Small Business Survival: Tie-In products add to your bottom line
By Kevin Mitchell
Statewide Food Equipment
This is the story of how one business owner stepped outside his comfort zone and discovered a golden opportunity he never expected. That business owner is me.
At Statewide, we specialize in meat and deli weighing and processing applications. For 19 years, we’ve outfitted many meat rooms and delis for success using our product lines. Along the way, we developed support for our scale systems by offering label stock that our scales use, creating custom stock with our customer logos as well as information needed for discriminating consumers.
Business relationships helped us bring many innovations to our customers. Our label supplier, Saxon Inc., is a master custom label printer serving a wide variety of industries with their patented products. It was a natural progression for us to offer this custom labeling to our food industry clients; providing them with name recognition for unique products sold to the consumer.
This relationship with our label supplier led Statewide Food Equipment into a direction we never foresaw or planned – marketing. Who would have thought, an equipment company selling and promoting marketing material! Peel-a Deal is that product and it sure was a surprise. Saxon asked me something, “Kevin, you have some of the finest stores in your customer base, can you show them our Peel-a-Deal product?” I have been treated so well by these folks in our 5 year relationship, how could I say no?
So off I went. The first company I showed this to was a local Gourmet Market. Peel-a-Deal can be set up as a mailer, handout or inserted into newspapers. The client chose direct mail to distribute their custom printed Peel-a-Deal. The rest is history; consumers were driven to the store with Peel-a Deals unique coupon system. When Peel-a-Deal hit the streets consumers lined up at the door.
Now Peel-a-Deal is a regular part of the product/service menu I offer my customers. Even though I didn’t see it at first, it’s turned out to be a natural tie-in to what we already offer. It adds another revenue stream for us and it generates business for our customers. It’s a win-win.
The lesson here? Don’t box yourself – or your business – in. Be on the lookout for opportunities for your business to evolve and grow.
More about Peel-a-Deal
What does Peel-a-Deal offer?
• Peel-off coupons to be used in the stores on a small platform that can be carried in a wallet or purse without the traditional coupon cut-outs from the newspapers.
• High end custom look with a punch out card on one side offering information or sales items, the other side with peel able coupons to be peeled off and used as needed. When the coupon is peeled you can slide the rest into your wallet or purse.
• Simple to you, easy to carry, those who never would have carried coupons into a store now do because of simplicity and ease of use.Interested? Call Statewide Food Equipment (800-369-5035) to find out how we can set up a custom look to drive business to you.
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