Cross-selling Print to Promo Customers

Building a business selling promotional products is exciting because there are so many options, from keychains and cups to mugs and magnets. And there is a host of new products added every year. IBIS World market research tells us that the promo market is growing at almost 2% each year and should reach $17.8bn in revenue in 2022. This growth is the direct result of advertisers and marketers in all segments turning to promotion to re-introduce their brands and lift their visibility. Producing promotional products is a great business segment! But there is a big world of opportunity sitting adjacent to promotional products that can add incremental revenue—supplying print products such as marketing collateral and related items. 

Storefront and online businesses use more print than most people realize. Business cards are a starting point, but brochures, counter cards, and promotional signage help keep businesses and their products visible. Even online companies use print in the packages that deliver their products to promote new options and upsell. To unlock the power of print for people who buy promotional products, it helps to create a story that glues them together. These three anchor points can get you started: 

1. Find the customers who should embrace print in their businesses

Every customer you work with in the promotional niche also has print needs. Business cards are a great starting point because you can start with the basics and then upsell to luxury finishes, heavier stocks, and interactive elements that link to online portals—but don’t stop there. A client buying promotional products has other communication needs as well.

Marketing collateral that supports the mission should be part of your menu for customers who are already buying promo to support brand visibility. Product and service brochures help grow a business by showcasing available solutions. Direct mail can be an excellent offering for businesses of all sizes and segments, whether they have a mailing list, want to buy a list, or grow their market using the USPS Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) option that delivers to addresses in a specific ZIP code.

No business should be an island. Introduce print to every customer you support with promotional products.

2. Build a bundle that creates a story

Promotional products are often bundled to create a package. Think of water bottles and carry bags, keychains and flashlights, or caps and t-shirts. Bundles give the sense of a more significant value. Bundling print with promotional products to help customers create a story that lifts their mission and brand is an excellent way to introduce the power of print to product buyers.

For each type of customer you serve, build a basic story that can be customized to their needs. Develop a story guide that walks them through the communication journey using the pieces in the bundle to help them grow their businesses. Restaurants may be ordering caps and shirts for their staff, so create a bundle that adds menus, table signs, and window clings. They may be interested in sidewalk signs, too. Storefront operations like nail salons, insurance agents, hair stylists, crafters, and fashion outposts may buy mugs and bottles to keep their brand visible. Bundle them with coupon books for discounts each month, direct mail campaigns, and upscale business cards.

3. Develop a pitch that includes at least one print item in every promotional sale

Take the first step to success by adding print to the array of products you sell to support client campaigns and missions. Review the 4over catalog of print products to find three or four items that would be interesting and relevant to your clients. Pair one or more to your current promotional products and offer them with every sale.
Make these offers part of every sales engagement. It may feel strange at first, but it won’t take long to become comfortable—especially when new revenue starts rolling in. You will begin to see more options to expand your pitch and customize what you offer for each project. Those offers will pay off by adding continuing incremental revenue for everyone.

Conclusion

Stepping into the world of print to expand the impact of promotional products is easy with the help of your 4over team. They can help you zero in on the best products to offer, calculate the proper pricing margins for bundles, and work with you to understand delivery times for each type of product. So go ahead and try something new that can take your business to the next level!

4over is always here to help you grow your business and deliver for your clients. And as a trade-only printer and promo provider, 4over will never compete with you—the best measure of our success is yours!