The businesses may feel a new urgency to promote themselves, he says. Re-evaluate credit terms . The majority of ad specialty items are time-specific and customized. Because of those factors, it's smart to get partial payment up front, Mills says. Go to a one-stop shop .
Distributors love to present themselves as one-stop shops.
And if you're new to ad specialties sales, it pays to take your business to a supplier who can provide the same service, Hiatt says. The tendency of distributors breaking into ad specialties is to look at every possible avenue for cutting the costs of orders, he says. This includes using several different suppliers for different parts of the job. While learning the ropes, Hiatt says, it's wise to go to larger suppliers that provide turnkey solutions and services. Be proof positive .