicle, and you can find evidence of that throughout our website and our catalog. However, you won't notice it in our branding. That is now in the process of being changed. Watch for the difference SOON!

How can you reestablish your distributorship or your rep business in a way that will clearly indicate what business you are in. The first step would be to change your company or personal slogan. Ours is "Yes! We Can!" I think "Yes! We Can!" is something you want to hear from a supplier, but it doesn't suggest that our company in any way provides good ways to get action out of end users.

What if our slogan was "Products That Move People?" Or possibly "Sellers of Moving Billboards?" If you will spend even 15 or 20 minutes thinking about it, I'll bet you come up with several ideas for a slogan that would identify the SPECIAL UNIQUE THING that you or your company brings to the client.

What Next? You'll have to wait until Monday for that.

Suppliers Who Offer More

This supplier offers a price grid on their web page, so that you can check out what is available by quantity by price.

This supplier offers a list of recommended markets for their products from A - Z

This supplier offers over 50 color choices

This supplier can turn around huge rush orders within days

This supplier has a website that is so easy to use that you can bring your customer to the website and check out ideas with them by phone.

Can you guess who this post is referring to? Check out the links if you're not sure.

WEBSITE - FreePromoTips.com

I received an e-mail the other day from a reader who wondered how I have time to write posts for this blog and still do my day job. I don't. And as a result I am way behind in bringing you some of those resources I promised a couple of weeks ago.

An outstanding resource which is completely free and created by a fellow distributor is FreePromoTips.com. I'm pretty sure Jeffrey Solomon (a pretty suspect last name for a fellow who is so serious about his faith that it takes up a major page on his website) expects to make a dollar or two with FreePromoTips.com, but it comes off like a labor of love.

He also sends out an e-mail, and this month's lead story follows:

DO SOMETHING FOR KIDS IN NEED! By the time the holidays come, Hurricane victims will be forgotten. There will still be many people in need. ESPECIALLY KIDS! The Promotional Products Mentoring Network (PPMN), in conjunction with the Junior League of Mobile, Alabama are helping these kids! Click here for details on how you can participate. It's easy! Let's make their holidays brighter!

If you are not receiving the FreePromoTips.com e-mail, you can sign up for it on his site by going here.

A Blog by Any Other Name Would Still . . . .

The contest is in high gear. We have had quite a number of entries. Some of them are very, very good. And some aren't. We would love to receive some more, and I know there are many very creative souls out there who should be putting their ideas in the hat. Send those ideas to my email: Randy_Kirk@CaliforniaSprings.com before Veteran's Day.

If you have no idea what I'm talking about go to the contest post here.

How to Sell the Majors

How to Sell the Majors

Every sales professional who is interested in earning a substantial living salivates at the idea of landing the "big account."
For most of those same salesfolks, however, the idea of making that call is about as appealing as eating crushed glass. The best part of such a fear on the part of most means that the few who are willing to take the risk of rejection at the top levels have fewer competitors.

I first learned this concept in high school. I wasn't the prettiest face on campus, didn't letter in any sports, and weighed a wopping 105 pounds at 5'10" when I graduated. Somehow, though, I was able to date all the most prized young women. As I reviewed this unlikely combination, I could see that most of my male friends didn't even have the nerve to approach the top prospects.

So, lesson one - Make the call. The worst thing they can say is, "no." But they can't say, "yes" until you make an offer.

LESSON TWO

Be prepared. Know your stuff, and review sales motivational literature before a major call. This buyer is used to hearing from people who are professional. Make sure you know obvious things about the company, and maybe hit the internet in advance to learn some less obvious things. Be certain to ascertain the need. Do not just jump in with product ideas or details of how you can offer better service or price or terms or whatever. Find out what this buyer needs that he isn't getting or may not have even thought about before you arrived.

Buyers in big companies are more likely to be interested in their job track than in the company. Be sure as you listen to the needs, you take into consideration how this will make him look good. How will you save him time? Who, exactly, will be interested in his success or failure on this project?

LESSON THREE

Make sure that your company is prepared to deal at this level. Are there demands and requirements that are beyond the scope of your company's infrastructure? Can you handle the financing? Will they require so much of your time that you will mishandle your smaller accounts? Have you established a solid base of Suppliers who you can count on for quality, on time delivery, and rushes.

LESSON FOUR

Do you have a large enough base of business to be able to not be dependent on a single account. When we first opened our business, we decided we would not go after any majors until we had $1,000,000 in sales from solid small and medium sized accounts. From that point forward, we also have tried to limit our exposure from any one account to 10% of our total business. That way, if they change buyers, go out of business, or have a very bad year, we still have 90% of our business coming in strong.

Promotional Products Niches

Everyone in the PP business has the same suppliers available, and therefore the same list of products to offer their customers. So how does a sales professional or a distributor differentiate themselves from others. We discussed price in the last post on this subject. Not a good choice in my mind, at least not for the long term. Here are a few others:

1. Terms - It is common in this industry to require payment in advance on the first order and deposits on some other orders. A niche would be to give everyone open account without any credit check at all. Just look the client square in the eye and say "I'll find you if you don't pay," with a crooked grin. Risky. Sure, but count it as a promotional cost. Like retailers who put their product display hooks, there will be losses, but the losses will be offset by the potential gains. Like the price approach, this should be used in a limited way to gain share, and then dropped.

2. Hours - Make yourself available any time of the day or night. Tell the client that it is ok to call at 10:00 p.m. or 3:00 a.m. if there is an issue. Give them home phone, e-mail, cell phone, etc. It is unlikely that many if any will abuse this. It just makes you different.

3. Rush - Offer same day delivery at no extra charge. Sure, you will be charged extra. Yes, it will cut your margins. It is designed to build biz, and then be taken away later...quietly. Be sure that you have a stable of dependable same day suppliers in the key product categories.

4. Resume' - Print up a resume' just like the one you might use to get a job. Include the opening paragraph: "Seeking opportunity to help build sales with an growth oriented company. Hoping to find long term position where I can grow with the company." Then list education and employment history followed by Case Histories with clients you've worked with.

Present the resume at your first meeting, and make it clear that you aren't kidding. You are truly desirous of becoming the head of their promotions department, and intend to bring the sum total of your talent, experience, and personal involvement to insure the success of their promotional efforts. Then do it. This, unlike the others is a much longer term niche. But even this doesn't last forever with $1000 per year clients. Your time must be allocated appropriately to the profit opportunity.

I could go on offering ideas for niches. Maybe you have created one that you'd be willing to share. Just hit the comment button below and help your fellow reps.

NICHE Yourself

Sounds kind of perverse, doesn't it? But you have been doing it all your life, whether you realized it or not. You have been trying to differentiate yourself from the competition. If you were a second child, you very likely started laying claim to talents and styles that your older sibling didn't already own before you started talking.

As you got older, you vied for attention in your neighborhood, your school classroom, and on the baseball field. In the teens, you needed to stand out among the others of your sex in an effort to attract the best of the opposite sex. With all that training, you'd think we would all be doing a great job of niching ourselves in the business arena. But alas, it isn't always so.

Our first inclination seems to be to just sell it cheaper. And that can be a method of entree into a crowded field. I have used it myself. However, it is not generally a good strategy for the long term, unless like WalMart, you have also built in a very substantial difference in the cost of delivering your product/service.

Generally, it is better to offer superior products, service, or information, and let your client know that you price competitively, but that you can't swim with the bottom feeders and give them the service they need or demand.

I'll come back to this on Wednesday. It might be the most important thing you'll ever read in this place.

WIN! Help Me Name This Blog

If I asked you to tell me the name of this blog,could you? You may have visited this site once, or twice. Maybe you drop by one or more times per week. But I'll bet you, nobody knows the name of this blog. "Selling
Promotional Products" is certainly apt and descriptive, but it is ultimately... BORING!

For the last couple of weeks I've been trying to come up with a new name. So far nothing is grabbing me. So I thought it would be fun to have you help me name it. We're all in the logo and icon and branding business. What better group to brainstorm with.

We don't have a big budget for this blog, but how would a $100 Macy's gift certificate sound. The judges will be chosen at my whim. Whatever we decide is final and will be totally arbitrary, except that we liked it best. We'll run the contest from Columbus day to Veteran's day 2005. Entries must be e-mailed by 11:59 November 11, 2005, to be
considered.

I reserve the right to add additional prizes for the winner and runners-up as ideas come to me.

Here are some things to consider in naming this blog.

1. The new name needs to fit into this sentence: "Hey Cindy, have you been reading those great sales ideas at FILL IN THE BLANK?"

2. The name needs to be inviting and charming. Or not, if you don't think so.

3. Most of the readers are women.

4. Very few who visit are leaving comments. The name might be something that would make it clear that this is not a one way conversation.

5. Does the name lend itself to a slogan or other short description? Like Randyhut, We Deliver Sales.

6. The name could include the idea of connecting or networking or conversing. But it doesn't have to.

7. Will the name look good next to a picture of me? (Just kidding)

OK. Send your e-mail to Randy_Kirk@CaliforniaSprings.com. I will acknowledge receipt of your entree. If you don't receive an acknowledgment within a day or so, send it again or call me. (1-800-245-3737 ext 223)

We will announce the winner at this blog with an unveiling of the new name, look,and logo design. We will post your picture if you'll allow us, and we will send out a publicity release to other websites and magazines.

In order to win, you must be a Promotional Products Distributor owner or employee.

PS. If you don't want to spend your winnings at Macy's, we can send a Gift Card for Starbucks or Best Buy or Your Choice Here.

Garbage Disposal Installed

Our new kitchen is almost finished. The contractor assured us it would be done in three weeks. I'm pretty impressed that it may be done in a little over six. Future articles might use this experience as examples of customer service - not.

Just about the last thing to go in will be our new In-Sink-Erator garbage disposal. Its the full one horsepower unit with reverse for clearing out jams. The cost with tax and installation will be about $395.00. My first thought. That is so inexpensive. Sure, you can get a disposal for $100, but this top of the line is $395.00. We've spent way more than that on dinner for four...maybe even for two in Paris.

I'm guessing that $395.00 isn't that much money for you either. Imagine if you could make an investment that small which guarantees a 10X return or your money back? The TOP SECRETS program by David Blaise does just that.

There is a very good reason why the folks at TOP SECRETS offer a money back guarantee. No one who uses their methods will fail to increase sales and profits. You can spend a few hours reading through my blog and you will see many of the same ideas that you get in the over 6 hours of CD's. However, what is offered here are sales tips that will provide you with daily pep talks. David Blaise offers a comprehensive package with specific action steps.

Our company is 25 years old with sales of over $4,000,000, but I am already implementing things in our company that I heard in the TOP SECRETS CD's. I could not recommend this program more highly. Please note that we will receive a commission if you purchase any products from TOP SECRETS by clicking through to their site at any of the links above or this one. If you would rather call 800-494-2721 and place your order, please tell them you heard about it at Randy's Blog. Do it right now before you forget and miss out on $3950 in additional commissions this year.

Seasonality

Much of what I write in this place is advice that is well researched and tested by blood, sweat, and tears. Today I take on a topic which I know a lot about, but which continues to be a thorn in my side. From talking to many of you, I know that most, if not all, advertising specialty professionals also fight the battle of revenue fluctuation by season.

As of today, our company only sells bicycle style water bottles. If this product was only used by bicyclists on bicycles, it would be pretty clear that sales would be much stronger in warm months than in cold. However, as this product became a major player in the promotional products industry, the usage changed dramatically. Our bottles are now seen in gyms, offices, warehouses, kitchens, living rooms, and autos. They are used by golfers, toddlers, walkers, oldsters, and even teenagers. Our largest end user categories are home centers, pharmaceuticals, insurance companies, banks, transportation companies,military recruitment, and fast food chains.

So we thought (silly us) that our seasons would flatten out. Honda should need just as many bottles in January as they do in July. Of course, many of you could have warned us that November to February is not so terrific for mugs or pens either.

So what are the answers? Do we get used to the idea that we will buy our Christmas gifts on credit cards that offer no interest/no payments until April? Here is my short list. I'd be interested in hearing what you've come up with.

1. To some extent we may have to live with seasonality. That may mean that we lower overhead during those months, or that we squirrel away money during the good days.

2. Offer discounts to major customers who will warehouse product for year round use anyway. We have several customers who buy 100,000 or more bottles per year. We offer them better pricing to take product October-February when our equipment and people might otherwise be idle. This frees up our resources for those who can only take product in season.

3. Develop specific off season markets. For water bottles we found that gyms, schools, military recruiting, and retail promotions were year round businesses. We put more emphasis on these groups. This year we have started to develop concepts that turn water bottles into gifts, greeting cards, and calendars.

4. Get a part time job at Macy's for the Holidays. (Just kidding.) But that is my whole list of ideas. This blog can be a place where we in the industry share ideas that can benefit everyone. So just hit the comment button and tell us how you manage your off season.

Welcome to First Time Visitors

The red carpet is down and I am pleased to invite you into my blog. For some of you, it may be the first time you have even visited a blog. Blog stands for WEB LOG. Basically this is a journal of ideas and recommendations to help you become more successful at Selling Promotional Products.

I try to post an article every weekday, though I miss from time-to-time when I'm busily trying to insure speedy delivery of one of your projects. We will be sending out one of these blasts from BlastMaster every Friday as a reminder to visit the blog, but you might want to bookmark this site right now so that it will be easy to find all the time.

THE IDEA LIBRARY

There are about 60 articles in the archives. When you have an extra few minutes, you might want to browse those. My Mom feels that many of those articles are very useful (Please be prepared for my version of a sense of humor. My Mom never reads this blog, but she does read my personal blog.) Over the next few weeks, I am going to concentrate on recommending other excellent resources to help you sell. Some of these will be paying me for their endorsement. I will tell you when that is the case. However, I thoroughly research anyone who I endorse. They must pass muster with me, or it doesn't matter how much they pay, I won't pitch them.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

So you might note that I have recommended 101 Ways To Get Your Foot in the Door. It is a very useful little book. I don't get paid to say that.

On the other hand, the only comprehensive training program for distributor sales people that I can recommend is Top Secret. I am being paid a small commission if you click through the above link or any link on this site and purchase their system. Or if you call them at 800-494-2721 and say that you called because of Randy's blog, I will be getting a little check. I will give a more thorough review of Top Secrets in a coming post. Successful folks in any career are those who continuously educate themselves.

Sales professionals are particularly inclined to forget one or more of the important elements of their job. Not because there are so many of them, but because each is difficult in its own way.

For over 30 years I have been writing articles and books on sales and marketing. I hope this free resource will give you the perfect stimulation at exactly the right time to bring in a few extra dollars each week.

Encouragement

The last two weeks have not been great weeks. Personally, professionally, businesswise, there was not a lot to shout about.

However, in the midst of some dark days, a couple of strangers and a couple of friends offered words of encouragement totally unrelated to my circumstances. In other words, none of them knew of my trials, or of how these few words lifted my spirits.

There are many ways to charge folks up, give them a lift, or just propel them down the road to greatness. Some bosses, family members, or friends think criticism gets that job done. In all fairness, I have had someone criticize my work, suggest that I could do much better, and it has resulted (after a short pity party) in a better final product.

However, I can so clearly remember when I had the first chapter or so of one of my books in rough form. I took it to my partner. He read it and told me it was excellent, and that I should absolutely continue. That short bit of encouragement propelled me through the next year of writing, editing, and slogging that resulted in a published work.

Have you encouraged anyone today?