How Custom Projects Pave the Way for More Business

As promotional products distributors, you all want to give your customers exactly what they’re looking for. When you’re able to give customers a custom product that checks all the boxes, it sets you apart from the competition. Glen Jusczyk, co-owner of Plainville, Massachusetts-based AMGC, remembers one custom project that paved the way for more business.

Promo Marketing: Could you describe a promotion that you think is one of your best?

Glen Jusczyk: [It was] custom hoodies for a nonprofit organization. It was fully custom, meaning from the color of the hoodie, the inside of the hood, the strings, the zipper, the logos, the hang tag and the woven label.

PM: What did you like about this promotion in particular?

GJ: I was able to make it exactly how they wanted it—a once-in-a-lifetime design that they could bring to their customer base. We also made a pre-order website [where] people could order while in production overseas, so the nonprofit [client] was not out any investment. They pre-sold enough that they profited before their invoice was due and before items were delivered. Then they had enough for on-site events, but, at this point, it was all profit.

PM: Did you run into any hurdles during this promotion? If so, how did you overcome them?

GJ: The production time of three months was a hurdle for the customer, but with us providing (at no cost) a sales tool that limited their risk, I was able to give them a unique product no one else could, and they were able to raise thousands of dollars for the nonprofit while creating a piece that will be used for the lifetime of the product.

PM: Do you have any advice for distributors looking to do a similar promotion?

GJ: In this industry, everyone seems to want everything yesterday for nothing! I tried to pitch something custom to multiple customers before anyone would listen to me. The key was resolving as many reservations and concerns with solutions. The presale website and not
billing until product was received was what it took to get them to jump in. Now I have done three more custom designs for them and have been referred to four other clients from that customer.

PM: Is there anything else you’d like to add that we didn’t ask about?

GJ: I look forward to creating more items using this
method with clients.