Winter 2008 - Marketing Dimensions from Felber & Felber Marketing

	Winter 2008

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So, what is a company store?

by Bruce Felber, Felber & Felber Marketing

That building with sundries at low prices near the industrial facility was once known as a Company Store. Originally born out of convenience and assistance to the company's workers, these stores kept employees close by and available to work more hours. Typically, these stores were part of a 'company town' since there were relatively no other choices of employment at that time.

Today the idea of a "Company Store" is completely different. A Company Store has turned from a convenience store to part of the company's marketing and branding efforts. The store is now not only a place to order company apparel and promotional items, but you can also now incorporate tailored direct marketing programs (postcards, flyers, dimensional direct mail, etc.) to fit your consumer's target profile. You can even order those ever-so-necessary business cards. The modern company store helps the sales and marketing staff enhance the company's brand in a consistent and even timelier fashion. Starting in the 50's then into the mid 90's, company stores began emerging from brick and mortar facilities into a new idea of a branded shop. A series of branded merchandise is not only available for purchase by employees, but can be used literally as a warehouse for the tools needed by a modern marketing and public relations department.

The concept was brilliant. As companies grew these last few decades, they all faced many challenges. They struggled with managing multiple locations, purchasing various promotional literature, signage, handouts and print ads all while managing to maintain brand consistency (Face it, who hasn't had a run in with the company brand police?). Companies would run into problems when they would use different vendors. Often times the color, logo and ultimately the brand, was misinterpreted and misused. This was a clear sign to any marketer that there was a desperate need for a way to simplify the ordering process and successfully keep a uniformed brand image. A catalog ordering system was developed out of this need. These catalogs assisted in keeping the brand intact. It allowed for sales representatives and others a place to purchase an item under uniform conditions. As the computer era began, the Internet helped to relieve those bulky catalogs and provided awareness to make it even easier to order company branded merchandise—no matter where you were located in the world.

So, what are the benefits of offering a company store and how does the modern company store work? Today the world moves so fast that the look, feel and brand are an ever evolving, yet very crucial part of business. With branded websites, the marketing and sales departments can order everything from corporate literature and promotional products to wearing apparel and trade show traffic-building programs. Now, along with the employees of the company, anyone designated by the company can quickly shop, customize and order from any location. Upon creation of the store, the company has already set the branding guidelines. These branding guidelines give consistency in every campaign and prevent company logos from being used inappropriately. When the wrong logo is used or an old brochure is being handed out you are doing serious brand damage. After all you fought so hard for the brand in the first place, why let it get destroyed now? Control the brand that you spent years building.

Aside from being a convenient place to order from, many companies (and even some non-profit organizations) have found that co-op marketing or co-branding helps stretch those tight marketing dollars. Company stores can be on-demand or have the ability to actually hold the physical inventory. The on-demand feature is growing more popular as companies want to offer a variety of products. More and more companies have the ability to digitally print, providing flexibility you've never heard before. On-demand ordering may require a higher minimum quantity purchase, but requires little or no inventory. Whereas an inventory program is available immediately and for those that need smaller quantities, but inventory programs require a commitment to make sure items are in stock and ready for immediate shipment. With inventory programs, once the items are decorated and stocked, you own it (whether the fads or styles change or not).

At Felber & Felber Marketing we evaluate your needs and offer many tailored programs. Call us to discuss how these programs can impact your sales and marketing efforts as well as how we can free you from the tedious requirements of running a program in house. We can build your website, advise on quality product selections, offer fulfillment and serve as brand managers, all at the click of a mouse.

Contact Bruce Felber at 330.963.3664 or brucefelber@felberandfelber.com.

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