PPB September 2018

| SEPTEMBER 2018 | 17 INNOVATE Maximize Profitability With CustomHeadwear by Cliff Quicksell, MAS+ The average man owns eight promotional caps, and they are a popular accessory for women. Every time a branded cap is worn, the message is reinforced, making caps an excellent marketing tool. With custom headwear, your options are limited by only your imagination. Think beyond the static product. For example: • There are more than 26 components on a cap that can be customized, including the strap, seam tape, sweat band, visor, undervisor, button, eyelets and panels. • The seam tape alone can have three accent colors and distinct messages, such as safety, a web address, core values or co-branding. • There are close to 100 types of back closures, including slide toggles, Velcro and molded vinyl. • Even the label can be custom woven. In addition, there are countless decoration or embellishment techniques such as direct print four-color process, embroidery, mixed media, liquid metal, textured embellishment, chenille, sublimation, flock printing, Lextra™ and laser printing. New fabric trends are emerging as well. Does your client want high-tech mesh or soft-tech mesh? Moisture-wicking fabric or gray flannel? Reflective thread or one of the other 3,000 color options? Think like a kid and present all the possibilities—if you’re too over-the-top, your customer will reel you in. Work with your supplier to get a virtual sample to show your customer. Let your client touch it, feel it and try it on. Follow this Chinese proverb: Tell me, and I forget. Show me, and I may remember. Engage me, and I understand. Have a retail mindset, and look for ways to add value, such as merchandising and packaging. Suggested pricing by our suppliers is just that: a suggestion. Get paid for your creativity, always think custom and sell the “why.” Cliff Quicksell, MAS+, is director of marketing for distributor iPROMOTEu. He presented Put A Lid On It: Selling Headwear for Profit © at Expo East 2018. The full session is available at https://onlineeducation.ppai.org .