Published Feb 19, 2018 by Blogger
So, yesterday afternoon, I'm sitting at my desk today and all of a sudden this big package from a customer shows up on my desk...Nothing like that has happened for awhile, so I grabbed it, opened it up (read that as tore it open, ripped it to shreds) and got probably the best smell I've had in a long, long time.
The package came from a customer, Robin, and she owns and operates a dandy catering company called Gourmetzing. She sent us a batch of cookies and breads that she baked off as a thank you for the "terrific patches that I'll put on every shirt I own".
We sincerely encourage product samples from our customers that have a product we can use here...I guess Chef Robin picked up on that and sent us a thank you basket that was out of this world. She actually sent us the cookie recipe for what she calls her Cowboy Cookie. When I called to thank her for her cookie and bread baskets, I told her she's DEFINITELY on the right track food-wise (ask our Art Director ... he gorged pretty hard on the peanut-butter-chocolate-chip bread), but might be able to fine-tune her marketing efforts, and here's what we talked about:
We agreed small catering companies like hers need to stretch their marketing and advertising dollar as far as possible and custom embroidered patches can do just that. To get the biggest bang for her buck, she needs to not only put them on her blouses, but she needs to iron on patches to all her chef coats, chef hats, tote bags, and the set-up and tear-down outfits for her staff. There's more exposure, more views and potentially more customers. It just flat-out looks good to have staff setting up and breaking down in company designated matching outfits, with her patches on their clothing. It speaks highly of her professionalism.
Custom embroidered patches, whether you purchase sew-on patches, or iron on patches are a great marketing solution for the small business owner. They're versatile, eye-catching, and a terrific "thank you" hand-out to your customers (rather than, ohhh, let's say...PRICE DISCOUNTING). In our mind, it's a pretty easy trade for her. Do you toss in a couple patches that cost a total of $3.00 or less, OR do you discount a basket 10%, for a total of 3-5 or maybe 10 times that? Remember, any product discounting comes right off the bottom line (PROFIT). In our eyes, it's an easy call.
A good customer will accept the patch and keep it as a souvenir, and a loyal customer will sew it on to something! So now she has 2 people wearing these dandy patches! And it goes on and on ....
At the end of our visit, Robin saw the light, we think. She said her mom would wear them, I have a feeling her husband won't have any choice at all but to wear them on his golf and work shirts, and she'll put a couple in each basket she markets on the web. Sounds like a winner to us! And Robin, if you're reading this, thank you again, the sweet potato bread was THE BOMB!
Next week...more about my pro wrestling refereeing adventures.
