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I
believe that product-based
websites are a mistake for most
distributors. By “product-based
website” I mean any website
that features a collection of
standardized products that any
other distributor can access.
Generally speaking, there are
two types of distributors in the
market today: those who are
more product- and transaction-
focused and those who are more
project- and solutions-focused.
For the distributors in the latter
category, projects and solutions
are at the core of their offering,
not the product itself. As a result,
it’s harder to shop their concepts
and ideas around because their
sites don’t present things in a
way that lend themselves to
easy comparison. In his article,
Bill [Petrie] is making the point
that these distributors can
get away with not playing the
price‑and‑compare game.
In the good old days of the
promotional products industry
(pre-Google, fewer competitors,
less educated end clients and
more territory-centric selling), it
was easier to hang out a shingle
and collect product orders from
end clients.
The challenge with product-
based websites is that they
create a situation where every
distributor looks the same and it
makes it very easy to price shop.
This leads to margin pressure
and creates an unfortunate
situation where end clients are
more focused on products than
on solving marketing problems.
I believe this is also one reason
why some end clients refer to our
industry as “trinkets and trash.”
If the products are put on the
back burner and are replaced
with case studies, stories about
the distributor’s culture and
marketing solutions, then, at a
minimum, you’re presenting
your business in a different light.
You’re now opening up a different
conversation with your customer.
The other significant challenge
of having a product-based
website in 2016 is that you’re
not only competing with legions
of other small distributors, but
you’re now up against well-
capitalized e-commerce giants.
These big e-commerce players
have a large advantage over the
small product-based sites in the
following areas: e-commerce
site design, customer
experience, Google AdWords and
SEO [search engine optimization]
budgets and product pricing.
And we haven’t even talked
about Amazon and its plans to grow
its promotional products business.
As marketing is all about
establishing an edge for yourself,
it’s really hard to compete against
a well-established player vs.
creating your own story and
competing in your own space.
Here’s the good news: it’s
never been easier to tell your
own story with web tools
available these days.
1
Platforms like
Squarespace, Wix and
Wordpress offer affordable
ways for distributors to create
sites that tell their own story.
2
Digital photography has
never been easier andmore
accessible.Think about taking
your own photographs of
products you have produced
for clients. Now it’s your
product/idea/solution vs.
something that can be easily
searched on Google Images.
3
Spend some time
thinking about what makes you
unique, and create copy that
reflects this. Google loves fresh
copy that’s updated frequently.
This will help you in SEO and
when your prospect finds you
on the web, you’ll come across
as unique vs. looking like
everyone else.That matters a
lot to end clients.
It’s dead simple to look like
everyone else, but it requires some
creativity and grit to create a unique
presence with a different story to
your market.The best distributors
have creativity and grit in spades.
These are the distributors who
are creating amoat around their
businesses with unique websites
that showcase their magic—not
everyone else’s products.
Mark Graham is the co-founder
and chief platform officer of
commonsku. He is also the
founder of Toronto-based
distributor RIGHTSLEEVE.
It’s dead simple
to look like
everyone else, but
it requires some
creativity and grit
to create a unique
presence with a
different story to
your market
Mark
Graham
It’s never been easier
to tell your own
story with web tools
available these days
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SEPTEMBER 2016
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