# Selling to Construction Companies



## David593 (Apr 8, 2021)

Hey guys, so I’m still fairly new, just now starting to make sales but still learning how to attract customers. The one thing I keep hearing over and over is to find my “niche” so there’s a lot of construction companies out here and I figured I’d try selling to them. I’m thinking custom hard hats, jackets, shirts, anything they could wear at the site. Does anyone have any advice for approaching them? Anything I can do to get their attention? Talk to me as if I don’t know anything about sales. Like should I cold call, email, or go to their office with samples?

Thanks guys


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## into the T (Aug 22, 2015)

offer them safety colors that adhere to ansi/isea 107 (info here)
i use the gildan 8000 safety green for most tee's
be careful with other colors labeled 'safety' and/or other companies, they may not be compliant

simple black htv for their logo/company name/number in an easy to weed bold font
the main selling point of the above is no more safety vests, plus the advertising aspect

for tree removal companies we do the longsleeve safety green, as these keep your forearms from getting sappy
some like the 50/50 dryblend and some like the lighter weight 100% poly performance

mowing/most landscaping companies don't need saftey-wear on the jobsite, but they do like the high visibility of the safety colors and their name and phone number across the back shoulders

if you live in a cooler climate they also make safety green hoodies

make up some samples to bring with you, and wear one of your company tee's in a similar style

don't forget you will be getting bigger orders more often as the shirts are used and abused onsite, so you can offer a little better pricing to entice your prospective clients
'you' are what separates you from some online t-shirt factory, so comport yourself appropriately

here is the last one i did, front left chest logo and company info on the back


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

That's funny. Cucamonga has been Rancho Cucamonga for years and Cali is never used except in street, it used to be Calif. or now CA. 



into the T said:


> here is the last one i did, front left chest logo and company info on the back
> 
> View attachment 272841
> View attachment 272842


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## David593 (Apr 8, 2021)

into the T said:


> offer them safety colors that adhere to ansi/isea 107 (info here)
> i use the gildan 8000 safety green for most tee's
> be careful with other colors labeled 'safety' and/or other companies, they may not be compliant
> 
> ...


Okay, should I offer like every type of tshirt that comes in safety? I was thinking on just keeping it simple and selling them g5000s and g2000s. Also are the hardhats a good idea? I was thinking on using adhesive vinyl to print their logos on them.


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## David593 (Apr 8, 2021)

into the T said:


> offer them safety colors that adhere to ansi/isea 107 (info here)
> i use the gildan 8000 safety green for most tee's
> be careful with other colors labeled 'safety' and/or other companies, they may not be compliant
> 
> ...


Oh and should I not sell custom safety vests?


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## TABOB (Feb 13, 2018)

David593 said:


> I was thinking on just keeping it simple and selling them g5000s and g2000s.


Keeping it simple in that way is not going to work.
Selling shirts is easy money, but you have to give customers what they want or they'll go to someone else.


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## David593 (Apr 8, 2021)

TABOB said:


> Keeping it simple in that way is not going to work.
> Selling shirts is easy money, but you have to give customers what they want or they'll go to someone else.


How much variety are we talking, like Gildans entire catalog or a few shirts from each brand? I’m still learning about this so I apologize if I’m asking dumb questions 😅


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## TABOB (Feb 13, 2018)

David593 said:


> How much variety are we talking, like Gildans entire catalog or a few shirts from each brand? I’m still learning about this so I apologize if I’m asking dumb questions 😅


I was new once too, and I started by doing something similar... I was selling to student groups.
Just like construction companies, students like low cost stuff, and will only buy what is useful to them. 
In my case due to the lovely British weather t-shirts were not so popular, so I was selling mostly hoodies.
I had a few different models, and I would order any color they wanted, but I was often asked to print on big brand hoodies. French Connection was a popular brand I was printing at the time and it wasn't very expensive.

Also remember that people do appreciate the quality. Don't try selling them transfers cracking and falling off after 20 washes.


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## David593 (Apr 8, 2021)

TABOB said:


> I was new once too, and I started by doing something similar... I was selling to student groups.
> Just like construction companies, students like low cost stuff, and will only buy what is useful to them.
> In my case due to the lovely British weather t-shirts were not so popular, so I was selling mostly hoodies.
> 
> Also remember that people do appreciate the quality. Don't try selling them transfers cracking and falling off after 20 washes.


Yeah I’m using Supacolor and vinyl until I can get a screen printing shop.


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## TABOB (Feb 13, 2018)

David593 said:


> Yeah I’m using Supacolor and vinyl until I can get a screen printing shop.


Vinyl is hard work but you could do samples and low volume jobs easy. I never really used it for production work. 
Supacolor may be OK... what do they charge per transfer? 
Nothing comes close to the 5 cents of plastisol ink.


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## into the T (Aug 22, 2015)

David593 said:


> Okay, should I offer like every type of tshirt that comes in safety? I was thinking on just keeping it simple and selling them g5000s and g2000s. Also are the hardhats a good idea? I was thinking on using adhesive vinyl to print their logos on them.


hardhats are a great idea, just have a supplier close (some companies like different colored hardhats depending on rank)
use oracal 651 and clean with alcohol before adhering the sign vinyl
the nice thing about that is it will lead to truck decals

i offer my normal tee's for casual tee's (usually m&o fine blend or the gildan 64000) and the safety green dryblend
anything over and above that is ordered specifically for them and prices adjusted if free shipping is not involved
i am a small player, so i don't keep anything out of my normal offerings in stock

htv has been our primary decoration method and works well for us
especially for these type of contruction tee's, fast cutting and fast weeding
i like the thermoflex plus/joto premium (check here for a good application method)


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## David593 (Apr 8, 2021)

into the T said:


> hardhats are a great idea, just have a supplier close (some companies like different colored hardhats depending on rank)
> use oracal 651 and clean with alcohol before adhering the sign vinyl
> the nice thing about that is it will lead to truck decals
> 
> ...


Haha yeah currently I’m working on a press and vinyl cutter in my closet, I’m getting 130 sqrft office but I don’t know if it’s enough room to really screen print. I’m waiting till I can get a bigger shop so I can at least buy a 4 ft belt dryer. I wish so badly I could just screen print 😩 but for now just using Supacolor for their quality. For a 8”x11” design its about $5/pc for 20 and $4/pc for 50 and a little under $3/pc for 100. I’m charging $3 for the g5000 and then $5 a print if you’re only getting 20 pcs. So for 20 g5000s its about $13 each


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## David593 (Apr 8, 2021)

into the T said:


> hardhats are a great idea, just have a supplier close (some companies like different colored hardhats depending on rank)
> use oracal 651 and clean with alcohol before adhering the sign vinyl
> the nice thing about that is it will lead to truck decals
> 
> ...


If they wanna order just 1 shirt I do vinyl and charge like $10 plus vinyl plus $3 for the blank. They can also order larger quantities in vinyl but I charge the same.


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## TABOB (Feb 13, 2018)

David593 said:


> For a 8”x11” design its about $5/pc for 20 and $4/pc for 50 and a little under $3/pc for 100.


The 100 is basically $2/pc + consumables. Very reasonable.



David593 said:


> I’m charging $3 for the g5000 and then $5 a print if you’re only getting 20 pcs. So for 20 g5000s its about $13 each


Not bad. With a little bit of talent this can work.


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## David593 (Apr 8, 2021)

So for 100 g500s thats $9/pc ($3-shirt, $3-transfer, $3-profit) and that’s for 8”x11” and full color. For that quantity if you want 11”x16” its an extra $1 per shirt.


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## David593 (Apr 8, 2021)

TABOB said:


> The 100 is basically $2/pc + consumables. Very reasonable.
> 
> 
> Not bad. With a little bit of talent this can work.


And thanks that means a lot, I mostly just dont know who to talk to or if I need to email the construction or how to get noticed.


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## into the T (Aug 22, 2015)

start at any office you can find and have a card/sample/price list/etc. at the ready
time is money and they do not have time for a 45 minute time-share spiel

rejection is met with, thanks for your time, do you mind if i leave you my card in case you change your mind
always mention the saftey compliance of your tee's, and how they are easier to work in than a vest
also mention you do truck decals, including install if needed

do your cruising of jobsites at coffee or lunch

put an ad in the same local paper/community newsletter that the construction guys advertise in
it does not have to be big, color or flashy, just concise and professional


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## David593 (Apr 8, 2021)

into the T said:


> start at any office you can find and have a card/sample/price list/etc. at the ready
> time is money and they do not have time for a 45 minute time-share spiel
> 
> rejection is met with, thanks for your time, do you mind if i leave you my card in case you change your mind
> ...


When I mention safety compliance, is that with me printing with reflective vinyl like stahls 3M Scotchlite or is just printing on safety colors in compliance? (and in compliance with ANSI?)


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## TABOB (Feb 13, 2018)

David593 said:


> that’s for 8”x11” and full color. For that quantity if you want 11”x16” its an extra $1 per shirt.


Well... the 8”x11” just about the right size for business type prints, so that's OK.
The problem will be when the customer wants prints on 3 areas.

I don't think you'll get many 100 shirt orders though...
I print for some local businesses from time to time and they only need 4 shirts/hoodies per employee. 



David593 said:


> I mostly just dont know who to talk to or if I need to email the construction or how to get noticed.


If people like what you have they'll buy it.. No sales skill are needed.
I used to give away custom hoodies with my details on the tag.
This works really well in a university campus environment, but I bet it will also work for business customers.
Who's going to spend time looking for a print shop, when they already know who printed a nice shirt they are wearing?
People may throw away or misplace your leaflet or business card, but they will not throw away a nice useful shirt with their business logo on it.


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## into the T (Aug 22, 2015)

David593 said:


> When I mention safety compliance, is that with me printing with reflective vinyl like stahls 3M Scotchlite or is just printing on safety colors in compliance? (and in compliance with ANSI?)


reflective is usually reserved for night or traffic workers, general construction does not need them
but check with your local bylaw


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## David593 (Apr 8, 2021)

TABOB said:


> Well... the 8”x11” just about the right size for business type prints, so that's OK.
> The problem will be when the customer wants prints on 3 areas.


Yeah I’m thinking for those I’m going to have special package deals, I can do the chests in vinyl and have them personalized or I can order small 2.5”x2.5” Supacolor transfers for like an extra $2 a shirt. So 8”x11” on the back (or you can do 16”x5” if you want something longer) plus the chest on the front of the shirt, for 100 pieces it’s $11/piece. And for any designs I do vinyl I use easyweed because everyone is saying it’s the best, (idk if that’s true, if you know a better brand that lasts longer let me know) and for vinyl I make $10 a shirt no matter the quantity because of the weeding. So if a small company buys like 8-10 items I’m making $80-$100.


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## David593 (Apr 8, 2021)

David593 said:


> Yeah I’m thinking for those I’m going to have special package deals, I can do the chests in vinyl and have them personalized or I can order small 2.5”x2.5” Supacolor transfers for like an extra $2 a shirt. So 8”x11” on the back (or you can do 16”x5” if you want something longer) plus the chest on the front of the shirt, for 100 pieces it’s $11/piece. And for any designs I do vinyl I use easyweed because everyone is saying it’s the best, (idk if that’s true, if you know a better brand that lasts longer let me know) and for vinyl I make $10 a shirt no matter the quantity because of the weeding. So if a small company buys like 8-10 items I’m making $80-$100.


and if they buy 20 then i use the transfers, finish the job faster and still make $100.


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## David593 (Apr 8, 2021)

Oh yeah, I just wanna say, I’m explaining all this just to show you kinda how I’m doing things or planning them, I’m not saying I’m right or wrong, I’m open to criticism and here to learn.


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## TABOB (Feb 13, 2018)

Actually I think should probably focus on vinyl and forget Supacolor for business shirts.
Shirts like the example bellow are easy and cheaper to do with vinyl, especially for small runs. 
Most people doing what you want to do start with vinyl and continue to use it for small runs even when they get more equipment.


into the T said:


> View attachment 272841
> View attachment 272842


Make some money first, and use it to buy screen-printing equipment.


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## Gizmogirl256 (Jan 19, 2021)

So I have a landscaping customer that requested the safety green. Another nuance is that the cotton shirts get really hot and he specifically wanted a wicking blend and avoiding the vinyl. A big part of their biz is having their logo AND phone number highly visible on the shirts. He wants folks to know who is in their yard! So I ended up with a sublimation print with small logo/number on front and large version on the back. I can print 4x of the small on a 8.5 x11 sheet and 2x of the larger on a 13 x 19" sheet. I've found though that that the 50/50 safety green hates the heat! I'm going to try a 100% poly (Gildan G420 and the Jerzees 21M) tonight and see if I can get better results. Otherwise, the shirts will require a wash after pressing to get rid of the platen marks. They look fine after the wash. A bit faded/vintage on the 50/50 but after 7 wash/dry cycles, the print still looks good. The green gets everywhere though!! Make sure you're using cover sheets on a heat press or it will transfer to your next batch.


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## into the T (Aug 22, 2015)

Gizmogirl256 said:


> So I have a landscaping customer that requested the safety green. Another nuance is that the cotton shirts get really hot and he specifically wanted a wicking blend and avoiding the vinyl.


get a sample of thermoflex plus/joto premium (same htv from germany) and try this method, then show the customer/future customers

this is what i do and have never had a company balk at the htv being 'too' much on a tee

it has a very soft hand both outside and inside the tee and presses without leaving scorch marks on 50/50 and 100% poly
you can lower the temp and increase the time if you find your brand of poly is getting the box (just test for longevity)

the time spent on washing/drying the tee's and the electrical needs to be accounted for when figuring out your total costs (and don't forget the wear and tear on the machines)


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## David593 (Apr 8, 2021)

into the T said:


> get a sample of thermoflex plus/joto premium (same htv from germany) and try this method, then show the customer/future customers
> 
> this is what i do and have never had a company balk at the htv being 'too' much on a tee
> 
> ...


Thanks for the heads up, I’ve never pressed a safety shirt before I didn’t know they did that. 👍🏼


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## David593 (Apr 8, 2021)

David593 said:


> Thanks for the heads up, I’ve never pressed a safety shirt before I didn’t know they did that. 👍🏼


Sorry meant to quote the post before yours 🤦🏻‍♂️


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## orangebox (Mar 15, 2010)

David593 said:


> Hey guys, so I’m still fairly new, just now starting to make sales but still learning how to attract customers. The one thing I keep hearing over and over is to find my “niche” so there’s a lot of construction companies out here and I figured I’d try selling to them. I’m thinking custom hard hats, jackets, shirts, anything they could wear at the site. Does anyone have any advice for approaching them? Anything I can do to get their attention? Talk to me as if I don’t know anything about sales. Like should I cold call, email, or go to their office with samples?
> 
> Thanks guys


Hi David
I hope this helps.

Chances that these construction site are just site office. Purchases are usually done by the purchasers stationed in the HQ. First try to find out which company are in charge of the construction, then Google to find out their Main office contact and do some cold calls to find out the purchaser contact details or e-mail . 

And normally a construction site will involve many sub-contractors from other companies. Look out for the uniforms the workers are wearing or the print on their truck or lorry to find out . You can call them up too.

When calling them , try to craft a sales script that make you different from the tens twenties sales call they receive weekly. This is one I like to use :
You can say that you are a new printing company in “your area” and your company are giving special price to company working ard your area. You saw their construction site there and like to swingby your office to drop off a (Namecard , catalog or show them some samples, etc )
This is just something I do . Hope it helps and good luck.


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## orangebox (Mar 15, 2010)

David593 said:


> How much variety are we talking, like Gildans entire catalog or a few shirts from each brand? I’m still learning about this so I apologize if I’m asking dumb questions 😅


We have Gildan in singapore but I sell more of *dri-fit tshirt or polo tee with reflective strips *to these company here. We have this brand call UNO here but not sure you have them in the state.


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## Textahead (Apr 17, 2016)

David593 said:


> Hey guys, so I’m still fairly new, just now starting to make sales but still learning how to attract customers. The one thing I keep hearing over and over is to find my “niche” so there’s a lot of construction companies out here and I figured I’d try selling to them. I’m thinking custom hard hats, jackets, shirts, anything they could wear at the site. Does anyone have any advice for approaching them? Anything I can do to get their attention? Talk to me as if I don’t know anything about sales. Like should I cold call, email, or go to their office with samples?
> 
> Thanks guys


One thing you can do is try find someone on the inside and supply them with cheap or free products or offer them a commission on any sales


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