Five Ways Distributors Can Use Technology to Increase Sales

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Staying on top of the latest technology may seem like a daunting task as a small business owner, but before deriding having to learn a new system or process, distributors should take a step back and appreciate everything that technology can do for them and their business. The right set of tech in your entrepreneurial tool box can propel your business and level the playing field. Small business owners can now easily equip themselves to be more efficient, responsive and better able to compete. Here are five different ways promotional product distributors use technology to boost their business and increase sales:

When time is money, the right technology can save a business a small fortune and contribute directly to sales growth. The Experience AIA (EAIA) platform, for example, allows distributors to streamline and automate processes, making many aspects of doing business easier and more efficient. Distributors can better serve customers and get paid faster. Time saved on everything from sourcing products, to order entry and billing, to data analysis and marketing can now be spent talking to customers and selling.

Having a well-oiled tech ecosystem helps distributors to compete on service rather than price. Increased organization leads to better customer service and client retention. At AIA, the EAIA dashboard works to keep distributors organized by giving them instant access to vital information regarding the status of orders and the ability to set tasks for themselves or delegate tasks to other staff members. Distributors are easily able to stay on top of their business without anything falling through the cracks. Customers will continue to come back to distributors who can ensure accurate, on-time delivery of orders.

Social distancing mandates, work-from-home policies and limited travel (on top of a rapidly growing e-commerce economy) make a distributor’s online presence vital to their business. Online company stores can also bring in additional revenue from clients looking to distribute promotional products for virtual events and fundraisers. Seamless e-commerce enabled websites and company store integrations enable distributors to compete in the growing digital economy and meet the evolving online shopping needs of end users.

While print ads, catalogs, and sales visits may not be dead, using digital channels like email and social media for marketing is an easy and cost-effective way to stay top of mind with clients and drive sales. Social media also allows distributors to engage with their customers — it’s no longer a one-way messaging street. And best of all — it’s much easier to track and measure digital campaigns, allowing distributors to optimize campaigns and ad spend to the channels that are most effective for their target audience.

The right technology can provide distributors with better visibility into where their business is coming from, how their business is trending and why. A data-driven approach to sales can help distributors identify where the most profitable opportunities lie and how their business measures up against industry averages. At AIA for example, distributors work with our Owner Success Managers to create data-driven sales strategies based on over 59 million data points. Big data gives them insights into their customer churn rates, gross margin averages by industry, vendor pricing trends and much more.

Technology will continue to play a pivotal role in the success of promotional product distributors. Contact us to learn more about how AIA’s technology solutions can boost your business and help you compete. Download more information about AIA’s Experience Platform.