We’re back with the third episode in our deep dive series on mastering fulfillment in the promotional products industry! On the latest episode of the Promo Perspectives podcast, presented by SAGE, hosts Gabe Gotay and Patrick Harvot had a fantastic conversation with Jill Houston and Michael Barber from Corporate Pride.
Jill and Michael pulled back the curtain on their experience with promotional product company stores and fulfillment, offering practical insights that every distributor can learn from.
They shared a detailed case study of a company store they set up for a client’s new hires, showcasing how they managed budgets, utilized promo codes, and handled initial fulfillment. It was fascinating to hear how this opportunity arose and how they cleverly used a demo store to win the business – a great tip for your sales toolkit!
A key theme of our conversation was the evolution from being an “order taker” to a strategic “consultant.” Jill explained how implementing company stores and leveraging features like SAGE’s showrooms has allowed them to streamline routine reorders, freeing up valuable time to focus on providing higher-level consulting and sourcing solutions for their clients’ bigger projects.
Michael walked us through their current fulfillment process, detailing everything from order collection and coordination with decorators to the logistics of getting the finished products to the end-users. This led to an insightful discussion about the role of 3PLs (third-party logistics) and warehousing in the promo industry. As Michael also owns a warehousing company that serves promo distributors, he provided an expert’s perspective on how these services can be invaluable for managing inventory, handling kitting, and ensuring efficient delivery.
We also discussed the critical importance of setting realistic customer expectations regarding timelines, especially when dealing with batching orders in a “collect and run” model. Jill and Michael shared how open communication upfront has been key to their success and client satisfaction.
Finally, we explored how customer needs directly influence decisions about the types of products offered in a store and the chosen fulfillment strategy. Jill shared her positive experience with the SAGE professional website tier, highlighting how the unlimited showroom feature has been a game-changer for their business and a valuable benefit they can offer clients.
This episode is a must-listen (or watch!) for any promotional products distributor looking to better understand or optimize their approach to company stores and fulfillment. Jill and Michael’s real-world experiences offer valuable lessons and practical strategies you can implement in your own business.