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50 •
PPB
• AUGUST 2016
GROW
MARKET
ING
THE LATE, GREAT VAUDEVILLE
COMEDIAN
Milton Berle once
stated: “If opportunity doesn’t
knock, build a door.”
It’s an apropos quote to
begin an article on self-promo-
tions. The mere name—self-pro-
motions—conjures up a basket-
ful of thoughts and concepts.
Typically it’s based on a “special”
on a product that the vendor
thinks will sell, overflow stock or
just a new item the advertiser
wants to get out in the space. I
have no issues with that. The
reality is everyone’s doing it or,
at a minimum, has access to uti-
lize the offer.
We take these “specials,”
place our logo on them and send
them out via mail or deliver
them by hand with the hope and
expectation that the client or
prospect will buy them by the
tractor-trailer load. At times,
this happens. But this process
begs the question: could we do
more? Could we demonstrate to
our clients the remarkable power
of our medium? What could we
add? How could we package the
concept? What theme could we
develop and what verbiage could
we wrap it with that would res-
onate with our clients and
prospects for an actionable
response?
Years ago I can remember
supplier reps coming to my
office and saying, “Here is the
latest product, it comes in 15
Proven Self-Promotions Drive Sales And Profitability
By Cliff Quicksell, Jr., MAS+
What’s The
Big
Idea?