Estimated Read Time: 5.5 Minutes
As a salesperson, you are always on the lookout for the next great sales opportunity.
You have business cards with you wherever you go.
You are constantly looking for innovative products to recommend to your clients and prospects.
You even go to industry events to get the latest trends, tips, and anything else to get ahead.
But how would you feel if there’s an untapped opportunity out there that you’ve been missing?
Untapped Opportunity in Sales
Imagine you’re in a sales meeting and your client is asking for a custom product. Not a customized product – not one that already exists that you can get their logo and message printed on.
No, a piece that is 100% inspired and created for them. A piece that’s in the shape of their mascot, a unique signage that exceeds their branding, or even an award that embodies the company’s “commandments.”
Your clients keep piling on more wants and needs.
Normally you would offer a catalog of items or you would have a few products in mind that you’d search for. However, in this case, you aren’t supposed to do that. They are checking all the boxes that they want custom.
And your clients are obviously wanting something off the menu (which we’ve touched upon in this blog).
So, what do you do? Do you try to push them into a “customized” option, do you turn your clients down, or do you try to find it (but there’s nothing in the industry that can help, right)?
Most try to push these projects off or take the easy way of selling catalog-products that are “unique looking” that can be personalized or customized. This is a cop-out and missing out on a big sales opportunity (more on this later).
If you decide to take it on, and look for custom products instead of “customizable,” do you even know where to go to find this product unicorn?
Where do you go for custom?
And what search terms do you even input into ESP, SAGE, or Google?
Call the Experts
Don’t give up here.
And instead of email blasting every supplier you can think of, take a more targeted approach.
In this case, reach out to Bruce Fox.
We are a custom, design-build shop located in New Albany, Indiana. We design and produce meticulously-crafted high-end recognition award solutions, as well as branded displayable products of all kinds. Learn more about our custom process here.
Untapped Opportunity in Sales
Alright, so you know where to go if you need custom, but where’s the untapped opportunity?
You need to make more money, not another sales pitch.
Don’t worry, I’m getting to it…
Untapped Opportunity: Custom
You see, custom is the untapped opportunity.
As mentioned in Customization in the Promo Products Industry, end-users and businesses are tired of generic “stuff,” which often ends up in the trash. Instead, they want unique and customized pieces. And although the blog mostly discusses clothing, the point applies to all promo products, including recognition awards.
Furthermore, wouldn’t making it personal, make it more effective? As a 80+ year old company, we can tell you from experience that it certainly does make a difference – as do some other factors.
So, your clients and end-users are looking for more custom solutions. They know it’s out there- every industry has it. They also understand that custom makes it more expensive. However, when a piece is designed and built to their needs, wants, branding, and specifications, people typically shift away from price and towards value, “wow factor,” and symbolism.
Which means what for you? More money, right?
Especially since once you sell an awards program, it typically repeats.
And for each year it repeats, doesn’t that mean that you get that same big sale year after year?
Are you starting to see the money stack up?
Clients Are Looking for Custom Solutions
Despite people knowing that custom is out there, they don’t know where to go for it.
Even though they work with you for their promo needs, you typically sell from a catalog so they don’t know that you can sell custom, too.
Plus, if you aren’t selling it, they’ll likely buy it from someone else. Someone who comes in with their main selling point being custom.
So, you need to be aware of the signs of when your clients are looking for custom, as well as changing your sales tactics to accommodate the unique selling requirements for custom.
Don’t Let Custom Scare You
But selling custom is scary. It intimidates you, right?
There are many misconceptions when selling custom.
And it’s likely you’re telling yourself these excuses in order to talk yourself out of transitioning into a sales leader and catching those whales you/everyone wants. But you need to overcome your fears if you want to grow.
And if you aren’t selling it, how long do you think it’ll be before they find someone else to do it for them? Which means someone might poach your client and could start encroaching on your regular business.
But that’s not the focus of this conversation, that’s just the worst-case scenario (if you let your fear control you.)
The point is to tell you that there’s opportunity out there. Businesses want custom. They are looking for it and are willing to pay for unique and personal.
So, are you willing to take your shot at this unique opportunity and delight your clients with custom pieces?
Learn more about selling custom and get other resources on our website or read more on our blog.
Want to get started on a project or want some guidance? Reach out and start a conversation.
Kristina Hublar is your friendly neighborhood Marketing Specialist at Bruce Fox, Inc., which means she is the person behind the keyboard for the social media, emails, website, and other marketing efforts. In her spare time, you’ll find her plotting her next road trip, bobbing along to music while crafting, or spending time with loved ones.
