You’ve heard us say it before, and we’ll continue to say it: events are making a huge comeback.

Pent-up demand following the COVID-inspired shutdowns has driven companies back into events, primarily in-person gatherings. In fact, most of our new customers over the past year originated as a request for assistance with their event management responsibilities.

To capitalize on this trend, many of our competitors have started advertising themselves as event fulfillment and management providers. Never mind that, up to this point, these gifting platforms have focused almost exclusively on producing and mailing branded merchandise. When they see a business opportunity, they jump on it.

When OnFulfillment welcomes a new client, they don’t just hand them the keys to the site and wish them luck. Actually, it’s just the beginning of a much more involved process designed to help the customer extract maximum value out of the new partnership and help their business thrive.

“Buy locally, distribute globally” is a sound business strategy. It provides a level of control that allows you to maintain consistency across products or materials, manage the brand, and take advantage of bulk pricing.

That’s the theory, anyway. In practice, however, it’s not quite that simple or straightforward.

Most countries, and many manufacturers, have customs rules and other regulations designed to prevent materials produced in a foreign country from being imported and distributed in different locations. Generally, these rules are designed to protect local businesses from unfair labor practices, and the penalties can be harsh, both economically and in terms of wasted time and resources.

No one should be surprised to learn that expressing appreciation for a job well done is critical to creating a positive work environment, ensuring employee satisfaction, and contributing to company success.

According to a March 2022 survey conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Bonusly, nearly half of U.S. workers (46%) have left a job because they felt unappreciated, while 65% said they would work harder if their contributions were acknowledged by management. The importance of recognition isn’t limited to management; 65% of respondents said they would remain in a position with an unappreciative boss if their co-workers appreciated their work.

We’ve said it many times over the past several months: trade shows and events are making a huge comeback. Most of the new customers we’ve welcomed in 2023 actually came to us looking for help with their event management requirements.

One thing we’ve discovered in our initial meetings with these new customers is they are often confused about the differences between exhibit houses or providers and event support and management services. Many assumed they were synonymous, leading to lots of frustration as they searched in vain for vendors who could provide the help they were looking for. Turns out a simple change in their search strategy could have led them right to their ideal partner, saving considerable time and effort.