You know, being the top salesman for a Chinese Manufacturer/Exporter of Car Flags is no holiday in the sun these days. Not that I ever found individuals swooning after reading the fine print of my business card. Selling car flags is, for some purists, akin to selling a novelty item such as fake plastic vomit. Lately, however, just being a Chinese Exporter comes with a stigma of mammoth proportions.
These days the most common question I am faced with from foreign clientèle, mostly sporting good outlets, is whether my flags have the potential to kill their customers. Initially I tried humor to help deflect some of the hysteria caused by the latest recall of Chinese goods. I would answer, with obvious sarcasm, that with our Chinese made Car Flags there was a slight chance of death if the customer were to excessively breathe near the product as they are made from 100% asbestos. Instead of guffaws at the end of the telephone line, I was subjected to gasps of horror. Needless to say that I am now reading from the same damage control script as every other salesman in the country. However, like any seasoned salesman I know that this latest crisis will dissipate with time. However, my struggle to capture the ear of grass roots entrepreneurs may be a career long endeavor.
As most of us know most get-rich schemes are nonsense. To truly create impressive profits with the least amount of headaches entrepreneurs need a product that sells itself effortlessly. However, all good entrepreneurs know that there are two factors that create such a situation. The first being the most obvious: you must have the right product. The second is one that eludes most: the right opportunity. With Car Flags, the window of opportunity is tight but incredibly profitable. If you live within an hour’s drive of any major city, those windows of opportunity are available for you to exploit.
It’s no secret that people are sports mad. Football, basketball, baseball, the list is endless and stretches across all continents. Sports merchandising is ridiculously popular and profitable. People want to express their support and pride for their team, or if an international event, their countries. They spend large sums of money simply to attend a live event. There, they are enthusiastic, free from everyday worries, and most importantly financially liberal. For the few entrepreneurs who have caught onto the Car Flag phenomenon, these are magical moments. When bought from a wholesaler, such as my company, for as little as $0.45 per flag and then presented to the fans outside a sporting venue for $5-$8 per Car Flag, the result always produces an adrenaline and financial rush for the vendor. The selling is fast and furious.
Then, in what seems like moments after the rush begins, it is gone, along with a sizable portion of the merchandise. The results are all too apparent but such is the beauty of being a speed vendor. The Car Flag entrepreneur now has time to catch his breath and count his money before the return rush that arrives at games end. Most cities have several major sports teams that play several times a month. The window of opportunity for the Car Flag entrepreneur is one that opens in short duration but on many occasions. The greatest questions a Car Flag entrepreneur needs to answer is simply: how much would I like to make this month? How far do I want to take this opportunity?
It is my sincere wish to help create as many Car Flag entrepreneurs as possible in my career. Perhaps sometime in the not to distant future people will not be scoffing when they read my business card. That will be a day I will thoroughly take pleasure in, this I promise you.
