The 5 key considerations when choosing salesman cases

The temptation when something isn’t clear cut is to ignore it – or at the very least put it off.

However, making a decision on which salesman cases to use could genuinely help you and your sales team hit your targets and sell more products.

The benefits of sample cases have been laid out numerous times, but they are worth summarising again.

Put simply, they make you and your company look more professional. They help your sales meetings run more smoothly due to organising your samples. They contribute to your company’s branding efforts. They help to create a good first impression and offer a striking appearance in your sales pitch.

Besides this, sales rep cases provide protection for your samples, from mishandling, transit damage, dust, dirt and even wet weather. They ensure you never turn up to an important sales meeting without one of your key product samples.

They can even be used to help psychologically guide your customers to the product option you’d like them to buy.

All of this and more are why you should take your time when considering the right case option for you.

Similarly to the above, your position in the market can determine they type of sales rep case that is most suitable for you.

For example, if all of your marketing collateral, sales copy and your actual sales presentation itself is pitching your company as the high end or premium option, then it is important that your sample cases reflect this.

As such, custom cases such as the N Case or Smart case may be your ideal option.

Alternatively, if your message is all about affordability and value for money, showcasing your products in a very expensive looking case may jar somewhat with your audience.

This could lead you to selecting an off the shelf case that you then customise to match your branding.

The thing here is to consider the value of your products, how you want your company to be perceived, and ensuring a consistent brand message.

Arguably the most important factor, the budget that you have allocated to sourcing your sales demo cases will obviously have an impact on the best solution available to you.

In simple terms, if you are looking for a premium option, and have a budget to match, custom cases are most likely going to be your best route.

Saying that, whilst there are some very cost-effective options amongst the range of plastic presentation cases, it is possible to create a very striking and professional appearance regardless of which salesman cases you choose.

Remember to bear this in mind when choosing between stock and custom sample cases.

Your budget can also have an impact on the potential branding you can add. Printing the exterior of the cases will add to the costs, whereas simply applying labels is a much cheaper option.

Remember to strike the balance between cost, appearance and reflecting the values of your company.

Basically, what environment will your sample cases be exposed to.

The chances are that for most sales meetings, you will be presenting in an office, conference room or other indoor environments. Any case will be fine for this purpose.

However, if you are visiting potential (or even existing) customers out on site, your case may be subject to harsher environments. For example, say you are selling items to an engineering or construction company, you may have an impromptu meeting that doesn’t fit the typical “office environment”.

However, this is relatively unlikely. Of more concern is where the case will be stored, and how will be handled.

If you know the case probably won’t be treated that well, the custom cases are generally more robust. This means they will last longer before they need replacing.

The counter-argument is that the plastic cases, whilst not having such a long lifespan, are considerably cheaper. Therefore, the gain in lifespan from a custom case may not pay for itself if it is cheap enough to replace a stock option.

Saying that, whichever type of case you choose, they are generally hardwearing enough to withstand being stored in the boot of your car, and will provide great protection to your samples if kept safely in a cupboard or warehouse environment when not in use.

The final point to consider – although perhaps the hardest to actually define and take advantage of – is to see what your competition are doing.

Whilst you cannot ask them to come and present to you, or ask them directly, you may be able to see the types of case and foam they use by visiting tradeshows, sales conferences or other events where you know they will be present.

If they are showing samples, chances are they will either be bought or displayed in their chosen sample case option.

If you can find this out, you have a real opportunity, and this comes back to how you want to position your brand.

Want to look like the luxury option? Blow them out of the water with an all singing, all dancing custom case. Want to offer value for money? Simply make sure you are using a similar case (or better if your budget allows) and use your pitch to drive home this message.

Ultimately, by knowing what your competition are doing, you can consider how best to counter this and steal a march on them.

By getting a handle on the above points, you can begin to get an idea of how premium your case should be, what your audience will be impressed with (and can relate to), and how to take advantage of your competitors’ weaknesses.

This should then allow you to begin thinking about the nuts and bolts of selecting a case.

How many samples. What size this needs to be. The colour of the case, foam and branding. How many we need. What will it cost.

But by taking this approach, you can be certain you are maximising the benefits of your sample cases.

It’s true that something as simple as selecting a sample case can be surprisingly complicated – if you let it.

The key is to focus on what is important not only to your brand, but also your target customers, and make sure the sample cases reflect this and your place in the market.

The bottom line is, any sample case will help to improve your chances in a sales pitch.

With a little thought, it can have a huge impact.

And if you still need help in choosing, GWP Protective can offer you over twenty-five years’ experience in helping companies just like yours.

5 proven methods to improve sample presentation

Branded & printed sample cases – 9 clever ideas

The 5 key points when choosing salesman cases

Enhancing your cases with protective foam inserts

Stock vs custom sample cases

Key reasons you should be using sales demo cases

7 widely overlooked benefits of presentation cases