August 2007

Bubba and Belt Buckles

Let your customers inspire you – here’s one distributor’s story.

By Vince Terracina

In fall 1997, I was working as an outside sales rep for a few of the Norwood companies. One day my travels brought me to a town in Texas small enough that I can’t remember the name today. I do remember a few things about the meeting I had with a client there, though. The five B’s As I reflect back, I realize I learned at least two important things at that unusual, but eventful, meeting. First, I learned the five B’s of a good presentation. Never heard of them? I hadn’t either. Let me explain. Being the rookie I was at the time, I made the same mistake that many sales reps have: I walked into the meeting dragging two sample bags and an armful of catalogs. It turns out I had brought exactly two sample bags and an armful of catalogs too much for the meeting. This client just wanted to get down to business. How was I supposed to know? I started in quickly, “Let me show you our best-sellers. Then, I’ll move to our current specials. Then, if we have time, I’ll share a few case histories with you.” “Wait,” my customer said. “Son, how long have you been doing this?” “About three months. Why?” I said. “Well, has anyone ever told you about the five B’s of a good sales presentation?” “No, I can’t say I’ve heard of them,” I said. Lesson one was about to hit me in the face. He looked at me, smiling and nodding as he said, slowly and paternally, “Be brief, Bubba. Be brief.” When I start presentations today, the five B’s still ring in my ears. Custom belt buckles The second thing I learned from this sage of a customer concerned the virtues of a belt buckle. I’m not just talking about your average functional belt buckle, of course.

Vince Terracina is founder of TAG Marketing Ltd. in Austin, TX. Contact: vince@tagmarketing.net.

I’m talking about a unique, custom-made belt buckle. So, think function and style. My customer was wearing a belt buckle that seemed to be about the size of a small salad plate. If you’ve either lived, passed through or know someone from Texas, chances are you know the type of belt I’m talking about. The belt buckles are generally worn with heavily pressed and creased Wrangler jeans.

On these belt buckles, there’s typically a bronco throwing a cowboy wildly off his back, or a bull reared up, kicking high in the air – something along those lines. But almost always, the image is accompanied by text, such as the name of an event or a place of distinction. Think: “2007 San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo” or “4H Clubs of California” or even “Lubbock, TX.” It hit me that a belt buckle is truly a personalized item – and a perfect fit for our industry. Clearly, someone’s providing these custom belt buckles to the masses.

I never did ask my customer if he sold belt buckles like the one he was wearing. Somehow though, I would have imagined a distributor selling belt buckles like these to organizations such as the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. If you aren’t familiar with the PRCA and its size and scope, go to Las Vegas when they’re in town and you’ll think every cowboy on the planet has congregated there.
Even though I didn’t ask my customer back then, I recently did talk with Steve Weber of Delavan, WI-based Meridian Metal Works about his experience with custom belt buckles. “I’ve heard of custom belt buckles referred to as ‘blue collar medallions,’” he says. “The interesting thing is many custom belt buckles are never worn. Rather, they’re kept as commemorative pieces.”

Weber has also found that industries such as agriculture, trucking and construction tend to appreciate and use this type of item more than others. Additionally, the concentration of this type of item tends to be in the southern and southeastern portions of the United States. Surprisingly, Manhattan has yet to embrace this concept with equal interest, but who knows what’ll happen in the future, fashion trends being what they are.

Maybe it’s time to think about a custom belt buckle project. What do you say, Bubba?