PromoDirect (asi/80109) started in 1991, and CEO Dave Sarro says things were much different back then.
“We didn’t have cell phones, we didn’t have computers, we had no technology,” he says.
That’s a bit of hyperbole, but the way he and his company did business “back in the day” is certainly different than it is now, where everything happens with the click of a button.
“Fast-forward to today, and there have been a lot of changes,” he says. “When we first launched, it was predominantly outside sales – myself, and I had hired a couple more salespeople.”
Those days, PromoDirect was in the print catalog and direct marketing game. Over the years, as technology and the way of doing business evolved, Sarro considered how his business could be different, too.
“I had decided in 2004 that our future, as it relates to PromoDirect, was going to be online and e-commerce,” Sarro says. “Even though the company’s been around for 35 years, we’ve been in the online space now for roughly 17 or 18 years. And it was probably the best decision I’ve ever made, at least in my career in the promo space.”
Sarro’s online-first approach is unique, and he looks at how end-buyers in HR departments or trade show marketing are purchasing a wide range of products for all their needs at once. PromoDirect still offers both print and promotional products.
Sarro says that adapting to the times was one of the best decisions he’s made, and is quick to note that if companies don’t consider what they could be doing differently to meet customer demand, they might be left behind.
“Fifty percent of the equation is making a decision to do something,” he says. “I feel that where the promo industry is at today, if companies and salespeople don’t pivot and try to adapt to this new-age selling environment and have online presences, in my opinion, I don’t believe those [businesses] will survive long term.”
Podcast Chapters
0:00: Intro to PromoDirect
1:07: From door-to-door sales to e-commerce
2:05: Recognizing the internet opportunity early
3:05: Launching PromoDirect’s e-commerce platform
4:19: Why online presences are no longer optional
7:01: Understanding younger buyers and digital communication
9:29: How print and promo work together for PromoDirect
11:22: The importance of pivoting in business
13:46: Lessons from major business transitions
15:44: Surviving COVID-19 through rapid adaptation
Key Takeaways
• PromoDirect (asi/80109) CEO Dave Sarro says the businesses that survive long term are usually the ones willing to abandon what used to work before the market forces them to.
• Adapting to changing buyer behavior matters more than loyalty to any single sales channel or business model.
• Execution – not just strategy – is what separates successful pivots from expensive ideas that never gain traction.
• Modern buyers increasingly value convenience, speed and self-service over traditional relationship-driven sales interactions.
• Every communication channel eventually becomes saturated, so businesses must continuously rethink how they reach customers.
• Periods of disruption often reward companies that can move decisively while competitors hesitate or wait for certainty.
• Long-term growth often requires making uncomfortable, high-risk decisions before the outcome feels guaranteed.
