I want something new and different......

I've just come back from a three day exhibition at the NEC in Birmingham. When I say "just", I do mean that I have literally just driven the 100 miles, ran into the office and started writing this blog to honour my committment to writing every Thursday. And so to my loyal readers - both of you - hello.

The title of this blog is something I have heard over and over again for the last three days. It's what everyone is looking for in their next promotional campaign. "Show me something new and different", they say, and my response is always the same. "Tell me what you call old and ordinary". Now this might seem like a smart arsed response (have you met me? they're all I ever use) but actually I am not trying to be controversial here. What you need to understand is that I see this stuff every day. To someone, a pen that dispenses Post It Notes might well be the most incredible thing they've seen. In which case, they really do need to get out more.

To cut a long story short (too late) please don't ask us for something new and different. We don't know you. We don't know what impresses you. We DO know that we can impress you, but shoving some new piece of kit under your nose and waiting for a reaction is not the way to do it. Of course you will get a reation if you shove anything under someone's nose - it's just not necessarily the best way to win a new client.

Then there's the second problem. Once you've asked for this new and interesting thing that can not only tell you the time in 30 countries, end global warming and still have time to nip down the road and pick you up a doner kebab at midnight - which you want pantone matched and delivered by next Wednesday. Oh no! What do you do then? You ask us for a catalogue - AAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!

How can you produce a catalogue of new and interesting things? Once everyone has got the same catalogue, nothing in there is either new or interesting. Do you see the irony here folks. DO YOU? REALLY?

A catalogue is a calling card. It's a way to let you know that we have a good range of merchandise in which you may well be interested. That's all it is. A good 60% of the items that we sell in any given year were not in the catalogue or on our website. Someone in our team had a good idea and then sourced the appropriate merchandise. We went for the WOW factor. It may not have been new and different for you, but it was new and different for them, and we only knew that because we had already taken the time to find out what they though was old and ordinary.

So the moral of the story? Asking for something different makes you just like everybody else.

A short blog this week because - and if you've ever worked at an exhibition you'll appreciate this - I am exhausted and I want to go home.

Have a good week in business and always remember............no sorry, I forgot.