Pondering Life’s Milestones

Even if you disagree and think the designation means nothing to your clients, you can’t argue with the fact that every education class you take benefits you personally. When you take education classes, you learn. You benefit from tracks of learning that give you more tools to succeed. Knowledge is power.

At the recent Expo East trade show, I profited from sessions that I greatly enjoyed. Kathleen Booth, CEO of Quintain Marketing presented an excellent session on content marketing. Those who know me know I’m passionate about this topic. God knows distributors and suppliers desperately need to understand that we must move past the product and price position that dominates our industry. Kathleen shares the key takeaway point of her session in this video. She gets it!

With today’s changing business models, those who just sell stuff will be more challenged. Why do clients need us when there are so many online options available for buyers? Many are threatened by today’s changing marketplace and for good reason. There are good, online sources for the products we sell.

Buyers who simply need a product with their logo on it don’t need a traditional distributor. What would be helpful for many buyers is having access to an educated promotional consultant. A smart distributor will save them money and time by finding the right products to convey their brand message.

Do you think buyers understand the different fabrics and decorating techniques that are available to them as they shop for apparel? Do you think they understand why a hot stamp imprint might be more preferable then a screen print on a product? Do they know when a laser imprint is more appropriate on an item? Why is it important that clients understand the value of delivering quality, safe products? Do they realize their brand is at risk in today’s product safety driven marketplace?