Promotional products specialist EverythingBranded has pivoted out the Coronavirus pandemic with the launch of its new B2C business arm, EverythingPrinted and a new e-commerce platform EverythingDigital.
Paul Rowlett, the CEO and founder of the B2B-focused corporate gifts company, wasn’t going to let his £20m business, started from a laptop and phone from his front room in Leicester, go without a fight.
But as a preferred supplier to the UK hospitality industry which slumped by 87% in the second quarter this year, EverythingBranded‘s corporate customers evaporated and trading all but stopped, pushing the company to the edge.
Reaching out to new markets can be crucial to survival – as we found out
The pandemic forced the charismatic business owner to radically re-think his market. In Rowlett’s own words: “Moving into B2C and offering digital marketing services has actually been a natural evolution for the business, but I have to say it was a move that the Coronavirus forced us to make given that 50% of our business came from the event, trade show and hospitality sectors, which have been decimated throughout this pandemic. We needed a safety net.
“Reaching out to new markets can be crucial to survival – as we found out. We provided much-needed products to SME’s and individuals working from home developing new product lines and new income streams.
SME’s needed PPE and sanitising products which we urgently sourced from overseas suppliers, while the British workforce, now working from home, needed writing pads, pens and mugs.
New company EverythingPrinted enables the B2C market to order personalised products from printed mugs to unique party supplies, with a custom design in quantities starting from one unit.
The business offers a free online design service, as well as the choice to order on account for a buy now, pay later option and is based at EverythingBranded’s Leicester head office where it utilises fixed costs to help keep prices low for customers.
COVID-19 forces us to think outside the box and as a result I am committed to accelerating the business into the B2C market
Some of the work is being handled by the team already in the office, but the company has also hired new marketing staff as well as personnel support roles.
The company has also launched a new e-commerce platform, EverythingDigital, which Rowlett said will make the business more tech-focused, enabling it to offer customers a new user experience including joining and membership options as well as the ability to send customers tailored ideas based on their profile.
The company currently employs 68 staff in Leicester and three in Las Vegas, down from a group total of 162 last October following a restructure at Christmas and the effects of the pandemic, which resulted in the business having to further reduce its headcount in line with demand. It is now recruiting again and Rowlett anticipates taking on 13 more people in Leicester before the end of the year.
Paul Rowlett concludes: “COVID-19 forces us to think outside the box and as a result I am committed to accelerating the business into the B2C market and I am positive about the potential of our new brands.”
