Here's a scenario most integrated marketers are all too familiar with: In an effort to court a new customer or close a deal, one of your reps goes rogue with your collateral, throwing together a flier with crazy stock photos and an unauthorized logo, printed on garish neon paper. The result makes your designers shudder and undercuts your brand. And the thing is, the rep was only a phone call away from being supplied with quality collateral that would have made the right impression.
The solution is easier than you think! This is how one company turned that same scenario into an opportunity to create efficiency and rapidly grow their business.
Mini Case Study: Baking Up SuccessRemember the cupcake craze of the late 2000s? This east coast bakery chain, originally famous for their red velvet cupcakes, outlasted the trend and became a staple, thanks to their authentically homey treats scratch-baked from the best ingredients. The business expanded rapidly, and by the time they reached 15 stores, they were struggling with distribution of marketing materials. Employees could order business cards online, but all other collateral had to be manually ordered and shipped by a single marketing coordinator. Besides being a huge drain on her ability to support the greater team, this manager wanted to protect the brand and ensure that all employees were using the same materials.
Working together with their print vendor, they set up an online storefront for all printed materials - everything from menus and gift certificates to brochures and rollout kits for new store openings. Pre-set quantity limits are established to avoid waste and maintain cost control. All items are drop-shipped from the print vendor, so the company doesn't even have to maintain an inventory.
Very quickly, the corporate office started seeing real benefits:
- Streamlined offerings create printing efficiencies and generate savings
- Greater brand consistency
- Frees up valuable employee time
In the six years since establishing this system, the bakery chain has grown to 31 locations and plans for continued growth. Sweet!
Build A One-Stop Collateral ShopAn online storefront was a vital ingredient in the bakery chain's recipe for success, and it's an easy one for integrated marketers to duplicate.
Your intranet site is a great place for the page to live; you can also build a password-protected page on your website. Once you've established your inventory, publicize the storefront with an email blast. Do whatever it takes to get the word out - you'll be surprised by what an immediate impact your new collateral super shop will have.
Last modified: March 26, 2019