Customer Case Study – Fancy Fixtures
Non Woven Polypropylene Tote Bag
A successful business uses promotional products in an unlikely way.
PORT WASHINGTON, NY – An old marketing saying goes something like this: If a consumer likes something they’ll tell two people, if they dislike something they'll tell 12 people about it. Human nature can't be changed, so keeping your company image and reputation in a consumer's good graces is essential. A bad reputation can kill a retail store within weeks of opening. A mediocre reputation can permanently limit a store’s profit to only a fraction of its potential.
While promotional products can help keep companies looking good, they can also be used as a functional part of business operations. Fancy Fixtures, a one stop bath design showroom sells everything from stone and tile to faucets and tubs. By all measures they are very successful. Liz Martinez co-owns the company with her three sisters. Since 1988, they have maintained a stellar reputation and have more clients than they can handle. It can take up to three weeks to get an appointment for a sit down with a designer. They are known for their design sense, product knowledge, great prices and excellent customer service. With a modest store in a strip mall, there is nothing "fancy" about Fancy Fixtures, yet they have built a stellar reputation and an enviable foundation of referral and repeat business. People travel from a hundred miles away to decorate their homes and vacation homes. Customers were delighted when they opened a second location about 25 minutes away in Woodbury, NY.
So why would a company so naturally successful, with too many clients, need promotional products? Promotional products are typically used for branding and attracting customers, but they also add value to a successful business operation.
Working with Fancy Fixtures, ePromos account executives uncovered an operational opportunity in how the store dealt with sample tiles. ePromos’ solution would save the owners time, giving them more opportunity to work with customers and further improve their business.
The Problem. An essential part of the stone, tile and bath business is providing samples and fact sheets for customers to take home. These samples are responsible for closing many a sale. But stone and tile samples are often big and bulky – up to ten pounds each and up to 18-inches square. A typical client may want to take home five or six tiles. A large bulky tile could scratch a car seat in a split second. Or worse, break a customer’s foot. Plus, customers are unlikely to return samples if it’s a hardship. And when customers don’t return samples, Fancy’s has the added work and expense of restocking samples to keep the showroom looking its best. As you can see, transporting samples to and from clients’ homes is a major problem.
The Solution. ePromos, with a fresh outsider’s view of the business, saw an opportunity. We all agreed that it wasn’t ideal customer service to make customers shuttle heavy samples back and forth to their cars. We certainly didn’t want a customer frustrated that their car was scratched or that they hurt themselves making trips back and forth. That would not build goodwill. So ePromos recommended a strong, lightweight and inexpensive non woven polypropylene tote bag. Paper or plastic bags would never support the weight or be durable enough to stay intact with tiles’ sharp corners, and canvas tote bags were too expensive for everyday use to prospects. The polypropylene bag is not woven like canvas, which keeps its cost down, but is remarkably durable. Adding a logo shows that Fancy Fixtures is professional and inspires confidence in the purchaser.
“Our clients get a bag to carry their samples out and they love them so much they want to keep them once they return the samples.” says Martinez. "It's a nice little gift that we feel is impressive, plus its a lot of fun as a business owner to see our bags all over town, even in the Hamptons." Martinez adds, "Since the bag's imprint shows our second store, we are building awareness of our new Woodbury showroom as well. People are always asking for the bags. It’s our pleasure. Our Fancy Fixtures bag is like the new Starbucks cup, you have to have it.”
Fancy just reordered another 1,000 bags after just six months. They might need another store before they know it.
We’d love to help you find some unique and useful items that have the added benefit of being a functional part of your business.
Have a Creative Day!
CEO and Founder
P.S. We'd love to hear you success stories, email us at comments@epromos.com If we feature your story we'll give you a special gift!
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Employees love wearing company logo shirts and customers will think you spent a fortune. You can individually gift box these shirts if you'd like. You'll appreciate the big benefits from a small investment.
Upcoming Promotional Event Dates
Below is a list of upcoming promotional opportunities to keep in mind.
March
• National Poison Prevention Week March 19-25
• Pulmonary Rehabilitation Week March 12-18
• National Doctor's Day March 30
April
• Alcohol Awareness Month
• Alcohol Free Weekend April 7-9
• International Children's Book Day April 2
• National Occupational Therapy Month
• Child Abuse Prevention Month
• Sexually Transmitted Diseases Awareness Month
• Math Awareness Month
• Cancer Control Month
• Animal Cruelty Prevention Month
• National Humor Month
• Stress Awareness Month Promotional Items
• National Public Health Week April 3-9
• Kick Butts Day April 5
• World Health Day April 7
• Week of the Young Child April 2-8
• National Medical Laboratory Week April 23-29
• National Library Week April 2-8
• National Public Safety Telecommunications Week April 9-15
• National Infant Immunization Week April 22-29
• National Stress Awareness Day April 16
• Teach Children to Save Day April 25
• National Arbor Day April 28
• Public School Volunteer Week April 16-22
• National Credit Education Week September 18-23
• National Volunteer Week April 23-29
• National Earth Week April 16-22
• Earth Day Promotional Items April 22
• Administrative Professionals Day April 26
• Administrative Professionals Week April 23-29
• Employee Appreciation Week April 23-29
• National Student Leadership Week April 16-22
• National TV Turnoff Week April 24-30
• National Youth Service Day April 21-23
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These pens are great! Not only do they write well, but the Color Dome imprint method means no additional charges for extra imprints. If you have a colorful logo, go to town with full color high quality digital printing covered with a classy clear epoxy-like dome.
More color dome pens...
Drawstring Backpacks from $1.98
a walking billboard that's useful and fun!
A huge seller for spring, everyone loves these backpacks. Perfect for kids and adults. For work or play. Fold'em up, you can even mail them. Five colors to choose from. Need another color, just call and we'll find it for you.
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Website News - Wishlist feature
On every Product Detail Page, you'll find a light blue area (see image below), with five useful functions available to our users. This week we want to call your attention to our recently added Wishlist function which customers are raving about.
Now as you shop you can save items you like in any number of different lists that you create. Golf Outing, Employee Gifts, Company Picnic Ideas... just give it a name and event date. Drop products into these lists as you shop and then save, print, email or share the list with coworkers. Wishlists are a great way to share and discuss ideas (complete with pictures, pricing and product information).
Your ePromos Rep can also add ideas into your wishlist at your request. You can even order samples from the list and set an email reminder to help you stay on top of your deadlines. We hope you'll love it!
Success Stories
Have an amazing success story? Tells us about your use of promotional products and if we use it in our newsletter, we'll send you a 500 customized pens as a gift. Drop us a line at comments@epromos.com
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