With Azimuth Branding all but shuttered at this point I felt it was a good time to update you all on the progress with my latest project Stigmare-TM. Our first round of funding is going very well, all though a bit slower than I would like. In addition to some private equity money we've found a local community development fund as well. All though I am surprised that there are not more job creation programs out there.
One of the most instrumental members of our team is my long time friend Rizwan Quraishi. Riz and I have known each other since my automotive days. We both worked at the same dealership. Riz is a graduate of Washington State University with a background in Economics, Mathematics and Statistics. He is currently employed by Pacific Coast Feather, the US's leading producer of bedding, as their hospitality division Lead Demand Analyst.
This experience has allowed Riz to analyze large retail and hospitality businesses and implement stock solutions based on their sales needs. In January 2009 Riz was recognized by American Hotel Registrar (the US's largest hospitality distributor) for his analytical skills by moving from 92% to 99.8% delivery efficiency rate for a $14 million sales year.
Riz has put in countless hours of sweat equity for us and will serve as our CIO and Staff Economist. He is a good friend who has stood behind me through the trials and tribulations of business ownership. He has served as that supportive ear when things stalled and I grew frustrated at a perceived lack of progress. He is 100% committed to Stigmare's vision and I look forward to rewarding his loyalty and dedication.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Sunday, February 8, 2009
8 Proven Ideas to Save Money on Imprinted Promotional Products
8 Proven Ideas to Save Money on Imprinted Promotional Products
Author: Robert Piller
When used correctly, advertising specialties can be used to increase trade show traffic and to keep your name in front of customers and prospects.
However, these eight mistakes are being made time after time that end up costing hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. How many of these mistakes have you made?
1) Avoid Unnecessary Set ups Charges: In order to get the job printed correctly, several test runs are made to ensure the proper color and ink thickness. These steps can take as much as 30-45 minutes, so most orders have a setup charge fee to help defray these costs. Be prudent and anticipate supply so that you only have to pay for setup costs one time, easily saving you hundreds of dollars per year.
2) Order Sufficient Quantities to Reach the Next Price Level: Most promotional products have quantity price breaks; price per piece goes down as quantity increases. By ordering a quantity that takes pricing to the next level, a company can save 10-15% on an order?often paying for itself in the long run.
3) Use As Few Colors As Possible on Imprint: In order to silk screen or pad print a promotional item, each color requires both a separate step, as well as additional screens.
Many companies of all sizes have two logos available for advertising: one is often a one-color logo for yellow page ads and black and white forms; the other is a multi-color logo for printed material. Depending on the usage of the item, the cost per piece, as well as the recipient, many companies can save extra run charges by using their one color version of their logo (or having one designed for your company).
4) Plan in Advance to Avoid Rush Charges: A typical production facility schedules it print runs weeks in advance. When a rush order comes in, in order to move one job ahead of others, production changes must be made at the factory or plant. Although rush orders for imprinted products are becoming commonplace, they tend to require additional service and time, thus requiring a rush charge of 10-25% or more. If you can plan accordingly, this is one of the easiest ways to dramatically reduce costs of promotional products.
5) Check Proofs Carefully to Avoid Errors: When a company receives a pre-production proof, be sure to completely look over the details?which usually spell out the ink colors, location of the imprint, ship to address, in-hands date, as well as the actual imprint and imprint position. Once approved, you will not have any other opportunities to correct any errors. Once a proof has been signed and the print job is run, changes will mean having to re-print the job, which will incur additional costs.
6) Ship by Ground to Avoid High Freight Charges: As people are wearing many hats these days, rush orders are occurring at greater frequencies than ever before. However, with the constant rise in shipping rates, shipping by air can add significant costs to any order.
7) Try to Order Products that Are Not Bulky: On rush orders that must ship by air, try to avoid ordering promotional gifts that are bulky, such as water bottles, as they tend to go by dimensional weight, rather than actual weights. Imprinted tote bags and flat items which stack better without wasted "air space" tend to be more cost effective - especially when shipping by air.
8) Use Flat items When Planning for a Direct Mail Project: When planning your promotional marketing campaign, it is wise to determine how the products will be distributed and plan accordingly. Direct mail gifts are a great way of reaching your potential customers when planned in advance, as you can find promotional items that are lighter in weight, ship flat, come in a protective gift box and that don't require special handling or packaging. However, when thrown together at the last minute, many companies find they are spending as much for a shipping box or package than they spend for the actual item itself.
With a little advanced planning, any company can easily save 10%-25% on their promotional products. Sometimes an item that is slightly more expensive than another, but ships flat and is lighter may actually save you money in the long run. Perhaps finding a factory that is closer to the convention center or fulfillment center can also save you on freight costs. Talk to your promotional products solutions provider about these, and other, ideas to save you money. The best solutions providers will be looking for ways to maximize your promotional products budget by asking questions to determine the best options for your event or promotional campaign.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/8-proven-ideas-to-save-money-on-imprinted-promotional-products-627196.html
About the Author:
Robert Piller is President of Eco Marketing Solutions LLC, which produces environmentally-friendly promotional products that won't end up in a landfill. Visit http://www.EcoMarketingSolutions.com , which features over 25,000 items that a person can search using various criteria, including price point and category.
Author: Robert Piller
When used correctly, advertising specialties can be used to increase trade show traffic and to keep your name in front of customers and prospects.
However, these eight mistakes are being made time after time that end up costing hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. How many of these mistakes have you made?
1) Avoid Unnecessary Set ups Charges: In order to get the job printed correctly, several test runs are made to ensure the proper color and ink thickness. These steps can take as much as 30-45 minutes, so most orders have a setup charge fee to help defray these costs. Be prudent and anticipate supply so that you only have to pay for setup costs one time, easily saving you hundreds of dollars per year.
2) Order Sufficient Quantities to Reach the Next Price Level: Most promotional products have quantity price breaks; price per piece goes down as quantity increases. By ordering a quantity that takes pricing to the next level, a company can save 10-15% on an order?often paying for itself in the long run.
3) Use As Few Colors As Possible on Imprint: In order to silk screen or pad print a promotional item, each color requires both a separate step, as well as additional screens.
Many companies of all sizes have two logos available for advertising: one is often a one-color logo for yellow page ads and black and white forms; the other is a multi-color logo for printed material. Depending on the usage of the item, the cost per piece, as well as the recipient, many companies can save extra run charges by using their one color version of their logo (or having one designed for your company).
4) Plan in Advance to Avoid Rush Charges: A typical production facility schedules it print runs weeks in advance. When a rush order comes in, in order to move one job ahead of others, production changes must be made at the factory or plant. Although rush orders for imprinted products are becoming commonplace, they tend to require additional service and time, thus requiring a rush charge of 10-25% or more. If you can plan accordingly, this is one of the easiest ways to dramatically reduce costs of promotional products.
5) Check Proofs Carefully to Avoid Errors: When a company receives a pre-production proof, be sure to completely look over the details?which usually spell out the ink colors, location of the imprint, ship to address, in-hands date, as well as the actual imprint and imprint position. Once approved, you will not have any other opportunities to correct any errors. Once a proof has been signed and the print job is run, changes will mean having to re-print the job, which will incur additional costs.
6) Ship by Ground to Avoid High Freight Charges: As people are wearing many hats these days, rush orders are occurring at greater frequencies than ever before. However, with the constant rise in shipping rates, shipping by air can add significant costs to any order.
7) Try to Order Products that Are Not Bulky: On rush orders that must ship by air, try to avoid ordering promotional gifts that are bulky, such as water bottles, as they tend to go by dimensional weight, rather than actual weights. Imprinted tote bags and flat items which stack better without wasted "air space" tend to be more cost effective - especially when shipping by air.
8) Use Flat items When Planning for a Direct Mail Project: When planning your promotional marketing campaign, it is wise to determine how the products will be distributed and plan accordingly. Direct mail gifts are a great way of reaching your potential customers when planned in advance, as you can find promotional items that are lighter in weight, ship flat, come in a protective gift box and that don't require special handling or packaging. However, when thrown together at the last minute, many companies find they are spending as much for a shipping box or package than they spend for the actual item itself.
With a little advanced planning, any company can easily save 10%-25% on their promotional products. Sometimes an item that is slightly more expensive than another, but ships flat and is lighter may actually save you money in the long run. Perhaps finding a factory that is closer to the convention center or fulfillment center can also save you on freight costs. Talk to your promotional products solutions provider about these, and other, ideas to save you money. The best solutions providers will be looking for ways to maximize your promotional products budget by asking questions to determine the best options for your event or promotional campaign.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/8-proven-ideas-to-save-money-on-imprinted-promotional-products-627196.html
About the Author:
Robert Piller is President of Eco Marketing Solutions LLC, which produces environmentally-friendly promotional products that won't end up in a landfill. Visit http://www.EcoMarketingSolutions.com , which features over 25,000 items that a person can search using various criteria, including price point and category.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Stigmare, Latin For Brand
If we are to be the premier agency in the Luxury and Lifestyle market we must emulate our target market in every way. As such Stigmare will maintain the highest standards in personal grooming and appearance. Visualize an agency that has the same look and feel of a scene from the movie The Devil Wears Prada. There will be no casual Fridays, no denim or sandals. Professional attire will be required at all times.
Stigmare is not intended to be a creator of new marketing and media technologies, but merely a reseller there of. This will allow us to offer our clients state of the art media solutions without incurring the R&D costs. Stigmare will focus on being a creative and strategy consultancy as well as a premium custom promotions provider. Stigmare will be a true end-to-end marketing partner with our Luxury clients.
Stigmare’s mission is to be the premier provider of strategic consulting, tactical implementation and premium promotions to the Luxury & Lifestyle industries. Our vision is to establish a scholarship fund capable of providing 250 full ride scholarships a year to Seattle University’s Albers School of Business & Economics. In addition our long-term plan includes the establishment of a Pro Bono consulting arm for local small businesses in the communities we serve.
For more information, or if you would like to discuss becoming a client call 206-818-9648, or email me.
Our new website http://stigmare.com/ will be live soon. Check it often for updates.
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