The Novice Stage

At the beginning of April this year I started at PromoCorner as the client services coordinator. Coming into this position, what I understood was: we do marketing, and I told people that I’m working in the “swag industry” because it sounded cool. I was not expecting the complexity of the industry, the passion behind the people working in the industry, and the effect that promotional products truly have. It seems like every chance I get now I announce, “That's what I do for work!” to my friends and family when I see a promo product.

In 2025 I graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a degree in English and Communication Studies. My first job out of college was as a law office assistant, as well as waitressing on the side. I came into the promo world essentially blind, and seemingly inexperienced. However, this did not turn me away from taking on this new role. You would be surprised how much waitressing has assisted me in this role, because client services and customer service is not too different. I knew if I could successfully apply my literary and literacy skills, I could positively contribute to this business. I may not have a marketing degree, or prior experience in the industry, but my ambition and intrigue led me here anyway, and allowed me to utilize my education and experience to launch my professional career. 

My first week in the promo world came with a lot of new information; I had a lot of learning to do. What is a distributor? What is a supplier? And seriously, what is the difference? Also, where do I fit in? My position is “client services coordinator”, but in order to properly serve and coordinate, I better be able to answer these questions ASAP.

My first aha moment came a few weeks into the job. A friend was asking what my new job is and what exactly it is that I do. I explained to him that I work for the business services side of the branded merch industry and I assist suppliers in marketing products that are used to make and design promotional products. He asked, “what exactly does that mean?”, fair question. I said, “Look at the sweatshirt you’re wearing, it has a beer company logo on the front, but a beer distributor company on the sleeve. Did you get that for free?” He did. I told him, “That is a promotional product. We work to market the company that made that sweatshirt as a promo product for their client. The beer distributor gave out those sweatshirts as a business strategy.” It took explaining to an outsider who was actively participating in repping a promotional product, for this whole thing to really click in my mind. I had been feeling overwhelmed with information at work, still catching up and training, but I was not clueless. I just had to present my knowledge with a real world example to realize: I actually kind of got this down now. 

This is a niche industry. I came to realize that I am running a marathon, not a sprint. With so many different factors and players in the industry, education is key. I was lucky enough to have a well informed and amazing teacher, Halle, here at PromoCorner to show me the ropes. I also meticulously watched the “Brand Newbie” series by Jade Crider on PromoJournal to help myself acclimate to this new environment. And after completing PPAI’s Trained Advertising Specialist (TAS) certification, having hands-on practice with the software and continuing to ask questions is what got the ball rolling for me. 

At the beginning of May, the PromoCorner team attended the NEPPA Spring show. This was an amazing opportunity for me, just 1 month into the job, to see the ins and outs of the industry first hand. It was refreshing to see people be so enthusiastic about their work. There was a sense of community, even amongst the sense of competition, that I don’t believe many other industries share. I recognized that I am now lucky enough to say that I am actually invested in my work, and not many people fresh out of college say that. I joined the NEPPA Young Professionals meeting in April as well. It was a great chance for me to connect with people, and I got to see how other young professionals are working towards their success in the business. 

I am just about 2 months into the job now, and every day I am working towards being better and more informed at what I do. If I could give advice to my day 1 self, it would be: ask all the questions. There is no shame in aiming for faultlessness. There were moments in the beginning where I felt like I was asking too many silly questions. I had to tell myself that there are no silly questions when you are striving to succeed in a new environment. In order to do my best work, I have to have a deep understanding of what exactly is going on around me. 

If I have any advice for my future self, it would be: keep up on organization, and maintain your drive. I keep a monthly and weekly planner on my desk, as well as a daily log of things to do. This keeps me ahead of the game, and prevents me from getting overwhelmed with tasks. I also filter my emails into 4 categories to avoid having my inbox become a sea of lost information. To do my best “client serving and coordinating”, I have to stay on top of things without burning myself out, organization is the best skill to hone in this position. For me personally, my success here will be measured by my ability to be efficient and structured, while also embracing my creativity and sustaining my zeal. That is what motivates me. 

If you are a newbie like me, or maybe you’re just trying to keep up with the ever changing world, keep asking questions and find unique ways to motivate yourself. I look forward to continuing this journey in the promotional products industry with PromoCorner; there is so much more to learn, and so many new connections to make.