Kustom Cards
 

Has anyone heard of Kustom Cards? They are into business advertising through photo business cards, stickers, calendars and magnets. I would like to know if this is something that seems like a good profitable business or if there is alot of competition in this type of advertisement?

Their website is www.kustomcards.com

Thank you.




http://www.kustomcards.com

Re: Kustom Cards - Why limit yourself?
 

> Has anyone heard of Kustom Cards?

I haven't heard of this company, but the website only showed products, no pricing or details about selling for them. So, everyone interested in buying or selling has to contact them.

Their product line seems limited to "What you see is what you get. I have access to over a dozen magnet manufacturers who do spot color of full color magnets with stock or custom graphics.

If you are interested in selling these type products business to business, you should at least investigate the possibility of becoming a promotional advertising sales rep. Their are several national and local firms seeking sales people to work either as independent agents or as employees.

When you hook up with a national firm, you'll have access to a huge product line of over 3800 suppliers. The Advertising Specialty Institure estimates there are over 750,000 different products available to my clients and prospects.

I sell for one of the largest distributors in this $20 Billion industry. K & B ranks 17th out of over 15,000 US distributors, with annual sales exceeding $60 Million.

You can get your own dealership absolutely free of charge. K & B doesn't charge dealer fees - ever! You earn commissions on every order you sell, with no daily, weekly, or monthly quotas. And K & B has no employees selling - they don't compete with their dealers.

So, why limit yourself to once source and a short product line, when you could be offering the "whole enchilada!"? Everything from Alladin brand to Zippo, aprons to zoo animals with your customer's name and logo added to them, along with magnets in every size and shape imaginable.

Dennis Bevers


All the products, without all the overhead!

Re: Kustom Cards - Why limit yourself?
 

Thanks, Dennis.

Unfortunately we spoke a few months ago and you had previously indicated to me that K & B does not want any more dealers from New York City. So I did not think of them as an option. The dealership is $147 and you make 46% of the profit from your sales. I just want to know if these products alone would be a good seller.

Back in '98....
 

I discovered "Kustom Cards"...bought their Dealer Kit and proceeded to TRY and sell "Photo Business Cards" in Aspen, CO.

I "assumed" biz people in Aspen would be EASY to sell since most biz people there were into FULL COLOR for everything AND money was no problem...I thought.

So...I made up 4 or 5 samples of local biz people for freebies to show LOCAL biz people and proceeded to fall flat on my fisterous.

The cards cost me $90 per 1000 and I was trying to sell them for $250 per M. I figured $150 for my time of taking the shots was worth it.

BUT...they balked. And so, I found myself one evening sitting in my favorite chair, watching a Video with my wife...wondering whether I should chuck this thing or trying to think about some way I could sell these.

I knew I was a darn good salesperson so it had to be the "product"...which I still believed in. I KNEW that once I got someone to TRY the full color PHOTO biz cards they would keep coming to me for more because THEY WORKED. Recipients of the cards DID pay more attention to them...DID keep them longer and DID place them on the TOP of their stack of biz cards.

The MAIN problem was....I had to come up with a way to get people to use the cards...without giving away the first batch.

I thought, "There has to be a WAY to get people to try them!"

So...as I was sitting there, running thru my past experiences of ad promotions I was fondling the stack of photo biz cards sitting on the coffee table in front of me. It just so happened that sitting next to the stack of cards was the empty plastic case the video came in.

Almost unconsciously I laid a card on the front of the case. I saw that it would fit width-wise. I then laid another below it...then a 3rd and to my surprise I could fit THREE cards on the front of the case.

This NOW had my attention.

I quickly turned the case over and whala...3 cards could fit on the back also.

I thought, "Hey! Why don't I put SIX cards on each Video Case and offer the cases to Video Stores as FREE CASES!"

I then spent the rest of the evening making up a "Sample"...and a Promotion program to sell;
1) The Video Stores on accepting my free cases
2) The local biz owners on having a Photo Kard on Video Cases that would be handed out EVERY NIGHT to DIFFERENT local consumers.

The next morn I went to my local Video store and showed the owner my sample.

He AGREED to take as many cases as I wanted to give him AND he promised to put his New Videos in them.

I then went to 6 more Video stores in the area and 3 agreed to use my cases.

WHALA! I was in business!

I then went back to the same people who had turned me down for Kards and told them I would place their Photo Kards on Video Rental Cases for $495 for 13 weeks exposure in ONE Video Store.

NOW...I got orders! I got SIX orders that day. Then went and filled spaces on the other stores.

In 2 months I had 12 Video Stores handling my cases and with each order I gave my customer 100 cards AND....guess what happened?

Right! In a couple of weeks they called and asked me to get them MORE KARDS!

So...I was in "pig heaven".

I did this for a couple of years and found the people at Kustom Cards to be very helpful and provided a good product with good service.

So...even though the idea of placing Photo Business Cards on Video Rental Cases has been done, does NOT mean it couldn't be done again.

I also put the Kards on a plastic card holder that sat on restaurant tables for diners to see.

I placed them in plastic holders that sat on top of TV Sets in motel rooms for tourists to see.

I made a LOT of money with Photo Business Cards BUT...by not selling the cards themselves...by selling a PROGRAM that INCLUDED the Kards.

Go for it! Only thing holding you back is YOU!

Don Alm


Photo Business Cards in my MIDAS REPORT

Ooopps! Make that 1988! DNO (DNO)
 

Re: Kustom Cards - Why limit yourself?
 

Bonnie,

Not knowing the cost or your market/competition in New York, I don't know how long it will take you to recover your investment.

Just because K & B isn't looking for dealers in your area, doesn't mean you can't find another promotional advertising company to work with. You will have a lot more products for less than the $147.

Likely companies to search for include Nationwide, Newton Mfg, Bankers, JII, and possibly Tasco. You can find some of them by searching on www.asicentral.com or doing a google search for advertising specialty distributors.

Not every company will take the same position as K & B.

Good luck.

Dennis Bevers


Free promotional adv. biz for those not in NYC