The Pro: Jeremy Picker
Title: CEO
Company: AMB3R Creative (asi/590243), Lakewood, CO

When Jeremy Picker established his company, he stuck with off-the-shelf hard goods and apparel. But he realized there was a lot of opportunity in more customized products.

“Distributors just default to boilerplate things, like water bottles, journals and lanyards,” says Picker. “But it’s all about asking the right questions. Time it so you’re meeting clients’ needs after allowing enough time to sit down and discuss.”

It’s often easier to pitch and sell a ready-made product, rather than a product customized for clients’ needs, says Picker. “Distributors are comfortable with being order-takers, and that’s good for getting the order. But how do we become great? You need to find out what the company actually stands for.”

First, before wasting precious time on products that won’t work, find out about the demographic the client will be targeting with the items, including age, gender and socioeconomic status. One client’s audience might be fine with Nike polos, while another wants a more customized lifestyle item.

“We had a client targeting teenagers, and one of the trends now is taking YETI drinkware and putting stickers on them,” says Picker. “So we did drinkware with an imprint that looked like stickers with the client’s logo incorporated into the design. All the ‘stickers’ were Colorado- and outdoor-themed.”

79% of buyers say it’s critical that sales reps understand their preferences and needs; the same number say reps should be trusted advisers who add value. (Salesforce)

The research and creative services you offer clients are a differentiator, because the positive reception custom products are sure to receive will outweigh anything garnered by products the clients found themselves after a web search filtered “price: low to high.”

But remember: Always allow plenty of time for custom projects, which often involve overseas sourcing. “If you’re designing custom products, vet manufacturers beforehand,” Picker says. “You don’t want to spend the core of your time doing that.”

Coordinate with clients on a time to reach out and start the process, and assure them that their project manager will keep them on track time- and budget-wise.

“You don’t want to rush things,” says Picker. “If you do end up with a rush for someone and you come through, that’s awesome. But don’t allow that to be the expectation, because then the products become an afterthought for them. Build into your marketing materials ways to communicate with other clients who don’t sit with you regularly, and ask suppliers to help you with pitching their products.”