How do you choose promotional products suppliers? Do you go by price? What about service? Do you get recommendations? What makes a really good supplier? Are there a set of standards that all suppliers should adhere to?
With thousands of suppliers in the promotional products industry and new ones entering every day, how can you make the best choice? These days, many suppliers have the same or similar products making it even more challenging, especially if you’re a novice.
Choosing the right supplier every time is crucial to your success as a promotional products distributor. Make a mistake here and you can lose valuable clients and revenue!
Here are some possible guidelines for choosing suppliers wisely:
- How responsive are they? How quickly do they return your calls?
- Can the customer service department easily answer your questions?
- Do they offer quality or event day guarantees?
- Do they provide case histories?
- Are their products Consumer Product Safety compliant?
- Does their website offer ideas for selling their products?
- How committed are they to the industry?
- Do they have an outside rep to call on you?
- Do they subscribe to ethical business practices?
- How quickly can you get samples?
- Do they have inventory when you need it?
- Do they ship from an area close to your location?
- What is their procedure for handling problems on orders?
- What do others in the industry say about them?
The best suppliers are partners in your success. The more wisely you choose the more money you’ll make!
What do you think? How do you select suppliers? What criteria do you use? What makes a great supplier? I’d like to hear from you. Please post your thoughts in the comments box below the blog post.
Rosalie Marcus, The Promo Biz Coach is a promotional products business expert, coach and speaker. Combining her skills and years of experience in promotional sales, she helps her clients sell more at higher profit margins and dramatically increase their incomes! Get a FREE special report: 10 Big Mistakes Promotional Professionals Make and How to Avoid Them and a FREE Skyrocket Your Sales audio download at www.promobizcoach.com.
