

Content that Supports Brand Messaging

Transactional Content that Drives Sales
February 26, 2018
Are you experiencing flat or decreased sales, even with the implementation of what seems a great marketing strategy? Maybe you’re misusing your marketing budget, or it needs a few tweaks. As discussed in our previous blog, there are different types of content that have different business applications, and as a business owner, you must be sure you’re not wasting dollars for your brand.
The term “transactional content” refers to content which helps meet a desired business goal at the point of purchase. Because traffic and revenue tend to go hand in hand, most brands are building content marketing platforms to work toward these goals. The level of utility in transactional content is what sets certain companies apart from the rest - you have the traffic but now you need to maximize conversion.
The basics, but essentials, of transactional content include: great video, quality imagery, 360-degree shots, and strong copy. Below, you can find a few great examples of video.
1. Saddleback Leather: Typically, before customers buy a product that is new to them, they prefer to know how the product will benefit them, and how they will use it. Saddleback Leather created a video which gives simple instructions on how to use one of their satchel purses. Allowing consumers to understand all the functions of the purse will lead to a better customer experience. You can find the video here.
2. Mancrates: Mancrates is a subscription company (similar to Birch Box, Dollar Shave Club, etc.) which sends out assembled wooden boxes filled with man gifts. These boxes are difficult to open and come with a small pry bar, because what guy doesn’t love tools? This video used by Mancrates gets consumers excited and provokes interest about the product, by showing the dismantling of a Mancrate. They do this all in only 21 seconds.
The main takeaway here is that transactional content has one purpose: to transact. Creating good content around this goal will provide sales growth. In our next blog, we’ll get into branded content and how companies can benefit from its use.

Content Marketing and It's Types

Inbound Marketing

Highlands in 2018

Optimizing SEO using Google

Integrated Digital Marketing & eCommerce

Amazon- Blended Model
November 29, 2017
As we have seen in the previous article, pricing varies between competitors on the same platform of Amazon. Selling on Amazon can seem easy at first however it is becoming increasingly complex all offering different benefits to the seller. Once upon a time it would be considered best practice to adopt a single method. Increasingly, it may be worth considering having a blended model that takes advantage of the different services available from Amazon.
There are different ways of working with Amazon. First, there is a fulfillment - Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA), Fulfilled by Merchant (FBM). Secondly, you can choose from different ways of marketing - Seller Central, Vendor Central and Vendor Express.
Fulfillment Requirements:
Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA): Yes, Amazon fulfills needs of both the seller and the customer. Amazon takes responsibility of sending your product to the customer in time.
Fulfilled by Merchant (FBM): As a Merchant, you do everything. You place your product on Amazon product listing and you ship the product to the customer after receiving an order. You’re responsible for every delay or damage in the package.
Marketing Ways:
Vendor Central: You are the first-party vendor. This is generally for big brands, where Amazon becomes your first customer. Amazon orders from you, keeps your products in their inventory and sells it to individual orders from different customers. (Can you do FBM with Vendor Central too? E.g. FireKing?)
Vendor Express: This is for young brands who want to make a mark in the market. Amazon supports your budding business becoming your partner. You can sell in bulk to Amazon and it markets your product in its own style and you grow your business.
Seller Central: You will be a third-party vendor. Here, you can choose either FBA where Amazon processes packs and ships your orders or ship the product on your own. Seller Central is beneficial when you launch a new product.
More than 50% of the sales happen through a third-party vendor. This is because the seller has full control over product pricing. Also, it could be a way of developing traction for your products before moving to a closer direct working relationship with Amazon. Importantly, you can use a Seller Central account to help drive more competitive pricing for products listed under Vendor Central: Remember, Amazon is a price follower.
A few important points which effect Pricing-
1. Competitive pricing: Every customer will look a the price and also the shipping cost. So, manage either the product price or the shipping cost.
2. Offers: Discounts, offers, cash on delivery, free products, etc. will attract more customers.
3. Reviews: This is crucial. Consumers will look at the reviews and feedback on a product before placing an order. It's important to have great seller reviews too. This leads to further positive brand exposure. All of this will help make a positive impression in Amazon's market place.
4. Less-popular product: List a product which has less competition. So, buyers will buy only from you leading to better credibility. That's an easy trick, isn't it?
5. Highly popular product: As you gain the credibility, offer a very good competitive price for your product to gain more attention.
Where possible, become a Prime seller. It’s a great way to raise customer demand, gain confidence and trust of the consumer, increase loyalty and ensure your product is delivered nice and quickly.
Lastly, a Seller Central account is a great place to launch new products quickly and within your control, or perhaps liquidate those products that didn’t quite work out.
Amazon is turning in to be a leader in the retail segment both online and offline, becoming a single stop solution for both vendor and the customer. In the chart below (source: MKM Partners) we clearly see how Amazon is taking a major chunk of the retail industry.
Simply put, go ahead, invest in taking a space in Amazon and see your brand grow with more sales and reach! But remember, there is not cookie cutter solution. Think ‘broad’ when considering your Amazon strategy.
And, when you’re considering your whole eComm strategy you should think even broader. We’ll tackle that in our next blog.

Is Amazon a price leader?
October 27, 2017
If you shop on line you’ve probably noticed that the price on Amazon for the same item can be different across many marketplace participants. You may have noticed too that prices will change over the course of a day and, at times, over an hour. Pricing is dynamic. There are many factors driving dynamic pricing but the most critical is that the key sellers have algorithms that responds to competitors’ pricing. For this reason, a price leader in the e-tail market is far more disruptive than in traditional brick and mortar retail.
Walmart is a globally recognized retail leader. It became the biggest retailer on the planet by being a price leader. With Amazon’s market entrance, Walmart saw its sales impacted and their stock value going down. As the leader they are, Walmart started their ‘fight back’ strategy.
Walmart has been selling online for some time however they knew they needed to improve their strategy to re-take share. They acquired Jet.com, with a great eCommerce leadership team then, leveraging on their existing stores, Walmart started to be much more aggressive online. They offer free shipping for orders above $35 and many items are exclusively available only online with attractive discounts.
Interestingly Amazon has done a great job convincing consumers that they are the cheapest, or at least offer fantastic value for money. Attractive promotions and superb public relations has been their key to attract more customers. They slashed the prices by 43% on the very first day after acquiring Wholefoods. Prices at Wholefoods have always been at the “top-end”. But now, after the “perception management” around pricing that Amazon has engineered, customers will start to change their view on pricing available from these stores.
Amazon+ Wholefoods = Amazon retail stores (looking more like Walmart)
Because of Amazon’s great perception management, it has been very successful in managing the interests of all its stakeholders - consumers, marketplace sellers and most of all, stock holders.
We think this is a super smart strategy.
However, in reality Amazon is a price follower rather than a price leader. Amazon is constantly monitoring their own site, across all their platforms, and scraping the entire web to find competitive pricing and adjusting their price accordingly. One frustration from Amazon is when a ‘rogue’ trader offers highly discounted pricing on a product and negatively impacts margins. Enter Walmart.com a price leader. As Amazon follows Walmart.com pricing down two things often happen. Amazon asks the supplier of that product to pay Amazon for lost margin or they suppress the item meaning it won’t turn up most searches. In both cases this can be challenging for suppliers doing significant business with Amazon. Through these policies Amazon is making it clear that they hold suppliers responsible for managing pricing across the internet.
Will this ‘price follower’ strategy change? In the United States, there are MAP agreements to contend with, but in Europe, competition laws and the approach to resale price maintenance means that MAP is not allowed. Amazon is at an advantage with its existing online presence and now its expansion into bricks and mortar. We think it unlikely they will change their fundamental pricing policy.
As a manufacturer, you need to carefully consider and control your product placement and pricing across all channels and platforms. Good management will contribute to the health of your eCommerce channel as well as your more traditional routes to market. It can seem daunting but can be done effectively and profitably. Look out for future blogs that will help with tips and tactics that ensure your pricing is in-line with your objectives as well as that of Amazon’s.
Gordon Christiansen
Gordon is a 54 year old Australian who was born in Denmark, lived in the UK for 27 years and now wants to live in Atlanta. After breaking his father’s heart by leaving the family ships’ chandlering business in Fremantle, Australia Gordon embarked on a career in sales and marketing with Pitney Bowes and Canon before investing in and running an office products and graphic arts dealership in London called London Graphic Centre. Gordon is passionate about getting corporate messaging 100% clear and how alignment between marketing strategy, execution and sales effort will enhance and accelerate market penetration for Highlands’ clients.
Outside family, the things Gordon enjoys the most are cricket, Australian Rules football, music and socializing with good friends, good wine and good food. So, for anyone interested in learning the intricacies of cricket or Aussie Rules I’m sure Gordon can be bribed with a charcuteries plate and a decent red.
Gordon is a partner at Highlands.

10 tips on how to produce the perfect product video

Building bridges across the pond
September 6, 2017
People are different. Countries are different. European business practices are different, as are the products they use. To me, different is good. Why? While some products can face domestic decline, many find renewed life crossing the ocean - either going there or coming here! And it’s not as hard as you might think because digital transformation and logistics improvements have brought foreign markets much closer. Getting them into effective distribution channels and purchased by end-users is another story, and why local knowledge of that last mile is so important.
So how can companies prepare for a successful trip across the pond?
1. Correctly engage the category. Not all products have the same value to a new target. Make sure you launch with the right product assortment, proper pricing, and promotional incentive plan. As your products and brand grows, then expand your offering to other products.
2. Develop a strong distribution platform. Some have never marketed to EU before, while others have a logistics partner but may not be utilizing it well. Cross-border tax ramifications, product regulations, packaging requirements are difficult to manage in familiar regions. Try doing it in multiple languages under different legal regimes!
3. Proper salesforce engagement and support. Appropriate CRM, campaign management, and program execution make all the difference in the US. The same holds for Europe, but how they do it can be very different.
These complexities cause many to avoid the trip. Others seek our help. We need to understand your business and growth agenda to effectively launch the right products, in the right sequence, with the right partners. We need to understand your flexibility to adjust to EU’s nuances, some of which may appear frustrating to you but are familiar to us. We need to understand your willingness to focus. Most importantly, are you willing to trust our expertise and guidance. If so, international opportunity abounds.
While newer versions of the old products often face tepid responses here, these can be wildly exciting in Europe. There is a hunger for what’s truly new and opportunity exists because common and unsexy in one market can be a game-changer in another. Unless you know the difference, and how to manage the complexity of a foreign market, containers of unwanted inventory may be the end result.
Jade Wilson is Managing Director, Europe for Highlands. He is a 44-year-old Scotsman who has resisted the temptation to leave God’s country and its beauty. Having embarked on his sales career with Granada Television he progressed to selling cars for Ford and logistics services for TNT. The office channel came calling with 9 years at Corporate Express. Starting as a business development manager, leading to sales management and European account management. This was followed by a switch to OfficeTeam and then Integra as Head of Business Development. In 2011 Jade joined The Business Performance Group as Sales Director which has led to leading the U.K and European business for Highlands.

Here’s what I see

Suggestions for the Future
- Provide a well-thought consumer journey. First, you must understand what, where, why, and how customers buy products. Thankfully, it’s not hard to collect and analyze data to determine these drivers. Then, leverage this insight into powerful programs that boost sales and margin. The more you can help distributors succeed, the more you become invaluable to their broader success - and your volume.
- Think Mobile First. We all understand that catalog, in-store and online must be aligned so offerings are priced accurately, branded accurately, and easily purchased. Many forget to customize their online presence to be smartphone and tablet-optimized. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, 26% of online purchases in 2017 will be done on a mobile device. While online sales have grown by 95% over the last five years, sales from mobile devices have grown by a massive 362%! If your site isn’t optimized for smartphones or tablets, you’re probably losing sales!
- New products and new markets. Smart companies make their products obsolete before their competitors do it for them. Continue to innovate and expand on what sells, and ration what does not. And look beyond your borders and traditional routes to market. Changing buying patterns and technology gives you the opportunity to compete and address new audiences.
- Be Social. Today’s younger workforce spends untold hours posting on snapchat, Instagram, you name it. If your content is worthy and well-placed, it will be found and shared - all of which drives traffic to your site!
- Consider in-store technologies. NFC (Near Field Communications) and in-store digital helps drive online sales while shopping in-store. Augmented Reality is the next big leap in human interaction with technology. Explore how this might work for your business.

Sales vs. Marketing
Highlands
, we apply a rigorous process we call IPEO.- Insight
- Plan
- Execute
- Optimize

This is why you need to create videos for your e-commerce store!
- Leverage, interactive, and collaborative features that invite viewers to participate in your story.
- Simplify complex processes with a detailed step by step explainer video
- Use a conversational tone and script that your audience can relate to.
- Use concise messages that emphasize your point quickly that your audience can easily grasp
- Considering the attention span of an individual is just ‘9 secs’, the screenplay should be tight.
- Plan carefully; pick your location, know your schedule and have the right people available.
- Seed it in any content platform, such as your website, blog or other third party audiovisual platforms like YouTube or Vimeo
- Make sure your video can be easily viewed on all devices
- Include a transcript; search engines aren’t as proficient at indexing video content as they are with text
- Make it shareable on social media platforms
- And, of course, ensure its loaded onto the e-commerce platforms you’re selling the products

What Can We Learn from our Past?

My dream of the perfect incentive scheme
June 27, 2017
Over the years, I have seen many and varied commission plans, incentive schemes and bonus structures. All of them have had merit, some have failed, many have worked but none have been perfect. The reality is that the perfect scheme probably doesn’t exist, although that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t make it as near perfect as we can. I dream of that perfect scheme....
Here are a few things you may want to think about.
Clarity - Be clear on exactly what it is you wish to achieve. Is it to grow sales? Improve margin? Remember, your initiative is meant to change behavior, so make sure it does.
Alignment - Ensure the objectives of the organization are aligned to the objectives set out in your scheme. This may seem straightforward however there are often conflicting objectives between management, sales or channel partners which you need to consider.
Achievable - Whilst you want your targets to be stretching, you need to ensure they are attainable. If a sales person doesn’t believe they can hit a target, then there’s a good chance they won’t.
Make it Matter - The reward must match the achievement. Small target, small reward. Big target, big reward. If the reward isn’t seen as being sizable enough, then the achievement of the target won’t be motivating.
Avoid Internal Conflicts - If there is a need for two people or groups to work together to achieve something and they carry different targets that may deter them from cooperating, then try to remove the conflict. If not, inertia may reign. You may even have to consider paying double commission if it’s the right thing to do for the business.
Avoid Channel Apathy - Ensure your partners are fully engaged and that they feel suitably rewarded for their efforts. They’re likely to have choices about which promotions or incentive schemes to run with so make it worthwhile, and if you can, fun.
Go Public - Good salespeople are competitive by nature. Post targets and results publicly. The desire to be ‘top dog’ will drive extra effort. Make sure to keep the board up to date. People lose interest quickly if it’s always wrong.
Be Flexible - The scheme you start with may not be the scheme you finish with. Don’t chop and change too frequently but be prepared to make changes as your business needs change. Also, consider short, sharp incentive schemes to boost activity, increase particular focus or product initiatives.
Keep it Simple - Try to make sure that everyone understands how the targets are set and how achievement is calculated. If the salesperson can make a direct correlation between an activity they’ve undertaken and the reward, they will receive you’re on to a winner.
So, good luck with your scheme. If you think you’ve created the perfect one, please let me know - I’d love to hear about it!
Gordon Christiansen

Aligning for Growth

Setting ourselves up to fail
May 30, 2017
This week… Run to the Stop Sign.
Setting ourselves up to fail?
I went jogging with my daughter this weekend. I use the term “jogging” lightly as it’s mostly walking with a few jogs in between.
Keep in mind, she is a very fit 21-year old, and I am a semi-fit fifty-something (we don’t need to get more specific on either front). In my mind, I had already determined, I would lag behind and she would win.
Close to a mile in, she challenges me, “let’s run to the stop sign.” Instinctively, I say, “I don’t like to make goals… it just sets me up to fail.” Did that really come out of my mouth? It was exactly what I was thinking. If I don’t actually set the goal, then I won’t fail.
How often do we do that in business - avoid making forecasts or setting milestone goals - out of fear of not being able to achieve it? We won’t feel as bad in our failure if we didn’t set out to do it in the first place. Yet, will we ever achieve greatness without goals?
She asks me, “why do you stop yourself?” It’s not that I’m so tired I can’t keep going. It’s probably because I normally only go this far in one jog, or maybe because I’m bored and just stop? Is that parallel to my comfort zone? Maybe I can go a little longer. Just because she’s 30 years younger doesn’t mean I can’t keep up.
I decided to change my mindset. “Let’s run to the big yellow sign ahead.” Keep running… you don’t have to stop… just a few feet more… I can do it! And, guess what, I did.
It’s the same in your business and professional life. What are your limiting beliefs that hold you back? What more can we accomplish when we set lofty goals, and confidently push through our comfort zone?
Other than 10,000 steps on my Fitbit, this morning’s jog taught me to:
1. Set milestone goals
2. Change to a winning mindset
3. Push yourself
4. Surround yourself with people better than you - smarter, faster, fitter
And, then as we neared the end of our jog, she admits her legs hurt. Yay! I win!
Janet Collins, a strategic advisor in the office products industry and a long-time collaborator with Highlands. She works with business leaders to develop growth strategies and mobilize teams to take action and achieve results. She's a coach who's been in your shoes, most recently as President of GMi Companies (Ghent, VividBoard and Waddell).

The time is always right to do what is right
May 8, 2017
I think it was Tom Hopkins who said sales is “the easiest, lowest paid job in the world, or the hardest, highest paid job”. I’ve probably misquoted the great man but the essence of it is, in my opinion, completely true.
The reference, I believe, was towards hard work and having to deal with rejection. We all know that high activity rates tend to generate more sales. We also know that until you ask “the question” you’ll never get a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’. Many people are so scared of getting a ‘no’ they never ask “the question”. Great salespeople will ask “the question” knowing full well they risk a ‘no’. And, rejection hurts…deep.
Because sales people are, of course, always looking for a ‘yes’ they tend to steer the sales process down the path that is most likely to get them an affirmative answer. Even if it’s not necessarily the best thing for their customer. I know; shock, horror!
This approach may, or may not, get you the sale. And, in the short term, everyone might be happy - especially the salesperson.
However, we know that in the mid to long term this is not necessarily going to be right for either the salesperson’s company or their client. Eventually something will go wrong, and then everyone dives into the contract detail and relationships fall apart.
I write this blog in the final stages of preparing for a big client pitch. The client wants to enter a new (to them), and highly competitive market with their existing brand proposition. We’ve done extensive research on the client’s behalf and we think they need to make some fundamental changes. One of those is to adopt a new brand for this market. And, to complicate matters, they love their brand - of course they do. We love their brand too, just not for this new market.
So, we have a dilemma. Do we pitch for what we think is right, or do we pitch what we think they will say ‘yes’ to?
We really like the client and the people we work with, and would like to work with them for many years to come.
Easy then. Pitch what we think is right.
Watch this space….

The Promise of Upselling

Nothing Sells Itself

Great Questions
- Why do some prospects not buy our products?
- What is unique about our business? How does that uniqueness solve a customer problem better than anyone else?
- In which markets or products should we stop investing? Why?
- What could we outsource that we are not good at so we can focus on what we do best? How might we do that? (Examples might include: marketing, website/digital technologies, content development, strategy development, logistics)
- What am I doing as a leader that is contributing to a particularly negative situation? (Constantly asking yourself open ended questions will increase your own self-awareness and your personal ability to take accountability and influence change.)
How to get started
?Janet Collins
TurningPoint Strategy

Field Sales for the Future

opi article - Outsourcing Sales Xtra: The whole package
March 2, 2017
Heike Dieckmann from OPI speaks to sales and marketing agency Highlands CEO Bob O’Gara and Gordon Christiansen, Managing Director Europe and SVP of Marketing, about the challenges that exist and how the company is addressing them.
In line with the evolving nature of the business supplies sector, the role of manufacturer rep groups is changing. OPI has been following their progress over the years. But while outsourced sales reps continue to play an integral part in our sector and nowhere more so than in the US, the pressures facing both the manufacturing as well as reseller communities have taken their toll and highlighted some of the perceived cost/benefit challenges that exist.
US-based Highlands is arguably the best-known sales and marketing agency in the global business supplies market, with a strong nationwide presence in the US, an expanded regional presence in Canada and a solid footing in the UK, with developing plans for the rest of Europe.
OPI: The business supplies sector is changing massively and, by default, so are manufacturer rep groups I believe?
Bob O’Gara: Yes, absolutely. If you talk about manufacturer rep groups, or a sales and marketing agency as we at Highlands prefer to be viewed as, you need to consider the macro environment and what’s happening in the broader industry.
Consolidation is happening at both supplier and reseller level and that’s inevitably going to impact rep groups. We’re still in the early stages of this consolidation which is largely driven by the decline in traditional office products. The resulting margin pressure affects independent rep groups the most, as these manufacturers are struggling with overcapacity and need to assess how much money they can afford to spend and on what specific sales and marketing activities.
On the reseller side, scale matters now more than ever before. To be an effective B2B service provider you need to have scale, invest in websites and all manners of technology to drive your business. And you need to have a partner that is familiar with that technology and can help you with that.
It’s a challenging time to be in this space, but I think there’s still plenty of opportunity because many of our legacy suppliers are actually in greater need of these types of services.
OPI: Can you give an example?
Bob: A great example would be assisting suppliers with the creation of digital marketing assets. We have a number of clients that use Highlands as a marketing resource as well as a sales resource. Everyone knows that to maximise sales you need great copy, great product images and great videos. It’s not one-size-fits-all. For those suppliers that don’t have the internal resources to create great digital content, Highlands can step in.
Another example is diversification of markets. Manufacturers accept that if they’re only selling into companies like Office Depot, Staples, SP Richards, Essendant and the large OP independents of this world, it is becoming ever more difficult to achieve significant growth. The question is: How can we as a sales and marketing agency assist those suppliers in terms of penetrating mass market channels, the MRO sector or the education vertical? How can we spread their business out into other channels to help them find other paths to growth?
Gordon Christiansen: We are in the same boat. At Highlands, we’re diversifying in terms of the types of accounts that we service and how we service them. This diversification is happening in three specific areas. The first one is different distribution channels, as Bob mentioned.
Then there are new product categories that we represent, such as jan/san. This now puts us into the same boat as other resellers and wholesalers. Like them, we need to broaden our scope in terms of the brands we represent and into what channels we represent them.
Third - services. Yes, field representation is still a critical part of what we do, but we also need to provide a wider range of services including technology. This will greatly help brands increase their channel penetration and volume.
OPI: Where do you see the greatest traction in your manufacturer relationships?
Bob: Again, its not one size fits all. Highlands is built to allow manufacturers to work with us in a variety of ways, based on their unique set of needs. That said, some of our most effective engagements are deeply strategic. We work with clients to help them to shape their strategy and product development, and then map out the best and most cost-effective paths to market right through to the end user. It’s a completely different type of engagement than we had in the past.
OPI: The channels you outline mass market, MRO sector, education…Are these within the realms of a manufacturer rep groups generally? I assume size matters here as well?
Bob: In the US and Canada there are reps working in all of these channels. Generally, these groups focus exclusively on only one channel and are regionally focused. With respect to office, facilities and MRO, we are seeing increasing overlap that will present challenges for suppliers and agencies.
In a blurring marketplace, what is the distinction between a jan/san dealer and an office products dealer? Generally, the suppliers of janitorial products hire groups on a national basis to service the office channel. This should give those groups an advantage over the regional rivals in other janitorial and MRO markets.
OPI: Amazon, do you have a relationship with them through the brands you represent?
Bob: We do. We have a robust online business. But it’s not all about Amazon. What’s unique about Highlands is that we serve the totality of the e-tail marketplace, rather than Amazon only or Overstock only. This is important as it involves managing the interplay between these accounts that lets you maximise online sales.
With respect to Amazon, this is not a relationship company but rather an analytics company that prefers to do things over email. Plus, it has a high staff rotation, so you never see vendor managers in the same seat for very long.
We are effective with Amazon because we’re really good at the technical part. We have a team of people that really understands how to promote and maximise our suppliers’ product exposure, how to manage the e-tail marketplace, how to work with the complex pricing algorithms" and in the process drive considerable growth for our partners in that marketplace.
OPI: You have a unique advantage in that you are very well known through your international presence?
Bob: We have derived great benefits from being in multiple markets. We have significant opportunities coming to the US business based on our Canadian and European presence and this has worked in the opposite direction too.
The best part is that we are discovering new suppliers to drive incremental business not just for Highlands, but for all of the customers we sell to across all of the markets served.
OPI: You now have a solid presence in the UK I believe, representing a variety of brands including RB very successfully. What about continental Europe" what’s your experience there?
Gordon: Europe is very much on our radar and we are well-positioned to make it a success. We have the expertise to help brands from the US, for example, that have no experience in the European markets to introduce them to the key resellers and wholesalers across the continent as well as help with product information and promotional activities.
That said, it’s not been easy. There are a couple of manufacturers, British and US-based, that would like to have some representation in Germany, for example. The challenge is pure economics. You can’t just do it for one or two manufacturers, you need ten to make it economically viable. We don’t quite have the traction we need yet and maybe the model in continental Europe will need to be adapted somewhat, away from a pure field sales model.
We currently represent a number of brands across the whole of Europe and helping them sell into German resellers, pan-European wholesalers and online marketplaces. The office channel for them is an exciting place to grow and we believe we’re the ideal partner to help them do that.
By the same token, having a European presence provided us with the opportunity to help manufacturers from that geography be more successful in the US. Having a footprint on both sides of the pond has really worked for us because of the interactivity between the US and Europe, and many manufacturers wanting to move both ways.
OPI: In our recent article in OPI we talked about commission-only agents that are still pretty prevalent in some parts of Europe and also the associated cost that comes with dealing with a company like Highlands. What’s your view?
Gordon: I think there’s always going to be a market for the commission-only concept. For some manufacturers that works well because it’s a relatively low-cost, low-investment model.
Our model is different. We tend to represent large brands that are well known in the marketplace. It’s about creating a point of differentiation for the reseller to incentivise them to focus on the brand we represent rather than a competitive one.

How will the love be shared?
March 3, 2017
The future of dealer groups is something I have contemplated for some time. Recently I received the Office Power Dealer Group Survey and it made for insightful and interesting reading.
Office Power is a pretty cool tech company based in London, UK that helps small to medium office products dealers consolidate and leverage their purchasing under one umbrella as well as giving them an industry leading technology platform (amongst other things).
I mention this not as an advertisement for their business but rather to put some of their opinions into context. Whilst they are not like-for-like competitors to dealer groups they do compete. That said, many of their conclusions resonated with me and are as relevant for markets outside the UK as they are within.
Increasingly we are seeing margin pressure within the office channel especially in more traditional categories. This trend is unlikely to reverse. Manufacturers are forced into making choices about where they share their love. Even partners they have successfully worked with for years will be under scrutiny. These choices may be easy to make where ROI is not apparent but more challenging when cuts are made where value is being delivered.
A key question is whether manufacturer rebates paid to dealer groups, whether directly or through wholesalers, are sustainable? If so, the current dealer group model has longevity. If not, it is unlikely that wholesalers will financially support the activities of dealer groups themselves on an ongoing basis putting the current model under threat.
What happens to the dealer groups when this funding stops? Will dealer group members be prepared to pay the full cost for the services provided? I suspect many will not and the knock-on effect will be three-fold:
1. There will be fewer dealer groups.
2. Dealers will need to invest directly in key business areas to stay relevant and survive.
3. Opportunities open up for consolidators, be they acquirers or service / technology platforms.
This is the link to the Office Power report. You do need to fill in your details in order to download but it’s worth a read. http://www.officepower.net/dealergroupreport
Gordon Christiansen

Why reviews are critical for e-commerce success
February 28, 2017
A poll of over 11,000 women in the US conducted by Influenster shows how women use social media and reviews to make their purchasing decisions. A staggering 67% of reviews were sort using mobile devices, clearly demonstrating the need for a 'mobile first' strategy when creating your e-commerce platform.
We shouldn't be surprised by these results. We've always trusted our friends to provide a tip for the latest trendy restaurant. Now, we have millions of 'friends' all over the world who can provide us with insight into restaurants, hotels, airlines, taxis... everything. Social media and specialist apps like Trip Advisor and Yelp make these reviews easily accessible. And who doesn't look at the star ratings on Amazon or eBay to help with your decision process?
The lesson for retailers and etailers is simple. Earn great reviews, get those star ratings up and you will sell more.

Who cares about the English language?
February 26, 2017
Language is important. My business partners Bob O’Gara and Shannon Blake must get bored when I keep harping on about this. But, it is, and they agree…really.
As an example, we recently rebranded from The Highlands Group to Highlands. OK, not a radical name change however there were various reasons for this, one of which was that Bob really disliked the company being referred to as THG.
Easy, kill the “The” and kill the “Group”. THG becomes Highlands. Boom! Well it’s not that simple because despite Bob’s dislike of “THG” it had become endemic both inside and outside the business. Sure we could tolerate (with a pinched smile) clients calling us THG but we must be able to get it right internally. Slowly but surely we are weeding out and changing all those documents lurking in the deepest recesses of SharePoint and we’re truly becoming Highlands.
Once again my daughter inspired me to write about this topic. For my recent flight from London to Chicago my Flight Kit included a book called F****** Apostrophes by Simon Griffin, a copywriter from Leeds in England. It’s a witty and informative rant about the correct use of apostrophes.
Those who know me well will fondly remember those fun and invigorating conversations about the correct use of grammar and punctuation. Particularly rich from a Danish born Australian who went to a middling comprehensive school in the suburbs of Perth.
Simon says, “The single most important rule of any punctuation is to help the reader understand what it is you’re going to say.” Too bloody right. As Lynn Truss says in her 2003 book there is a big difference between “Eats shoots and leaves” and “Eats, shoots and leaves”.
Don’t get me wrong I’m not linguistic expert, perhaps just a bit of a smart-arse pedant, however if you want people to understand your message is it not unreasonable to spend the time to try and articulate it properly? You never know, if you take that time people might actually understand what it is you’re trying to say.
That’s why all the best organizations take care to get their communications right. Governments, charities, businesses, media companies all employ highly qualified people to help get it right. Sure, nothing works all the time and sometimes so much care is taken not to offend that a message can become too bland and lose its meaning. That’s not a reason to shortcut the process.
Well-articulated messaging is only part of the journey. What we say has to be backed up. A friend called any brand “A promise, delivered”. I really like. As an example, with the Highlands’ brand refresh we stated that our number one determinant in the recruitment and retention of staff would be cultural fit. We have articulated this well into the business, now we have to deliver against that promise.
Reading Simon’s book and thinking about this topic has reminded me that we need to continually reassure clients that as we create their brand’s communication strategy we will take every care to ensure their “voice” is communicated clearly. Whether it’s a website, a corporate brochure, a product flyer, advert or a promotional piece we will ensure their voice has clarity, is effective and resonates with the target audience.
And we’ll do that by putting the apostrophes, commas, parentheses, semicolons and colons in the right place.
If it’s worth doing, then it’s worth doing right.
Gordon Christiansen

Taming the Beast
But there are ways to tame the beast.
First
. Understand what Amazon does well and clearly define where and how it can help you. Same for the other etailers (Wayfair, Hayneedle, Staples, Tesco, John Lewis, etc.). Many of our partners find value in Amazon’s fast-turn, free delivery capabilities. Others leverage its easy-to-use storefront option on the world’s best-known etailer. That said, Amazon is not a cure-all. Make sure you understand why you need Amazon -- and why you don’t.Second
. Consider white-labeling products you feature on Amazon, and other ecommerce sites, with different pricing strategies. Amazon charges upward of 20%, which undermines the investment made in your brand. White-labeling allows you to leverage multiple etailers while maintaining strong branding and higher margins on your own site. Remember, Amazon is a price follower, not a leader. Margin erosion can be avoided with effective pricing strategies for each online reseller.Third
. Social media can make all the difference. Depending on your brand and product line, platforms such as Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter are fantastic ways to extend online marketing efforts.Fourth
. Amazon is no longer the only mega-player. WalMart’s acquisition of Jet creates an interesting opportunity as it charges lighter fees (stronger margins for you) and does not require an annual fee (ala ‘Prime’) to get free two-day shipping. Plus, you can usually get same-day pick-up at your nearest WalMart. FedEx is also taking on Amazon, recently announcing plans to warehouse and distribute online purchases for small to medium-sized manufacturers. More and more, strong alternatives to Amazon are appearing across the globe.Cheryl Whyers

Think Backwards
How do you present yourself to your customer? Think about your website. Is it all about what you offer? What you do? Who you are? We love what we do and our products and services. Problem is… our customers don’t care unless it’s overtly clear how you can solve their problem one that is particular to them and one that you can solve better than anyone else.
1. Focus on your most attractive market segment, the one where you get 80% of your profits.
2. Ask a few customers in that segment what progress they were trying to make when they chose you for this category. (This is not a customer service interview where you ask 'how is our company doing?')
3. Then ask them what frustrates or annoys them when they try to make that progress.
For the love of a notebook

Online Challenges

What I learned from 1944
January 27, 2017
Like many I have been consumed by articles attempting to predict how 2017 will turn out. I have to admit that I’ve not normally been so slavish to these articles but with Brexit and the election of Trump it has seemed more pressing.
In January 2016 I accepted a full-time role with Highlands as Managing Director for Europe and Senior Vice President of Marketing for the group. This has resulted in quite a few trans-Atlantic trips.
My beautiful daughter (26 years old and a Senior Account Manager at J. Walter Thompson in London) dreamt up a Christmas present for me. She created “Flight Kits”, each containing a book, a puzzle, some sweets (candy) and a gin and tonic additive.
The first Flight Kit contained The Royal Navy Officers’ Pocket Book, first published in 1944 to help train new officers. Given the timing I presume there was a definite need to provide quick and accessible guidance to young men being thrust into challenging and unforgiving environments.
I wasn’t sure what I would get out of the book at first but thought it would be quite fun to have a read. As I worked through the pages my interest levels grew.
Many business people are obsessed with learning and adopting new leadership and management techniques form the latest business guru that will transform their careers and the fortunes of their companies.
Well this book from 1944, which contained learnings from hundreds of years of what was the most powerful navy of its time was truly insightful. Here are some of the quotes that really struck a chord with me.
- Never forget that the Ratings have few rights but they have the right to a good Officer.
- Do not despise advice tendered to you by your subordinates.
- Never be afraid to ask questions. Bluff is a trait of the bad Officer.
- Do not harshly deal with a man solely for the sake of making an example of him.
- Loyalty can start only from the top and grow downwards.
- Do not risk giving…a hint of criticism of higher authority.
- How well you did things in your last ship is of no consequence.
- Should a man come to you for advice do not let the matter drop or be forgotten.
- There is a quality called tact, a very misused word in many ways, without which no Officer can succeed.
- Look ahead; do not wait until something goes wrong.
- ...it is not possible to write a handbook on how to be an Officer and a leader. We have each to find out for ourselves the best use we can make of those particular qualities possessed by each of us in varying degrees.
35,000 feet over the Atlantic, gin and tonic at the ready and I was enthralled by this book. OK the language is a bit outdated and women didn’t seem to exist however I was intrigued by the relevance in today’s world.
So, I will keep an eye on those predictions for 2017 but equally I take on the learnings from this handbook from 1944 and try and become a better and more effective leader; for me, for the people I work with and the clients I serve .
Gordon Christiansen
Partner. MD Europe. SVP Marketing

The Challenges of New Opportunity
