January 2008

BUSINESS OF WEARABLES

Take Charge of Your Career

Here are five questions to consider as you plan your career path in the wearables business.

By Julie Harms

Part of being a successful distributor is setting clear career goals for yourself – and mapping out how you’ll meet them through research, self-education and networking. If your goal is to carve out a lucrative career in this business, be prepared to continually challenge yourself to get to that next level of success. Here are five questions new distributors often ask.

1. How do I stay educated? The wearables arena is an exciting marketplace, but it can also be intimidating because it’s always changing in terms of styles, fabrics, colors and cuts. Wearables sales make up more than 30% of our industry’s profits, so it’s important to stay educated as fabric and performance technologies mature. Also, stay up to date about the latest embellishment options.

Build relationships with your chosen suppliers, and review the latest trends in their catalogs, as well as in industry and fashion magazines. I’d recommend that you work with a select group of apparel suppliers to get to know them personally – networking is the key word here. Visit your supplier partners regularly and tour their facilities. Understand their processes and how they guarantee quality products. Order samples to try on and wear, so you have first-hand experience on how the apparel performs. These steps open the door for you to expand your knowledge and confidently address your customers’ concerns with your personal experience.

" Really know your product – and what your customers need – so you can deliver the perfect pitch."

Building networks, understanding your products and matching them to your customers’ needs are vital in this business. When you meet with a customer, as you do often, present your top items and talk about the fabric and how it wears – and why the product creates value relative to your client’s advertising needs. Take advantage of the wonderful tools available to you when selecting the suppliers you choose to build relationships with. (For more on partnering with suppliers, see sidebar, “Share, Share, That’s Fair” on page 35.)

2. Can I make this my career for life? People who are new to the advertising specialty industry and those looking to launch their own distributorship often have doubts about how to make being a distributor a career. The key is to set clear advancement goals.

If you’re excited about this market, then start by making a real career commitment. Know that the dynamic nature of apparel sales provides fantastic long-term benefits.

Set up a business plan that fits with your personal and professional goals. Study the industry to understand the driving forces behind this market. Set weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual sales goals for yourself and/or your business. Work to keep expenses down by streamlining processes and handling work only once if possible. Motivate yourself with aggressive sales goals and desired rewards. Include time for education: Join a trade association, attend shows or online courses, and try to form a networking group with your fellow distributors. A final important point: Your plan should address the right balance between continuing education and making sales calls.

3. What are my benchmarks for success? Typical success drivers in this industry are personal satisfaction, sales/revenue and customer retention. In order to achieve success in these key areas include them in your professional development plan. Create benchmarks and time frames for achieving sales and keep track of repeat business. Success happens by design, not by accident. Plus, you’ll know whether you’re truly happy in this business.

4. What can I learn from a veteran distributor? Good, veteran distributors understand the ad specialty business inside and out; they try to forecast market trends and then capitalize on them to continue making sales. Veterans keep an open mind and always work toward achieving the next goal. They have experience to draw upon, but are still willing to listen to and learn from others. Veterans have long-term relationships with peers, suppliers and customers that they continually cultivate. Veterans are also committed – that commitment gives customers confidence when they buy.

5. How can I stay ahead of the competition? We’re always looking for ways to stay at the top of the heap, in terms of identifying new markets, developing a target list, finding the right decision-maker and honing a perfect pitch. So, really take the time to understand the products you’re selling. Tour your suppliers’ facilities to gain first-hand knowledge about their products and decorating capabilities. Understand the industry better by reading trade magazines and local newspapers. Shop at some of the more trendy stores to see what’s new for the next season. Discuss what you see with your suppliers to determine which of these new trends they’re picking up. Be aggressive in keeping up with new marketing materials your suppliers will be offering.

As you work with your suppliers to see what products are on deck for the next season, begin thinking how you’re going to market them. Search through your customer base to determine which existing customers will be interested in which product. Start selling to them first; practice your sales pitch before presenting to them. Perfect it. Next, look for new customers who’d be interested in these new products. Take time to train your sales team on your marketing pitches, so they’re interacting smoothly and effectively with new customers.

Know your customer. Know your competition. And really know your product – and what your customers need – so you can deliver the perfect pitch.

Share, Share,That’s Fair By Lin Grensing-Pophal At Continental Clothing Co. USA LLC (asi/46410), sharing is the name of the game, says Jacqui Bracy, executive manager. “Our focus for over a decade has been to make our clients look good,” says the supplier’s Web site (www.continental-usa.com). To this end, Continental makes high-end marketing materials available to clients. According to Bracy, both the catalog and Web site are available in a blank format, making it easy for distributors to apply their logo, personalizing the materials for their customers’ needs. These types of tools are very important to distributors, says Jeff Solomon, president of All American Marketing Group (asi/117055). “Having a supplier Web site that enables you to quickly and easily personalize a presentation is extremely helpful. You can actually click on a color and the item changes color, so the guys looking for shirts in green and blue can see what it’s going to look like,” he says. “Personalized catalogs are outstanding as well.” He says some apparel companies such as Dunbrooke (asi/50930) and Vantage Apparel (asi/93390), have programs where they’ll do free embroidered logos for you. “Being able to have a physical sample sent of the embroidered logo is great,” he says. All American offers an industry resource Web site – www.freepromotips.com – which includes an apparel resource section with a number of useful tips and idea-starters. Roger Carroll, vice president of sales at Dri Duck Traders Inc. (asi/50835), says the supplier adds value for distributors by providing them with one-sheets that they can use with customers. “We have an advertising agency in a building here, basically,” he says. “A lot of distributors don’t have access to those kinds of resources. We’re willing to invest the time to put together a mocked-up page they can lay down to their client. If you go in and show features and benefits, then lay down that 8.5-inch-by-11-inch glossy prototype page, the client says, ‘Wow, alright; I’m thinking this is working. Let’s do this.’” LIN GRENSING-POPHAL is a WI-based freelance writer and business author.