Niche Sales Opportunities for Cad-Cut / Heat Press Vinyl
Identifying Sales Opportunities or Prospecting is one key element of making a heat press and vinyl cutter profitable for your business. Below is a list of niche/uncommon sales opportunities to consider when utilizing these pieces of equipment in conjunction with a cad-cut material. Targeting some of these opportunities can help to alleviate the so called ‘slow time’ when athletics are not in peak season.
IDEA #1:
Sales by Appointment - Approach Dentists, Orthodontists, Pediatricians etc.
Businesses like dentist offices rely on client retention. The want to gain new clients and maintain current clients sparks the need for giveaways. These businesses often target promotional giveaways to first time customers in order to promote their business. If you want to sell product into a dentist office, the first step in this process is to sell them on the idea of why a t-shirt is a great giveaway. After establishing this prerequisite it is likely that the business will instantly consider Screen printing shirts with their logo and order them in all types of sizes at one time – at this point if you offer screen printing, take the order:) However if you do not offer screen printing or even if you do we know thta in this scenarion screen printing involves the committing of inventory to a specific design and set shirt sizes - also chances are that they have to invest a lot of money up front.
As an alternative or a higher profit sale do this – explain to the professional the buzz that a personalized shirt designed for each patient would create in the community. For instance, maybe a shirt with a kid’s name on the back. Offer them a price point to deliver their shirts each week or month - personalized with the customers name and their business’ logo or design. Since cad-cut technology is ideal for low quantity, custom runs including personalization, you should have no problem taking the business’ list of appointments on a set schedule and generating a repeatable sale throughout the year. To make you more efficient you should also consider ordering Screen Printed Transfers for the branded/repeatable elements of the shirt, such as the front design or just screen printing the front. This proposition is a winner for all parties invlolved. The professional eliminates excess inventory at the end of the year, increases their word of mouth advertising and also does not tie up capital in garment inventory.
IDEA #2:
Let it Rain - Approach Car Dealerships
Whether going local or nationwide consider approaching car dealerships to offer their dealership logo on umbrellas. Have you ever been in a dealership to see the wide variety of umbrellas – different color, different styles? Do this – source an umbrella or a few umbrella type and decorate them with nylon compatible cad-cut material and take them on your sales call. Decorating an item as simple as this enhances the delaerships brand and professional appeal and could land you a future order on their shirts. Try selling the benefits of reflective material for an additional cost. If you do not have a vinyl cutter – or if they want their logo in full color – order a transfer that is compatible with nylon such as Digi-prints from Transfer Express and just heat press it on.
IDEA #3:
Clothing ID Tags - Approach Nursing Homes
Ever have a loved one in a nursing home? Maintaining ownership and not losing articles of clothing through launderings can be a chore. Sure a magic marker works (sort of), but why not offer custom id on the inside of clothing? Consider providing a total solution that ID’s the inside of a patients apparel with their initials. Charge per article or charge for the entire wardrobe. Create a professional marketing piece/order form to approach local nursing homes with and offer it as an ongoing service to their new and current patients. Be sure to take samples of different pieces already completed. Demand a higher price by offering a complete service where there is virtually no competition.
IDEA #4:
Numbered Participants - Approach Marathons, Competition Contestants
Ever watch a marathon or even a televised contest that has a participant performing with a piece of paper pinned to them? This paper exhibits a unique number that identifies the participant to the contest administrators. With cad-cut you can cut that same number and put it on a shirt or uniform and create a more professional result. Do this – take your idea and sample to the event coordinator and explain to them how your unique numbering technique can give them the look they need. Also, pitch the potential that these uniforms can be funded by selling sponsorships which can be heat applied with a cadcut, a transfer or screen printed prior to personalization.
