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![]() Choosing the Right Vendor
By Kathryn Schwartz, Peachtree City Foamcraft
Choosing vendors with all the right qualities for your business will provide success for your business and your clients.
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The signage industry is an $11.7 billion dollar industry and the 2012 ISA State of the Industry report projects a significant growth in both outdoor and sustainable, green friendly signage in 2013. The demand for high quality, attractive and durable architectural signage continues to rise as businesses are constantly trying to improve their overall image in hopes that the first impression will mean more business and a healthier bottom line. Once you make the decision to jump into a growing market with the goal of improving your bottom line, you need to make sure you are aligned with partners who will assist you as you integrate a new product/service into your offerings. There are several factors that influence purchasing designs in the signage industry. As a sign company, it is inevitable that you will have to align yourself with quality manufacturing vendors to ensure you can offer a full range of signage products to your client. When you choose a manufacturer to partner with, do you consider the primary factors that influence your clients purchasing decisions or do you partner purely based upon price? We are going to focus on the primary factors that you should take into consideration before partnering with a specific distributor or wholesaler: preference for channel of distribution, financial strength of the manufacturer and expertise.
Your Competitor or Your Partner?
Mirror, Mirror
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Tell me what you know In addition, be sure to ask the sales representative for any literature or samples they may have. Many manufacturers offer free or low cost literature and samples for you to distribute to your clients. Often the literature/samples provided are "tried and true" already focusing on the features and benefits of the product, eliminating the need for you to spend a great amount of time deciphering the selling points of the product.
Check Please The 2012 State of the Industry report published by the International Sign Association (www.signs.org) shed light on the true factors that impact the purchasing agents design for selecting vendors and the results may surprise you. The quality of the product a vendor offers was the most influential factor on the purchaser when making a purchase. The next most influential factors were as follows; the relationship the sign shop had with the vendor, price then technical support. Notice that price came in second to last, far behind the quality of the product and the relationship established with the vendor. If you base your purchasing decision on price - you will have partnered with a company which either has less expertise, less financial strength or distributes on multiple levels - all factors that can be detrimental to the long-term outlook of your business. The age old saying is true, "You pay for what you get." Protect your business and investigate expertise, financial strength and distribution BEFORE you choose your partner. If not, it could cost you your business. Katie Schwartz is the Marketing Coordinator at Peachtree City Foamcraft, the leading supplier of foamcore monument signs and architectural accents. Peachtree City Foamcraft is the only wholesale manufacturer to have their product independently tested and approved to withstand 175 mph winds. katie@ptd.net
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