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Finding Harmony, Going To Extremes

2/8/2016 | Jeff Jacobs, The Brand Protector

A couple of headlines caught my eye recently: “You Can Have It All,” and “Finding Harmony By Going To Extremes.” The promotional products industry is maturing, and it’s no secret the buyers at end-user clients are getting younger at the same time. As you connect more frequently with these Millennials, you’ve probably noticed that they are bringing their consumer attitudes and sensibilities to work with them. Which is absolutely as it should be.

Mintel, one of the leading worldwide providers of market research, has published their consumer trends for 2016. As you craft your selling strategies to younger clients, it should be required reading. The new normal for corporate buyers is asking the same questions about product safety and sustainability they already ask when buying something for themselves. According to the Mintel research, 63 percent of U.S. consumers feel ethical issues are becoming more important, and some 56 percent stopped buying from companies they believe to be unethical. That means clients are going to be asking if your promotional products are safe and compliant, and you need to be able to prove that they are.

Everywhere you look, and especially if you're looking for it, entertainment and information is everywhere. With multiple social channels, streaming music and video, the “new” buyer is gobbling gigs of info like never before. According to Mintel, the couch potato has now been "fundamentally destigmatized." At the same time, the North American research shows that consumers are willing to go to the complete opposite extreme to find balance in their lives. The research says that while bacon is all the rage (who doesn't like bacon?!), the same buyers also equally favor juice cleanses. Nearly half of U.S. users who check social channels three times a day also say they need to take a break from them. It's the yen and yang that needs to be an integral part of your sales approach now and moving forward.

In our industry, there's a lot of what Mintel research calls "Big Brand Theory." We offer a secondary decoration on a widely-known and accepted brand, and the perception is that it has already met standards in both product safety and quality. According to the study, with the somewhat nostalgic effort of Millennials to find balance, that strategy may be a little less effective for you in 2016. Thinking about the growth in popularity of small batch everything, from craft beers and spirits, to chocolate and clothing, you can see how that might be the case.

Adding to the confusion is the fact that terms like "craft" and "artisan" are, for the most part, yet to be regulated. Finally, to even have a chance to tell your product story, you are dealing with a buyer’s shorter attention span and the expectation of immediate results they bring with them from their personal experiences. As a result, a value-add strategy is more important than ever for distributors to be successful.

You can use product safety to turn the conversation in your favor with corporate buyers. It's why the Quality Certification Alliance (QCA) has recently hired Juli Sinnett, former principal at distributor SwervePoint, as a consultant for the QCA Distributor Advocacy Council. We knew she had success changing the conversation with corporate clients, and we wanted to share end-user business development strategies as an added value to our DAC members.

"When you're working with clients and prospects, the first responsibility is to protect them, and to let them know you have their back," said Sinnett.  "Many people think of selling as 'I'll get you the lowest price.'  Providing competitive pricing is important, but starting above that with truly protecting your customer from harm is how you change the conversation. We need to move the industry from a focus on price, to a focus on quality, safety, and social accountability. Once you change the conversation, it’s a whole new ballgame, one where you are in control and viewed as a professional, rather than just quoting a price."

Juli starts her new job this week, reaching out to her colleagues on the QCA DAC to get ideas and opinions for driving more engagement with the distributor group. This is just the next step in the QCA commitment that safe and compliant promotional product is a process, and one best done collaboratively between suppliers and distributors. Do you have some questions about getting involved with QCA? If you do, I'd be happy to hear from you.

Jeff Jacobs has been an expert in building brands and brand stewardship for more than 30 years. He’s a staunch advocate of consumer product safety and has a deep passion and belief regarding the issues surrounding compliance and corporate social responsibility. He is the executive director of Quality Certification Alliance, the industry’s only non-profit dedicated to helping suppliers provide safe and compliant products. When he's not working, you can find him traveling the world with his lovely wife, working as a volunteer Guardian ad Litem, or sometimes even enjoying a cigar at his favorite local cigar shop. Follow Jeff on Twitter, or reach out to him at jeff@qcalliance.org.

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