What’s the most common buyer objection you hear?

Seth Weiner, MAS

President and CEO

Sonic Promos (asi/329865)

“I found an item like this online and it was 5 cents less than yours. ...” I point out there are other services that are included with each project, like free art prep and art proof, pre-order freight quotes and inventory checks, etc. Additionally, more often than not, we find that the item they liked ships from the other side of the country, which then incurs longer lead times and potentially expedited freight. By having a full conversation, the price difference ends up being more, not only in dollars but also in time.

Jeff and Shelley Stevens

Partners

WesCo Marketing

From the supplier’s perspective, and most likely the distributor’s, it has been price. This could be due to anything from a less-than-realistic budget for a particular item, to being shopped against our competitors, to coming in over budget when freight or rush charges are added to meet event dates. To overcome the price quagmire, one must present the value added by a given supplier over another, and at times get creative with our suppliers in negotiating product cost, decoration and freight to meet the desired outcome. This is where strong relationships come in, both with the distributor and the supplier.

Nicole McNamee

Director of New Business Development

POP Solutions (asi/359180)

The most common concern I have with clients is that they will find a promotional product on one of the major promotional online stores and ask me to beat the price. Usually the product is not a style or brand that I can stand behind (nor do I want to try to beat that price). I have to sell them first on the fact that the product they chose is not a good one, then on the fact that they will have terrible customer service from their online resource. Finally, I have to convince them that we should go with my suggestion a, b, or c. Nine times out of 10, they go along with my suggestion, or they go the other route and eventually are burned and come back. The key is to stay in front of them even if you lose the business.

Noel Garcia

Managing Director

Boundless Network (asi/143717)

Buyers can research any product online and find a better price for anything. Fortunately, I have long-term relationships with many of my clients. They trust that I am being fair, because I am. I try not to focus so much on margin as I do on following the best strategy to extend the life of the account. Sometimes you take a loss, sometimes you profit big, but I’m not looking to create the largest profit on every order. If you can show a procurement person how you are saving them money, they won’t focus as much on the “unit price” as they focus on the savings. It’s a case-by-case scenario. Sales and marketing people like to know how you’re going to help them make money. Finding the sweet spot is key.

Tonia Allen Gould

Owner/ Founder

TAG! The Creative Source (asi/341358)

The rising costs of shipping may be a concern for some clients this past year. We address this simply by educating them on the costs of fuel and how that impacts the shipping industry and that, of course, trickles down to every order shipped. Quoting online news sources seems to be a good way to address our clients’ concerns, and also opens the dialog about the coming year when fuel costs are expected to rise another 10%. We tend to address all buyer objections in much the same way, through discussion and education.

Keith Wilson

Owner

Promo Shop (asi/300446)

And making his debut this month is Keith. Here’s a little about him: For the past decade, Keith has gone by the nickname “Promogenie,” and uses the tagline “I grant wishes daily.” “Just as I become friends with my vendors and cross over to the ‘friendor’ level with a solid bunch of them, I take that same philosophy to the table when working with my clients,” he says. “After 16 years in the business, it’s just a pleasure to come to work every day and connect my clients to the coolest new products, and it’s infectious; when you’re enjoying yourself while working with them, they too will find the process fun, and that’s the name of the game.”