Exterior settings can certainly offer an excess of excellent experiences, but few can refute the contention that home is where the heart is. As winter whisks its way into our lives yet again, many end-users, depending on their geographic location, will rely more regularly on their dwelling places to provide comfort and encourage camaraderie. With a new year nearly upon us, homeowners and renters who hone an out-with-the-old-and-in-with-the-new mindset will gladly find themselves inundated with suggestions on how to better the ambience within their residences, and will enjoy determining which products will ward off the winter blues and show off their clout as consumers.
With so many businesses beckoning them to give their goods a new address, how can anyone stand out in wooing end-users not only as 2018 commences but as it progresses and sees winter yield to warmer seasons? Distributors can definitely not afford to go into hibernation, so to ensure that they are home free at such a strategic stage of the calendar, Promo Marketing gathered thoughts on how to increase domestic and economic bliss from Ingerid Mohn, president of Sagaform, Mount Laurel, N.J.; and Hans Kindsgrab, president of Zipline Promo, Green Bay, Wis., learning from the figures which business practices can truly make this the most wonderful time of the year.
DIVERSE DOMECILES
For every celebrity who wants to fill residences with gaudy ornamentation bound to have a short shelf life, one can find ample amounts of end-users who want goods that enjoy an extended tenure in their lives. While they are not necessarily looking for luxuries to last as long as their mortgages, they definitely desire to maximize the items no matter how swank or quaint they are.
“The world is our oyster, so to speak,” Kindsgrab said in deeming this an especially exciting time to conceive and implement products to suit diverse household needs. That sentiment rings particularly true for his business, which recently received distinction from PPAI as one of the 60 greatest companies to work for. Zipline Promo, upon its 2007 inception, did not start off selling kitchen-centric comforts. In since having made them major parts of its identity, the company has contributed to the fact that such effects have quite an effect on consumers’ peace of mind.
“So many kitchen and household purchases today enable end-users to acquire what will enhance, but not overpower, the ambiance that they are going for,” Mohn explained. “You are going to see people making impulse buys, for sure, but practicality usually runs the show when consumers are considering the feel of their living spaces.”
Sagaform, set to celebrate its 25th anniversary next year, originated in Sweden and opened its U.S. offices in 2006. Mohn noted that the supplier’s operations are thriving, in part, because of interactions with Swedish designers whose collections’ inclusion of clean lines sets up a complementary relationship between a home’s integrity and Sagaform’s products.
She has relied on those partnerships to give her a head start on appreciating trends, and no matter which sources she consults, the company president will forever be able to make the same assessment.
“Although there are many great high-tech products on the market, consumers will always appreciate good, functional products,” Mohn contended, citing younger buyers as those with an especially fervent focus on selecting durable goods. “We also believe it is very important that the products allow the food or drink to shine by creating a beautiful backdrop for the foods.”
“The rise of HGTV as a powerhouse network speaks volumes about the universal desire of always having a nice home environment,” Kindsgrab opined. “For instance, rather than producing a cheap plastic cutting board, we have gone with the more luxurious bamboo and acacia boards. Rather than a plastic pizza cutter, we offer durable stainless steel cutters. We want (to offer) quality items that will be kept for decades in end-users’ kitchens versus just months.”
APPEALING ADDITIONS
The kitchen is where we spend some of our happiest moments in life. That sentiment resonates with Mohn and Kindsgrab, with the latter paying particular attention to retail trends and innovations to propel Zipline Promo to prominence. While newfangled goods and tried-and-true finds will always compete for consumers’ attention, their significance, rather than their relative age, will hold more weight.
“I think what’s especially key for suppliers and distributors to realize is that they imagine the enjoyment that end-users will experience when using the product,” Mohn said, adding that contemporary regard for kitchen and household products makes them excellent options as corporate gifts, or as giveaways that help users build contentment around the house. “A very comforting theme I’ve noticed is that we are seeing more thoughtful approaches to what will help people to feel enriched when they’re home. The ultimate goal is to stay fresh. If retro is on people’s minds, you’ll need to meet that demand. If it’s something new, be equally vigilant.”
Zipline Promo shares that go-getter mindset and commends anyone who is willing to move beyond fads to present product lines that will lead to repeat business and strengthened relationships between suppliers and distributors.
“Obviously, everyone has to eat and drink, hence every end-user, at some point in time, truly needs the products we offer,” Kindsgrab said of his company and his peers’ businesses. “Our products have huge staying power, which is one reason they are so successful and popular with end-users.”
SERVICEABLE SUGGESTIONS
If variety is truly the spice of life, what better destination is there than a kitchen to sample the rewards of having an open and eager mind? Whether that location or a home at large is to serve as the recipient of one’s purchase power, distributors, like the items they intend to unite with their bases, must have long-term potential.
“Paint the picture of how the end-user will react to the product,” Mohn said of how distributors can go from being visionaries to luminaries. “Functionality is important, and so is sharing how often and how the product will be used.”
“Look outside the industry for ideas, and come back to the industry for sourcing,”
Kindsgrab suggested. “It may be easier to look to the top 25 suppliers all the time, but does that set you apart? Keep open to new and creative ideas from all suppliers. [Finally], don’t rush through a presentation or new product selection. Mull it over before finalizing products for true excellence.”
