PPB May 2020

right now.” In times like this, he says, smart businesses always cut costs. “So, if you look like a cost, you’ll get cut.” Glenna Fulks, chief connecting officer at Kite Meeting Management, LLC, in Piqua, Ohio, is another distributor who is using her creativity to connect with clients by sending them a specially-designed care package. The idea was born during her visit to The PPAI Expo in January. When she heard the idea for a custom care package, she thought it would be perfect for one of her clients. Little did she know that just three months later she’d be using the idea to market her own business. The box Fulks prepared featured her corporate logo on top and had a message printed on the inside lid that let customers know her company cared about them. Inside, she placed a 20-ounce Yeti tumbler etched with her company logo and a set of branded earbuds or a wireless charger. To ensure safety of the gift, Fulks left all the items wrapped as they had come from the supplier and she wore gloves when packing the boxes. As of early April, Fulks reports that none of her clients had cancelled events; instead, they had postponed them for late summer or fall. “In this regard, we are blessed to continue our business, albeit projects are pushed out a fewmonths, but are still on the schedule,” she says, adding that the core business at Kite Meeting Management is planning, organizing and producing all types, styles and sizes of hospitality events. Over the years, promotional products have become an integral part of those events and the services Fulks offers. Amanda Wigal-Schlosser, owner of distributor Brandables in Phoenix, Arizona, also found a way to stay visible by creating small boxed gifts for her top customers. “We included items to help themwhile they stay at home, including a printed sheet with the top movies to stream right now as well as our employees’ tops picks for books, movies, music, games, etc.,” she says. The Brandables team also tucked inside the gift boxes a pack of antibacterial wipes for phone/screens, an inexpensive toy for clients’ children and a self-promo product or two. “We reached out to everyone for their home address and told themwe are sending them something to brighten their day,” she says. “Everyone wrote back saying they were very thankful, and we had some great personal conversations. Usually, everyone is so busy getting their work done, you can’t connect on a personal level. Most customers also mentioned they would have an order for us shortly.” Wigal-Schlosser says the company is also promoting employee morale kits for companies to send to their homebound employees to show they care. She eliminated the kitting and drop-ship fees as an incentive and to show that she appreciates her customers and is concerned about their well-being. “We are trying to think of new ideas every day just to keep us busy and also keep us top of mind to our customers,” she says. “I’m looking forward to seeing everyone on the other side of this.” Another approach distributors have been taking is simply to reach out with a call or email to check on clients. “As an organization, we are sending out email communications focused on caring and checking in; it’s not product-focused,” says Dawn Ruler, MAS, sales manager at Lewiston, Maine-based Geiger. “My team, specifically, is checking in on their clients and sending self-promos that suggest we care (Peerless Umbrellas tagged with the message: ‘We’ve got you covered’) and basically not selling. This is a time to stay connected, not be an ambulance chaser. We are here for our clients even if just for a place to vent.” GrahamMurray, owner of distributor RKMAwards in Cottam, Ontario, has used his creativity to provide help to those in need. “I’ve reached out to our local municipality (one of our customers) to see if they, and neighboring municipalities, would be interested in a joint sponsorship of a recognition gift for all of our health- care workers at our regional hospital. By co-sponsoring, the costs are more manageable,” he says. “They jumped right on board and were delighted that someone was thinking in this proactive capacity.” As soon as this project moved to production, Murray was planning to reach out to members of the Business Improvement Association (a group of local businesses) for a similar project; this one will be to thank frontline workers within the BIA’s own organization (i.e. grocery store cashiers, etc.). In this way, Murray says he’s not chasing hand sanitizer and face masks but supporting the work of frontline workers and his community. For some distributors, the pandemic was a signal to step back from the business for a time and spend their days a bit differently and perhaps improve their businesses and themselves in the process. Matt Davidson, owner of LOGO Dynamics in Henrico, Virginia, says his response to the pandemic was initially conditioned by a business broker who had valued the business at only about a third of Davidson’s valuation. “He said I could only expect a value equal to last year’s profit. That didn’t make sense to me because it discounted 28 years of building relationships, developing marketing programs for clients and helping with a client’s charity,” says Davidson. “I was demoralized when the virus hit. My response now is much different.” Davidson thought about the 2008-2009 recession and what he did to survive it and put a plan in place to survive this economic fallout. First, he renewed his commitment to networking and customer service by writing thank-you notes, something he had been too busy to do before. Then he focused on building his technology expertise and launched an online store through Square, a cloud-based point-of- sale system. Now, he’s using social media to attract people to the site, which offers motivational fitness apparel for Baby Boomers using the theme, “Progress, Not Perfection.” Included is a t-shirt with the message, “Everything will be OK.” He’s also used this slower period to spend more time with his grandchildren, take walks to a nearby park, participate in online fitness and yoga classes, dig in his garden and attend church online. FEATURE | New Reality 46 | MAY 2020 |