Paul Buck is commercial director of Starlight Corporate Services, which supplies customised promotional merchandise, from polo services to USB flash drives. We spoke to him about JustDiaries, which is one arm of Starlight's business.
EO: Tell us about JustDiaries, and what it does.
PB: We supply corporate diaries to the business world, from small to medium and large companies. The key difference between us and office stationers is that we personalise the product and we work with about six different manufacturers to achieve that.
EO: What was the hardest part about getting your business up and running?
PB: Pleasing my accountant! [Chuckles]
EO: Gosh...
PB: I can't say I'm the richest guy in the world, and I can't say I've found any aspect particularly worrisome. Does that sound strange? Usually people have some particular crisis or disaster to recount. I suppose it's because I set up the business when I was about forty, so I'd already done quite a lot before that.
EO: So you'd already had experience.
PB: Exactly. And I'm a very cautious operator as well. So I tend to see business very much about managing risk and not over-stepping or over-stretching yourself.
EO: There's been a lot of talk about managing risk recently, with the banks and so on, so it's good to see that someone actually is, for once.
PB: [Laughs] I know we tend to read about things that have mostly gone wrong, but if I get through a year without any disasters then I consider that quite an achievement.
EO: What do you think makes Starlight Corporate Services and Just Diaries different from other businesses?
PB: Just Diaries is a speciality within Starlight Corporate Services – it's about half of our business. Starlight offers promotional merchandise – anything with a logo on it – to the business world. But in marketing terms, there are a million and one people that do exactly the same thing. You'll find companies that specialise in an industry sector – pharmaceuticals, the licensed trade, liquor. We approach it in a different way, which is working in a product category. That means we can be good and knowledgeable about that area. Gone are the days when a small business can be doing all things for all people.
EO: So Just Diaries diaries is your expertise, but you've still got that back up knowledge [with the other things Starlight Corporate Services does.]
PB: Yes. What's happened is that customers will find us through the diary service we provide. They'll buy diaries and once they're happy with the service, they'll look to buy other things from us; [JustDiaries] is a lead in.
EO: Do you think that companies cut back on corporate gifts and promotional items in a recession? There's an advertising adage that you should advertise as much, if not more, than before the recession so that you're in consumer's minds after it.
PB: I think what seems to be happening... Certainly the deal size we're getting is increasing – the value per order is increasing. We're about 20% up in terms of turnover, but our margins are thinner so we're hoping, by the end of the year, we'll come out about the same in terms of profitability... I think people are shopping around a bit more, so we're losing a few of our existing customers but we're gaining other people, so the market's a bit more volatile.
EO: Do you hope to retain those customers or once market levels out people will swap again?
PB: We work very hard to retain our customers. If you can't hold on to existing customers then you're finished really. The key to it is delivering what people have ordered on time and as they require it. It's so easy to get something slightly wrong in terms of specification, and if you've got a chain of people between the customer and the factory, it's all got to be watched very closely. Accuracy is the key thing and also giving delivery dates and meeting those dates. Nobody will work with you if you're late.
EO: Was there a particular client you were really pleased to get?
PB: We've been working on proposals for some pop groups, to do diaries for them and their fan base. I don't know at this moment if we're going to have it or not. If it happens, that's going to be quite high profile, quite exciting.
EO: If you could give your younger self three insights into business, what would they be?
PB: I wish I'd got into business a bit sooner, really. I was fairly cautious, because if you're in a permanent job it's a big step to come out of that and set up a business. I spent probably 20 years thinking 'I'd like to be an entrepreneur and set up a business'. I started this company six years ago and I should have done it probably 26 years ago. Don't hang about, if it's something you want to do, get on and do it!
Clients are always interested to have ideas about how to save money or do things better, so be brave and talk to the biggest and the best – that would be Euroffice for office supplies. [Flattery is always welcome!]
Try to understand a few things about the customer before you pitch a product – they'll appreciate the interest [you showed in them] and the pitch that follows will
be more relevant.
EO: What's the one thing you make sure to do every day in your business?
PB: What I always do is give myself a bit of thinking time. Time to review, time to think about the things that drop into your head. It's getting the big picture really, just creating a bit of time to work around the things you need to do. It's not a structured process, it's just allocating time where I'm not doing tasks, allowing my head to think about what it wants to think about.
Many thanks to Paul for taking to the time to chat to us and share his thoughts on business. If you'd like to get some customised promotional merchandise for your business, or a snazzy diary made just for your company, head over to Starlight Corporate or JustDiaries
