Ad specialties, also known as promotional products, are items such as hats, tote bags, pens and keychains that display a company or organization's name. Such items are used by a variety of businesses, such as universities, doctor's offices, retail stores, hotels and even nonprofit organizations. Ad specialties brokers often work with public relations and marketing professionals to help their clients as well. If you're looking to become an ad specialties broker, there are many things you can do to ensure your success.
Instructions
1. Pick a particular type of business or organization to sell to -- this will be your target market. Focusing on working with a certain type of client will allow you to differentiate your ad specialties business. For example, you can specialize in working with medical professionals, colleges, universities and other learning institutions, or businesses in the public relations industry.
2. Get the business documentation required in your city to operate a retail business, such as a fictitious name certificate, resale license or Employer Identification Number. For instance, an ad specialties broker in Houston, Texas, would need to obtain a sales and use tax permit from the state comptroller. Contact your local small business development center to find out what you need.
3. Rent or purchase an office space with an attached warehouse for your ad specialties brokerage, if you will be producing your own products. If you plan to start small or won't be making ad specialties yourself, a spare room can function as your office space, and a clean, empty closet free of pets and sunlight would suffice for storage.
4. Buy commercial printing equipment and wholesale blank items, such as mugs, keychains and pens, to make ad specialties to sell. Going this route will cost several thousand dollars, but there are other options for ad specialties brokers starting out with a smaller budget. Alternatively, you can sign up as a distributor with a company that produces wholesale ad specialties, such as Advertising Specialty Institute, Advertising Specialties, Inc. or DecoNetwork. You'll then be able to sell items to your clients and make a profit without having to make your own ad specialties.
5. Market your ad specialties to professionals in your target market. Join retail or trade organizations as a supplier, sponsor an event your target clients are likely to attend or open social media accounts to connect with potential buyers. You could also launch a promotional website that can double as an e-commerce storefront.
Tags: your specialties, your target, items such, office space, public relations, specialties broker