PPB Magazine Feature: Tough Times, Stronger Companies

Regardless of company location, size or types of customers served, most business owners agree that 2020 was rough. That’s the understatement of the year, right?! 

For those in the promotional products industry, distributors reported a 19% loss of sales compared to 2019. It’s the first time since 2013 that total industry sales have dropped to less than $20 billion. 

That said, iron sharpens iron. For the Corporate Specialties team, tough circumstances meant working harder, smarter and more creatively. We showed you, our clients and prospects, just how powerful promotional products can be through a series of self-promotions. We embraced virtual events—and helped our clients do the same—incorporating swag bags (or boxes) in new ways. 

We updated our business model, formed new partnerships and even helped The Detroit News raise $70k for the Rosa Parks Foundation, thanks to Drew Barrymore ​​and the remake of a 1980s t-shirt. 

Even with all the setbacks, Corporate Specialties had its best year yet, with sales growing 38% over 2019. Valerie Hayman Sklar, Corporate Specialties president, along with leaders of six other distributor companies, sat down with Tina Filipski, editor of Promotional Products Business (PPB) magazine, to discuss how the events of 2020 impacted their businesses, what they did to restart sales and how 2021 looks so far.

Read the entire article here.   

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If your business suffered during 2020, we can create campaigns to reintroduce your products and services to customers as well as build programs to reengage employees. If your organization grew during 2020, we can help you integrate branded merchandise into your marketing programs so you can keep the momentum going through 2021. 

Either way, our concierge service is ready to get to work selecting the promotional products that are truly beneficial to your customer and/or workplace experience. 

Contact us at hello@corporatespecialtes.com or book an appointment at https://meetings.hubspot.com/corpspec/chat-about-swag today. Choose from quick 10-minute chats, 20-minute new product calls and 30-minute brainstorming sessions to get started.