Selling Schools

Sales and Marketing Tips: Promoting and Selling Custom Crests

Crest Systems – Promote the Idea of a Crest

Cast Crests Coloured or Finished in Gold Silver and Bronze

Most Crests, especially with schools (High Schools), are enameled in the school’s colours. Some of the crests are finished in gold, silver or bronze. Most often these crests are cast in either metal or plastic. Although most schools do not care what they get as long as the price and the look are similar, the metal crest is more popular. Plastic used to be cheaper but with better techniques metal is now similar in cost unless you get into higher quantities. Plastic also offered the ability to produce fewer crests. Today that is not the factor. Metal crest can be made in lots of 25 – although the price is cheaper at 50 units. Metal gives the plaque a heavier finish and has a higher intrinsic value. Most people, if asked, would rather have a metal casting as opposed to a plastic casting.

Although most crests from your competitors will sell for around 5.00 to 6 dollars the 1 to 2 dollars you make will be used typically to absorb the setup charge if one applies. Where most dealers make their money is in the plaques and the engraving. Typically your competition will sell a 5 by 7 walnut finish laminate plaque for around 7.00 each. Engraving is usually 10 cents per letter. There is also shipping charges and extended delivery times. If you sell 100 plaques this gives you a good profit margin.

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One of your competitors will try to sell the crest “up front” (usually in winter or early spring) and then “lock” the customer into their system. They will then get the plaque order because the castings are available and have already been paid for. If this is the case have the customer call up the supplier and retrieve all the castings. Have the customer give them to you so you can place them on all items. This eliminates your competitor.

One of the biggest problems with outside suppliers is delivery times. We all know that people wait till the last minute, especially schools. A lot of times they come to you the trophy dealer to bail them out with engraving. Why not do the whole order? If you have the crests on hand you can turn around the order quickly – a lot quicker than your competition. Two week lead times are not uncommon with the competition.

Most schools today would like desperately to save money. You can help them achieve this goal along with getting some extra orders. When I used to sell retail it was not uncommon ( this was 8 years ago) for a school to order for either graduation or athletics upwards of $1,000 to 5,000 dollars.

Who should you see? Typically the best person to see in any school is the Principal. He can get you quickly into the school and introduced to all the right people. It is also good courtesy to at least make an attempt to see him / her. They are also a tremendous prospect for other promotional products such as pins, special school awards and special gifts and giveaways.

Once you have made the attempt to see the principal then ask to see the athletic head, the school council advisor, and the convocation or graduation director. All these people either look after or will know who is looking after the award buying.

If you are approaching an organization you need to try and see the director. Again the director tends to be the person who controls the budget. Sell them and you will get a lot of orders.

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What to do once you get to the “Right Person”?. Always carry adequate samples – especially awards you have done for other schools. Also carry samples of the awards you would like to do for the organization. You can get a cast crest from AT Design. Try and have some good references in case they ask for them.

When should I prospect these customers? Whenever you can. Some people will spend extra  time on the phone calling people and if they can set up appointments. Some people will open late on certain days of the week. This frees up some time to go out and visit your customers.

If you want some of this business you have to take the time and make the calls. Once you have set up a program this it will tend to function by itself. All you will need to do next year is make a few phone calls to make sure everything is still functioning properly.

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