PPB April 2019

Fu l l y Pr omo t ed Meeting Clients Where They Are The franchise model of distributor Fully Promoted, a division of United Franchise Group, allows the company to better serve its clients, no matter their locality. by Danielle Renda T he team behind Fully Promoted has its finger on the industry’s pulse—and they’re not letting up anytime soon. The distributor, which is based in West Palm Beach, Florida, offers a host of core services, from screen printing and embroidery to personalized gifts, digital and event marketing, awards and trophies and, of course, branded goods. But one of the defining characteristics that sets Fully Promoted apart from other distributors is its international presence: the company operates as a franchise with worldwide locations. The franchise structure is led by United Franchise Group (UFG), which has been involved in business-to-business franchising for some 30 years and its network includes more than 1,600 franchises across 80 countries. Fully Promoted is one of its several affiliated companies and brands. On a smaller, albeit international scale, Fully Promoted has more than 300 franchises, including 18 in Canada and more than 50 in Australia, with plans to touch down in Europe and South America in the future. The global presence of both Fully Promoted and UFG is aimed at serving customers by meeting them where they are. But presence alone is not enough to satisfy customers today, which is why Fully Promoted rebranded in 2017 after operating as EmbroidMe since its inception in 2000. By providing customers with more of what they need, which includes promotional products, printing and marketing services, the company continues to be seen as a one-stop shop. Michael Brugger, president of Fully Promoted, shares more about the Fully Promoted rebrand and UFG’s operations. What were the goals of Fully Promoted and what, if any, have changed over the years? People would look at or walk into an EmbroidMe location and see racks of clothes, and the promotional products weren’t front and center. Our customers had no idea we were starting to sell hard goods. Wearables took up 90 percent of the showroom and that had to change, along with our name. As the marketing needs of our customers changed, our business evolved into what it is today. Now, with the transition to Fully Promoted, we provide more products and services, so our franchisees can help their customers get more business. To date, we have more than 75 76 | APRIL 2019 | CONNECT