63 / 116
PPB
While the debate over
print vs. online catalogs has
continued to crop up
among promotional prod-
ucts companies, Gemline
took the leap to doing
away with catalogs. What
prompted this decision?
Isaacson
We were hearing
from a rapidly increasing
number of customers that
they no longer wanted us to
send them a reference cata-
log. The main reason given to
us was that they preferred to
search for product solutions
online. As a result, we began
to re-evaluate our go-to-mar-
ket strategy in terms of prod-
uct marketing, which helped
to frame some questions:
What would be the reason to
keep producing a reference
catalog in 2016 and beyond?
Are there any other successful
industries outside of promo-
tional products that are still
using a reference catalog? In
the end, we could not come
up with another industry that
still uses reference catalogs,
and the reasons to move
online were compelling.
We looked around us and
saw that virtually every indus-
try has adapted to the digital
world. The benefit of being
more focused online is clear;
our new website provides a
better, faster and much easier
way for our customers and
their end users to do busi-
ness. We still send our cus-
tomers our printed style
guides every other month,
which feature both new and
existing products. This gives
our customers a powerful tool
to proactively drive their own
sales and makes Gemline
more relevant and timely.
PPB
What concerns or
doubts about the transition
did members of the
Gemline team express, and
how were they addressed
during the decision making
process?
Isaacson
Change is almost
always challenging, so when
we presented the new go-to-
market strategy, we expected
a varied response. However,
the team embraced the new
direction the company was
embarking on as they evaluat-
ed their own work environ-
ments and how they interacted
with customers.
Of course, there were a
number of tactical issues that
came up during and after the
transition. This was to be
expected. We have made
quick adjustments and, as a
part of the process, will con-
tinue working to provide cus-
tomers with the best possible
experience.
PPB
How did you communi-
cate the change to your
customers, and what has
been their response?
Isaacson
We communicated
with our customers in a vari-
ety of ways and explained our
new marketing approach. For
the customers that were
already firmly ensconced in
the digital world, this has
been a welcomed change.
They have better tools at their
fingertips and this fits neatly
into their world. For some
customers who like to use
paper on occasion, they can
continue to use the myriad of
marketing tools we deploy,
including our style guides. For
others, this may take some
getting used to or need more
explanation.
PPB
You’ve mentioned the
need to approach other
industry practices in light of
advancing technologies,
globalization and changes in
demographics. When did
Gemline start discussing the
evolution of its business
strategy in the context of
these changes, and what
other advancements or
changes has your team
recently put into practice?
Isaacson
The reality is that
our end-user customers have
been changing for some time
now. It stands to reason that
the industry will continue to
evolve as our world does
around us. We are not going
to be immune. We are simply
trying to stay relevant in the
world of Google, Amazon
and Uber.
JULY 2016 •
PPB
• 61
Five Minutes With
Jonathan Isaacson
FAST
FORWARD
(Continued on next page)
LET’S GET
Digital