Getting The Most From Your Supplier

Guest Post – Amber Butler, Marketing Writer at SanMar

It’s pretty easy. When you need 100 black long sleeve wovens, you pick up the phone or hop online to place your order. But is it possible to get more from your supplier?

“It’s pretty common to think of suppliers as just providers of goods,” says SanMar Senior Marketing Manager Lee Strom. “But the reality is that suppliers can offer so much more. Here at SanMar, we like to take a holistic approach to meeting the customer’s need, and placing the order is really just the beginning.”

Educate them about your business.

The first step in getting more is sharing how your business works with your account executive. Once an account executive understands what makes your business unique, they can offer you solutions, rather than products. The difference is key. A solution factors in the whole situation (the event, location, weather, etc.), so that working together you can find the right product to meet the needs of a situation.

Draw upon their expertise.

When it comes to your business, you’re the expert. But a supplier can offer valuable insight about their own products and services that may improve your success. After a quick conversation with an account executive, you might decide you don’t need 100 black long sleeve wovens for that mid-summer event, after all. You may choose to opt for a cooler option like a black short sleeve polo instead. Account executives are trained to be product experts, and they’re always ready to share their knowledge with you. So don’t be afraid to ask questions.

Consider the whole campaign.

Back to the polo analogy: Not only do you need the polos, but perhaps you also need to present a few other accessory options to your client for the same event. An account executive can offer ideas for different ways to do that. Maybe it’s samples, maybe it’s a custom flyer, maybe it’s a custom website. Maybe it’s even a custom mini-catalog. Whatever you choose, it’s nice to know the supplier has options. It may not be vital for this campaign, but who knows when additional marketing tools may come in handy.

So the moral of the story is don’t think of your supplier as just a place to buy product, but as an idea resource and a solutions provider. At SanMar, we encourage our customers to view us as a resource when trying to find that perfect wearable or accessory for their client. Our account executives are trained product experts, and they are eager to help.