PPB October 2021

Suppliers work hard to keep our sites client-safe for this specific purpose. You should feel confident sending your client links without issue, as long as you have their loyalty. As an aside, if you have SAGE, you can send clients’ links to your own site, which is cool, because then even if you aren’t doing a presentation, you’re keeping their attention on your site. SAGE generates these websites for a very low cost compared to what you’re probably worth. Let the tech handle the small orders and free yourself up to work where the money is. As an aside, if you have a custom website already, SAGE lets you pull API feeds so you can add a product search to your existing website. Yes, there is a cost, but it might be worth it. As for making presentations easier, assuming you are using SAGE, a presentation takes 10 minutes, maybe? Take some time to create canned presentations. What do you find yourself quoting over and over? Ideas for presentations might be golf tournament ideas, health fair ideas, low-cost trade- show giveaway ideas, best-selling pens, gifts under $10, etc. Include a bunch of your to-go items from your favorite suppliers into ready-to-go presentations. That way all you have to do is change the client information, and if you really want to sell more, swap out the stock photos in each one with virtual products that are customized for each client. People tend to buy larger quantities when their branding is featured on the items in the presentation. One last thing that’s helpful is to bolster the price at the lower quantities and make the best price break come at the optimal minimum order. You can’t do this without presentation, however, the most successful distributors have this figured out to a “T.” This way, if someone orders a low quantity, it’s still worth your time, and if they want a better deal, they have to order more and it’s even more worth your time. The cost and time associated with you entering the order is the same, so you might as well chase elephants instead of rabbits. Price grids were built to “incentivize” buyers with a lower price at higher quantities. Really though, it’s all a construct and is nothing more than a psychological tool built to give favor to the seller. When you take the time to work the math out correctly, the smaller orders can actually be some of your more profitable ones. CHARITY GIBSON National Accounts Coordinator Peerless Umbrella Co. Newark, New Jersey PPAI 112666, S10 I have been sending clients to supplier sites for over 25 years. It’s very safe and I never have an issue. If you’re concerned that you might lose the client, then they aren’t really your client. They use you because they like you and you work hard for them. It’s not rocket science. Work hard for the client, mold yourself to them, take work off their desk and understand their needs and goals. Quoting a lot is what we all want, isn’t it? BRUCE KORN President Zakback, Inc. Exton, Pennsylvania PPAI 176289, D2 Do You Have An Answer? A Distributor Asks: I own a screen-printing business and I’m new to promotional products. We are fast becoming a go-to for all printed products and starting to receive a lot of calls for promotional items. Being a novice in this industry, what are some of the basic questions that I should ask clients or prospective clients when they call requesting a promotional item, other than quantity? Email your response(s) to Question@ppai.org for the chance to be featured in a future issue of PPB. Danielle Renda is associate editor of PPB. Runrun2 / Shutterstock.com | OCTOBER 2021 | 15 INNOVATE