Gilson Posts Strongest 1st Quarter Sales in Company History

Despite a tumultuous start to 2020, Gilson posted the most significant 1st quarter sales in their 72-year history. Sales are up 8% over the same time period last year—a rarity in the printing and graphic arts industry. Some of the world’s largest commercial print operations have experienced significant declines in recent years, forcing long-time industry players to entertain sell-offs and mergers to offset the decline in the overall market.

Despite the year’s many challenges, Gilson has not only weathered the storm but thrived in the face of it. Gilson finished out the 2019 fiscal year in May down 5% in sales from the prior year, ending a five-year growth trend. With just three months left in the fiscal year, Gilson was on track to have their best sales year yet, until COVID-19 showed up.

But the downward trend did not last long.

“June, July, and August are historically challenging months for us as a business,” said Jim Vosburgh, CFO. “Between vacations and a general slow-down in our strongest market sectors, we typically see our lower sales volumes during those summer months. To see a sizable increase this early in the new fiscal year is encouraging.”

Gilson’s leadership team excels at making smart investments and calculated risks, putting the company in prime position for growth when the conditions are right. Many of their most lucrative business decisions have come about when faced with national economic hardship, thanks to the fiscally responsible leadership of second-generation owner Dave Gilson.

“Before joining the family business in 1974, I spent a couple of years in the banking industry,” said Gilson. He went on to speak about his father, Lars, who founded the company in 1948, “It was always my father’s goal to seek out a competitive advantage that could help our customers and grow the business, but also to do so in a way that made financial sense.

“I’ve tried to run the business with the same proactive approach to growth by consistently investing profits back into the business,” said Gilson. “That’s how we’ve been able to keep expanding and growing right alongside our customers for so many years.”

Dave Oswald, President of Gilson, shared his perspective on the current pandemic. “We spent the first few months really sinking our teeth into refining our processes and revamping what we knew to be successful and then adapting it to what we needed for this new selling environment. I’m incredibly proud of our entire team, from the sales staff staying connected with customers and prospects remotely, to the production team making the best out of their new working conditions,” said Oswald. “We are coming out of one of the most difficult business scenarios we’ve ever faced and come out stronger than ever before.”

Gilson has remained in operation during the pandemic as an essential supplier in support of its grocery, pharmaceutical, and military contracts. By requiring those who could do their jobs remotely to work from home, and by following the CDC and OSHA requirements for work-safe conditions such as daily temperature checks and social distancing, Gilson has been able to continue operations.

Gilson offers marketing solutions such as print, design, and fulfillment to Fortune 1000 customers across the country. They celebrated their 70th year in 2018 and remains a privately held, family-owned business.

Hosting Events in a Pandemic: Transforming the Virtual into Reality

How a little advanced planning can yield higher engagement for your next virtual event.

Meeting with clients and prospects virtually vs. in-person has become somewhat the new normal. But a half-hour meeting is much different than a four-hour virtual event, such as the Gilson Annual Sales Meeting. With this meeting for 30+ sales and executive leaders on the horizon, we knew that we needed a creative solution to engage, intrigue, and excite.

The Challenge

At-home attendees of virtual events and webinars face an abundance of distractions: emails pinging into their inbox; spouses, kids, and pets interrupting; the timer on the dryer going off or the delivery guy dropping off another Amazon package. So, how can a meeting host keep an audience engaged amidst these constant distractions?

The Gilson marketing and sales development team collaborated to create a ‘Virtual Meeting Kit’ that would be sent to each attendee’s home in advance of the meeting.

To ensure timely delivery, they asked each invited guest to complete a short survey that indicated where they would like to receive the package (at the office, at their home, or a different remote location) depending on where they would be the day before and day of the meeting.

Also on the form were a few questions related to food preferences, as well as a color preference for a promotional item that would be included in the kit, just to pique the attendee’s interest.

The Solution

Leading up to the event, attendees were instructed to have their ‘Virtual Meeting Kit’ nearby but not to open it until the meeting. This would keep individuals on their toes, as they wondered when and how the box would be used.

As the meeting began, attendees were invited to open their box and enjoy the snack provided for them. Each recipient received a branded coffee mug, a small bottle of water, and two breakfast snacks based on their responses to the pre-event form. They were also greeted with a personalized notecard, thanking them for attending.

Attendees were kept on their toes during the Million Dollar Club Awards presentation and the coveted Salesperson of the Year Award. A hidden compartment in the bottom of the box held their awards (along with some fun-size participation ribbons), and additional meeting resources.

The Results

At the conclusion of the virtual event, attendees were reminded to complete a survey by scanning the code found on the box insert. Within 24 hours, 60% of attendees had completed the survey. An additional 20% completed theirs within 48 hours.

Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, not only for the virtual event but also for the Virtual Meeting Kit itself. Even the more seasoned sales veterans who have had to overcome significant technological skill gaps were complimentary of the new format.

“After 53 years in sales, the only sales meetings I attended that were more memorable happened to be at Disney World (true story) during my first two years in sales. Great meeting!!!” quipped one attendee in an email to the organizers following the event.

 

Hosting an Event? Be Open to the Possibilities.

If virtual events are your “new normal,” don’t settle for a purely digital experience. Reach out to Gilson and discover how you can make your next virtual event an experience your attendees can touch and feel.