AIA Logo Marketing Group Drives Sales With Service
Sunday, February 26th, 2012
Last year was a good year for AIA Logo Marketing Group with strong sales in the health care, home chemical, agricultural chemical and electrical market segments. Owner and President Roger Rachals credits the success in a slow economy to the strong customer service culture at the company.
"Most customers are looking for service – a personal touch and reliable, on-time delivery," Rachals said. "We have three full-time salespeople who spend time with our customers learning their business and making sure we treat them right."
AIA Logo Marketing Group provides promotional and printed products that are customized with company logos and other company-specific information. Rachals has been in the printing business for more than 30 years and in the promotional goods business for about six years.
"I Say if you want your name on it, we can do it," Rachals said.
Sizing up the Advertising Specialty Industry
The Advertising Specialty Institute® or ASI is a media and marketing organization that serves the advertising specialty industry and has a membership of 33,000+ distributor firms and 3,500+ supplier firms. ASI provides an annual industry sales estimate and for 2011 it estimated promotional products sales were $18.5 billion, up 6.2 percent versus 2010.
In a March 2011 article in a-e-mag.com, Timothy M. Andrews, president and chief executive officer of ASI, said, "This remarkable and consistent growth further cements our belief in the power of promotional products. The ad specialty industry continues to power on – despite the recession and in the face of stagnant growth in numerous other industries.”
What's New in Promotional Goods
Rachals attended the ASI Advantages Roadshow in Orlando, Fla. in January, which is a travelling show of suppliers in the advertising specialty industry. Exhibitors present the latest in promotional trinkets and ideas.
"Techno promotional items are the biggest thing out now: skins for iPhones, cases for iPads, flash drives, that kind of thing," Rachals said.
In the apparel end of the business, items made of Dri-FIT fabric that wicks away moisture are new and popular. Companies can personalize the apparel items with their logo and provide the items as gifts to clients and employees or use them as part of a marketing campaign.
Competing Against Online Distributors
AIA Logo Marketing Group serves mostly local businesses within about 100 miles of its location in Albany. Yet it faces competition from much larger distributors that generate sales primarily through websites.
"We can compete because we have many established accounts and get a lot of repeat business," Rachals said. "Our focus on service sets us apart."
Rachals expects another good year in 2012 driven by the same factors that delivered good sales growth in 2011.
"Customers know we will work with them to build their business with the right promotional items," Rachals said.
More information on AIA Logo Marketing Group is available at www.aialogogroup.com or contact Roger Rachals at (229) 420-0496 or [email protected].
