Selling Private Label Cleaning Products

Working with a variety of manufacturing partners, Dade Paper has launched more than 300 SKU products in its private label line. 

Though the company markets the line as a “best value” product to customers, and customers are usually drawn to the program because of budgetary reasons, Craven says the products are high quality. 

As long as the customer isn’t mandated to purchase specific brands or products, Dade’s salespeople offer its private brands in a tailored “program,” selling several related products at once or according to the terms of a customer contract. 

Distributors say private brands often are bundled with equipment sales, and cleaning accessories such as mops or brooms. 

“We do like to lead with the line,” says Craven. “It just makes the customers’ lives easier. They don’t have to worry about what product to pick or choose.” 

For example, the company markets an environmental service program, a hotel cleaning program, a foodservice program and several others. Each program includes the cleaning products, decals and product literature, and employee training. 

With each bundle sale, the company also conducts a site survey, assessing a facility’s cleaning requirements and then recommending the appropriate bundle of private label products to get the job done. 

“In the restroom, the choices depend on the type of surfaces, but they can get bowl cleaner, floor cleaner, air fresheners, drain cleaners, [toilet] paper, can liners, hand sanitizer, towels, urinal screens,” explains Craven, adding that the strategy has resulted in revenue growth topping “eight-figures.” 

“We can go to market and offer the customer the entire program,” she says. “It has everything you need to clean.”