At Aprons, Etc., we are pleased to have become manufacturers of products which help our aging population to liveeasier lives.  Two items which we have seen growth on is both the Walker Tote and the Wheel Chair Bag.  We manufacture these items in 600 Denier Coated Polyester, which allows the bag to be water-resistant.  The Wheel Chair Bag has looped webbing handles which allow for easy attachment over (see picture) the wheelchair handles, while the Walker Tote has velcro attachment on the handles to allow those to be attached to the walker bar and adjusted.

The bags have the flexibility of being manufactured in the following colors:  Black, Brown, Burgundy, Charcoal, Dark Navy, Hunter, Khaki, Light Blue, Mint Green, Olive, Orange, Pink, Red, Royal, Silver, White, and Yellow. Wow!  Your customer can find the color they want with those choices!

Please Choose:

Brown

Burgundy

Charcoal

Dark Navy

Hunter

Khaki

Lavender

Light Blue

Mint Green

Olive

Orange

Pink

Red

Royal

Silver

White

Yellow

Email for a swatch of the color your customer uses.  Prepare a presentation on these bags, with swatches, and watch your sales grow!  Make a list now of your potential customers:  Assisted Living Homes, Retirement Homes, Retirement Communities, Independent Living Homes, Hospitals and more.  Let us know how we can assist you with ideas to present to your customer base.

Additionally, we are working on a new item – A Cozy Lap Blanket – to be used in the Assisted Living scenario.  This blanket is made from a warm 12 oz fleece, with two center pockets for hand tucking and warmth, and a comfortable wide stretchable elastic attachment, that can be adjusted around one’s back for more comfort.  These can be beautifully embroidered with your customer’s logo.  Email for information!

If you have suggestions for new products that fit into the categories of the things we offer, let us know.  You are the  innovators because you are the ones on the front line.  Give us an idea and see what we can create.  Good selling!

Who can you sell these to, you wonder?  The imprints we see are all over the place.  Nascar.  Really.  We had a re-order with the  Nascar official imprint for years.  Corporations which have no connection to cooking.  Small businesses.  Of course, we do get the Wine and Food imprints – that makes sense.  But just because your customer doesn’t focus on eating or drinking doesn’t mean they might not have an interest in an apron promotion. Can’t hurt to find out.

Aprons can make a terrific promotion because people do get weary of t-shirts.  Plus, if you have a substantial following by women, they may actually wear the apron while they are home working.  In the kitchen.  In the yard.  In the… well, you get my idea.

If you’re of the old-fashioned thinking that aprons are only for food or wine imprints, shake your mindset out of the past.  Literally, shake your head hard.  Take out your note pad.  Now.  Start writing down ideas of your customer base who could use aprons.  Who have a promotion in which they want a wearable but they want something a little different.  Then gander through our catalog.  Call your Sales Advisor, and ask them what kinds of different prints we have done that might make an interesting yet different apron.

For starters, we have a checkerboard pattern fabric that can used with any of our items.  Bib apron, waist apron, colored print on top of the checkerboard.  Imagine it, and we will create an E-proof for you to see with your idea.  At no charge.  We also have a cowprint stock pattern with which you can do the same thing.  Get creative on your end and let us help you create.  Once you make that list of customers, give us a call and lets see what kind of idea book we can create.  Call Pam Pennington, our National Sales Manager.  She will help you to come up with innovative ideas.

For further ideas, you can print the bottom half of the apron.  Or the bottom right side.  Or the whole thing.  The options are out there for you to make this seemingly standard item an eye-catching promotion.  Take a look at this one.  Brown apron on the bottom left.  Nice, huh? More importantly, eye-catching and creative.

Want some samples to play with ?  Email us and ask for 2-3 of our best styles – with your freight number, its free – info@apronsetc.com.  Your job is to sell – ours is to make you look good.  Let’s create.

Sampling Events – Your customer has a sampling and tasting event at grocery stores, wine shops, cafes, or markets.  The table cover has a digital front panel imprint of delectable cheese and wine.  Or a scene from the coast of a couple enjoying the featured product .  Or the logo of a well-known company.  Imagine the possibilities among your customers who sell food and drink products.  We see these logos coming in daily.  Don’t let your slice of the pie disappear.

College Events – Our volume of school and university logos continues to grow.  Re-usable imprinted table covers are increasing for the discerning school buyer who sees an opportunity to brand their school in a reusable tablecover.  1-color screen prints to multi-color dye sublimation imprinting brings all sorts of possibilities to your university buyer. Do they want to use the tablecloths to decorate an alumni gathering?  To establish presence at a recruiting event?  To stand out at a career fair?  To place a table of information at a Fraternity and Sorority event?  The possibilities at your university and college customer are practically endless.  And I don’t say that flippantly.  Don’t overlook the many possible buyers within your local university – alumni department, student recruiting, athletic events – and more.

Conferences – Imprinted table covers have become a must for corporations who want their brand prominently displayed to the conference attendees.  The cover establishes a visual connection to the leaders and creates a cohesive and classy look which pulls conference rooms together and keeps the leaders front and center.

Trade Shows - I don’t think there is anything I can suggest about imprinted table covers for trade shows that you don’t recognize yourself.  Part of the booth packaging, the table cover is a must for those who want to avoid the high rental fees which accompanies plain tablecovers provided by the trade show hall.  Help your customer understand the value behind having a cover with their own logo, and the re-usability of this  item.

Those are just a few ideas.  We have a low 1-piece minimum (couldn’t get much lower) for a digitally imprinted cover. Talk to your customer about other possibilities, because as  you know, more than one will get a lower cost for you and your customer.

The last point I will make here is the re-order possibilities.  Of our entire product line, the re-orders on tablecovers are the highest by far of any product we manufacture and sell.  Aren’t re-orders fun?  Aren’t they easier?  Don’t you enjoy the commission from an order with less work?  Sell tablecovers.  Educate yourself.  Splurge on a sample with swatches of color possibilities.  This is really a no-brainer and has the possibility of impacting your sales in a very positive way.

Okay – One more thing – your customer can also opt for runners.  If they change their logo often, and prefer to have a smaller item or they want the look of a different color cover underneath the runner, that is also a great option.  Explore our website and come up with your own list of possible customers in your database.  We’re here to help.

Ultimately, what Scott discovered is that the distributors wanted more creativity from their suppliers.  They wanted (so the CEO’s said) more ideas that they could convert to sales to their customers.  They wanted a stronger partnership.  Scott thought long and hard about that.  He returned to Aprons, Etc. with his thinking cap on.  And he made notes, researched other catalogs, thought, looked, made more notes, and ultimately arrived at the 2011 Aprons, Etc. IdeaBook.  It’s different.  Really.  Here you will find ideas for your marketplace.  He was looking for different.  Creative.  Not the standard product listings only.  What he arrived at was a more cohesive way of looking at our product line.  Scott knew that our lines fit into certain markets much more clearly and effectively than they do other markets.

In the 2011 catalog, take a look at the table of contents.  Find your customer market area and take a stroll there.  From our product line to your customer.  American made products important to your customer? Healthcare organizations a big portion of your customer base (or you would like for it to be)? Tail-gating promotions with your college customer?  Hospitality venues and restaurants need your ideas? Event Marketing a big opportunity for you? Schools and universities need ideas from you for their promotions?  Onsite Marketing and sampling? Budget-minded (cheap) promotions for 1-time uses? Environmentally responsible ideas important to your customer?  The market areas are here for you to discover.  For you to begin your own creative process in offerings to your customers.

This is a lot to absorb.  Tomorrow, I will elaborate on the products in one category.  But you get the idea.  Or you can, if you open the catalog or head to the website.

Scott’s idea was that we create the IdeaBook that would enable you – the distributor – to become more creative in your own sales process and to know once you take a look which products will fit your customer.  Try it.  I think you’ll find it a great tool in your sales this year.

Let us know what you think.  This is different – not a standard product catalog but an IdeaBook for you.

Are you seeking an industry specific idea?  Visit our site.  Medical, Healthcare, & Wellness offers you ideas such as Walker Totes, Wheelchair bags, and Diaper Bags.

The total industry specific IdeaPages include:

•  www.ApronsEtc.com/American  - Rethinking American-Made Business
•  www.ApronsEtc.com/Medical – Medical, Healthcare & Wellness
•  www.ApronsEtc.com/Outdoors – Outdoors: Tailgating & BBQ
•  www.ApronsEtc.com/Service – Hospitality, Restaurant & Service
•  www.ApronsEtc.com/Events - Event Marketing: Tradeshows, Conferences & Recruiting
•  www.ApronsEtc.com/Schools – Education, Schools & Camps
•  www.ApronsEtc.com/Retail – On-Site Marketing: Retail, In-Store Sampling, POP
•  www.ApronsEtc.com/Budget - Budget-Minded Promotions for One-Time Event Disposables
•  www.ApronsEtc.com/Eco-Friendly – Environmentally Responsible Promotions

These questions are designed to make you think.   How do you identify trends?  Here’s a thought-provoking question – how often have you thought something like this – “Our company should have offered that (fill in the blank) long ago.”  Or “that was a simple idea – why didn’t I think of it?”  Do you brainstorm with your employees – in particular your customer service and sales people – to see what the trends are?  How can you predict those trends?  Are you in touch with your competitors?  Seeing exactly where they are headed?  What they are offering that is now completely different from what they offered a year ago?  Are they following you?

Here’s a suggestion.  Plan a regular brain-storming session with your customer service department.  Let them talk out loud (very loud) about what they do that works.  Everyone has a particular way of doing something.  It may be in their greeting to the customer.  It may be in their ending line in emails.  It may be in their timing on quotes and follow-ups.  Let them talk.  Then ask them to suggest.  This means you put your ego aside.  You don’t talk.  You ask questions and listen and take notes.  Let me say that again.  You don’t talk.  You take notes.

I believe that lots of American innovation stops right at the door to our businesses.  We don’t take into account – and listen VERY CLOSELY – to what our employees have to say.  If anything, we shut them down.  We tell them all the reasons why we can’t do – whatever their suggestion may be.  There could be valid reasons not to make changes.  The ideas are too expensive, we don’t have the manpower, we aren’t currently technologically savvy enough – there are always good reasons to shut down creativity.  Stop doing that.  I’m going to say that again.  Stop shutting down creativity.  Find a way to enhance and encourage and applaud creative problem solving ideas.  Make your customer service department a huge part of your problem solving committee.  Create inclusive creative responses from your team by applauding them with their ideas, having sessions (with food) in which to listen to them.  Use what you can, and offer recognition when you do.

This is all a part of keeping up with the “no’s”.  And using your employees as your strongest trend-identifiers.  And problem solvers.  With a brain storming session.  Try it, and let me know how it goes.

We are doing the things we must.  Seeking every opportunity to get free marketing in the publications, focusing on smooth work among employees and keeping them up-to-date on the business and its financial situation, encouraging and rewarding our customer service reps as much as we are able, and looking towards the future with a keen eye on technology and how the business world is changing.

I am one of those who don’t anticipate that the business model of the past 15 years will return.  But something else will come in its place, and I do believe that if we keep our eyes and ears open, and are willing to evolve as the business world does, then this really is a perfect storm for creating ourselves anew, surviving and thriving in the new business climate of 2010.

http://www.ccis.edu/connections/article.asp?i=33&a=209

http://getsatisfaction.com/westerndigital/topics/excellent_customer_service3

I would hire this person.

If any of you have ever done any gardening or farming, you know that there is a time to prepare the soil, a time to plant the seeds or seedlings, a time of growing, and then a time of harvest.  There simply is no other way to produce a small garden or a few acres of tomatoes or a vast farming enterprise.  Each part of growing has its time, and if you try to get out of order, then you can count on the failure of your crop, or at least, a very poor crop.

We are going through a time of preparing the soil and planting the seeds.  Some growth is taking place, because we are continuing to get orders, but we know that this is a time of smaller harvest.  So what do we do now?  We prepare and plant.  This is a time of preparing and planting.  And how do we do this?

First, our marketing continues.  That is an important part of preparing and planting.  Scott, Pam, and Marlana continue with every feasible inexpensive avenue of getting our name in front of customers and distributors.  But, as you know, everything we offer our customer from the voice who answers to the shipping of product is essentially part of marketing.  We are all in marketing.  Never forget that.

But, beyond that, what can YOU do to enable us to harvest more in the future?

• For customer service, select a group of customers you have not heard from in a long time. (I think I can run a report for each of you).  Call your customer, and simply ask how business is.  Let them know that you haven’t forgotten about them, and that you are looking forward to doing business together in the future.  
• Have something you want to tell them in mind. 
  • Tell them about any changes we have going on here – a new product idea, the website, a creative order which you have received, the digital items we are now offering – anything that suggests possible future orders for them. 
  • Ask them if they know about our webinars and inform them that these can teach them how to sell more of our products and what industries will purchase.
• The important thing is to stay in touch. 
  • You may want to create a kind of calling excel sheet with names and phone numbers of favorite customers. 
  • Make the effort to stay in touch. 
    • I know that each of you continue to be busy, but I also know there is time for one phone call a day or every other day to create contacts which may result in future business – which enhances your pay.  Let me know how I can help with such a project for you.

 This means GETTING OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE.  And getting out of that zone means you will grow.  And growing in this manner means more money in your pocket.  That really is it in a nutshell.  How much do you want to grow?  How much more money do you want to make?

You as customer service have the ears of the distributors.  You can be a hugely positive influence on these relationships which bring business into our company.  How can you grow and improve your personal sales?

Again, the key is to stay in touch, to indicate interest in their business and to find out how the business world is changing.  I don’t believe that business as usual will be the norm in a year.  I think there are going to be sweeping changes in how many of us do business, and you can be on the cusp of this if you keep your eyes and ears open. 

I am going to be searching for (small) articles from trade mags that will offer you insight into what is happening in this business.  I think each of you (everyone) will have the chance to grow substantially during this phase, and it’s quite important that you make the effort.  You can influence the business that comes into our company.  You can create more by taking these steps: 

1)      Make a list of customers to call and simply interact with.

2)      Ask on EVERY call (incoming and outgoing) – How is your business? 

3)      Write down or email to us what kinds of responses you are getting – especially encouraging ones.

Read this AND MAKE NOTES TO YOURSELF.  What are you willing to challenge yourself with and how will you go about that?  Let’s focus on preparing and planting, and when we get out of this recession, regardless of how and when that happens, we (and you) will be ready to rock and roll. 

  CHALLENGE YOURSELF TO GROW!