Jill Spencer, vice president of swag for Radar Promotions (asi/144605), knew what went into a wide-ranging campaign. She had seen it before she became a distributor. Heck, she had done it.
“My background, before I got into promo, was actually on the marketing side,” she says. “I was a buyer. I was the person that had to go find the person that did print, the person that did signage, the person that did swag, the person that did apparel, all of the things. And at that time, I didn’t know any differently, that I could go to one person and have all of that done.”
Without the “one-stop shop” making itself known, Spencer found herself going to four or five different vendors to complete jobs. Once she got to Radar, she made sure that her customers knew she was far from a single-specialty distributor.
“I’m sure you’ve heard the term that the client remembers you from the last purchase they made,” she says. “So, if they bought apparel from me, then they thought I’m the apparel person, right? If they bought a cup, then they think, ‘She’s the drinkware person.’ They don’t realize that the industry overlaps like it does.”
Now, Spencer makes sure her clients are fully aware of what she and her team can offer, and helps them avoid the plate-spinning act of going to a host of vendors for one campaign.
“We always try to cross-sell whenever we can,” she says. “Just having that mentality of, if you know somebody’s having a new hire event, and they’re getting a step-and-repeat or some swag for that event, most likely they need folders to put all of their papers in. Just thinking ahead on that is probably the biggest piece of advice I would give.”
Podcast Chapters
0:26: Jill’s background and transition from buyer to distributor
2:09: The “one-stop shop” value proposition
3:45: Cross-selling strategies
5:30: Case study using print in a promo campaign
6:37: Navigating sourcing difficulties
7:15: Advice for distributors and never saying “no”
8:08: Growth model for the distributor
9:34: Creativity and team strengths
10:20: Industry outlook and closing thoughts
Key Takeaways
• Jill Spencer shares how her background as a marketing buyer exposed the inefficiencies of sourcing print and promo from multiple vendors.
• She explains how Radar Promotions (asi/144605) aims to solve that problem by acting as a one-stop shop for both print and promotional products.
• The conversation highlights how customers often pigeonhole distributors based on past purchases, limiting opportunities unless actively addressed.
• Jill discusses the importance of cross-selling by anticipating what additional items clients might need for events or initiatives.
• A real-world example shows how adding print items like folders to a client store revealed untapped demand.
• She emphasizes a problem-solving mindset – never saying no, but instead finding solutions even when sourcing is challenging.
• The episode closes with insights into Radar’s team structure, growth and the broader opportunities within the print and promo industry.
