Promotional Products Distributors face competition from many angles and on many fronts. In the area of apparel sales the average PPD faces competition from the internet (of course), from other PPD’s and from direct selling screen printers. The direct selling printer – so goes conventional thinking – has an inherent advantage over the competition because they control the whole process. While it is true that the average printer can likely undercut the PPD and lowball the price, PPD’s have a much stronger weapon they can use to set themselves apart on something other than price and beat their competition – Benchmarking.
Benchmarking is defined as:
“A measurement or standard that serves as a point of reference by which all others are compared.”
PPD’s must find a way to stand apart from – and above – the competition. Using the concept of Benchmarking, and using the Fabric Square Sample Set, any distributor can be viewed as the BEST place to buy decorated apparel. Do you want to be known as the cheapest place to buy apparel, or do you want to be known as BEST!
Implementing this concept is as simple as making a presentation using the sample set. Show your clients the dozens of printed samples in the set, samples of great designs, unique uses of art and the many, many examples of Special Effects Decorating Techniques. By doing so you will establish in their minds the standard by which all other competitors will be measured. When your client begins to think about their next apparel project, who will come to mind first – the local print shop who is nothing but cheap, or you, who showed him what BEST looks like. Once your prospective client sees the kind of premium quality work you can offer, you do not need to say anything else. Your capabilities will do the talking for you. And your competitors will be judged in comparison with you. And most importantly, price becomes secondary to quality. Good clients want great quality and value the distributor who offers it to him.
It is our experience that in the vast majority of cases, your competition cannot stack up against what you can show using your Fabric Square Sample set – even direct selling printers.
There is one other rarely discussed advantage. Decorated Apparel is the one product category almost every client buys almost every year. Once you are seen as being BEST in providing decorated apparel, many people will instinctively believe you will be the best source for all other promotional products as well.
Provide your clients – and the new clients you most want to attract – a reason to believe you are the best. Everyone tries to say it with words. With a Fabric Square Sample Set – and by using Benchmarking techniques – you won’t have to use any words. Your clients will tell other people about you. There is nothing better to selling success than enthusiastic referrals.