7 Reasons to Sell Highly Repeatable Jobs Like Industrial Labels and Forms

Among the benefits of selling industrial labels and printed forms is that these are high-profit, highly repeatable jobs. Most of us know the value of selling high-profit products. But what about repeatable ones? Unlike one-off sales, which require the time and effort to be “sold” each time, once you sell a highly repeatable product into an account, that job tends to repeat month after month, year after year, without your intervention.

Let’s look at five reasons you should consider building your business on highly repeatable jobs like industrial forms and labels rather than chasing one-off sales:

1. Less work.

With highly repeatable products, once you sell into the account, those jobs repeat over and over without additional work from you (other than maintaining the relationship with that account). This allows you to take the time you save selling into these accounts and use it to develop new accounts or cross-sell products in existing ones.

2. Higher level of customer retention.

Once you sell an industrial label or printed form into an account, this makes the account “sticky,” and you are more likely to retain it. This creates a level of protection against losing the account to a competitor. It also makes the account more profitable.

3. Higher profitability.

Your best customers are your existing customers, who tend to buy more frequently and in higher volumes. One study found that the success rate of selling to an existing customer is 60%-70%, compared to 5%-20% for a new customer. Another found that increasing customer retention by 5% increases profits from 25%-95%.

4. Predictable revenue.

With highly repeatable orders, you have a predictable income stream. This helps you plan and budget effectively. You know how much money is coming in each month from those accounts, enabling you to better forecast future revenue and make strategic decisions. In contrast, with one-off sales, revenue can be unpredictable, making it difficult to plan.

5. Increased customer lifetime value.

Customers who buy your products on a recurring basis are likely to stay with you longer and generate more revenue over their lifetime. This is called higher “lifetime customer value” or LCV.

6. More stable cash flow.

A recurring revenue model provides a more stable cash flow compared to one-off sales, which can vary significantly from month to month. This stability allows you to grow and expand your customer base and portfolio, knowing that you have a reliable income stream to support you.

7. Higher company valuations.

Let’s face it — many distributors are reaching a stage at which they are looking to retire. This means either closing or selling their businesses. Businesses that sell highly repeatable products are often valued higher than those relying on one-off sales. Investors and buyers prefer businesses with predictable revenue streams and lower risk of revenue fluctuations. (If you were an investor, wouldn’t you?)

So why should you build your business on highly repeatable products like industrial labels and forms? Because they provide predictable revenue, higher customer retention, higher profitability, increased customer lifetime value, more stable cash flow, and higher valuations.

What’s not to like about that?