How to Increase Sales with IRC Labels
What Are The Benefits To Using IRC Labels? Last week, I gave you some basic information about Instant Redeemable Coupon (IRC) labels. There’s a reason you see more and more of them today while shopping, or even browsing your favorite newspaper or magazine. Actually,...Drop Print for Digital Communications? Consumers Say “No Thanks!”
79% of Consumers Prefer Print You’ve probably experienced it yourself. You receive an invoice from a vendor encouraging you to drop print, “Go Paperless” and consent to receiving all further communication digitally. Many businesses imply an environmental benefit to...5 Ways To Win With Your Next Introductory Sales Call
How To “Have Them At Hello” – Or Shortly After During Your Next Introductory Sales Call New business. New customers. New accounts. If you run a business, you know that success depends upon a steady stream of prospects for you or your salespeople to meet, convince and...Direct Mail With Video? Here’s a Marketing Approach You Have to Watch
Direct Mail with Video? Here’s A Marketing Idea That Really Needs Watching If you’re a regular reader, you know I like direct mail because current research shows that it’s a great way to separate yourself from competitors who think “all digital” is the only way to go...How To Make Promotional Products Work for Your Target Market – Infographic
People are always asking me if promotional products actually work to increase awareness, leads and sales. After being in the industry all of my life, I can tell you emphatically that yes, indeed, promotional products can effectively market your brand by reaching your target market, increasing leads and sales…but you have to have a plan.
If you have multiple locations or many departments ordering promotional products, if you exhibit at a lot of trade shows or if you feel like you would like a better plan for your promotional product management, you are not alone.
Supply Chain Management. It’s Time to Build, Not Bid
Your Print Supply Chain and Promotional Product Management is Too Important For The “Deal of the Day” In a recent post, I talked about the importance of taking a consultative approach, rather than dealing with print projects or promotional product order as a “one-off”...Smart Manufacturing and YOUR Bottom Line
In my post introducing this series on Smart Manufacturing last week, I talked about the benefits of smart manufacturing. Machines equipped to “talk” with one another can make adjustments instantly, using real-time data to maximize production. Human interaction is minimized, which reduces the possibility of erroneous reading or slow response times.
I also mentioned that, for all its advantages, smart manufacturing isn’t embraced by everyone. In fact, in its 2014 Manufacturing Outlook Survey, the American Society for Quality (ASQ) found that 87 percent of U.S. companies are not yet using it at all. In fact, 37 percent of the businesses surveyed stated they had no interest in smart manufacturing.
Is Technology Hurting Employee Work-Life Balance? #MindfulTech (Part 1 of 2)
Does Your Smartphone Push YOUR Buttons? How many hours a day are you at work? Baloney! I didn’t mean how many hours per day you spend at the office (though that’s a pretty substantial number too these days). No, what I’m asking is, how many hours a day do you find...Internet of Things (IoT) Brings Dynamic Improvements In Manufacturing Productivity
#1 in a Series: “ IoT…A Supply Chain Game-Changer” Much has been said and written about IoT – “the Internet of Things.” For many, that term triggers a whimsical image of a kitchen appliance “talking” to some computer somewhere. But for those of us involved in...Three Great Promotional Products for Music Industry Marketing
Music-Themed USB Drives Strike Just the Right Note for Marketing I know I’ve been talking about promotional products quite a bit recently, but after the latest survey from the Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI), I felt I had to share the information. The survey...3 Steps to a Simplified Print and Promotional Product Supply Chain
Chances are you’re familiar with what a reliable supply chain means to a manufacturing company. It is a dependable mechanism that ensures the timely appearance of raw materials, component parts, sub-assemblies or process supplies necessary to maximize productivity. Those materials are specified, sourced, ordered and delivered seamlessly. It makes obvious sense.
Do Your Customers Run Your Business? ISO Thinks They Should
Part #5 in a Series: What Our ISO Certification Means to You As regular readers know, I’ve been talking periodically about the things we do here at Superior Business Solutions in order to maintain ISO standards, and how those things have a very direct and positive...What Are The Most Influential Promotional Products By State?
Last week, I shared some results from a survey conducted by the Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI). First, I was proud to report the results showed that promotional products work so well and are the favorite form of advertising by almost all respondents to the survey. Then, I went into a little more detail about which promotional products had the most influence in creating a positive impression of the advertiser providing them.
I also promised to share a little more information this week about which promotional products are the preferred ones among people who live where you live and do business. Well, here’s graphic that tells the story pretty well. Here in Michigan where our corporate office is located, drinkware seems to be the most powerful at influencing opinions about the advertiser. In other states, other items top the list.
Do Promotional Products Work?
Chances are, you won’t have to look very hard at work or at home to find promotional products that various businesses have given you. At work, maybe it’s a pen, or a USB drive, or a portable power unit for your phone or other electronic gear that you use frequently. If you’re reading this at home in the evening or on the weekend, there’s also a pretty good chance you’re wearing a promotional item like a T-shirt from an event or promotion, or a hat you received from some product or store happy to have your business.
Okay, now try to remember an ad or television commercial, billboard or ad on a website you noticed back on the same day you received that promotional item? Good luck with that one.
Success Is A Process. Just Ask ISO
Over the next couple of months, I’m going to be talking periodically about how the things we do here at Superior Business Solutions in order to maintain ISO standards have a direct impact on you and your business. Each post will feature one of the key content areas listed in the requirements for certification.
Today, I’d like to focus on what ISO standards call a “process approach” to conducting your business.
How To Increase Sales Like The Pros
It seems sometimes many think there is a silver bullet to getting new sales. I get asked all the time about how to increase sales. And while here at Superior we focus on the process to save our clients time and money, our print supply chain technology and promotional product management systems will also increase sales.
But today, I’d like to talk about personal selling success. And I believe it’s as true these days as it was in those “good old” days: successful selling is less about the act of selling and more about building relationships, offering solutions to make your clients lives less complicated and doing the hard work people don’t see.
Often, as we see those around us having success in increasing sales, we fall for the “iceberg” illusion in the attached image. We see those people who get lots of sales as “natural born salespeople” who successfully increase sales through some secret sauce that is beyond our reach. Not True!