Award-winning VOW Wholesale has unveiled its 2019 marketing programme which will see it become the only business products wholesaler to issue a new version of its annual catalogue.

The launch closely followed VOW taking the prize for the Best Multi-Channel B2B Business or Brand with Annual Sales of Over £50m in the 2018 ECMOD Direct Commerce Awards. The company said the accolade recognised the quality of its data, content and physical marketing.

VOW’s established annual catalogue is aimed at being resellers’ prime sales tool and enabling them and their customers to make informed purchasing decisions. The company said it had opted to issue a January 2019 version following research and feedback from resellers.

Helen Wade, VOW’s marketing director, said: “The catalogue, which will again help resellers maximise sales, will be available in hard copy or digital form. We’re urging resellers to order it before 24 August to ensure they have access to the publication as soon as it becomes available in November.”

Comprising 976 pages, the A4 catalogue will contain about 16,000 products, including 2,000 new items (1,500 facilities supplies and 500 technology lines). VOW said the publication would feature numerous range improvements from international suppliers, such as Nestle, ACCO Brands, and Verbatim.

VOW said the publication would also contain innovations designed to make it even easier than before for users to find the products they were seeking quickly.

Explaining the catalogue’s digital version, Helen said: “Available as VOWdigicat, this will enable resellers’ customers to place orders instantly.

“Its features will include a search function, the ability to create a list of favourite products, the option of sharing pages via email and social media, and the facility for order details to be sent directly to customers’ email addresses. The VOWdigicat version will also be compatible with all Apple and Android devices and will offer resellers the chance to improve their search engine rankings.”

Supplementary materials available to resellers from VOW in 2019 will include quarterly mailers highlighting new products added to its broad range, plus materials to promote its exclusive brands, facilities supplies, stationery, seasonal offers, furniture and technological items.

VOW is also to enhance and relaunch its myMarketing online reseller portal, which the organisation says offers an innovative email solution and comprehensive print module, for 2019. The portal’s myEmail Premium option aims to enable resellers to create their own professional-looking campaign in minutes, by selecting from a menu of banners and importing product images and descriptions, plus other materials, from a large content library.

Explaining the thinking behind the new marketing programme, Helen said: “We recognise that digital promotion is key, but our resellers are telling us there has to be a balance between this and proven traditional tools, such as direct mail, with one activity complementing and supporting the other. We’re therefore committed to helping them maximise sales by using both methods.”

Resellers wanting to order copies of VOW’s 2019 catalogue should contact: publications@voweurope.com or telephone 0114 256 6333.