With more than 8.5 billion mobile device connections worldwide, custom phone cases are a booming industry. If you have a passion for design, this could be your ticket to entrepreneurial success.
The first step is to identify your business goals. Perhaps you want to create a premium brand sold in Nordstrom or Urban Outfitters.
Check Referrals
Getting referrals from customers can be a great way to boost sales. However, you must be careful to choose the right referral programs and strategies for your business.
One way to check if referrals are working is to use a tool like Google Analytics. This will allow you to track where your new customers are coming from and how many of them have referred friends.
Alternatively, you can create referral forms for your website and ask visitors to indicate how they heard about your company. These are a good option for smaller businesses that don't have the resources to track customers manually.
Search the Web
One of the best ways to find phone case manufacturers is to search the web. This can be done using a number of different search engines such as Google, Bing and Yahoo.
This is a good way to identify companies that manufacture cases as well as determine whether they are domestic or foreign. This information can then be used to filter potential suppliers and prioritize your list of preferred vendors based on quality, price and other metrics.
Once you’ve identified a supplier, it’s important to intelligently communicate with them about your needs. This will help you avoid costly mistakes and find a manufacturer that can deliver the products you need at a price that suits your budget.
Evaluate Social Media
The best way to get a leg up on your competition is to take the time to learn about your potential competitors. One of the best places to start is on social media. Using a combination of Facebook and LinkedIn may yield the most fruitful results. While you are at it, a well-rounded strategy includes networking in person as well as on the social web. Ideally you should start by looking for the most relevant contacts and then move on to those that may be harder to reach. After all, you need to make a solid first impression to ensure a seamless transition.
Create a Preferred Vendor List
If you want to make a good profit from your phone case business, you need to find a good manufacturing partner. To do this, you need to conduct market research.
Preferred vendor lists, or PSLs, are a great way to help companies streamline their purchasing process and save money. They also improve quality and service levels.
The first step in creating a preferred vendor list is to identify the products your company purchases on a regular basis. This will allow you to find qualified vendors who offer the most affordable prices.
Next, gather the contact information of several vendors for each category your company purchases. This includes their company name, mailing address, contact person, and phone number.
Contact Potential Suppliers
When searching for a phone case manufacturer, you should make a list of potential vendors and evaluate them based on price, quality and other factors. This will help you narrow your list until you find a handful of manufacturers that suit your needs.
Once you have your list, you can begin contacting them. Be sure to ask specific questions about their services, pricing, and turnaround time.
A good supplier should be willing to discuss your design ideas and offer samples. They should also be able to meet your delivery requirements and provide a money-back guarantee.
When you order cases in large quantities, you can often get lower prices and more customization options. However, you must remember to check your minimum order policy before deciding on a supplier.
