Strategy January 09, 2019
2019 Distributor Salesperson of the Year Finalist - Brett Marz, BAMKO
Get to know Brett Marz, a 2019 Distributor Salesperson of the Year Finalist!
Salespeople of the Year: Get the complete list here
Distributor Finalist
Brett Marz
BAMKO (asi/131431)
When Dunkin’ Donuts needed a merchandise reboot, Brett Marz took it very seriously. With 20 years of experience, the president of Los Angeles-based BAMKO knows developing a merchandise strategy depends on being familiar with a client’s primary offerings. Peloton, for example, is another one of Marz’s customers; he bought and frequently uses his own Peloton bike at home.
But Dunkin’ (as the chain is now officially known) posed a challenge to this approach. Of the company’s 12,000 franchises, few are on the West Coast where Marz is based. So he visited over 100 locations all over the country, talking to employees about merchandise needs and consumer feedback, taking photos and generally observing. For example, Marz heard from managers that customers typically like large stainless-steel and acrylic tumblers, but lamented the lack of handles for easier carrying. They now offer those, as well as color-changing mugs to appeal to millennials.
“I brought back information that I knew firsthand,” says Marz. “Now they have quality product that’s exciting and ties into the brand. That’s what differentiates us from other companies. That’s a true partnership. All the time spent paid for itself 10 times over – sales have skyrocketed for them.”
Marz calls himself an “all-in guy,” and has been since he and friend Phil Koosed (BAMKO’s CEO) started the company in their dorm room at the University of Southern California in 1999, making T-shirts for Greek organizations. Diligent and entrepreneurial with a desire to make money, they were still in college when they started pitching their services to big companies like Universal Pictures. “They got what they needed in an hour, or at 2 a.m. because we were still working,” says Marz, who today works with a roster of huge brands. “We were cold-calling everyone, going to networking events and bringing in referrals. We focused on proving ourselves and getting our name out, because no one was going to do that for us.”
The effort certainly paid off. After its 2016 acquisition by Superior Uniform Group, BAMKO is now a Top 40 distributor, and Marz’s annual growth rate of 20-30% shot up to 45% between this year and last. “I want to be a source of knowledge and strategize in a smart way,” Marz says. “If brands have the drive, I can get there with them.”
Getting to Know You
What’s one fun fact about yourself?
I enjoy doing magic in my free time. I’m a member of the Magic Castle, a local private magic club.
Sum up your selling style in one word.
Strategic
What industry trend are you most excited about?
More companies are being strategic about the products they put out there. That matches what we do, so it works.
If I wasn’t working in promotional products, I’d be…
In the consulting world, probably still working with brands.
What’s your favorite promo product?
Mobile chargers – I use mine all the time because my battery is always dying.
What’s your best advice for other sales reps?
Be persistent, genuinely care about the people you’re working with, and only work with brands you’re passionate about. There’s no substitute for actually caring – if you don’t care, it will come through in the work you do. The best deals are the ones you don’t take. Be confident enough to walk away from deals and it will pay off in the long run.