What Your Client Is Really Looking For

In his column “What Clients Really Want” in July’s PPB, Cliff Quicksell, Jr., MAS+, both a consultant and acting director of marketing for distributor iPROMOTEu, examined the factors more important to clients than price in determining whether to do business with a company.

Cliff, as always you are right on point. If we move to the “why” and not the “what,” our value increases tremendously.

LISA SHAFFER
Sales
Minuteman Press – Miller’s Minuteman Press
Owings Mills, Maryland
PPAI 513841

 

The Value Of Another Point Of View
FacilisGroup CEO Chuck Fandos’ article in the July issue of PPB, “What If It was Simple? A Promotional Product Industry Client’s Perspective,” continues to draw readers’ reactions. Fandos’ article used a fictional request from a project coordinator at a large tech company to illustrate what a buyer looks for in working with a promotional products’ distributor.

The promo distributor’s challenge is to bring order to the chaos that defines our industry and present an organized package to the client. Only by viewing the interaction from the client’s perspective will distributors ever get it right. Well done, Chuck!

KEVIN MCHARGUE
Director of Business Development PromoPlacement, Inc.
St. Louis, Missouri

Nice job, Chuck—thanks for taking the time to show this from the buyer’s point of view. [You] hit the nail on the head.

ROBERT FIVEASH
Co-owner and President
Brand Fuel
Morrisville, North Carolina
PPAI 277900

 

Getting Inside Their Heads
In August PPB, Michelle M. Smith, CPIM, CRP, president emeritus of the Incentive Marketing Association and vice president of marketing for distributor O.C. Tanner, wrote on “Behavioral Economics”—applying the latest neuroscience research to connect with clients and customers.


We saw a decrease in incentive buying during the recession. Many companies used their capital to stay afloat and then didn’t resume a formal program once things picked up. Now they’re buying talent with lavish packages. When you understand what drives humans then you realize how crucial a quality incentive program is. You can’t quantify
the peripheral effect of team members being ambassadors, but isn’t that what every business leader is striving for?

JAE M. RANG, MAS
Chief Inspiring Officer
JAE Associates Ltd.
Oakville, Ontario
PPAI 561178