Convergence Corner: Memorable Onboarding Experiences

The idea of offering a client a one-stop shop is pretty appealing. Especially in the age of kitting, customers want to place a single order for their print products, their apparel, and their promo products. The easier you can make the process for them, the more likely they are to repeat business and tell their friends. Mara Dokukin, account manager for Probitas Promotions, Grand Forks, North Dakota, remembers on instance of kitting together onboarding boxes that included everything from tech, writing instruments, drinkware, print, and more.

Print & Promo Marketing: When/how did you first start selling print and promotional products together and why was this the right move for your business?

Mara Dokukin: Late 2018/Early 2019. We offer the client a one stop shop for all promotional needs and their employee clothing webstore as well as kitting and fulfillment for their onboarding box kits.

PPM: Can you tell me about a promotional campaign you’ve worked on that blended both print and promotional products?

MD: Our client provides printed materials (Impact Report, Welcome Post Card, and Missions Handout) to be kitted into their onboarding boxes with wood blocks showing their values, mission, and vision, a decal, headphones, tote bag, tumbler, pen, and journal.

PPM: How did you choose the particular collection of products for this application?

MD: The client advised of their budget, quantity, and the want for a drink item, a pen, a bag, and a journal to be included. I sourced a pre-made kit with those items to keep the cost down with us adding the additional items for them into the kits.

PPM: How did the combination of print and promotional products specifically solve the customer’s needs?

MD: Our client wanted branded items as well as informational for their new hires - we put it into a platform that management can order and inform us of delivery location as needed to make it easy on them with multiple bank locations.

PPM: Did you run into any roadblocks working on this campaign? If so, how did you overcome them?

MD: The boxes the pre-made kits come in do not hold up well in shipping once we added additional items/weight - so we now put that box into a 2nd box to ship to ensure they do not come apart.

PPM: What advice would you give distributors looking to work on a similar project?

MD: Finding at least a few of your items pre-kitted together can keep the cost down so that you can add additional items and personalization touches without going over budget