Member Spotlight

Blink Marketing

Blink Marketing has more than revitalized the branded merchandise industry, they have revolutionized it fitting the products within an organization’s overall brand strategy. Learn more about how Blink Marketing puts an emphasis on their clients and their staff in our latest Member Spotlight


 

Tell us a little about Blink Marketing. Where, when and why did you start?

Blink Marketing started in South Florida in 2002 and moved to its current headquarters in Franklin, Tennessee in 2003.  Carolina Junghans and Daniel Gardner, a brother-sister team, both with backgrounds in business, marketing & advertising, were intrigued by the power of branded merchandise as an advertising tool (The use of a promotional product as an advertising tool alone, increases brand interest by 69% and leaves 84% of recipients with a positive impression of the brand!). However, they recognized a need in the world of promotional products for more marketing consulting and less promo peddling.  Too many promotional product distributors were simply selling the “Product Special of the Week” – regardless of fit within the overall brand strategy.  With a business plan designed to fill that void and ultimately eliminate the term ‘trinkets and trash’, Blink is now in the top 1% of distributors in the nation working with some of the most respected brands in the world.

You recently expanded your office space. What events have led to where Blink Marketing is now?

While Blink has grown year over year since Day 1, its recent boost in growth can be attributed to a unique formula composed of a little of each of following:

  • People – Focusing on Blink’s people has been the key to success since Day 1. We are very selective about who we choose to work with (employees, clients and supplier partners) and because of that, everyone wins.
  • Global Sourcing/Focus on Quality – Strategically partnering with the best manufacturers in the world and visiting them often to ensure quality standards are consistently maintained through quarterly audits by Blink’s Quality Team, we are able to offer the latest product trends at the best value and the highest level of quality available in the industry.
  • Custom Webstores – Offering everything from the most basic online ordering portals to the most complex custom webstores, Blink ensures its client webstores meet the client needs instead of forcing our clients to compromise their needs to fit within our webstore parameters.
  • Warehousing/Fulfilment/Drop Shipping – Allowing a more all-in project approach to promotional products from start to finish, Blink has strategically placed warehouses around the country with fulfilment/kitting capabilities to meet the broader needs of our clients around the globe.

In 2018, you were named One of the Greatest Companies to Work For. How did you achieve that and what other accolades have you obtained since?

It all goes back to the focus we put on the people who work at Blink and the clients we have the honor to partner with every day. That, combined with our strong factory partnerships, creates a company culture that we are extremely proud of.

In addition to being named “Greatest Company to Work For” in 2014 and 2018 by PPB Magazine and “Best Places to Work” in 2017 by the Nashville Business Journal, Blink Marketing was also named the “2015 Distributor of the Year” by the Promotional Products Association of the Mid-South. We have been awarded the 4th fastest-growing promotional products distributor in the country by ASI and have been featured on the Inc 5000 Fastest Growing Private Company list numerous times.

How does customer service play into your culture? Why is customer service so important?

 Blink’s family-like atmosphere directly translates to its approach to customer service. Blink’s individual departments work together as a team to provide the highest level of service – from cultivating unique product ideas for increased brand awareness to overseeing the entire branded merchandise project from start to finish, Blink provides an all-in approach for its clients. “Great Customer Service” is such an overused and vague term but we live it and breathe it at Blink Marketing.

Who should take advantage of your services and when?

Whether it is a one-time event, an employee appreciation party, a customer holiday gift, recognition for hitting a goal, tradeshows, retail merchandise and the list goes on and on, branded merchandise and promotional products are always the perfect fit. Whether your budget is $100 or $100,000, we can find an item to achieve your marketing goals while leaving recipients with a positive impressive of your brand and take-away that they will keep for years to come.

In addition to the everyday branded merchandise purchases, our fastest growing division is our webstore and e-commerce team. We currently offer onsite warehousing, fulfillment and kitting as well as a robust e-commerce solution.  From selling retail merchandise to the public to hosting a private webstore where employees can use their budgets to purchase inventoried items, we can streamline your promotional product buying and help maintain your brand integrity.

What sets you apart from the rest?

 Blink has the capabilities and competitive prices of the largest distributors in the industry but with the red-tape-free, small shop, boutique experience. With multiple departments working seamlessly together, we have become an ideal branded merchandise and product sourcing partner for clients of all sizes, anywhere around the world, across all industry verticals.

How has being a part of the overall business community in Williamson County helped you?

The Williamson County business community is extremely supportive of its members.  Many of us not only work in Williamson County but we also live here.  We are truly neighbors in every sense of the word.

Why did you choose to become a member of Williamson, Inc.? How has your membership benefited you?

We joined Williamson, Inc because of the large number of events offered each month. It provided an opportunity to meet more of our business community and build relationships. The Williamson Inc. staff has been instrumental in making connections that they see would be a good fit for business relationships. They take the time to really get to know your business. While our clients are global, we lean on our local business partners daily as well.

Given your expertise and the nature of what you do, what advice (general or specific) can you offer to the readers?

 Hire good people and then take good care of them … no matter how big or fast you may grow. And have fun at work!  We spend far too many hours in the office not to enjoy what we’re doing and who we’re doing it with!

Business Contact Information (phone, address, website, email, social media…etc.)

Isabelle Karls

615.599.1231

Blink Marketing, Inc

318 Seaboard Lane, Suite 101

Franklin, TN 37067

www.blinkmarketing.com

ikarls@blinkmarketing.com

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