Solution for high cost per lead in the Suit industry. How to Stop Selling it as a commodity.

Alright, let's talk about something that's been driving me crazy for years.

I've watched dozens of talented bespoke tailors and suit retailers burn through thousands of dollars on marketing that should work... but doesn't. And it's not because their suits suck. It's not because their service or reputation is bad.

It's because they're trying to sell a Rolex like it's a candy bar.

Let me explain what I mean...

The Most Costly Mistake Almost Everyone in the Suit Industry Makes

Here's what happens: A tailor decides they need more customers. So they hire a freelancer or agency, or they try to figure out paid advertising themselves.

And what do they do? They follow the conventional, cookie-cutter marketing template that works for the majority of products/commodities. The same "buy right now" approach that is used for supplements, insurance, or gadgets.

They're trying to force an immediate sale/scheduled appointment the moment someone sees their ad. Trying to get people to make an impulse decision about something that's definitely not an impulse purchase.

And it's killing their business.

The Two Types of Purchases (And Why This Matters)

Look, there are basically two types of purchases in this world:

Type 1: Impulse Purchases

You're walking through the store, you see a Coke, you buy it. No research. No comparison shopping. No "let me think about it for three weeks."

The same thing happens online. Someone sees an ad for a $20 gadget, they click, they buy. Done.

Type 2: Considered Purchases

This is everything else that actually matters. Cars. Houses. Rolex watches. And yes... suits at every price point.

Here's what most people don't realize: whether you're selling $200 off-the-rack suits or $20,000 bespoke masterpieces, a suit is always a relatively expensive and important purchase for your customer. It doesn't matter what segment you're in – this principle applies across the board.

When someone's about to spend their hard-earned money on a suit – any suit – they're not making an impulse decision. They're scared as hell of making the wrong choice.

Will it fit right? Will the style work for them? Will they look good? Will it follow the dress code? Does the color work with their skin tone? Will the quality be good, and will I like the end result?

These are real fears. And no amount of conventional "impulsive" marketing is going to make those fears disappear.

Here's What Happens When You Try to Sell Suits Like a Commodity

When you follow the conventional marketing playbook, you're treating your craftsmanship like a commodity. And I know that makes your blood boil – because what you create isn't one.

But that's exactly what happens when you try to generate as many leads as possible in your area using the standard "immediate sale" approach.

Here's the brutal reality: there are only so many people in your market who need a suit right now, today, this week.

So every lead you generate makes the next one harder to find. And more expensive.

It becomes a race to the bottom. You're burning cash trying to force people to buy on your timeline instead of theirs.

Your beautiful, handcrafted suits get reduced to a commodity in a bidding war.

And the platforms? They're making it worse. Google/Meta wants you to generate around 50 leads/sales per month to give your campaigns enough data to "optimize".

Budgets? In this conventional approach, it should be no less than 5-15% of your sale value, and you need to give campaigns some "wiggle room," adding +20-30% on top of that.

Do the math. If your average sale is $3,000, platforms want you to spend at least ~$360+ per lead => 18 000$ a month, just to be in a healthy position to get a shot at making it work.

The kicker? This does not guarantee results, only a higher likelihood of it working...

That's insane...

The majority of our industry does not understand this limitation and some other logical issues that come with this approach:

What if there are just not enough people in your area to hit those required numbers?

What if you do the following conventional approach and get this thing magically working? Next month, there are fewer potential clients on the market, so it will become more expensive.

What if even just getting a shot at this is just too much of a risk to your cash flow?

The Rolex Approach (And Why It Actually Works for Non-Commodity Products)

Nobody buys a Rolex from seeing one Instagram ad.

Here's what actually happens: First, they become aware that the brand exists. Then they start noticing Rolexes everywhere. They see them in movies, on successful people they admire. They start wanting one.

Then they research. They compare. They think about it. And when the time is right – on their timeline, not Rolex's – they buy.

That's exactly how suit purchases work, regardless of your price point.

The Right Way to Market Your Suits (Without Commoditizing Them)

Instead of trying to force immediate sales using conventional commodity marketing, you need to be there for the entire journey.

Start with awareness. "Hey, I exist. I make incredible custom suits."

Then provide value. Someone's getting married? Show them a video about common wedding suit mistakes. Someone got promoted? Content about executive presence and how the right suit impacts their career.

Share your story. Your process. Your expertise. Your hot takes on men's style.

Be everywhere they are, consistently, over time.

So when they're finally ready to buy – on their timeline – they're not googling "best tailor near me" and comparing you to five competitors based on price or convenience alone.

They're calling you. Because you're the guy they already know and trust. Because you've proven you're not just another commodity provider.

The Beautiful Side Effect

Here's what's wild about this approach: your cost per customer actually goes down over time, not up.

You're not competing in some brutal commodity auction for the three guys in your city who need a suit yesterday and end up being unqualified to afford one. You're building relationships with everyone who might need a suit someday.

And you can start with whatever budget you want. Spend $500 a month or $5,000 a month – the approach scales perfectly because you're not trying to hit some arbitrary lead quota to make the algorithm happy.

The Bottom Line

Stop trying to sell suits like they're candy bars.

Your customers aren't making impulse decisions. They're making considered purchases. They need time. They need trust. They need to see you as the obvious choice before they're ready to buy.

This works whether you're selling affordable, ready-to-wear or ultra-premium bespoke. The principle is the same because suits are never truly impulse purchases, regardless of price point.

The tailors who get this are crushing it. The ones who don't are burning cash and wondering why "marketing doesn't work" for their business.

Ready to Stop Treating Your Craft Like a Commodity?

Look, we have spent the last 9 years figuring this stuff out the hard way. I've managed almost $10 million in ad spend for suit businesses across every price point across the globe, and I've seen what works and what's just expensive noise.

If you're tired of throwing money at commodity marketing that doesn't respect what you create and is doomed to fail, let's talk.

Apply for a FREE strategy session to see if our services are right for your bespoke/custom/off-the-rack suit business.

We'll show you exactly how to build the kind of marketing that actually works for considered purchases – without treating your suits like commodities.

Reach out anytime to discuss how we can be of assistance here:https://calendly.com/sartorialdigital/45min

To your success,

Andris