Getting Customers

After launching his BallStars business, Bawl Hogs, just a few short months ago, Marshall B. Lewis is finding it surprisingly easy to find customers. He contacted about five area high schools, sending some of them an introductory e-mail and giving others a more personal touch.

“I visited them and left some samples, and everybody loved them,” says Lewis, who lives in Riverview, Fla. “I’m happy about the way things are going.”

Lewis’ sample kit included his business card, a list of prices, and, in some cases, a ball. “I can’t give everybody balls, so I put together a PowerPoint slide showing the package and e-mailed that to the schools,” he explains.

He keeps the e-mail’s file size small enough (well under six megabytes) so that recipients have no difficulty receiving the information. “I’ve already sold eight balls,” says Lewis, who expects to receive many more orders after the schools receive funding to purchase the balls. “I’m also pursuing football leagues and a city recreational league. One team wants to give balls to all 30 of its kids. They’re just waiting until the season ends to see how the team places.”

Lewis, however, isn’t simply waiting around for business. “I’ll be sending out fliers to the basketball coaches next,” he says.