One of the most difficult parts of getting the sale is showing the customer exactly what they want when they want it. More often than not, this is an immediate need. With the Internet at their fingertips to compete with, speed is often the only way to win the sale over the competition. This is a basic concept of the sales process and yet so hard to really hit when dealing with end clients that often don’t even know what they want.
The best marketing tool in the client’s mind is the one that shows their brand in the best possible way and that is, more often than not, the most unique product. Custom-molded promotional products have been around in the industry for many years, mostly in the form of USB flash drives in the shape of a logo or, perhaps, a cruise ship showing off a famous travel company. But until the last few years, coming up with a custom object “on the fly” is something we’ve only seen on the Sci-fi channel.
Other industries, namely the automotive and space industries, have been using this technology for years to help cut their costs, with inexpensive models and parts they can produce in minutes instead of days. Additionally, the materials can be recycled if the product doesn’t match their product specifications or market. These industries started using 3D printing back when it was extremely expensive to own the machines, but with 3D printers as low as $200, serious distributor companies can now get in on the action and benefit as well.
Imagine walking into a meeting with your biggest customer and walking out with an idea the client has been thinking about for a long time. They want to produce an effective marketing tool that will carry their brand to the customers they seek to serve. You go back to your office, upload the idea to the 3D database, and within a few minutes have the prototype you need to show the client for the next meeting closure.
Now imagine this: you walk into the office of your favorite customer with the prototype you made the day before in your 3D printer. You hand the sample with a smile on your face showing the client exactly what he wants. No week turnaround times for “samples” of their custom logo or unique USB or power bank designs.
You have it to the client within 24 hours. Imagine the smile on your client’s face and yours as he types up the purchase order.
Stephen resides on the Pearl River Delta at the heart of the world’s tech promo manufacturing industry. He co-founded Emperor, a growing 5-star supplier of tech promotional products based in Pennsylvania with a manufacturing center and sales office in China. Topics he enjoys writing about include wearable tech, 3D printing, Philly cheesesteaks and motorcycles.
