The IceBox, LLC—Atlanta, Georgia
Client Snapshot—Healthcare Professionals
The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, a trade group representing pharma companies, threw a wrench into the promotional products business in 2009 when it adopted a voluntary code of conduct restricting the use of promotional items within the industry. The trickle-down effect sent many distributors searching for new sales avenues, but The IceBox, LLC has maintained client relationships in the healthcare sector by focusing on other segments of the marketplace, says Chief Growth Officer Alex Rogow.
Sales Challenge—Spotting New Opportunities
“When the new PhRMA regulations came out, they didn’t affect our business so much that we had to reinvent who we were,” says Rogow. “We were fortunate because we had been focused on employees as brand ambassadors for pharmaceutical companies and hospitals, and not so much on the doctor giveaways. We always brought our creative strengths to employee engagement in health care. And, in the case of hospital systems, we worked to engage patients with fun and useful promotions.”
Top-Gear Strategy—Focus On Internal Opportunities
Rogow says his team doubled down on their efforts toward employees of pharmaceutical companies and healthcare organizations, using promotional products to engage, recognize and reward employees as well as support health-related campaigns like Go Red For Women.
Q&A With Alex Rogow
What are your clients’ most frequent uses for promotional products, and what items do they prefer using?
What questions do you ask clients to help them select the appropriate products?
There are two ways to approach any opportunity—as a product seller and as a creative consultant. One client may say, “I want a water bottle”—that commoditizes what we do as creative professionals.
Our Creative Solutions Experts open a dialogue with our clients, asking questions such as “Who will receive the product? Why are they receiving it? When are they receiving it? How much are you spending?” We then offer our subject-matter expertise on the “what.” We never come back with a single idea, but several, to help achieve client objectives.
What advice do you have for distributors who are stuck in a creative rut?
Take yourself out of your daily grind. Go to a place that inspires creativity—a museum, eclectic neighborhoods, or a hike in the woods. I also find attending networking events for creatives and visual artists to be helpful. An example is Creative Mornings, a breakfast lecture series for the creative community, but really any creative marketing networking environment will allow you to interact and engage, and think differently. Lastly, don’t be afraid of failure. People who are afraid to fail often keep themselves from truly pushing their creativity.
