Getting a Collegiate License: Make Sure You Do This
In this article we give our #1 tip for getting approved for a collegiate license.
If you’re reading this article then you’re likely considering starting a business selling officially licensed collegiate gear. And if you’re considering selling licensed college gear, you may be aware that getting official approval by the school is a major and critical step to overcome.
Let’s jump right into our #1 tip for getting a collegiate license:
Do Market Research and Find a Unique Item to Produce.
Our number one tip for getting approved for a collegiate license is to do market research and than find a unique item to produce.
This is our number one tip because when colleges and universities are reviewing collegiate license applications they want to see a product that is not already in their product offering. Simply said, schools avoid licensing duplicate products.
If we go into more detail, those that manage a school’s licensing program view their entire licesed product offering in Product Categroies. An example of a Product Category are Sweatshirts, for a large (huge customer demand) Product Category like Sweatshirts a school might be comfortable licensing perhaps 5 to 7 vendors. When you consider a smaller (small demand) product category like Socks, a school might only license 3 to 5 vendors.
The reason for limiting vendors is that schools generally want to avoid vendors competing for the same business. If you have the right amount of vendors within a category you give the vendors the best chance at having a successful business.
Special note, if you plan on applying for a collegiate license for a large category like Sweatshirts you should be sure that the Sweatshirts you plan to produce are unique to the sweatshirts laready offered by the school. Unfortuantely, if the Sweatshirts you plan to product are not unique you can expect your collegiate license application to be denied.
But to increase your chances of approval enen more is to find a totally unique product that you feel fans would want, not only will this dramatically improve you chances of getting the collegiate license, but it will likely point to your business being successful as well.
Unique Product Examples
Here are some ideas for when thinking about how a collegiate licensed product can be unique.
Size
Products can be unique in the size offering, think about focusing on Plus Sizing or Petitie Sizing, etc. Size can make your product unique.
Style
Styles change often especially for the younger demographic, offer a trending unique style that isn’t already offered. Style can make your product unique.
Price
As consumers we view products in how much they cost, for example, an expensive item is often viewed as “high-end” or high quality. Focusing on a high priced item is better than focusing on low cost as the low cost category has already been done and is highly competitive. Price can make your product unique.
Sales Channel
How consumers purchase the item can make the item unique. Maybe its a Pop Up Shop concept or something similar. Unique sales channels can differentiate your product.
Ask The Trademark Licensing Program
Aside from doing market research to identify a unique item, you can consider reaching out to those that manage the school’s trademark licensing program and ask them directly what products they feel their current offering is missing. Securing this information could put you on the fasttrack to having your collegiate license application approved.
Related
Guide: How to Obtain a Collegiate License
Want to Get Licensed with the #1 School in Collegiate Licensing? Here’s How in Seven Steps.