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"You never want to start a selling conversation in this category based on price. It needs to start off with the type of promotion they are doing, what point they want to get across," Bradley cautioned. "You want to get as much out of the way before you start talking about price. Let the end-user mention the word 'budget' before you do since the subject matter is so delicate."

Reid concurred. "Never lead with price. Always pay close attention to the cause and message and make a recommendation based on the needs of the organization," she instructed.

Bradley said it is common to see distributors misunderstand their potential clientele. He offered some final advice. "If you are doing a unisex walk, obviously you need to be pitching a unisex item like a lapel pin or ribbon. If it is an all-female walk or fundraising event, not only could the product be changed to be effective to the end-user, but the imprint as well," he concluded.