Electronics have officially gone portable. Children listen to music on MP3 players, teenagers text and tweet on smartphones, and adults prepare presentations for work on tablets. Even the elderly are using electronics (Angry Birds is ageless, after all). The rise in portability is good news for the industry because it means demand for electronics and their associated accessories is up. Tablet cases, headphones, compact car charges and other accessories are all necessities in the new portable electronic world. There are some downsides, however, that come with this increased demand. Markets have broadened, imprinting techniques have advanced, even the vocabulary has changed. To keep you with the times (and money) of advancing technologies, we came up with eight do’s and don’ts of selling portable electronics and accessories sales.
DO:
Follow Tech Trends
Advances in computer technology have made devices more affordable and accessible to the promotional industry. “The advantage to distributors is that new-age technology is gradually becoming more affordable to the masses,” said Mike Szymczak, co-owner of Chicago-based OrigAudio. “This is great news for those who have clients with budget constraints that in the past would price themselves out of quality products.” With affordability and availability too, comes rapid product change and evolution. Kim Newell, president, World Wide Line, Covington, Tenn. explained why this attentiveness to these constant product developments is to your advantage. “This market changes so frequently, and captures such a huge consumer base, that if you are on your game as far as the latest-and-greatest, you are sure to close a sale,” she said.
DO:
Remember That All Companies Use Computers
Every office has computers, whether it’s located in a high-rise or a home. Be aware of the technology of the businesses you sell to, because there are endless opportunities for selling computer accessories. “All channels and demographics have use for computer accessories,” said Szymczak. “With technology being part of business and everyday life, the markets are not specific to what type of company you would normally think of for computer accessories,” elaborated Newell. “All aspects of marketing in some way comes back to use of technology, so we see all types of markets using these products as a way to keep their brand in front of the consumer,” she said.
DO:
Think Personalization
Szymczak suggested looking for items that can personalize electronics, like cases or headphones. “The current trends amongst computer accessories is the ability to be different and customize to cater to their own style, whether it’s skins, speakers, mouse pads, etc.,” he said.
DO:
Judge a Tablet’s Cleanliness
Newell mentioned screen-cleaning supplies as a product category that has boomed along with the rise of portable electronics. “The biggest trend we have seen is screen cleaners. With most computer accessories being some type of touchscreen, [the screen cleaner] market has drastically grown over the last couple of years,” she explained.
DO:
Learn Internet Slang
Remember when tweeting was reserved for birds? And friending would have been a really weird way to describe how you met someone new? Those terms have now become immersed in our language, and other equally odd terms will in the future. Computer and internet lingo is ever-changing, but is worth knowing. Szymczak stressed that distributors need to dedicate time to learning computer terms. “Clients are much more likely to buy from an educated salesperson, rather than someone who can only respond ‘I’ll find that out for you—give me a day,'” he advised.
DO:
Think Outside the Office
“Many of the products can be used in everyday life,” said Szymczak. “Sell clients on the fact that their end-users can use these items for work and play. When end-users are outside of the office, it’s a great branding opportunity outside of the work environment,” he added. He offered a few examples of office-to-home products. “Headphones and audio accessories are the prime examples of function for work (SKYPE calls, presentations) and leisure (music, gaming),” he said.
Newell offered an example of a computer promotion that was able to move outside of the office. “One of our most popular items is our laptop sleeves with a full-color imprint. One of our customers used this item for their national sales conference and gave them to all of the attendees to store their paperwork in during the meeting,” she explained. “I love this item because they took an item that has use and functionality outside of the conference and gave their attendees something they could use then and when they returned home.”
DON’T:
Worry about Reorders
Due to the mainstream popularity of portable and personal electronics, accessories are constantly in demand. Szymczak noted a strong reorder rate for OrigAudio. “We have about a 15 to 18 percent reorder conversion rate,” he said.
DON’T
Worry About Kid-Specific Products
“So many children at younger ages are exposed to the same technology as adults, the accessories tend to be the same,” said Newell. “Focus tends to be a cross version of what would work for both children and adults.”
