sales

We all know how to sell promotional products to small- and medium-sized businesses. It’s the industry’s forte and how the majority of companies have built their revenues — whether it be the first printer who sold book bags or the current distributor selling pens to a local bank. But one of the best ways to grow your business is to diversify your income. That means broadening your horizons to sales opportunities you wouldn’t have thought of before. Follow these tips on selling promotional products to three specialty markets.

“Hi! Um, my name is Sam and I’m just calling to see if you’re interested in [click]” Ugh! Cold calling is the worst, right? It’s an unfortunate part of business, though, one that everyone must do at some point in their careers — especially if they are trying to sell promotional products to new customers. How else do you reach people beyond the ones you already know?

The stage is set. You’ve greeted them with a handshake and exchanged pleasantries. Now it’s “show time”. You must win over your potential customers. As you begin, the last thing you want to do is flub your lines. And winging performances works for virtually no one.

“March Madness” might be a timely basketball term right now, but rolling from the first quarter of the year into spring and summer can be its own source of madness for many businesses. Often problems arise when customers think that they're not getting responses. No matter what kind of businesses you serve, being proactive is the best way to keep them satisfied and loyal in the long-term.

When it comes to working with small and medium size businesses (SMBs), promotional products distributors can of course start by showing owners cool new products. Although this might seem like the most direct approach, there is a better way to work with customers, which will make your efforts more meaningful over the-long term.

Go Beyond Selling to Build Relationships

Some say that the smartest and most profitable businesses are so prosperous — and so much more successful than everyone else — because of one thing. They know their customers, and their future customers, better than everyone else.

Even in venture capital, which is a sector that some might assume is just about writing large checks or chasing the next big tech trend, customer knowledge is a big deal.

Last summer, LinkedIn’s Pulse ran an article stating something that almost everyone in business probably knows: salespeople are very competitive compared to other humans. Business data scientist Ji-A Min wrote that “Popular opinion argues — and research shows — that competitiveness is correlated with selling success.”

Watching the snow fall nationwide with predictions of more to come can put some people in hibernation mode. Although winter in many parts of the U.S. has been fairly mild so far, with the transition to the New Year, some people sit and wait for snow to melt, pausing until things start happening again.

Thoughts of being snowed in, kids getting days off from school and working from home might sound cozy and heartwarming. But what does it mean for the business owner? It all depends on you.