The awards and personalization industry serves a variety of customers, ranging from sports teams to service clubs, local businesses to churches, and even kids to grandmothers. But one market segment heavily uses the products and services of our personalization professionals: schools.

Securing a School as a Client 101

Unlocking Opportunities in the Academic and Sports Markets

By: Richard Korbyl

(Originally printed in the March/April 2024 issue of Insights.)

The awards and personalization industry serves a variety of customers, ranging from sports teams to service clubs, local businesses to churches, and even kids to grandmothers. But one market segment heavily uses the products and services of our personalization professionals: schools.

Traditional awards and recognition products are an obvious choice for schools and academic organizations. But over the years, school product options have expanded to include apparel, beverageware, signage, and other related items.

How do you gain a school as a customer? Explore these tips and practices.

Start small

A school can become a rather large client with complex requirements and specifications. If you’ve never dealt with schools before—or are looking to add another as a client—I highly recommend starting small. Avoid making big promises and having trouble delivering upon them. I knew a company called Jan Mar Trophy Co. based out of New Rochelle, New York. The former owners, Mario and Janet Scarano, would start by offering a single product for a single event. Because they would be able to deliver upon their promises, the school felt more comfortable with using them and, over time, they were asked to supply more products and services. They eventually became the go-to vendor for that school.

Look for upcoming events

Many schools have an events calendar published online, which is usually available at the beginning of each school year. Have a look at upcoming events and decide if there’s something you could provide.

 

Perhaps the school has a track meet in eight weeks. Decide which product you would like to provide—apparel, beverageware, promotional products, and awards are all good options. Be sure to make an initial offer that you can easily deliver.

Find the right contact person

Once you’ve decided on your product, the next big question is whom do you contact at the school? The bigger the school, the more complex this becomes. Some educational institutions will have an athletic director or even a paid administrator who’s responsible for all events and required products. At a smaller school, it may be a teacher.

If you don’t have any contacts within the school, you could call the secretary and ask to speak to the athletic director or person in charge of the particular event. After getting the name of the decision-maker, there are several ways to reach out: email, handwritten notes, or phone calls. But don’t get too disappointed if you don’t hear back from the contact. Teachers, athletic directors, and staff are extremely busy, so it may take some time to reach them. They also may have a vendor they’re already comfortable with.

If you’re not hearing back, why not provide the decision-maker with a personalized product with the school logo and name on it? Everyone loves free samples, and the minute you personalize it, that product (and your reputation) earns some serious attention. The time you spend producing the sample could provide you with a long-term client.

You have the client, now what?

Working with schools can be a fantastic part of any business. Some of the orders can be rather considerable and help your bottom line. But this market segment does come with some challenges. Here are some tips that may help.

Budget appropriately

In my experience, schools are typically under financial constraints, which affect their budgets for personalized products. You may have to find less expensive products that satisfy their personalization requirements and their limited budget. Rather than trophies, suggest medallions. For apparel, reduce the number of colors printed or the quality of the garment. Your creativity in product options and the budget will be important at this stage.

Simplify the process

The person responsible for purchasing products is often “volun-told” to add these duties to their already stressful schedule. Don’t be surprised if the person who walks into your store doesn’t really want to be there. Therefore, the easier you make it for them, the better for everyone. Often the sentiment they share is, “Make it the same as last time, but just change the names and the years.” 

Be ready for changes

The repeat nature of school orders is a true benefit. But occasionally, a new teacher or administrator wants to place their personal mark on these orders. When these changes take place, they can involve a fair amount of work. As the vendor, you may need to be prepared to source new products, create new designs, and simplify new and often-complex school orders.

Expect tight deadlines

Whether they are a longtime customer or new, schools tend to have tight deadlines. This is especially true for year-end awards. It’s not unusual to be given limited time to complete large and complex orders. Of course, you can try to inspire the school to provide you with the order details sooner, but often the information is not available until they calculate the year-end results.

 

If you work with the parents

Schools often harness the powers of the parents, and dealing with the parent organization or booster club can be an efficient opportunity. These groups typically are funded by the parents and often have a decent budget. The challenge with some of the parent groups is they have too much time and they will have no problem getting you to quote or design for a myriad of products.

The bottom line

If you are looking for a new customer who requires the talents and products of a personalization expert like yourself, schools or academic organizations may be an ideal choice. By starting small and being aware of the potential challenges of this market segment, you just might get an “A+” customer.

Richard Korbyl is the manager of Columbia Awards, a longtime family-owned awards and personalization business in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He is also an APA past president.