Whether you are in the financial services, insurance or manufacturing (e.g. building products) verticals, planning joint campaigns with your distributed sales channels is a great way to generate new up-sell and cross-sell business. Because they already know and likely trust your business, existing customers are a prime audience for additional sales, but they may not be properly informed about the full scope of products or services in your portfolio. You may expect that your distributors are taking initiative to nurture up-sell and cross-sell business from their current customers, but they may need a little push. However, if you provide direction and make it easy for distributors to participate, you can both profit. Here’s how:

According to iMedia Connection, it is estimated that manufacturers invest $50 to $520 billion dollars in co-op marketing programs annually. In comparison to the estimated total U.S. advertising spend this year of $153 billion, reports iMedia, that translates to a lot of money available for co-op programs, but much of this funding is “left on the table.” According to the article:

Joint, co-branded events are an effective tool in your marketing promotions mix to help distributed sales channels reach new prospects and close the sale. Events and seminars are excellent opportunities for new prospects to learn more about your product or service, and in-person meetings with current customers can also generate new up-sell and cross-sell opportunities. Co-op marketing events and seminars also provide a means for insurance, financial services and manufacturers, such as building products companies, to get closer to their end-customers while overseeing delivery of the brand message. Here’s your checklist for executing a seamless co-op marketing event or seminar from start to finish.

Consumers are increasingly reviewing product information online before the sale to help guide their buying decisions. QR codes are a great vehicle to provide product information to buyers throughout the pre-purchase research process. If you use them effectively, QR codes can also help your brand stay on the short list throughout the customer’s buying decision and help promote the sale. 18% of customers have scanned QR codes to make a purchase according to Chadwick Martin Bailey, so it’s important to use QR codes to help guide the customer’s buying decision. Below we share examples to help maximize your use of QR codes in pre-purchase research.

Whether you’re an insurance company with independent agents or a manufacturer going to market through a distributor or dealer channel, selling via third party sales channels presents a unique set of challenges. Because distributors and dealers traditionally coordinate sales activities for multiple product lines, how do you rely on a third party channel to market your products effectively, and how can you help to ensure that you are the brand of choice? Here’s your go-to checklist for improving distribution channel engagement.

Overseeing brand compliance in communications with customers and prospects can be challenging for any organization, and especially challenging when going to market with a distributed sales force or through third party dealers and distributors, but brand consistency across these channels is critical. Even details that may seem subtle, such as logo size, brand colors and the tone of any messaging communicated with your branding can dramatically impact how your organization is represented by your company’s remote brand ambassadors. With a Marketing Resource Management (MRM) system, you can streamline and automate the process of creating polished, customized brand impressions. Here’s how.

A personalized greeting on a corporate holiday card can set your business apart. That personalization can sometimes be a little tricky if you want to include messages and signatures from your remote sales staff. Many companies have a sales force in the field. It is perfect for building close relationships with your prospects and customers, but adds obstacles to a broad campaign like the corporate holiday card. This is the fifth blog in our series to help you carry out a successful corporate holiday card campaign. Whether you have individual sales representatives spread across your region or sales teams located in remote field offices, here are some ideas to help you send an effective, yet personal, holiday card.