Step 1

Network – You Never Know Where It Will Lead

Donna Bridgeforth has never been shy about getting out there.

The promo pro’s tireless networking has led to key connections. It was just such a connection that laid the foundation for a mega multimillion-unit order of face masks for JPMorgan Chase amid the darkest days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Impressively, that campaign opened the door to lucrative traditional promo business that continues to this day with the Fortune 500 client.

“Back in 2017 I was networking and met someone from JPMorgan Chase and we hit it off,” says Bridgeforth, who started her distributorship 35 years ago. “He told me, ‘If I have an opportunity, I’ll bring you in.’”

Folks say that kind of stuff a lot and Bridgeforth didn’t hold her breath. But, as fate would have it, three years later Bridgeforth received a call from a sourcing executive at JPMorgan Chase. Bridgeforth had been referred to him by the networking contact. “He said, ‘I heard you might be able to help with some face masks,’” Bridgeforth recalls. “‘Yes,’ I said. ‘I can help.’”

Donna Bridgeforth provided 4 million of these custom, washable masks to JPMorgan Chase. (Photo courtesy of Bridgeforth Wolf & Associates).

Step 2

Build Your Vendor Pool

It wasn’t an empty pledge.

Most in promo will remember all too vividly those bleak pandemic days in 2020 when there were societal restrictions and the bottom dropped out of industry sales. Bridgeforth was one of the adaptable distributors who pivoted to selling personal protective equipment (PPE) to stay afloat. She wanted to ensure she’d deliver quality products, and to that end, she burnt the midnight oil trying to link up with responsible, quality vendors from which to source. “I was dialing for dollars,” she says.

Thanks to that effort, Bridgeforth identified an excellent overseas company from which to procure masks and much more. “I started slowly with them,” Bridgeforth explains. “I did two orders, including one for 12,000 kits for the Chicago Transit Authority. Both orders were done very well. I knew I could trust this company. They were in it to win it like I was.”

“In my opinion, you always tell the client ‘yes’ even if you’re not sure how you’ll get things to work out. Tell them ‘yes’ and then figure it out.” Donna Bridgeforth

Step 3

Read the Market, Client & Competition

Backed by such a partner, Bridgeforth was confident she could deliver for JPMorgan Chase. Still, she was up against it. She was being brought into the bid process late in the game and she was vying against about a dozen competitors whose businesses were larger than her own.

Aware of this, Bridgeforth knew she had to be nimbler and beat the competition on service, design and, yes, pricing. She pulled off all three.

She swiftly sourced custom samples from her trusted vendor that were creatively constructed and offered them at a price that blew away the other bidders. Seeing the quality of the product and the quoted price, the sourcing executive nearly gasped in disbelief. He and Bridgeforth even had a slight argument over how she could provide washable, branded masks at such a price point. Ultimately, Bridgeforth assured him that she could do it and that if things went wrong, he’d get his money back. “He said, ‘Donna, we’re going to give you a chance,’” she shares.

In an account of the order on an internal blog, JPMorgan Chase wrote that Bridgeforth’s proposal “rose far above the rest in both speed and quality. Competing against major retailers, Donna won the bid because of her attention to detail, use of high-quality, durable fabric, and 30-day delivery – a particularly fast timeline, given how difficult it was to get materials during the pandemic.”

To her credit, Bridgeforth candidly admits her margins on the order were slim, but she made a strategic decision to accept that for a number of reasons. For one thing, the large scale of the campaign meant it would still result in a decent payday. Next, she knew the highly competitive pricing coupled with the quality of the product and quick delivery could tip the scales in her favor at a time when business was exceedingly difficult. And, among other reasons, she felt a win on this campaign could lead to additional opportunities with JPMorgan Chase.

“You have to understand the big picture and adapt,” Bridgeforth says.

Following the initial mask orders, Donna Bridgeforth deepened her business relationship with JPMorgan Chase, creating web-based merch stores that feature a broad selection of branded items, including attractive drinkware like this.

Step 4

Refine & Deliver

While the client loved the initial samples, there was still work to do.

Bridgeforth collaborated with JPMorgan Chase to refine the custom design, delivering additional samples for consideration. Once the mask composition and appearance were settled, she had to deliver on the promised timeline – something she was able to do with aplomb.

About 1.7 million masks arrived with the JPMorgan Chase branding for bankers and branch personnel to wear as they interacted with the public amid the pandemic. “The client was very pleased,” says Bridgeforth. So much so, in fact, that another order for 2.3 million of the same masks was swiftly placed.

“In my opinion, you always tell the client ‘yes’ even if you’re not sure how you’ll get things to work out,” Bridgeforth says. “Tell them ‘yes’ and then figure it out.”

Step 5

Expand the Business Relationship

Bridgeforth’s story with JPMorgan Chase doesn’t end with masks in 2020 – not at all.

Her deft work on the pandemic-era order put her in position to win additional business with the multinational financial services firm. To wit, Bridgeforth Wolf & Associates has provided two active web stores from which JPMorgan professionals can purchase a gamut of branded promotional items. This includes drinkware, headwear, writing instruments, bags, speakers, chargers, apparel, awards, food gifts, a pickleball set, and more.

“There’s a lot of business out there,” says Bridgeforth, “if you’re willing to work for it.”