As part of Print & Promo Marketing’s 2023 Top Distributors list, we asked some of the top-ranked distributors about how they managed to continue their growth throughout the uncertainty that has still loomed over 2021 and 2022.
Read on as Marc Simon, CEO of No. 2-ranked HALO, explains how the company reached the billion-dollar milestone, and how to continue momentum when you’ve already reached such a high point.
It was a big year for HALO, to say the least. After finishing last year with $822.9 million in sales, HALO crossed the highly-coveted $1 billion threshold, along with 4imprint, the only company capable of keeping it out of the top spot on this year’s list.
But it’s not that ranking or number on paper that motivates HALO CEO Marc Simon; it’s the work that goes on behind the scenes with customers, and building HALO’s reputation as one of the go-to distributors in the industry.
“We say that we don’t just want to be the biggest,” he says. “Our goal is to be the best.”
What Got Them Here
HALO made headlines over the course of 2021 and 2022 with acquisitions of big-name companies like Captiv8 Promotions and BrandVia.
“While much of our revenue increase in 2022 was the result of organic growth, we have benefitted enormously from the acquisitions we have made one the last six years,” Simon said. “Specifically, we have been able to significantly increase the level of leadership and expertise across the company because of the talent that has joined us in the acquisitions. Each facet of our business has grown stronger, and the solutions we can now provide are more impactful to clients and prospects as a result.”
What They Plan to Do
When you surpass such a major milestone, how do you keep up momentum and go from there? Simon says that the best way forward is to continue doing what they’re doing and keep the customer service first.
He also advised other distributors to offer a wide range of solutions for clients.
“We find that clients are not just looking to HALO for products,” he says. “They are partnering with us to build their brands from the inside out. Clients are also seeking out multiple solutions from a single provider that can address issues around employee engagement, customer acquisition, consumer activation and recognition, and sales incentives, among many others. Having a solution platform that can solve these complex client challenges will be essential for distributors going forward.”
