You have a great product line. You believe in it. Your employees believe in it. And most importantly, your customers love your branded products … the ones who know about them, that is. What does it take to get your sales to the next level?

As you already know, growing distribution so you can gain market share is an expensive proposition in terms of dollars, time and resources. In an outdoor market crowded with multiple brands in virtually every popular product category, how do you find success? What is that magic formula that gets your products onto store shelves?

Before I go on, I’ll have to make one important assumption about your products: That they’re as great as you think they are. Outdoorsmen and women are notoriously finicky about their gear. However, they’re willing to open their wallets when they perceive that a piece of clothing, for example, will help them stay in the woods longer, remain quieter or hunt more efficiently. It’s almost like the promise of success negates the importance of the price. So, if the word on the street is that your products truly help hunters be more successful, you’re in the driver’s seat.

Are you still with me? If so, it’s time to talk about your best avenue for success: Licensing. Without a doubt, licensing your products with an established brand that has already made inroads into all the places you want to be is your shortest route to increased distribution. Realtree might possibly your best option. Consider these numbers: Last year more than $4 billion (yes, that’s billion with a B!) in Realtree-patterned products were sold worldwide. That number was achieved via more than 2,000 Realtree licensees producing over 29,000 products sold in 36,000 locations!

Let’s set those numbers aside for a moment and look at an even broader picture. The success of Realtree’s partners isn’t simply the result of good retail penetration. Products that collect dust on store shelves are quickly ushered out. Therefore, support from your licensing partner is paramount. Realtree is a media giant that supports its licensees via:

• A website that delivers more than 1 million unique visitors a month
• Four Realtree-produced TV shows and 37-plus additional TV sponsorships totaling 45 million annual household impressions
• A huge print presence, with 157 million annual impressions
• A whopping 6 billion annual social media impression        

This means shoppers are already familiar with the advanced Realtree patterns and logos that dominate the airwaves before they ever set foot in a retail store to prepare for hunting season

Yes, licensing is an investment, but compared with the effort it takes just to get facetime with a buyer at a major retailer, particularly if you have a single “specialty” item, it’s a winning strategy.

Realtree is synonymous with success at retail. Don’t take my word for it. Check out Nike, Pelican and Igloo these case studies of Realtree licensees whose affiliation with the world’s No. 1 camo brand has helped them expand their businesses. Even companies that don’t manufacture products for the traditional hunting market – Old Dominion Footwear and Colossem Activewear, for example – can get a boost from the power of a Realtree partnership.

Consider the advantages of a strong licensing agreement before you take it upon yourself to single-handedly fight for shelf space. You’ll find you have more time to work on developing new products while enjoying the fact that those fantastic products you’re so confident in are finally getting in front of the customers you want to reach.

Do you have a great product that you believe deserves Realtree camo? If so, we’d welcome the chance to talk. For more information on Realtree Licensing Opportunities, click here.