The Platform

How to market Environmentally Friendly Packaging

Marty Laroff of A Complete Source is letting his clients know that he specializes in ecologically friendly promotional packaging by emailing his GalleryBoard Site link & using it as a signature file. 

His GalleryBoard site presents all of our 300+ stock items, featuring Press Kits, Binders, Gift Boxes, Mailers and Portfolios  - and by providing the site link to his clients, A Complete Source becomes an instant expert in ecologically friendly packaging solutions.

You can get your own GalleryBoard branded site instantly - read more here about how to get that done now.

OSO Promotions and Platform Group Gallery support Breast Cancer Research

The February edition of PPB - the magazine for the promotional products industry, features Bear Holle's OSO Promotions Jet Cruzer's and their successful participation in the 2007 Pink Ribbon's Project Tour de Pink.

OSO Promotions team, which included Allison Gower and Gillian Konko from supplier The Platform Group Gallery, helped raise over $4,000 for breast cancer research and awareness.

The bright yellow jersey's were visible even through the occasional rain squalls -- and we all look forward to 2008 - save the date Sept 7 2008!  Text 'pink' to 78247 for more info!

Ecologically Friendly GalleryBoard Packaging featured in March PPB

The Platform Group Gallery says Go GREEN!  Every item in the GalleryBoard Packaging line is made from 100% recycled fiberboard and chlorine-free top sheets. 

Choose from over 300 stock items - including Press Kits, Binders, Gift Boxes, Mailers and Storage Accessories.  We also offer custom die-cut foam inserts.

We offer spectacular support tools for our agents.  Inquire about self-promotion (no-charge), branded catalogs, branded GalleryBoard web-sites.

Featured in this March PPB from PPAI.

HPPA Plant Tour - The Platform Group Gallery

Dear HPPA Distributors:

Welcome to The Platform Group Gallery's March 5th Plant Tour

On the tour we will to introduce you to GalleryBoard Packaging, an ecologically friendly line of Press Kits, Binders, Gift Boxes, Mailers and Storage Accessories.  Below please find an executive summary of the day's tour agenda as well as contact information and references.

Who is The Platform Group Gallery?
We design, manufacture, ship and service our line of promotional packaging from our plant in Houston (google maps link - in the Garden Oaks area, just North of the 610 Loop), and use our own employees and supplies sourced from the U.S.

The company's two owners and founders, Allison Gower & Jeremy Konko work full-time in the company alongside a core staff of highly trained service and operations professionals.  Most of us have been with The Platform Group Gallery since it's founding in 1997.

The Platform Group Gallery is a supplier dedicated to the advertising specialty industry and has been a member of PPAI (216134 Upic: platform), ASI (78708) and Sage since 1998.

What is GalleryBoard Packaging?
GalleryBoard Packaging is a line of over 300 stock items, including Press Kits, Binders, Mailers, Desk Accessories and Gift Boxes.  The entire line is ecologically friendly, made from 100% recycled fiberboard and chlorine-free top sheets.

In addition to providing over 300 stock choices, we also offer a custom-design service. We can design a package specific to your program, providing you with a prototype for review, and optional pre-production samples. 

We ship quickly, stock items ship within 7 business days of artwork approval, and custom project generally ship within 10 business days of artwork approval.

How does a Promotional Distributor professional work with The Platform Group Gallery?

We offer spectacular support tools for professionals in the advertising industry. 

• Welcome Kit: this is a how-to / get started primer and provides basic information on all the services, the primary contacts and provides 1-2-3 steps on how to get show-room or drop-ship samples as well as how to customize your packaging with die-cut foam inserts.

• Distributor Branded Catalogs: these cute spiral bound catalogs feature the 'best-sellers' in the GalleryBoard Packaging line and are provided with your contact information (company name, telephone number and web-site). 

• Distributor Branded GalleryBoard Packaging Web-Site:  Our www.ThePlatformGroupGallery.com web-site is a great place to shop for samples, search for packages by size and style number as well as view case studies.  All of our more than 300+ items are available on the site - and pricing shown is Industry P.  We offer this site, but branded with a distributor's specific logo and contact information to all professionals in the industry.

• Self Promotional Program: 50 pieces of any TriBeCa priced item with either a 1 color screen or CMYK Vignette.
  

• Referral Program: We refer 100% of our enduser inquires / leads to participating professionals in our Referral Program.  All of the advertising spent in Google Ads and other end-user oriented 'demand creation' is done to benefit professional distributors. 

• Virtual Samples on Demand: a new feature just added to our web-site is the ability to create virtual samples on-demand, 24/7, on any item.  We'll demonstrate this at the tour!

How is GalleryBoard Packaging Made?

In this section of the tour, we'll walk you through our production facility, making you an 'expert' on all the basics so you can be a great resource for your client.  The overview will include -

• Materials review -- 100% Recycled Content Fiberboard, Non-chlorine textured top-sheets
• Laminating & Die-cutting -- illustrating our 300+ stock shapes and how to modify for custom projects
• Printing -- 4 Methods

1. Screen Printing: great for spot (pantone) colors, solids, low-to-medium registration
2. Vignette: CMYK digital (great for low or high-runs), half-tones and any kind of registration
3. Offset: CMYK or Pantone Spot, higher runs only, supports half-tones and any kind of registration
4. Blind Deboss (indentation) made with metal tooling in-line with die-cutting

• Assembly & Casing -- with illustration of specialty acessories

What are Foam-Inserts?

In this section we'll review how we can create a custom die-cut foam insert for any packaging item to house your program's collateral.  This is a spectacular, quick & easy way to add value to your client's program.

In-Depth Review of Tools On Web-Site:

In this section we'll spend time with our spectacular customer service group and review in-depth the tools that we offer on our site and via the service department.  There will be a special focus on -

• Ordering no-charge samples - for your showroom or drop-ship
• Virtual Samples On Demand
• Artwork Information
• Order Sequence / Process

Questions before-hand?  Contact me -- Allison Gower with anything you need!
Look forward to seeing you on March 5th.

Cross-Selling Takes Teamwork

The Platform Group Gallery is the sponsor of today's Promotional Consultant enewsletter --

Cross-Selling Takes Teamwork --

Trust And Convenience
    Not surprisingly, two of the key elements that make cross-selling work are trust and convenience. Your customers already possess a degree of trust in your company, and this can be converted into additional sales that are not directly related to their existing products.
    Some might suggest that customers are irritated by cross-selling and perceive it as an aggressive sales approach. Interestingly enough, consumer research indicates that the reverse is actually true. Most customers prefer a full spectrum of products and services and appreciate the convenience that is provided through a comprehensive cross-selling approach.

Would You Like Fries With That?
    While you may not have recognized it was happening, the last time you ordered from a fast food restaurant there is a good chance you experienced cross-selling.
     Cross-selling is a well-established and highly effective marketing practice utilized by a wide variety of industries, ranging from financial institutions to fast-food restaurants. When you cross-sell related products and services to your existing customers, you are making a smart decision. Developing a systematic approach to cross-selling brings in additional revenue with relatively low expense and effort.
     Marketers wrack their brains and develop expensive advertising campaigns solely designed to get prospects to focus on their offers. When you cross-sell to existing customers, you don't have to compete for their attention. In addition to generating new sales, cross-selling promotes customer loyalty and as a result, keeps competitors at arms length and your business on the books.

What Makes Cross-Selling Work?
    Cross-selling begins with uncovering your customer's needs and laying the groundwork for other specialists to assist you in the selling process.
     The best place to introduce your customer to the concept of cross-selling is during your initial needs analysis meeting. It is important that you inform your customer early in the process that you do not work alone, but represent one aspect of a team of specialists all working to help them achieve their goals.
    When you cross-sell you don't claim to be the expert, you are more of a partner in the process, guiding your customer toward another qualified specialist within your company. You are responsible for setting the tone and preparing your customer for a smooth transfer to an additional specialist.
     Unfortunately, many salespeople fail to do a thorough needs analysis and as a result, frequently do not identify potential products and services that fall outside of their area of expertise.

Ask Questions And Take Good Notes
    Ask customers about their goals and what concerns them. When you discover an area of potential need, be certain to ask your client what steps they have taken, if any, to address the concern. This collaborative approach also helps you view yourself as a planning partner.
     Effective cross-selling is all about guided self-discovery. Through a series of thought provoking, open-ended questions, successful salespeople assist their customers to uncover potential needs.
     During the needs analysis interview, I highly recommend the use of a checklist that incorporates all of your company's products and services. Relying on your memory alone is a poor business decision, so take the time to jot down key information. The integration of customer information and behind the scenes paperwork is essential to facilitate a seamless handoff.

Keys to Achieving Cross-Selling Success
    When developing a cross-selling program, it is critically important that everyone in the organization buys into the philosophy and fully participates in the program. The foundation of every successful cross-selling program is rooted in a strong incentive system based on personal recognition and financial reward.
     Because of the complexity, there also needs to be a standardized software tracking system in place to monitor compliance and coordinate cross-selling activities between specialists. The true value of any sales program can only be measured through the customer's eyes. Steps should be taken to actively survey customer satisfaction throughout the process.
    Companies that fail to implement an effective cross-selling program actually do a disservice to their customers and in effect, leave the backdoor open to their competitors.

     Source: John Boe presents a variety of training and motivational programs for meetings and conventions. He brings more than 20 years of experience as a sales trainer to the