How Porter Used Branded Swag to Break Into Tattoo Studios and 5x Demos

About Porter

Porter is a software platform built for the tattoo industry, helping studios manage scheduling, client communication, and day-to-day operations. As a startup entering a niche market, Porter needed a way to stand out from the constant noise of cold calls hitting tattoo shops.

The Challenge

Tattoo studios get cold-called constantly by software companies. Artists are busy designing, scheduling clients, and managing the studio, leaving little patience for unsolicited pitches. Porter knew their product was different, but conveying that over one quick phone call was proving difficult.

With a cold-call-to-demo rate of just 3%, they needed a completely new approach to break through. Instead of pressing harder, Porter tried something different.

The Solution

Before reaching out to schedule demos, Porter sent prospective clients a customized Stitchi gift box. The goal: capture attention and pave the way for genuine conversations.

Industry-Specific Curation

Stitchi worked closely with Porter to curate items that would actually be useful in a tattoo studio:

• Red sharpies

• Pens

• Embossed leather-bound notebook

• Grip tape

• Embossed leather lanyard

• Stickers

• Coffee mug tumbler

Every item was intentionally chosen to resonate with tattoo artists, making the box feel personal and showing that Porter truly understood their world.

End-to-End Logistics

Porter didn’t have time to manage all the moving parts. Stitchi handled logistics from concept to doorstep, coordinating behind the scenes so Porter’s team could focus entirely on outreach.

Tracking and Reorders

Stitchi provided a customized account dashboard for bulk tracking and reorders, giving Porter full visibility into their swag program without digging through email chains.

The Results

For cold outbound, about 3% of shops we sequence typically scheduled demos. By starting with a Stitchi box, curated with things that provide real utility for tattoo shops, our demo rate jumped to 15%. It’s a 5x lift, and the conversations felt warmer right from the start.

The swag boxes transformed Porter’s outreach:

• 5x more scheduled demos, jumping from a 3% to 15% conversion rate

• Warmer conversations with the boxes acting as a natural conversation starter

• Turnkey fulfillment system allowing Porter to launch new outreach campaigns in minutes instead of days

What’s Next

With a proven swag-first outreach strategy in place, Porter continues to use Stitchi’s fulfillment platform to send curated boxes to new leads. The system scales with their growth, giving the team a repeatable way to make memorable first impressions as they expand into new markets.