What are you doing to stay relevant and add value to your customers each week?

This post is based on a topic covered in one of our Friday Flashback newsletters. Friday Flashback is a weekly newsletter from Kaeser & Blair Director of Sales Liza Sachs. Each edition contains valuable insights and updates for the promotional products industry. 

Times are always changing and it’s important to stay in tune with your customer base and on top of their needs. Offering value that is consistent and relevant for them each week can be difficult—but with some careful planning, you can create lasting impressions with both current and prospective customers.

Think of it like providing a running commentary on your expertise. Whether it’s keeping up with new products or services, offering helpful tips via social media posts, or expanding into other markets—staying proactive and engaged will position you ahead of the curve.

Let’s explore how promotional product business owners can remain relevant and add value to their clients. Here are some examples to consider:

1. Are you creating relevant content on social?

Keeping up with customers is easy when you use social media to stay relevant. Today’s consumer is tech-savvy and interested in what your brand has to offer. Sharing great content can be key to meeting their needs. While social media makes it easy to keep up with customers, don’t just regurgitate the same old posts everyone else is sharing, step out of the box! Go live at a tradeshow or review a new product line with a video update. Engaging followers with visuals plus friendly, informative writing builds trust and gives them a reason to come back. Put effort into creating quality content that gets people involved and wanting more!

2. Keep your customers informed on what is trending, new or top selling in each category.

Keeping your customers up to date on what’s new is a great way to help you stay relevant in today’s market. It can be as simple as sharing a weekly blog post or newsletter about trending products, services, or industry news.

It can also mean filling your website with helpful content that encourages customers to explore and get creative with their purchases. Another idea is to share video tutorials that show customers how to use new products. With trends happening constantly, staying informed and responsive to customer desires will keep them coming back again and again. Use the tools we have or create your own!

• Jennifer Sander created and shared an Ideas Under $7 slideshow on top choices in a lower price range and also created one on top choices from PPAI.
• Amy Clyne took notes all through PPAI and created her own Trend Report to share with her clients.
• The K&B marketing team put together a New Product Look Book for those who didn’t make the show to see what suppliers share that are new and trending.

3. How are you prospecting?

Prospecting is an essential tool for staying relevant to customers and continuing to build relationships with them. It’s a great way to show existing customers that you care about them and understand their needs, while also introducing yourself to potential new customers. With the right strategies and tactics in place, you can find the perfect balance between maintaining contact with your regulars while growing your customer base.

Additionally, when used correctly, prospecting can provide insights into what type of messaging works best with different audiences and help brands develop their long-term marketing and branding efforts.

4. Marketing touches for your clients

Do you have a marketing plan to reach out to customers regularly? Staying on top of current customer trends and preferences increases engagement and loyalty, helping you stay in touch with the people who matter most. To ensure all customers feel seen, try a few marketing touches designed to strengthen relationships. Here are some ideas to consider:

• Do you create a deck of products on a consistent basis to keep ideas fresh?
• Are you working with suppliers on virtual samples?
• Create a quarterly sample box with random samples for your top customers.
• Instead of just a holiday gift, make them think of you all year round.

Ultimately, adding value to your customers is about experimentation and finding creative ways to help them. We all have our own unique approach to business that differentiates us from the competition. Investing in yourself and being open to ideas is the perfect way to stay on top of the ever-changing world of business. Always be on the lookout for new trends, as well as industry-specific resources that can offer insight into what it takes to stay relevant. With these tips, you’ll be well ahead of the game and find yourself tackling customer needs with ease – no matter how quickly they evolve!

And don’t forget about Kaeser & Blair’s newsletter—we cover some incredible topics that can help you remain competitive. Sign up today and never miss out on exclusive tips and insights. Let’s keep coming up with new ideas to stay relevant and inspire our customers!

–Liza

Liza Sachs is a 25+ year veteran of the promotional products industry and heads up our Sales and Supplier Relationships for the organization as Director of Sales. During her tenure, Liza has experience on both the distributor and supplier sides, which gives her the unique vision to assist our dealers to expand their sales.