Hi! I’m Byron and I’d like to introduce you to the core of the Swingline brand which is our line of staplers. The Swingline name dates back to 1935 and actually comes from the function of the stapler that the top swings open to load staples. It was the hot technology of the day and was such a big feature that they named the company after it. The Swingline brand is synonymous with quality, durability and reliability.

Today, I’d like to walk you through an overview of the category, how to help a customer assess their stapling needs and how to choose the right staplers for the right environments. Swingline divides the category into a number of segments, including manual everyday staplers, low force or reduced force operation staplers, electric staplers, heavy-duty staplers and specialty staplers. Manual everyday staplers offer durable, traditional operation for everyday work, home, school or small office needs. Low force or reduced force staplers are the ultimate in ease and simplicity for everyday stapling tasks and offer up to 50% less effort than traditional staplers. They’re great for frequent use. Electric staplers are great for effortless stapling everyday or for use in shared environments. Heavy-duty staplers are perfect for shared workspace or high-capacity use. Specialty staplers include saddle, plier and long-reach staplers for specific stapling tasks.

When was the last time you stopped and thought about your stapler? It’s probably been a while, and the same is true of your customers. Many people will limp along for decades on broken or poor performing staplers simply because they haven’t taken the time to stop and think about them. When on a sales call, it’s the perfect opportunity to have your customer reassess their stapling needs and what products they’re currently using. So how do you identify your customer’s stapling needs and how do you help them choose the right products?

Well, let’s start by looking at one environment it’s being used in, how many people will be using the product and what the stapling needs are. Examples might be an individual might need a standard desk stapler for their workspace where they’re stapling a moderate amount of sheets at an infrequent basis versus a copy room which might need a heavy duty stapler to staple large reports, large numbers of sheets and be shared by many users. So how do you identify your customer’s stapling needs and how do you help them choose the right products? Well, it’s all about environment. An office has many different environments which require stapling and they all have different number of users and different stapling needs. Individual workstations have one or two users who staple at a moderate or infrequent basis and don’t staple many sheets. A traditional desk stapler, such as the 747, is the best option for this environment. Mail rooms and copy centers are shared workspaces used by many people. Staplers in these environments may be used to staple thick stacks of paper and be used very frequently. Electric staplers, such as the Optima line, or heavy-duty staplers, such as the Light Touch, are the best option for these environments. Admin stations typically have one user who may not be stapling many sheets but staples very frequently. Low force or reduced force staplers, such as the Smart Touch, are the best option for this environment. Other environments, such as shipping docks, may have specific stapling needs, and specialty staplers, like pliers staplers may be the best selection for that environment. In summary, we realize that you typically won’t be making sales call specifically to sell staplers. However, every interaction with a customer is the perfect opportunity to have them reassess their stapling needs and help them choose the right products. Thank you for taking some time to learn a little about Swingline and its flagship category. Now, get out there and sell some staplers.