From training new hires to handling employee retention initiatives, human resources departments handle a great deal of critical management work for corporations large and small. There is a wide scope to how H.R. professionals go about handling their work, but certainly the use of gift, incentive and even promotional products plays a large role. Whether it’s holiday food gifts, rewards for safety compliance or branded items to reinforce a training program, H.R. departments are very often in need of a talented product vendor. For those looking to fulfill this need, below are five tips on how to sell to human resources departments.
1) REFERRALS ARE A GREAT DOOR-OPENER
If you’re looking to break into the H.R. marketplace for the first time, an inter-company referral from a different department could be a good route. “I have been very lucky in that I have gotten all of [my H.R. clients] through referrals from the marketing area,” said Cris Nigro, owner of Proforma Creative Precision, Foxboro, Mass., a distributor experienced in working with human resources departments. “I hardly ever target human resources directly, I always start somewhere else,” she explained, noting that though she often begins in marketing, other departments, like the office secretary who orders forms and mailing materials, may also be viable alternatives.
2) MOOD MATTERS
With improving employee morale being a central purpose for so many human resources programs, looking into the emotional climate of a client’s company can be the key to designing a successful promotion. Nigro said it is important to ask questions about employer-employee relationship, such as, “What’s the employee culture right now?” and “What’s the satisfaction level?” For a company with happy employees, she recommended figuring out what workers like most about the company and working that into the program somehow. If employees are unhappy, Nigro suggested telling customers that even with the job market being so poor, dissatisfied workers will eventually look for work elsewhere. To help stem this loss for clients, she recommended offering to design an affordable program that would improve morale and make a difference in the company’s mood, which in turn will help improve employee retention.
3) KNOW YOUR OPPORTUNITIES
Though gifts and incentives might seem like the bulk of human resources’ product needs, it is important to remember that there is often a need for internal branding as well. Company training programs are an easy example of this need. “Several of our products are used regularly in training,” said Mike Shulkin, president of Chicago-based A La Carte. He explained that food in particular is not only valuable as a pick-me-up during training sessions, but also can be effective in reinforcing the desired message of the meetings, either through imprinting or more abstract associations related to sound, taste or smell.
4) CONSIDER PRINT
From crystal awards and food items to drinkware and other desk-appropriate accessories, there is a wide variety of items fit for use by H.R. departments. When trying to narrow down the field with a client, it may benefit you to give custom-decorated books serious consideration. Suppliers like The Book Company can provide a wide range of customization, such as custom covers or inserts to most books, making them good choices for training or rewards programs. “I ended up doing a book for my self-promo,” said Nigro. “It may not always get chosen, but it’s always in the mix,” she added. “People love it because it’s thoughtful.”
5) WHEN IN DOUBT, COUNT ON CHOCOLATE
“Never underestimate the power of chocolate,” said Nigro, when asked to provide a final piece of advice to her fellow distributors. She suggested not only pitching chocolate as a treat for end-users, but also bringing it to meetings with clients. “If you have a tough topic, bring chocolate, it gets people into a more positive mind state,” she said.
For those looking to sell chocolate to human resources, David Miller, CAS and president of Chocolate Inn, Freeport, N.Y., had a few points of advice. “Always bring samples or specs,” he said. “The H.R. departments know you sell mugs, wearables, pens, etc. They do not typically know that you offer chocolate products.” He noted that samples were important not only to demonstrate the chocolate’s taste, but also to showcase different shapes and imprints the chocolate can take, should the intended program require it.