As a promotional products distributor, you are in the business of branding. In an overly commoditized marketplace, if you want to grow your business, you must lead by example with a strong brand that differentiates you from the rest by establishing your expertise and authority in the marketplace…
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5 Reasons to Rebrand Your Distributor Business
Your online brand needs to effectively communicate what you do, who you help and the value of doing business with you. If your website and social media profiles are not up to the task, you may be missing out on new ideal clients, repeat sales and other important opportunities. Here are five reasons you might want to consider a rebrand…
Read MoreI Cut Out the Middleman and I Liked It
I did it. I went direct. I cut out the distributor. I cut out the supplier. I bought directly from China. It wasn’t bad. In fact, it was quite good. Delivery was three weeks. Product quality was excellent. Service was outstanding. English wasn’t a problem. I’ve already ordered a second time. I bought glasses directly…
Read MoreWhat Do You Know About Buying Groups?
Question: What do you know about buying groups? Answer: There are variations of buying groups in our industry—from a couple of distributors banding together loosely to companies that offer other services and approaches. To answer this question fully, I went to Jamie Coggeshall, president of AIMastermind (AIM), a group that purely is a buying group.…
Read MoreDon’t Like Showing Item Numbers to Clients?
Question: I don’t like to show item numbers to my clients. Is there a way to avoid that in QuickBooks? Answer: Yes. You can customize templates to include only the fields you want and eliminate those you don’t. (And, it is a good idea to not show item numbers on customer forms, as it makes…
Read MoreSetting Up Items for Blank Goods
Question: How should I set up items for blank goods in QuickBooks? Answer: “Blank goods,” or orders that are then screen printed or embroidered by other vendors, are one of the most complex of orders in our industry. I recommend setting up a blank wearable by its item number and description only—not including color or…
Read MoreCan I Switch from QuickBooks Online to Premier?
Question: Last year, I called QuickBooks to ask which program I should buy. They told me QuickBooks Online, and switched me from QuickBooks Premier to Online, but it doesn’t do what I need it to do. Can I convert back to QuickBooks Premier? Answer: Yes, but it’s not easy. Intuit sells QuickBooks Online as a…
Read MoreCreating Default Templates in QuickBooks
Question: How do I make a particular template my default template in QuickBooks? Answer: QuickBooks does not let you specify a particular template as your default template for a specific form, such as an invoice or purchase order. After using that specific template for a number of times, it will start coming up. But it’s…
Read More17-second Sales Pitch at Expo East
I joined thousands of suppliers and distributors last week at Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) Expo East. This was my first chance to experience Expo East combined with the Imprinted Sportswear Show (ISS). Quite a few Geiger colleagues, as well as a few other PPAI board members, joined me. I saw several vendors that I…
Read MoreHow Much Can I Charge a Customer for Using a Credit Card?
Answer: The safe and easy answer is “nothing.” Some states prohibit surcharges for credit card use, period. Some states permit it but with some complicated qualifiers, like no surcharge on debit cards, surcharge limited to what you actually paid and other such language buried in your merchant service agreement. The regulations are too many, making…
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