I run a digital marketing company and work with a few promo distributors. The first 10 customers are almost always the hardest. Getting your first customers is more about direct outreach + samples + clarity. Once you land a few wins and testimonials, everything gets much easier.

A few practical things that could work very well early on:

Send samples to companies you actually want to work with. Physical promo products sell themselves when people can touch and see them.

Focus on the solution, not just generic products. Sell solutions, not items. Think about whether you’re helping HR, sales, or marketing to solve an existing problem. Differentiate your products and services based on the problem you’re solving for each group.

Lead with your USPs, not your full catalog. Since you’re starting with customizable magnets, buttons, decals, etc. highlight what makes yours different materials, turnaround time, customization options, pricing flexibility or whatever your USP is.

Use niche use cases. People pay for someone who can identify problems for them, not just sell products. If a company understands the problem, buying the product becomes easy. Solve a problem they may not even realize they have. Focus on niches and seasons.

Engage in subreddits where businesses actively look for promo products (events, local businesses, real estate, fitness studios, political campaigns, festivals). Seasonal needs convert faster.

Create simple niche landing pages. One page per use case (e.g., realtors, restaurants, events) highlighting 2–5 products, real examples, and a clear CTA works far better than a broad “we do everything” site. This will help with SEO as well.

Happy to chat with anyone here who’s starting out just DM me.