1. Do you require minimum orders?
RESPONSE = "It depends." With certain merchandise and/or different decoration methods, we can order a quantity as few as one each. Please ask when there is a need for a lower quantity. The answer is usually "yes," even if we need to find an effective alternative. If just a "1 each" idea is needed, we can typically deliver (like "one-offs" e.g. special recognition awards), and often very reasonably.
And of course, we regularly develop projects with quantities far north of 1 each. Depending on our decoration partner's guidelines, published minimum order quantities can be reduced by typically half (sometimes for a charge known as a "Less Than Minimum" fee).
Of course lower quantities typically drive higher prices--and higher quantities drive lower prices. Whatever the quantity, if the project provides our clients with the ROI/impact experience they desire, we're right there with you. As long as the project idea provides an impact solution that works for you, as well as for your target audience, it works for us too--your success is our success. We go and grow together.
2. Do you have volume discounts? If so, where the price breaks?
RESPONSE = "Yes" absolutely, LogoMyBiz passes along volume discounts. In general, higher quantities and/or higher priced merchandise receive more client savings. When LogoMyBiz is asked to present a range of quantities, our presentations reflect deeper discounts at higher quantity brackets. LogoMybiz looks out for your wallet, whether it is price breaks for product, decoration, and/or transportation.
As for "where" are the product price breaks... "it depends" is my best response. It all depends on the merchandise and the decoration method being employed. We will also be sure to recommend another quantity range happens to be very close to a higher quantity price break, whether by product and/or decoration method (we just had that situation with a client in NY for their symposium totes).
We can assure you that no matter the quantity, LogoMyBiz will be competitive while also providing the "value" to assure your ROI impact.
Our value to you consists of many parts, including:
• sourcing quality product that are useful and perform as expected.
• assuring the artwork is developed/applied correctly.
• sourcing safe merchandise that conforms to various applicable requirements (e.g. prop 65 compliant, CSPA guidelines, etc.).
• making sure the project delivers on time.
• providing creative ideas that enhance our client's ROI.
• and making sure that LogoMyBiz is easy for our clients to do business with.
Simply put, our client's enjoy the value we deliver, with quality merchandise, beautifully decorated, and delivered on time. We do all the heavy lifting, so you can focus on your business.
In the absence of value, the only comparison is price. We will provide you both value and a competitive price. Here's a recent testimonial we received today from one of our clients:
Thank you all for your hard work on this project! We are getting so many positive emails, acknowledging the beauty of the product and the appreciation for the design and effort it took. I appreciate all that you have done! Kergan
Kergan is the marketing director for a national association. They are celebrating their 50th anniversary, so we produced a very cool set of lapel pins for their Members, Past Presidents, Board Members, and Staff. The latter 3 were done as one group project (with some behind the scenes fancy footwork to make them work). Where others may have cut a lot of corners on this project, with lower priced, lower quality products... LogoMyBiz began work on this project this summer, gathering the info needed to develop a client appropriate idea before fall, delivering the 3,000 Member pins in time for November mailing. And we also had a different but coordinated batch of 100 lapel pins (with enhanced packaging for Past President and Board Member pins). All of the pin sets went through a pre-production sampling process for both the Member pins and the current set of combined 100 pins (for Past President, Board Member, and Staff).
3. What is your average turn around time when an order is placed to delivery?
RESPONSE = Sorry to be redundant, but again "it depends" is our best response. We always ask our clients "when" do you need "project X" delivered by? With that in mind, we work backwards, sourcing according to the delivery date, with ideas that can creatively enhance the target audience's experience, maximize your impact and assure that the item is in your hands in advance of the event.
In working proactively with our clients, we usually have enough time to source "anything" (however erring towards finding the "right thing" instead of just doing "anything").
But even with our proactive planning, we occasionally have some spontaneous surprise projects. For example, we had a client who needed 100 t-shirts delivered this fall with a very challenging full color screen imprint for a special event that was happening within 8 days. We made it happen (I even personally delivered to make it on time). LogoMyBiz even produced a large Carhartt hoodies project, ordered on a tight timeframe, yet delivered ahead of schedule, despite the challenges of last minute ordering, weather, UPS heavy holiday workloads, etc.
BTW, those surprise projects are just fine with us too. Often times they present a fun challenge. We will make it happen--and we will be honest when we know we can't get it done or provide an effective alternative (that doesn't happen often).
In general, once we have approved artwork finalized (usually vectored .eps or .ai files), most of our projects deliver within 2 weeks. Any variation in timing typically depends on the level of artwork development required, potentially the actual merchandise, the decoration method, the quantity ordered (larger quantities sometimes need to be spread out), as well as the sourcing utilized (e.g. domestic or import).
While we have clients that are in a quarterly or sooner planning mode, LogoMyBiz works as proactively with our clients as possible, helping as their partner to achieve their overall company plan and goals. Whether by individual events/projects, or planning several months in advance (especially with high quantity and/or very customized projects), LogoMyBiz will deliver unique ideas and/or decoration that is competitively priced. Our relationship proactive planning assures that:
• Expensive expedited freight and/or rush charges are avoided
• The best "right idea" is delivered for our client to maximize their target audience's experience
• We all consistently enjoy a good night's rest
4. Can you accommodate rush orders? If so, how quickly can you deliver rush items? What are the fees associated with rush orders?
RESPONSE = "Yes" absolutely on fast turnaround. We have a variety of fast turn decoration partners, some local and others spread throughout the US. We may be limited in what kind of decoration method is available, but even that is changing these days with improved decoration technologies.
With artwork ready, ordering this morning with delivery by the next 1-2 business days is possible (although usually combined with higher freight charges and/or rush charges). With artwork development needed, add a day for all but the most complicated artwork.
For rush charges, "it depends" prevails again. Sometimes those are zero, sometimes quite high, all depending on the product and/or decoration method utilized. Other than local resources, freight is typically high. While work on your behalf with our advance planning to avoid rush situations, we realize that they do happen, sometimes for nothing we can control or for something that is a previously unknown opportunity that is too good to pass up (e.g. we have one of those right now with a major regional electrical contractor client that is involved in a special shooting event and who needs 13 shooting vests embroidered front and back, delivered within 10 days).
5. What happens if orders do not arrive on-time? What happens if orders arrive and they are incorrect?
RESPONSE = It's simple... We do the right thing. We stand behind our product and services. If it is all done right, awesome. That's the outcome we live to provide.
If it is not right, whether it is the product, the decoration, or the delivery, we make it right. Whatever it takes to make it right. For example, during the holidays this year, FedEx lost a shipment of $3,000 worth of wireless speakers that should have arrived 2 days ahead of our client's event. Our client had a high profile event in San Diego at the prestigious Coronado Hotel. Without hesitation, we asked our decorator to redo the order and overnight a new batch of speakers to San Diego. We dealt with FedEx directly to remedy the MIA packages (which were eventually found, but still would have not arrived on time for the client event). We also coordinated directly with the Coronado Hotel's staff to make sure that the new packages were delivered to our client the day before their event. In essence, we did NOT put the burden of "fixing" a bad situation on our client--and we did all the behind the scenes work seamlessly without the client even knowing much about it.
6. What are your payment terms?
RESPONSE = net 10 days for clients approved for credit (which is all of our current clients). Our larger import projects may require a partial deposit. We accept payment by check or credit card.
7. Do you assign a primary point-of-contact for each of your accounts? Who is that person?
RESPONSE = LogoMyBiz has a client focused philosophy. Each of our Client Executives are the main point of contact for their accounts. We prefer to serve less clients than is typical in the promotional products industry.
Therefore, with more of a relationship approach, we can better serve as your promotional advertising agency, going deeper and serving your needs more broadly, rather than just going through the motions of traditional transactional order taking. We will definitely not have you deal with a myriad of potential contacts.
8. What is your ordering process? Can you take orders over the phone, online, email, etc.? Which is your preferred method?
RESPONSE = We will take orders on a napkin, morse code, smoke signals, or whatever works best for our client. We will adapt to whatever works best for you, eliminating the "mind reading" trap to insure every order is well detailed before it goes to production. With our client relationships, and between our presentation and order processes, the advance planning to place an order has already happened. So the order is ready to go when the time is right.
Most of our business arises from collaborative efforts that have been underway for some time, so basically we already know what your events are in advance. When we receive the green light from our client (usually from an email, sometimes with an accompanying client PO) to proceed with the project, we just get it rolling. Phoned in orders are sometimes the case, which is also fine because we most typically have a prior presentation associated with the project that we just confirm back to our client before proceeding.
Our overall order process basically starts before the client is ready to order. Once an order is made, it is a relatively simple:
a) we confirm if there is an the event date
b) we confirm the date of the event
c) we confirm and/or develop the necessary artwork (typically once we get going, we just pull already developed vectored client artwork that is in our files, then modify as needed to fit the project)
d) we confirm that the desired product be decorated/delivered on time. And if not, we develop a creative solution that fits the target audience that can be delivered prior to the event date.
e) we provide a virtual proof of the project for the client's final review/approval
f) we schedule production and provide the client with production/ship/delivery dates
g) we follow-up with the client when the product ships with most frequently UPS tracking info (or with bulky projects that are better served via LTL, full truckload, or import container custom clearance info).
9. Is it possible to get samples of items we are interested in ordering?
RESPONSE = "Yes" absolutely! We prefer to provide advance sampling, even if just a digital mockup, whether on "simple" projects but most especially when we are managing a very customizing a project. It costs more in time and dollars, but it is less expensive than doing it quick and wrong. And it is also important to us to maximize the impact and experience for both our clients and their target audiences.
10. How LogoMyBiz curates for our clients....
Because our sourcing preference is based on the best interests of our clients, our pricing may be different for commodity categories, but will be competitive and of a higher value added.
Competitive pricing… Because of our alliances, as well as the strength of our supplier relationships, LogoMyBiz has purchasing power as strong as anyone, to extend you the most competitive pricing.
Value added… The easiest way to share why our clients value the services/products we present is by reviewing our "3 P's" that we keep in mind for curating/presenting branded merchandise to our clients, as follows:
1) Promote client branded products effectively, with competitive priced, beautifully decorate, delivered on time product.
2) Protect clients brand by curating for reliable, safe, quality sources.
3) Provide "Peace of mind" to our clients, with them knowing the above 2 are covered in their best interests.
Keeping just the 3 P’s in mind, there is obviously more to branded merchandise sourcing than meets the eye.
In summary... If your organization feels that it has a "quality" brand reputation to promote/protect, your management team will be as much interested in protecting its brand as it is in promoting its brand.
While we acknowledge that pricing plays into the equation, LogoMyBiz also provides value as a creative resource, while simultaneously seeking to maximize the promotion effectiveness of your brand AND protecting our clients by minimizing downside risks—i.e. having our clients' brand quality diminished by a poor quality product/decoration and/or unsafe/socially irresponsible/late delivered product.
If price is a determination point for your organization, please know that LogoMyBiz is competitively priced and also will protect your brand by only recommending products/sources that remove risk to our clients' brand performance. After all, that is in our best interests also, i.e. avoiding recommendations that adversely affects our own LogoMyBiz reputation. We stand by what we sell--the products and services--period.