Manufacturer and Distributor Promotional Ideas

As the year begins to wind down, many in marketing departments are giving consideration to promotional  / marketing ideas for 2015.  To help provide some fodder for idea generation, we thought we’d share some promotions / marketing items that have come across the desk. Remember, the definition of new is “new to you”!

This is a promotion launched by Lutron targeted at contractors.  It’s a multi-month promotion. Contractor upload purchase information at a website and have the opportunity to earn unique travel awards and thousands of a new Lutron product.

Aside from stimulating sales, this promotion acts as a:

• strategy to launch a new product
• a product sampling strategy (contractors getting product for their homes)
• a way to collect contractor contact information
• and a way to reward contractors for buying the product.

Click on the photo and you will be taken to the program rules.

We received this from a distributor.  They have a lighting showroom and are promoting their site and their lighting showroom by using Pinterest.  An email is sent to customers / prospective customers who are invited to Pinterest. Great way to save lighting items and engage with customers. Could also be used if you’re involved in residential remodeling.

This (below) came from an email from Hite. Click on the link and you’ll visit a YouTube video on Broan Nutone’s installation challenge, which Hite hosted earlier this year. A unique way from Broan Nutone to get their installation message out to contractors (who like hands-on experiences) and something that makes a counter day more impactful.

Here is information received that involves Graybar. Graybar became an authorized supplier through the NGIP alliance, which is a business alliance of US communities. They promoted their electronic purchasing capabilities. Conceptually, how can independent distributors identify local organizations to develop more strategic relations … and then perhaps use special pricing or SPAs to generate new sales? Grainger has also done this successfully with many other associations.

Next is a new marketing strategy from American Standard, a manufacturer in the plumbing industry.  American Standard launched its Plumbers Rewards Club earlier this month via email. Presumably they will also be using other media to reach contractors.

Contractors register, upload their invoices, can scan UPCs using smartphones, enter information via their smartphone and get distributors to submit reports. It’s a cash rebate program using a reloadable debit card (hopefully contractors earn enough to make it worthwhile.) Key, like the Lutron promotion, is the development of a contractor marketing database.  In this instance, since so many products are involved, American Standard can determine top purchasers.  And this type of promotion can have many “legs” that can facilitate long-term marketing and customer engagement.

This website was launched by Connexiones, a Chicagoland electrical distributor, to promote their fastener business. Rather than position themselves as “another product supplier”, the site is designed to position the company as a knowledge-based distributors. The link goes to a YouTube site that highlights the company’s positioning.

Next is a monthly promotion by Calpipe. This small manufacturer is reaching out to contractors, either based upon email addresses generated from the ordering process, via acquired lists or through a subscription-based newsletter, to ask contractors and end-users to submit photos of jobs where the company’s products are used.

Aside from generating customer involvement, benefits include:

• ability to get field photos that can be used in other marketing initiatives
• photos create the ability to have conversations with winners which can lead to writing case studies.

And everyone likes to win $125!

Here’s another marketing initiative from Connexiones.  This was a 3 month plateau promotion that involved a selected group of suppliers.  Contractors needed to be $x from purchasing suppliers to earn different levels of food products.

This being Chicago, fresh New England lobster is a treat.

If memory is correct, 10-14 manufacturers were involved in this promotions

And last but not least is a promotional initiative from a “virtual” distributor, www.bgbsupply.com.  They used Black Friday, traditionally a retail event, as a marketing opportunity to provide 15% off all orders.  Click on the graphic to go to their promotions page

We’ve also seen BgB Supply advertise on contractor and other end-user sites to drive traffic.

These are just some ideas to get your creative juices going.

And if we can help, give us a call…

We’ll periodically share other ideas we’ve seen, or, feel free to send us your promotions and marketing ideas (ideally after you’ve already run them) and we’ll give you some recognition).