WEBVTT 00:00:02.330 --> 00:00:05.150 Welcome to the promo playbook, the podcast where 00:00:05.150 --> 00:00:07.650 suppliers come to win in the promotional products 00:00:07.650 --> 00:00:10.869 industry. We're your hosts, Lisa Faustek and 00:00:10.869 --> 00:00:13.910 Adrienne Barker, bringing you insider insights, 00:00:14.490 --> 00:00:17.170 expert strategies, and no fluff advice to help 00:00:17.170 --> 00:00:20.469 suppliers navigate the promo channel like pros. 00:00:21.250 --> 00:00:24.170 From marketing to distributors to mastering software 00:00:24.170 --> 00:00:27.390 onboarding, we cover it all. Whether you're new 00:00:27.390 --> 00:00:30.149 to the industry or ready to scale up, this is 00:00:30.149 --> 00:00:33.340 your playbook for success. Let's get started. 00:00:36.039 --> 00:00:39.020 Hey everybody, welcome back to the promo playbook. 00:00:39.340 --> 00:00:42.200 Today, we're going to do a short fight around 00:00:42.200 --> 00:00:45.719 self -promos. I'm here with Adrienne and Kim, 00:00:46.380 --> 00:00:48.679 and I'm going to start by asking Adrienne to 00:00:48.679 --> 00:00:51.299 share her definition of a self -promo. What is 00:00:51.299 --> 00:00:55.039 a self -promo? A self -promo for a distributor 00:00:55.039 --> 00:00:58.179 would be a product that a distributor could put 00:00:58.179 --> 00:01:01.700 their logo on and market. but it's your product 00:01:01.700 --> 00:01:03.640 that they're going to be marketing with their 00:01:03.640 --> 00:01:06.060 logo. So I had to repeat that twice because it 00:01:06.060 --> 00:01:08.519 is so wonderful. And I just want to say that 00:01:08.519 --> 00:01:12.799 self promo is so important. So suppliers don't 00:01:12.799 --> 00:01:15.719 say no to a self promo. Even if it's expensive, 00:01:16.260 --> 00:01:18.400 the distributor could pay for it. It's the number 00:01:18.400 --> 00:01:21.400 one way that they are helping you to market your 00:01:21.400 --> 00:01:24.819 business. That's my answer. Awesome. Great point, 00:01:25.099 --> 00:01:28.180 Adrienne. And I like don't say no to self promo. 00:01:28.319 --> 00:01:32.450 That's a great Great tagline. Kim, tell us your 00:01:32.450 --> 00:01:35.310 story of how you learned about self -promos. 00:01:35.709 --> 00:01:38.090 Seriously, I wish I listened to this podcast 00:01:38.090 --> 00:01:41.510 as I started to get into it, because I do remember 00:01:41.510 --> 00:01:44.030 when we first started on promo, a distributor 00:01:44.030 --> 00:01:47.129 coming in saying, do you do self -promo? And 00:01:47.129 --> 00:01:49.370 I thought, of course I do self -promo. I promote 00:01:49.370 --> 00:01:51.489 ourselves all the time. That's why I'm hoping 00:01:51.489 --> 00:01:54.769 you would buy it. I'm having no idea what it 00:01:54.769 --> 00:01:59.799 was. And so I had to be taught. Thank goodness, 00:01:59.939 --> 00:02:02.540 the distributor was a guide to tell me that, 00:02:02.540 --> 00:02:04.980 no, no, no, a self promo is I want to put my 00:02:04.980 --> 00:02:08.199 company logo on your product and be able to use 00:02:08.199 --> 00:02:10.879 it and hand it and be able to give it out to 00:02:10.879 --> 00:02:14.419 our top customers. And yes, by the way, usually 00:02:14.419 --> 00:02:17.599 we get them for free or we get them at a discounted 00:02:17.599 --> 00:02:21.280 price. And I was like, ah, now if a distributor 00:02:21.280 --> 00:02:23.340 calls me, I actually know what a self promo is. 00:02:24.370 --> 00:02:27.250 Fabulous, fabulous. So I love those two definitions. 00:02:28.189 --> 00:02:30.990 I think for me, the most exciting part of a self 00:02:30.990 --> 00:02:34.409 promo is that I know as a supplier that you're 00:02:34.409 --> 00:02:37.969 promoting yourself for success and me for success. 00:02:38.050 --> 00:02:41.490 And that's what Adrian mentioned. So now that 00:02:41.490 --> 00:02:44.300 we know what a self promo is. Let's talk about 00:02:44.300 --> 00:02:47.520 the cost of a self -promo. So suppliers offer 00:02:47.520 --> 00:02:51.139 products from very inexpensive, like five, 10 00:02:51.139 --> 00:02:54.419 cents, 50 cents, a dollar, all the way up to 00:02:54.419 --> 00:02:59.539 hundreds of dollars. So how do suppliers cost 00:02:59.539 --> 00:03:03.699 out self -promos? From my experience with Hydropique, 00:03:03.840 --> 00:03:08.979 we do EQP with a shipper number. And we try to 00:03:08.979 --> 00:03:13.169 stay in the 12 to 24 quantity range. Unless you're 00:03:13.169 --> 00:03:16.150 doing a show, an end user show, or you have special 00:03:16.150 --> 00:03:18.810 circumstances, you're doing a subscription box, 00:03:19.050 --> 00:03:22.090 which by the way is the holy grail of self -promos. 00:03:22.090 --> 00:03:24.810 We love it when distributors put our product 00:03:24.810 --> 00:03:28.110 in a subscription box or a sample kit that's 00:03:28.110 --> 00:03:32.370 going out. So talk to your supplier about how 00:03:32.370 --> 00:03:34.990 you're going to use the self -promo and the cost 00:03:34.990 --> 00:03:37.830 of a self -promo. Adrienne, you work with some 00:03:37.830 --> 00:03:40.830 boutique suppliers. What do your folks do on 00:03:40.830 --> 00:03:45.669 the self -promo front? So they do work with offering 00:03:45.669 --> 00:03:48.530 a self -promo and then, of course, there's developing 00:03:48.530 --> 00:03:52.409 the right product for your self -promo and quantity 00:03:52.409 --> 00:03:55.009 and all of that is discussed. I actually want 00:03:55.009 --> 00:03:58.530 to throw out Lisa this question. What's the cost 00:03:58.530 --> 00:04:03.189 to a supplier not doing a self -promo? What does 00:04:03.189 --> 00:04:06.370 that look like if you don't do it? Because to 00:04:06.370 --> 00:04:09.590 me, that is more expensive to not do a self -promo 00:04:09.590 --> 00:04:13.210 than to actually do a self -promo. How that cell 00:04:13.210 --> 00:04:16.389 promo comes about in a beautiful setting would 00:04:16.389 --> 00:04:19.769 be the distributor and the supplier meeting and 00:04:19.769 --> 00:04:23.170 maybe something like this. Boy i really have 00:04:23.170 --> 00:04:26.350 to tell you i have been using this mug daily 00:04:26.350 --> 00:04:28.370 and i absolutely love actually you know what. 00:04:28.689 --> 00:04:30.490 Lisa i want to sell this but i think i'm going 00:04:30.490 --> 00:04:33.290 to put my logo on and you're gonna say to me 00:04:33.290 --> 00:04:36.550 absolutely here's what we could do it and now 00:04:36.550 --> 00:04:38.829 for the savvy distributors i'm gonna say okay 00:04:38.829 --> 00:04:42.000 not only do i want. my logo on it. Maybe I'll 00:04:42.000 --> 00:04:44.500 do something on the backside that would, you 00:04:44.500 --> 00:04:46.779 know, talk about my city or my town. So it has 00:04:46.779 --> 00:04:49.439 a little bit of a retail kind of feel for it. 00:04:49.579 --> 00:04:52.019 But also, can you help me? I want to sell it. 00:04:52.019 --> 00:04:54.160 Can you help me market it? Do you have flyers 00:04:54.160 --> 00:04:55.920 that you could do? Can you create a flyer for 00:04:55.920 --> 00:04:59.319 me? Wait, can you create a page for me? I mean, 00:04:59.360 --> 00:05:01.720 you know, it doesn't hurt to ask these questions, 00:05:01.720 --> 00:05:04.379 because if anyone already has the artwork and 00:05:04.379 --> 00:05:06.639 the ability, it would be the supplier. So my 00:05:06.639 --> 00:05:09.480 mind for a self promo, which should be thought 00:05:09.480 --> 00:05:12.490 of, and really calculated, right? Your holiday 00:05:12.490 --> 00:05:16.050 gifts in essence are your self promo. If you're 00:05:16.050 --> 00:05:19.110 going to a trade show and you are having end 00:05:19.110 --> 00:05:21.550 users in your distributor, that what you're handing 00:05:21.550 --> 00:05:25.019 out is your self promo that you did. I think 00:05:25.019 --> 00:05:26.899 there's got to be a lot of thought to it to just, 00:05:27.040 --> 00:05:28.899 you know, just to say, yes, I want to do it. 00:05:29.060 --> 00:05:32.019 Really consider who you're going to sell it to 00:05:32.019 --> 00:05:35.040 be very, very clear. And that will make it an 00:05:35.040 --> 00:05:37.720 easier process for the supplier and distributor 00:05:37.720 --> 00:05:40.480 partnership. You get what you want. And the goal, 00:05:40.660 --> 00:05:44.000 again, is to sell, sell, sell and sell the supplier 00:05:44.000 --> 00:05:48.019 and the products you love. Awesome. Great, great 00:05:48.019 --> 00:05:51.300 points. I love that ending. Sell products you 00:05:51.300 --> 00:05:54.519 love. Kim, do you have anything to add to Adrian's 00:05:54.519 --> 00:05:58.500 comments? Yes. For the supplier, it does seem 00:05:58.500 --> 00:06:02.459 like a no -brainer. I always say, for Quirksical, 00:06:02.639 --> 00:06:04.779 I'm like, to hold it, to touch it, to feel it 00:06:04.779 --> 00:06:08.160 is to love it. That's where you really get the 00:06:08.160 --> 00:06:12.019 engagement. If you are a distributor and you 00:06:12.019 --> 00:06:15.379 have a favorite supplier or you love something 00:06:15.379 --> 00:06:17.220 that you're using every day from your supplier, 00:06:18.000 --> 00:06:21.230 share that love. It only brings more sales to 00:06:21.230 --> 00:06:24.610 you. It really engages the brand. Let the brand 00:06:24.610 --> 00:06:27.029 know that you're doing it too. Even if you're 00:06:27.029 --> 00:06:30.069 not buying it from the brand specifically, it 00:06:30.069 --> 00:06:32.689 could have been through a larger supplier and 00:06:32.689 --> 00:06:35.209 they're running your self promo. But share like, 00:06:35.490 --> 00:06:39.370 hey, I just want to let you know, I gave out 00:06:39.370 --> 00:06:43.050 your canteens with my logo on the show and it 00:06:43.050 --> 00:06:46.449 was a huge success. Thank you so much for your 00:06:46.449 --> 00:06:49.850 partnership in this industry. Good stuff, good 00:06:49.850 --> 00:06:53.689 stuff. I love all that. To just add to these 00:06:53.689 --> 00:06:57.790 guys comments, door opener, right? It's just 00:06:57.790 --> 00:07:03.550 your quintessential perfect door opener. So what 00:07:03.550 --> 00:07:06.810 is it like for a small supplier to be able to 00:07:06.810 --> 00:07:09.509 deliver these self promos? You know, I think 00:07:09.509 --> 00:07:12.209 about the fact that maybe they don't have the 00:07:12.209 --> 00:07:15.550 capacity or they don't have the inventory or 00:07:15.550 --> 00:07:18.079 they just... You know, it doesn't fit within 00:07:18.079 --> 00:07:21.879 their production management schedule. So this 00:07:21.879 --> 00:07:24.199 is where it comes in, where you as a distributor 00:07:24.199 --> 00:07:27.899 can help be a guide to your supplier and really 00:07:27.899 --> 00:07:30.620 help them see the value that Kim and Adrian just 00:07:30.620 --> 00:07:34.839 mentioned in doing self -promos and helping your 00:07:34.839 --> 00:07:40.000 product gain traction out in the world. As you're 00:07:40.000 --> 00:07:42.939 doing that, distributors with suppliers, you 00:07:42.939 --> 00:07:45.319 know, a lot of times it's free with a shipper 00:07:45.319 --> 00:07:49.029 number. or there's a reduced cost with a shipper 00:07:49.029 --> 00:07:51.829 number. So don't be surprised if the supplier 00:07:51.829 --> 00:07:54.610 does ask you for your shipper number for a self 00:07:54.610 --> 00:07:58.850 promo. It just makes it easier for them to absorb 00:07:58.850 --> 00:08:02.029 the expense that they're absorbing to do a low 00:08:02.029 --> 00:08:05.709 quantity order to help you promote their brand. 00:08:05.750 --> 00:08:09.629 So it's a partnership. It's a win -win. Try not 00:08:09.629 --> 00:08:12.199 to take advantage of it. You know, don't order 00:08:12.199 --> 00:08:14.740 too many. Don't order what you're not going to 00:08:14.740 --> 00:08:17.560 use. You know, be reasonable with your request 00:08:17.560 --> 00:08:21.779 and hopefully have a plan. The worst fate of 00:08:21.779 --> 00:08:24.819 a self promo is to sit in your garage or your 00:08:24.819 --> 00:08:28.759 basement or your office for months and months 00:08:28.759 --> 00:08:31.740 and months and never get sent out to the customer. 00:08:32.019 --> 00:08:35.740 So we do ask you to be smart with your self promos, 00:08:35.879 --> 00:08:38.899 get the return on investment that you want and 00:08:38.899 --> 00:08:41.679 the supplier wants. by getting those products 00:08:41.679 --> 00:08:47.600 out in the wild to be touched and loved. Let's 00:08:47.600 --> 00:08:50.139 see. Let's talk about logos. So what do you want 00:08:50.139 --> 00:08:53.039 to put on these products? Adrienne mentioned 00:08:53.039 --> 00:08:57.080 elevating it by adding a saying or a tagline 00:08:57.080 --> 00:09:01.340 or a cool image. Make it creative. Make it special 00:09:01.340 --> 00:09:04.960 if you can. The basic way is to put your logo 00:09:04.960 --> 00:09:07.740 on it, whether that's one color, laser engraved, 00:09:07.759 --> 00:09:10.820 or a full color logo. see what your supplier 00:09:10.820 --> 00:09:14.000 has available, and then get creative with what 00:09:14.000 --> 00:09:18.100 they have available. I have a great story to 00:09:18.100 --> 00:09:20.580 share about a success story for a self -promo, 00:09:20.600 --> 00:09:24.659 and maybe you guys have one too. We recently 00:09:24.659 --> 00:09:28.639 did a self -promo for an end user show, where 00:09:28.639 --> 00:09:33.100 one of my supplier partners gave out one of their 00:09:33.100 --> 00:09:36.220 most popular top sellers, and that resulted in 00:09:36.220 --> 00:09:40.830 a $36 ,000 order. from that end user that was 00:09:40.830 --> 00:09:44.330 at the show. So when it is for something like 00:09:44.330 --> 00:09:48.129 an end user show or you know for sure that the 00:09:48.129 --> 00:09:51.269 distributor is going to put that to good use 00:09:51.269 --> 00:09:54.509 suppliers, that's when you want to say yes. When 00:09:54.509 --> 00:09:56.629 you know that it's going out there and it's going 00:09:56.629 --> 00:09:58.870 to represent your brand in a way that makes you 00:09:58.870 --> 00:10:03.129 proud. So that's really what I had on my list 00:10:03.129 --> 00:10:05.610 about self -promos. Maybe I was on my soapbox 00:10:05.610 --> 00:10:09.480 a little too much, you guys. What do you guys 00:10:09.480 --> 00:10:12.080 think? What did you see with Quarks at Gold, 00:10:12.120 --> 00:10:19.100 Kim? I agree with everything. I do think that 00:10:19.100 --> 00:10:23.600 self -promote, people often are, a supplier, 00:10:23.840 --> 00:10:26.279 especially a boutique, someone new might not 00:10:26.279 --> 00:10:28.240 really understand what that is and just think, 00:10:28.399 --> 00:10:30.320 are you just trying to get free advertising for 00:10:30.320 --> 00:10:33.000 yourself? How does that help me? Why am I going 00:10:33.000 --> 00:10:36.100 to do that? It's really not. First of all, they 00:10:36.100 --> 00:10:39.360 are your sales person. So if you had them in 00:10:39.360 --> 00:10:42.100 house, you would probably want them to wear a 00:10:42.100 --> 00:10:43.960 shirt with your logo on it. You'd want them to 00:10:43.960 --> 00:10:45.720 probably walk out with that mug with your logo 00:10:45.720 --> 00:10:48.879 on it. They are an extension of your team. So 00:10:48.879 --> 00:10:52.039 you really should look at them that way as an 00:10:52.039 --> 00:10:54.779 extension of your sales team. And so while it's 00:10:54.779 --> 00:11:00.159 self promo, it's also your internal promo, right? 00:11:00.879 --> 00:11:03.840 But then I also wouldn't be afraid, especially 00:11:04.159 --> 00:11:07.240 depending on cost or the type of product you 00:11:07.240 --> 00:11:10.059 have to put some guardrails on that too. It doesn't 00:11:10.059 --> 00:11:13.299 mean because you're offering a self -promo, sky's 00:11:13.299 --> 00:11:15.620 the limit. They can have any product in any color 00:11:15.620 --> 00:11:19.200 and do anything they want on it. It is okay to 00:11:19.200 --> 00:11:22.179 say, I would love for you to have a self -promo. 00:11:22.559 --> 00:11:25.299 Here are the four options that we have and here's 00:11:25.299 --> 00:11:28.620 what we can deliver and here's the price. So 00:11:28.620 --> 00:11:31.440 as much as we encourage and we want you to do 00:11:31.440 --> 00:11:35.759 it, Don't be afraid also to set guide rails because 00:11:35.759 --> 00:11:38.759 you don't have to offer everything to everyone 00:11:38.759 --> 00:11:42.379 at every point in time. So that's important to 00:11:42.379 --> 00:11:45.139 remember too. Yeah. Yeah. It has to be good for 00:11:45.139 --> 00:11:48.639 the supplier and good for the distributor. And 00:11:48.639 --> 00:11:51.679 just want to mention that it is like a regular 00:11:51.679 --> 00:11:54.639 order. So you need to send a purchase order to 00:11:54.639 --> 00:11:58.620 your supplier. to get a self promo printed and 00:11:58.620 --> 00:12:00.879 delivered in the manner that you want it to be. 00:12:00.879 --> 00:12:03.840 You need to approve a proof, you know, all that 00:12:03.840 --> 00:12:07.500 good stuff. So we wanted to keep this one short, 00:12:07.519 --> 00:12:10.700 so I'm going to let Adrienne give her last comments 00:12:10.700 --> 00:12:14.759 and then we'll fly on out. Adrienne? So I'm going 00:12:14.759 --> 00:12:17.659 to put on my creative hat right now and I want 00:12:17.659 --> 00:12:22.200 to share a story. Okay, so here's a story. So 00:12:22.200 --> 00:12:28.029 I actually always felt that One of the most fun 00:12:28.029 --> 00:12:31.149 positions to be in is in the business of a distributor 00:12:31.149 --> 00:12:33.750 is creating your self promos. To me, that's, 00:12:34.090 --> 00:12:36.190 I mean, if you said, where do you, what department 00:12:36.190 --> 00:12:37.710 do you want to be? I like, I want to be in the 00:12:37.710 --> 00:12:39.750 self promo department creating it. So I will 00:12:39.750 --> 00:12:42.450 share my favorite favorite. So I was doing union 00:12:42.450 --> 00:12:45.879 trade shows and union trade shows. What are the 00:12:45.879 --> 00:12:47.940 guys and the woman like to do? They like to drink, 00:12:47.960 --> 00:12:50.700 they go to the bar. So I created a series of 00:12:50.700 --> 00:12:55.059 coasters and the coasters actually had very little, 00:12:55.539 --> 00:12:57.820 like where are, it was like along the bottom, 00:12:57.940 --> 00:12:59.879 right? Where you have like around the four corners 00:12:59.879 --> 00:13:02.240 distributed by, and then the name of the company 00:13:02.240 --> 00:13:04.259 had, you know, the website and all of that. But 00:13:04.259 --> 00:13:07.639 the coaster itself had all the words that a union 00:13:07.639 --> 00:13:11.759 would use. And it was really fun. So I had that 00:13:11.759 --> 00:13:14.600 I had a couple ones that were just like USA proud 00:13:14.600 --> 00:13:17.440 to be that they were great. And then where did 00:13:17.440 --> 00:13:19.720 I put them? Oh, let me tell you about the self 00:13:19.720 --> 00:13:22.299 promo work. They were there at a conference. 00:13:22.340 --> 00:13:25.279 They were learning. So at every place I went 00:13:25.279 --> 00:13:28.480 and I took and they had a coaster on each section. 00:13:28.759 --> 00:13:30.320 I'll tell you some of the rooms, that's all they 00:13:30.320 --> 00:13:32.120 had. And it made a difference. And he put one 00:13:32.120 --> 00:13:35.860 coaster in a spot. And then of course. Kim and 00:13:35.860 --> 00:13:39.379 Lisa, I brought it to the bar. I was going to 00:13:39.379 --> 00:13:43.299 say I'm sure you brought it to happy hour bartender. 00:13:43.399 --> 00:13:46.120 Do you mind if you use this stack of coasters? 00:13:46.139 --> 00:13:48.580 And, you know, of course, they're like 100%. 00:13:48.580 --> 00:13:51.299 Yes, of course. I don't even know why. Like when 00:13:51.299 --> 00:13:54.139 I go to that, like, where's your coaster distributors 00:13:54.139 --> 00:13:56.220 get on it. But it doesn't matter what it is. 00:13:56.240 --> 00:13:59.440 So I want to say one more thing. So it's really 00:13:59.440 --> 00:14:02.559 fun creating that self promo. Have fun with it. 00:14:02.799 --> 00:14:06.100 And The follow -up should be on both sides. Both 00:14:06.100 --> 00:14:08.259 are responsible. If you're a supplier, you should 00:14:08.259 --> 00:14:10.799 absolutely be following up. Lisa, did you really, 00:14:10.879 --> 00:14:14.240 how did it go over? What was it like? And as 00:14:14.240 --> 00:14:16.840 a distributor, I always call the supplier, thank 00:14:16.840 --> 00:14:19.379 you so much. This is what happened. I got a lot 00:14:19.379 --> 00:14:21.960 of results ready to place the next order. What's 00:14:21.960 --> 00:14:23.960 my special pricing going to be? I mean, like 00:14:23.960 --> 00:14:25.860 you have to develop the relationship. It's gotta 00:14:25.860 --> 00:14:28.639 be both sides. So please consider that. And I 00:14:28.639 --> 00:14:32.039 am stepping off of my whatever they call it. 00:14:32.620 --> 00:14:35.700 Great, great story, great story. So don't take 00:14:35.700 --> 00:14:39.179 it for granted, right? Don't take your suppliers 00:14:39.179 --> 00:14:42.580 self -promos for granted. And we'd love to hear 00:14:42.580 --> 00:14:46.059 your stories, your self -promo stories. Please 00:14:46.059 --> 00:14:48.980 follow us, like us, put comments on our LinkedIn 00:14:48.980 --> 00:14:52.799 page. We would love to hear from you and get 00:14:52.799 --> 00:14:55.679 you folks on a podcast talking about your real 00:14:55.679 --> 00:14:58.799 life stories of using self -promos in the wild. 00:14:59.200 --> 00:15:02.559 So until next time, stay successful. and we'll 00:15:02.559 --> 00:15:07.440 see you soon. Thanks for tuning into the promo 00:15:07.440 --> 00:15:10.700 playbook. If you found value in today's episode, 00:15:11.000 --> 00:15:14.179 be sure to subscribe and leave us a review. Got 00:15:14.179 --> 00:15:16.559 a topic you'd love us to cover? Connect with 00:15:16.559 --> 00:15:19.820 us on LinkedIn. We want to hear from you. Until 00:15:19.820 --> 00:15:23.500 next time, stay smart, stay strategic, and keep 00:15:23.500 --> 00:15:25.240 growing your supplier success.