“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times!” Charles Dicken’s famous first line of “A Tale of Two Cities” could well have described 2022 in our chosen field of promotional merchandise, Charles Clixby* writes.
From the conversations I have had this year with customers nationwide in the ag space and many other industries, the positives and negatives of this past year were evident everywhere one cares to look.
Barring any late surprises, agribusiness appears to have had a great year. Favourable commodity prices and generally good weather conditions have come together to create strong demand for most areas of the supply chain.
As a supplier of promotional merchandise to many agribusiness participants, we have experienced strong demand for our products and services in the past 12 months. With the pandemic fading, events roared back to life, and it was great to see so many familiar faces at shows like Hort Connections after a two-year hiatus.
The calendar quickly became crowded with events that needed an array of merchandise delivered to locations far and wide. I will admit to a few sleepless nights waiting for over-stretched freight companies to deliver goods around the country.
The uptick in demand has been most welcome, but the supply and logistics issues made life very difficult, and I know I am not alone there.
The positives far outweigh the negatives and many of our customers have had to really lift their game to ensure consistency of supply and to maintain good service.
In view of these challenges, we have spent much time expanding our ranges and offerings to ensure that if a particular item is not available, there is a substitute that is equal if not better.
We have taken on some great new ranges – Portwest Workwear, Olight Torches, Arctic Zone drinkware, Hard Yakka workwear, XTM clothing, Adidas, Dometic drinkwear, Huski, Blunt Umbrellas and many more. Thereby, ensuring that there is an array of choice and that no one customer need to do the same as another.
Now we all start staring into the crystal ball of 2023 to try work out what will happen. Will the weather be kind? Will interest rate rises begin to bite? Cost of living? Etc etc. How will this all affect the direction of 2023? The truth is no one knows, so we will do what we have done for the past 28 years in business and that is to focus on what we can control.
Technology will continue to be a popular sector in 2023. Wireless charging, speakers and IT accessories are always getter better as technology improves. Clothing is a huge part of the market, and we continue to see an increased demand for quality. After all, what good is a ‘waterproof’ jacket that isn’t what is claims to be.
One growth area that I feel will take off in 2023 is the ‘eco’ product ranges. Items made from recycled products, responsibly sourced with as low a carbon footprint as possible.
We saw much interest in this in 2022 and I expect this to be a growth area in the coming months. Our range off Swiss-made pens by prodir (prodir.com) is a great example. Promotional pens with the environment in mind – not something you hear every day.
Whatever happens, I will always revert to my three pillars of rules when it comes to recommending products to customers:
Quality – invest in good quality merchandise. What does it say about your business if you are prepared to put your logo on sub-standard products.
Practicality – find a product that your client will use. Think about a product that will come in handy for them during their day, at home or at work.
Relevance – make sure the product suits the recipient. A relevant product shows your customer that you have thought about their needs.
If you abide by those three rules, your promotional merchandise will be well-received, and your customers will thank you and remember you.
*Charles Clixby is director of Absolute Promotions, Perth WA.
