OnFulfillment Blog | Marketing Fulfillment (4)

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.

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.

Today more than ever, environmental concerns and social responsibility are driving business decisions and behavior around the world.

One way in which these values have manifested themselves is the way companies engage in gift giving, particularly with prospects and customers. The types and quality of gifts have evolved significantly over the years, transitioning from inexpensive, generic, and often wasteful items to more thoughtful and considerate offerings designed to project a more conscientious and impactful image.