Do you ever think about how your paper printed products affect your relationships with other businesses? Most B-to-B interaction can be directly linked to exchange of paper items such as brochures, invoices, and so on – from sales to purchasing and everything in between. Whether the majority of your B-to-B action is as a vendor, or a cooperative, symbiotic relationship, the way you present yourself is everything.
A good first step is to consolidate your printed paper products under one style and ensure consistency across all channels. A local Long Island printer like Viking should be the first point of contact when it comes to branding, so you can ensure high quality and a strong message that tells those you do business with that you are smart, savvy, current and capable.
Start at the beginning, with business cards for yourself and everyone on your staff. Don’t cheap out and send your key players out on B-to-B calls with cards they are forced to scribble their own name and extension on. Personalized cards that state their name, phone number, email address and position within your company are must-haves.
Printed stationery and matching envelopes are the next step. Every piece of mail that goes out of your business to another business or a customer should be branded. Same goes for your faxes – have a stylish cover sheet designed and use it ever time you send a fax. All of the above items should bear your logo or letterhead as well as contact information. To avoid clutter, put extra contact info on the back flap of an envelope, or use it as a footer at the bottom of every page of stationery.
Think about getting a rubber stamp to cover the basics for those times when you end up needing to use a piece of paper or an envelope that isn’t pre-printed. This allows you to be consistent with your message. Look into labels for times you are on the run, so you at least don‘t have to hand-return-address anything, and order folders and binders for meetings and distribution of materials.
Consider printed products other than paper ones as well – a delivery of bottled spring water can make a nice summer gift for a local business, and they’ll thank you every time they take a sip if you remind them you are their benefactor with a custom printed label that points to you.
Your local Long Island print shop can boost your B-to-B image and improve relationships you are building. Staying professional is half the battle!