Marketing Advice By Business Type

Marketing a Sports Cards and Memorabilia Wholesale and Manufacturers Business

At Gaebler, we've seen what great marketing can do for a small business. But if you own a sports cards and memorabilia wholesale and manufacturers business, exceptional marketing may well be the determining factor in your long-term survival and success.

Young business owners are often surprised to learn that marketing isn't as intuitive as they thought it would be.

Advances in technology and the marketplace itself have made it necessary for businesses to stay on top of the latest trends and strategies. The consistent application of solid marketing principles is one of the few business requirements that has stayed the same.

When It's Time to Rebrand

There are many reasons why it might be time to begin a rebranding initiative - but a lack of alternative tactics is not one of them. Rebranding is an intentional marketing technique designed to deliver long term results. For a sports cards and memorabilia wholesale and manufacturers business, brands are tied to specific stages in the life of a business. If your company is expanding, you will inevitably outgrow your brand and it will be time to prepare for a comprehensive rebranding effort. If rebranding is unavoidable, it's important to update the brand while maintaining the elements that make it recognizable to consumers.

Public Relations Strategies

If marketing is a stock car racing full throttle toward a consumer audience, PR is a vintage Cadillac teasing consumers and inviting them to take a closer look. If you want to send unrestricted marketing messages to your audience, buy a mailing list and perform a direct mail campaign. But if your strategy calls for sophistication, media buy-in and thought leadership, hire a PR consultant. The art of storytelling is a core PR competency. Storylines need to be believable and objective while communicating your brand's strengths and value proposition.

Bundling

Today's marketplace is all about perceived value. The more you can do to communicate value to consumers, the more likely it is that they will respond positively to your messaging. Businesses that bundle products tap into the market's psyche by creating the perception (real or imagined) of cost-savings. If you have never bundled before, take out word for it - most sports cards and memorabilia wholesale and manufacturers businesses have the ability to bundle multiple products and services into a single offering that customers find appealing. Since the bundling concept is based on discounts, consumers expect to pay less for the bundle than they would if they were to buy the products separately, so you'll need to make sure your bundle offers real value to buyers.

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