There are many ways that small and medium-sized distributors compete against the large national chains. Intimate knowledge of the local customer base, customized services and technically competent application specialists are some of the areas where smaller distributors often compete more effectively than their larger counterparts. But if there’s one area where large distributors consistently beat the stuffing out of smaller competitors, it’s in marketing promotions. Large distributors understand the power of promotions and have the dollars and the staffs to get the job done.

Many people believe that marketing requires a lot of money. While it can help to have a big budget, it is not necessary. Simple, low-cost events can turn into terrific promotional vehicles.

T. Scott Gross wrote the book MicroBranding: Build Powerful Personal Brands and Beat Your Competition. Although the book is not targeted specifically to business-to-business marketing, it offers some helpful advice that distributors with small budgets can utilize.

First, he says, have fun. Devise a fun marketing event, like a sidewalk art contest to award prizes to student artists who create chalk art in your parking lot. It can attract artists by the dozens and spectators by the hundreds and generate local media interest. Be sure to invite your best customers and their families to participate.

Gross also suggests doing something good for others. He says when you wrap doing something good for others around your marketing efforts, you earn the reputation for being a good person in your community, and the people who benefit from your good deed become your instant ally. If you’re known as a strong supporter of your local community, local customers might fight harder to keep you when they start getting pressure from a corporate parent to switch allegiances to a national supplier.

Marketing doesn’t require a big budget. You can reinforce your brand and promote your products and services with low-cost, creative marketing techniques that even your largest competitors can’t beat.

This editorial appeared in the May/June 2002 issue of Progressive Distributor magazine. Copyright 2002.