Archive for the ‘sales tools’ Category
Posted by Eryn Willard on September 29, 2011
This is Part 4 of a four-part series on this topic about how manufacturers can create a win-win situation between themselves and their reps by providing them with helpful tools. We would love to hear your thoughts, feedback or stories in the comments below.
So far in this series about creating tools for your sales reps, we’ve covered brand story training, merchandise guidelines and sales presentations. This last installment of Help Reps Help You brings us to the ever-important issue of keeping your brand top-of-mind with your retailers.
Think about the gap that exists for retailers between ordering your product and receiving it… There’s a whole lotta missed opportunity for your brand to stay on their radar.
HELPFUL ITEM 4: The “Radar” Piece
These pieces are especially helpful for small- and medium-sized brands because they not only build anticipation for your shipment, but they let the customer know you’re alive, excited to serve them and available for questions and/or support.
Radar pieces are simple communications that can take the form of branded email or snail mail (think: postcard), and are an inexpensive way to stay in touch.
Content and visuals should always follow your seasonal or yearly marketing campaign so that messaging is consistent.
Create these items in advance of your selling season and provide the materials to your reps so they have them at the ready. Remember, the goal is to make it easier for your sales team to do their job. With prepared communications in the hopper, they’ll be able to make regular contact with customers by hitting send or stopping at the mailbox.
The bottom line? Closing the sale-to-shipment gap with simple, branded communications is an easy way to remain on retailers’ radar throughout the year.
Tags: #OIBIZ, #SnowBIZ, ideas, marketing, retail
Posted in retail, sales tools
Posted by Eryn Willard on September 22, 2011
This is Part 3 of a four-part series on this topic about how manufacturers can create a win-win situation between themselves and their reps by providing them with helpful tools. We would love to hear your thoughts, feedback or stories in the comments below.
By this third post of four on How To Help Reps Help You, I think we’ve all agreed that small- and medium-sized manufacturers can be challenged in the sales tools area. (If you’re not on board, read Part 1 about Brand Story Training and Part 2 covering Merchandise Presentation Guidelines.)
The overarching idea to ensure successful relationships with your reps and retailers alike, is to make it easy for them to sell your products.
HELPFUL ITEM 3: Electronic Sales Presentations
Rather than throwing a stack of catalogs and brochures at your reps and sending them on their way, provide them with an electronic presentation. If you want to be sure your brand message is clear to your retail partners, this is the way to go. This is especially important when your reps have limited touches with retailers throughout the year – you have to make an impact while you have retailers’ ears and eyes.
The presentation can take on a few forms, depending on your reps’ capabilities:
- Mobile (optimized for iPads/tablets) – Tablets, particularly the iPad, are hugely popular with reps. Optimize your presentation to be accessible on these devices, and reps will always be prepared.
- Web-based – Accessible anywhere there’s an internet connection, this format also allows for embedded video and interactivity.
- PDF – These files can be shared via email and are also easily updated at home base.
Each of these options are totally portable and very manageable (no stacks of printed material sliding around in trunks!). An added bonus is that they can be shared across the web after a sales call as a great follow-up tool.
The bottom line? When reps have an arsenal of tools available to sell your stuff, they can’t help but be successful!
Tags: #OIBIZ, #SnowBIZ, ideas, retail
Posted in retail, sales tools
Posted by Eryn Willard on September 13, 2011
This is Part 2 of a four-part series on this topic about how manufacturers can create a win-win situation between themselves and their reps by providing them with helpful tools. We would love to hear your thoughts, feedback or stories in the comments below.
In Part 1 of this series we talked about the importance of Brand Story Training for your rep force — a way to help reps learn about your brand so they can convey your story and get retailers excited to stock your products.
Once you’ve “prepped your reps” don’t leave them guessing when it comes to merchandising your products at retail.
HELPFUL ITEM 2: Merchandising Presentation Guidelines
Merchandise presentation guidelines are very simple documents (could be as small as one page, depending on the size of your line) that illustrate how to arrange your products for retail display. These guidelines are not full-on planograms, but they do contain diagrams highlighting which of your products should be folded or hung and suggestions for organizing by type, style and/or color. Merchandise presentation guidelines can also show placement of branded signage.
Depending on the territory they’re covering, many reps have limited time to spend visiting their accounts. Merchandising guidelines help them maximize their time by providing a display recipe to convey to retailers. Eliminating the need to reinvent the wheel for each store’s display leaves reps more time to talk about your brand and product line. An added bonus is that reps can leave the guidelines with their retailers so that staff can easily do floor sets and restock displays.
Merchandise presentation plays a huge part in how well your brand is represented at retail. The goal is to provide the consumer with a seamless brand experience, from seeing your ad and website to finding your product in the store. Remember, we’re trying to make reps’ jobs easier to ensure your success, so having clear guidelines for how your products are arranged and your signage is placed will do that. Your brand likely has one chance to convey its desired presentation to retailers — when the rep is making their visit. Seize that opportunity!
The bottom line? Don’t leave room for guesswork. Prepare your reps (and retailers) with this simple tool that makes displaying your merchandise foolproof.
Tags: #OIBIZ, #SnowBIZ, ideas, retail
Posted in retail, sales tools
Posted by Eryn Willard on August 22, 2011
This is Part 1 of a four-part series on this topic about how manufacturers can create a win-win situation between themselves and their reps by providing them with helpful tools. We would love to hear your thoughts, feedback or stories in the comments below.
Small- and medium-sized manufacturers in the outdoor and snow industries are challenged when it comes to providing their reps effective tools. Additionally the sales force probably has limited yearly touches with retailers and clinics aren’t likely conducted with floor staff for smaller brands.
More than just having workbooks and catalogs to leave behind on retailer visits, reps should be able to speak about the brand’s story knowledgeably and (hopefully) passionately to get retailers on-board and excited to stock the products.
HELPFUL ITEM 1: Brand Story Training
Smaller manufacturers are working on limited resources to get the job done. Without annual live sales meetings, brands can turn to alternatives like sharing short videos showing the manufacturing process, home office culture, trade show shenanigans…anything that supports your brand story. You can pull them all together into one video to share during your presentation. Or keep them short, embed them on your site or send Vimeo or YouTube links out at regular intervals so that reps can learn in short bursts.
A picture is worth 1,000 words.
If reps don’t know what makes you YOU, they won’t be able to convince retailers to support you.
The bottom line? Make it easy on your reps. No one ever complained about having too many tools that make their job easier!
Tags: #OIBIZ, #SnowBIZ, branding, ideas
Posted in branding, process, sales tools
Posted by Eryn Willard on July 18, 2011
We all know that space is at a premium in the retail environment. Most shops don’t have extra room to hang bulky POP or store stacks of dealer materials.
Wouldn’t it make your life easier if you could supply your retailers with solutions that saved space for them, and allowed your brand to maintain impact?
Thought so! Enter two very cool products I came across this past weekend that will help you do just that.
Pegboard Skinz
image courtesy panel.com
Panel has released Pegboard Skinz, which can be printed in full-color and applied to existing pegboard panels. They’re ordered as fully or partially “holed” sheets, and can be easily removed and replaced.
When I saw these, my mind ran away with ideas for their use. Imagine being able to cover a portion of a wall with your brand’s campaign theme, while taking up no extra space. Much better than sending free-hanging/-standing signage, hoping the retailer uses it.
Z-Cards
image courtesy zcardna.com
Z-Card North America prints pieces with a map-like fold that have a hard cover on each end. They’re durable enough to be mailed on their own and can withstand more abuse than the average printed matter. You can probably guess that these set me off, too.
What if, instead of creating heavy, sizable dealer workbooks and catalogs, Z-Cards were used? The unique way they unfold presents a perfect solution for dividing information into categories – there are 46 “panels” to use. I can picture a very portable (think trade shows) and manageable (think behind the retail counter) workbook solution coming in this format. Not to mention, this is a memorable way to present your brand that will save you a ton on mailing costs.
For our clients’ brands, I am all about space-saving, cost-cutting ways that are long on impact. Making life easier for your retailers in the process ain’t going to hurt you, either!
Do you think these are solutions your brand would implement? Tell me in the comments below!
Tags: #OIBIZ, #SnowBIZ, branding, ideas, retail
Posted in branding, retail, sales tools
Posted by Eryn Willard on June 29, 2011
Recently, Sue and I were out on what we call Retail Reconnaissance at Bass Pro, and spent some time studying the Columbia display. Nerdy? Yes. Waste of time? Definitely not – it helps us help you!
What we found really impressed me because it was executed so well. It also inspired me to imagine the strategic thinking that went into planning such a seamless consumer experience.
I first saw the main piece of POP atop a rack of clothing, which serves to explain the many fabrics the manufacturer uses. Instead of relying on hang-tags on individual garments, this sign (with well-designed infographics, I might add) accomplishes three things:
- Draws attention to the fixture from a distance.
- Shows the diverse selection to the shopper at a glance.
- Familiarizes the shopper with the unique icons assigned to each fabric (which also appear on hang-tags).
As I walked to the front of another fixture, a sign specific to a single fabric caught my eye. It wasn’t incredibly detailed – because it contained a QR code.
I scanned it with my smart phone, of course (because I’m curious like that), and was delighted to see that they had used the code perfectly. In my experience, brands fall short with QR code use 80% of the time. If a consumer scans your code, take them somewhere useful, unexpected, or rewarding – don’t send them to your home page.
Columbia’s code sent me to a mobile-optimized landing page containing a list of the icons for the fabrics, each linking to their own descriptive pages with video demos.
Some important end-user take aways:
- Columbia gave an exemplary brand experience, even though I was shopping in a box retailer.
- I was inspired to purchase their apparel because it’s obvious that they want to connect with their users.
- The brand took care to educate me on their products, instead of relying on the retailer’s sales staff.
So tell me in the comments below:
How can/does your brand uplevel the in-store experience for customers?
Tags: branding, retail
Posted in apparel, hang-tag, OIBIZ, retail, sales tools
Posted by Eryn Willard on November 17, 2010
I’m pretty excited that we’ll be working on a new design project that will include QR codes. (For detailed QR code information, see Larry Pluimer’s Indigitous site.) This particular project is a piece of sales literature that will need to function at times in the absence of a company representative. So, using these codes is an efficient way for this manufacturer to expose customers to additional product information without overwhelming them with a ton of text to read on the printed piece. Plus, it allows the reader to stay focused on the product visuals!
QR codes can be used in a number of ways to enhance not only business-to-business transactions, but the customer experience as well. For example:
- Send the consumer to a landing page or micro-site showcasing component details, care instructions, or other ways to use your product.
- Provide an offer code for a discount on their next purchase of your product.
- Invite them to join your email list.
Another advantage of using QR codes is waste reduction. You can significantly decrease your printing expenditures and paper (and ink, and energy, and water) use by including a code on your package or hang-tag to allow consumers to:
- download a PDF of your manual in their language of choice.
- allow them to register their product for warranty.
You can even reduce the size of your signage if you include QR codes. Plus, it frees up one of our favorite things – white space! Imagine a sign with only a great, attention-grabbing call to action and imagery that intrigues someone to want to know more about an event you’re hosting. A QR code can be placed on the sign that leads the viewer to an event listing where they can purchase tickets/register, get calendar details and click through to a website. Here, you’ve engaged your audience before the event even starts. They’re invested in the experience with your company.
If done with purpose and process, QR codes can be very engaging. Without planning, though, they could easily fall flat. I’ll be sure to do a follow-up to this post once our new project is complete. But in the meantime, I leave you with my own QR code:
Tags: ideas, marketing, retail
Posted in marketing, OIBIZ, sales tools, tips
Posted by Eryn Willard on October 13, 2009
Trade shows are the perfect venue to create brand fans by conveying your company story authentically and consistently in your materials. You have a captive audience for a few days during the show – and narrow windows before and after – so you have to plan your strategy wisely to attract and engage them. Here are some must-haves and ideas on getting the most out of your investment.
Have a Plan
Are you launching a new product and using that as a theme for your booth and materials? Are you displaying your entire line, or just one season? Is your company new or established in the industry on which the trade show focuses? Answering questions like these will help determine the direction and content of your materials.
Minimize Impact
Reducing waste in materials, shipping and manpower will save time and money while helping the environment. Estimate as closely as you can the amount of printed materials you’ll need for the show, based on the loose formula of 12 visitors per hour, and add 10% to cover extra traffic. It has been said, however, that 90% of materials never make it back to attendees’ offices. Consider sending catalogs or larger pieces to your prospects as an after-show follow-up.
The List
1. Pre-Show Mailer
- Send a mail piece such as a post card or letter on customized letterhead to your mailing list, as well as the show attendee list.
- This is the first piece in the series of materials, so the design must be consistent with your brand strategy and the remainder of the pieces you create moving forward.
- It should have a clear call to action, the show name, dates, location and your booth number.
- It can double as a new product announcement or marketing piece to those not attending the show.
2. Booth Graphics
- Get the most mileage with a design that is representative of your brand story, regardless of season.
- Introduce additional elements for variety from show to show. A well-planned booth will allow you to swap out sections when updates are needed, such as a new graphic, information panel or product photo.
3. Media Kit
- This is where your brand story will really shine, so it should be professionally designed for the best impact. You only get one chance to make a first impression.
- It should include: company history, product features, company culture, social/environmental involvement, leadership and custom photography.
- Be sure to place plenty of kits in the press room at the show, and keep some at your booth for media members that stop in.
4. Company Overview
- This doesn’t have to be an elaborate piece—it just has to be effective. This is especially important if you’re a new exhibitor.
- Will allow buyers a quick look at your brand story, with the added benefit of an in-person experience of your company culture at your booth.
5. Catalog and Product Line Sheet
- Your catalog should have a company introduction section in the first few pages and an uncluttered product layout with enough white space for notes.
- Separate line sheets are the easiest way to make price adjustments, new product additions, and allow you to use your catalog for both buyers and consumers.
- Provide these during buyer meetings or to qualified prospects.
6. Follow-Up Mailer
- Send a mail piece such as a post card or letter on customized letterhead to those you met with at the show thanking them for their interest. This is a great time to include an incentive offer if you didn’t make a sale with them during the show.
- Your catalog can also have impact as a follow-up to qualified leads.
Final Thoughts
Don’t forget to tag any advertisements your company is running before the show with the show name, dates and your booth number – especially those appearing in industry-specific publications. If it’s already a part of your marketing efforts, use social media to generate buzz about your trade show attendance before, during and after the show. And never underestimate the power that brand-specific imagery (rather than stock photos) can have on your materials.
Tags: #OIBIZ, branding, marketing
Posted in branding, catalog, marketing, OIBIZ, sales tools, trade show
Posted by Eryn Willard on June 10, 2009
Even graphic designers themselves fall prey! I know it every time I’m drawn to purchasing something I most likely don’t need. Take, for example, the following…
Orange seltzer is not an item I would normally buy on a grocery trip. But don’t you know, this one, from Boylan Bottling Co. practically jumped off of the shelf at me. I’m a sucker for well-done retro-style anything, so in the cart it went. I thought, ‘Even if I don’t drink it, I would still like to stare at the package.’ (The seltzer’s actually quite tasty, living up to its great packaging and label, and their website kicks ass, too.)
Boylan’s packaging (for all of their products) supports their brand story. Just by looking at their packaging, one can tell the company has a deep history and a sense of fun. Their designer distilled their story into a visual representation of their brand.
On the same trip, I also grabbed some Twist Sponge Cloths. Did I need them? Probably not, but their packaging and presentation was just so nice that I didn’t want to leave without them. (Of course, I use them all the time now since I’m trying to break the paper towel addiction in my house.)
A consumer knows when they look at Twist’s line of products on the shelf that the brand is about making a mundane activity more enjoyable while also conserving resources.
So what’s the point of this grocery shopping recap? The point is:
Thoughtful label/package design (and this includes hang-tags and boxes, too) promotes your already-great product.
Would I have tried the orange seltzer had it not been for the Boylan’s package? No.
Would I have thought that Twist’s European sponge cloth was the solution to my dirty kitchen counters? Nope.
When launching your brand, don’t blow it by rushing through the planning and design process for your support materials. Hire a design firm that will take the time to understand your brand and it’s story before crafting solutions.
Tags: branding, marketing
Posted in branding, hang-tag, marketing, packaging, retail, sales tools, tips
Posted by Eryn Willard on May 19, 2009
Yesterday, MultiChannel Merchant posted their interview with Moosejaw Mountaineering’s creative director Gary Wohlfeill on their success with digital catalogs.
While they still produce a printed catalog, Moosejaw uses the digital version as a cost-effective way to get more potential customers to see their merchandise across channels. Moosejaw has also implemented a mobile version of their website and uses their texting list to further engage customers.
Moosejaw is on it!
Tags: branding, marketing
Posted in article, catalog, interview, marketing, OIBIZ, outdoor, sales tools, short and sweet
