corporate gifts

[Holly Wallace]

Anyone have experience that you are willing to share regarding bidding on corporate gifts (other than do the numbers), contract considerations, copywrite, pricing discounts for quantities, etc. etc.etc.
Thanks.

[James Ennis]

the time line is the most important thing,
the person making the order is always
late in making a decision on what they
want,so they tend to leave things
untill its almost to late! you need to
know you can get it done when they
need it or you might not get another
order.

[Brian Gingras]

We price corporate gifts at wholesale rates generally for large qty, for small qty retail, medium qty retail minus a %. We gift box everything, and when possible we hand deliver. Always always include your artists statements cards, web sites, and make sure everything is signed...these recipients can become customers, and the company can/will do business with you again if you help it go smoothly...time line is also key...if someone came to us now for a big corp order we would have to refuse it b/c it's to close to the holidays and when they will want it.

[Barb Sanderson]

Brian I'm just curious - in your experience how much pass along business have you received from doing this line of product? Thanks

Barb

[Allan Gott]

Press immediately for "real" budget information - ask them outright - "How much are you spending per piece??"

Treat that as the retail price, design the work to fit the price, do not discount the price for "quantity".

Every commission job I won using this strategy was predictably profitable. Some ran for a few years, the longest for six, with yearly increases.

Good luck.

[Rick Sherbert]

Allan and James speak the truth. Get the budget and the due date.

[Brice Turnbull]

Yep. Get a budget and schedule.
Think very hard before you 'discount' any such work. As far as I can tell, it makes no difference to the corporate buyer if the price is discounted; it matters only if it fits their budget, and if they like the work.

Also, I've found it's usually a quick turnaround needed, so discounting doesn't really work for the rapid heartbeat and a couple of late nights.

The orders I've done have all been dictated by the budget. I almost lost an order for 2 $1000 awards when I started showing them what I could do for $600 and $700. They weren't dazzled. Fortunately I saw what was happening, and started describing what was possible in a custom, never before done design. It became difficult and fun for me to develop the new type of pieces, and they were very happy to have two totally unique awards. Everybody is happy :)

Oh yeah, and as with all custom work I collect a 50% deposit before I start work.
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I'm not sure about 'bidding' orders. I guess the ones I've pursued (instead of that have found me), I offered them 3 price points/glass forms (which confused the situation a little), and then asked what price they were thinking of spending (which they knew precisely). Then I told them how I could customize the design of the glass form that fit their budget.

This has not been any process to do with filling out papers like an art fair application - it has been a conversational experience for me. Usually the corporate folks doing the selecting actually are employed to do something much different (like accounting or graphic art), so they liked me being friendly and casual, and giving them time to decide on their own after I gave them a very clear, concrete picture of what was possible for what amount of money.