Have you ever been talking to someone in your industry and helped them find a tool they needed to succeed? Or better yet, have you ever had someone tell you about a tool they were using to grow their business? It’s wonderful. These tools, tips, and tricks can help create shortcuts to success.
I was talking to a friend in the promotional products industry last night…and that is exactly what happened. He shared something that he was struggling with…and I knew exactly the tool he needed to help him solve the problem. It was exciting! So that is my goal with this blog. Here are some tools to help your promotional products business.
Tools To Help Your Promotional Products Business
As a quick side note, this is not a sponsored post. These are just apps and tools that we use to run our business.
Canva
While the team at Hasseman Marketing still uses the Adobe Suite of products, Canva has been a game-changer for us. Canva is a powerful design tool that is more accessible to “non-designers.” It’s easy to use and you can start using it for free. Our team has upgraded to the Pro version and it allows us access to more templates, sharing designs with the team, and more. Oh…and it helps to take some of the work off of your design team (if you have one). Canva allows some of our other members of the team to do virtuals and such as well.
PromoPulse
How do you keep up with the latest products and trends in the industry? The PromoPulse app is a great tool to do just that. Sign up for the app and select the suppliers and content creators you want to follow…and then you have your feed. Jason Nokes, the founder of PromoPulse, has also created an Amp email marketing service for distributors as well.
Quick story about utilizing PromoPulse. I had just walked the show floor at Promotions East and realized I have forgot to look for a specific project. I told Jason my dilemma. He opened the app and did a search…and within a minute he had found the product and vendor…right there!
PromoSoapbox
Some of the best ideas come from necessity. During the pandemic, there was a need for real business to be done…but travel had stopped. That’s when Dan Pigott and Brett Schaffer created PromoSoapbox. These are monthly meetings, done from the comfort of your office, with top suppliers in the industry. They are quick, impactful meetings…and done in a short block so you can manage the rest of your business. If you are a distributor looking to grow your business and your relationships in the industry…check this out.
commonsku
In short, commonsku is how we run our business at Hasseman Marketing. It’s our order management tool, CRM, and even an online store creator. We are a paying customer…and I am so glad we have invested in this tool to grow our business. There is also a great “tribe” around the platform that includes a progressive group of people that I have found amazingly willing to share and help.
PromoCorner
When I think of content in the Promotional Products industry, PromoCorner (and their new PromoJournal) is the hub. From blogs to podcasts to videos, PromoCorner has some of the best thought leaders in the industry creating value for the industry. In addition, they have marketing tools for both suppliers and distributors worth investigating.
brandivate
The best players and teams have great coaches. Regardless of how accomplished a player is, they can always learn and grow. And Bill Petrie and brandivate are great coaches and marketers in the Promo industry. Bill has created award-winning marketing programs for his own companies…and for clients. If you are looking to grow your company or your team, talk to Bill.
As a side note, Bill is also an incredible contributor for BetterBusinessU.com.
Trello
Trello is a simple, intuitive, and powerful tool to help you organize your tasks. It’s also free. I use it as my weekly to-do for the week…and to keep ideas for bigger projects.
These are some great tools and organizations that I use that have helped me with my work in the Promotional Products industry. The list is by no means exhaustive. There are plenty of other amazing resources out there.
Our goal at BetterBusinessU.com is to become another one of those trusted resources. We are working to become The Premier online education platform in the Promotional Products industry. Learn more here.
