Corporate Awards Selection

Do you need to recognize a group or individual with an award, but don’t know where to start?  Read on, or post a comment to ask a question.

I have divided out our corporate awards into 5 different segments.  Each has a different style and purpose.  In the next few weeks, I will post some more in-depth thoughts on each of the categories.  These categories are: acrylic awards, glass and crystal awards, plaques, clocks, and trophies.

There are a ton of different criteria that go into selecting awards.  You will find some of my thoughts for each category in this posting, but most of all, I would suggest going with your instinct.  You will know the individual, company, or group who is getting the award.  What you think is the best fit for recognizing them is more important than what everyone else is doing (or what I think).

Acrylic Awards:

These are the latest and greatest versatile awards.  The can be given as sales recognition, years of service awards, project completions, sponsorship recognition, or for a myriad of other purposes.  The price range can be from the low $20’s into the $100-plus range (including the engraving).  Most of the acrylics that we sell range from $40-80.  There are some unique acrylic awards that surpass the $80 range that can be very fitting for special events.  When your budget allows for an award over that price point, more options become available.  If you are unsure if an acrylic is perfect for you, make sure you check out a glass or crystal award to make sure you are making the right selection.  Oftentimes the perceived value of a $150 crystal piece may significantly surpass that of a $100 acrylic award, so it may be a good idea to check them both out to see if the extra money is worth it.

Glass and Crystal Awards:

Glass and crystal awards have been around for a long time, but design innovations have made these a more popular recognition tool lately.  Because of the raw cost of the blanks and due to the processes needed to sandblast these awards, they are more expensive than the other corporate awards.  We have some glass awards below $75, but most of them are $125-plus.  We choose to incorporate the setup fees into the price of the award, so the price of one may vary significantly from 2 or more.  Some of competitors may display a lower per piece price, but charge a setup fee of $50-75.

I view these awards as very special.  The recipients of these awards have done something above and beyond the norm.  These should be viewed as heirloom-type awards that the recipient will be proud of and cherish for many years to come.  Examples of what we sell these for are: sales achievement milestones, retirements, president’s awards, high-end award ceremonies, B2B awards, etc.  If you want the best that the award industry offers, crystal awards would be my suggestion.

Plaques:

Plaques are the perennial staple in the awards business.  They have been around since the dawn of time and definitely have tons of applications.  We create plaques for just about any occasion you can think of, so I will dwell less on what a plaque is given for and concentrate more on pricing and styles.

We provide 2 different grades of plaques, economy and premium.

The economy plaques typically are a pressboard with a thin coating that makes the plaque look like wood, marble, etc.  The benefit of purchasing these is the low cost.  Depending on the size, the cost can be under $20 to around $50, including the engraving.  We sell 3 different styles of wood-grain economy plaques: black-edged walnut, walnut, and oak.  We also sell solid black and black marble economy plaques.  The wood plaques are more traditional while the black or black marble plaques are more contemporary.  The selection of these is personal preference as to what you like or what you think the recipient would like.

Premium plaques offer a step up in terms of quality and style.  They typically are made of a solid wood (such as walnut), or a solid wood with a stain and lacquer coating (gives a piano-finish look).  If your budget allows, I suggest spending the extra on a premium plaque.  The more prestigious look and longer life-span (won’t be totally ruined if you drop it on a corner) are two good reasons to spend the extra money.  We sell these plaques in the rough range of $50-100.  Traditional premium plaques are made out of walnut.  More contemporary plaques are black or rosewood.  The engraving plate that is screwed onto the wood also helps vary the style of the plaque.  My suggestion is to pick a plaque that meets your stylistic and budgetary needs and then let one of our experienced engravers make the engraving look incredible.

Clocks:

As a corporate award or gift, clocks are oftentimes overlooked.  I feel that the functionality that a clock provides is a powerful tool.  The obvious applications of a retirement or anniversary can overshadow some very creative corporate gift or recognition ideas.  Clocks can be given as sales incentives, retiring board members, past president’s gifts or for many other purposes.  If you are unsure of what you should give for an award or gift, there are many clock options to choose from.  We offer clocks made of different materials (brass, glass, wood, rosewood) as well as dividing them out by style (desk, mantle or wall).  Prices range from $40ish to $100+.  I feel that if you choose to give a clock as a corporate award or gift, that it is imperative to have the engraving message be a significant part of the award. The message that you say on the clock will be viewed often (almost as much as looking at the time).  If you take the time to think of the perfect saying, a clock may be the perfect fit for you.

Trophies:

Trophies also have a place in the corporate awards market.  The primary use for a trophy as a corporate award is around the Oscar theme.  The Oscar is widely viewed as the pinnacle of success.  I am certain you have seen the Academy Awards and know about how much it means to the recipient when they win an Oscar.  I think that is what drives the sales of our corporate trophies.  Even though the Oscar is highly protected from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, there are several styles that vary enough from real thing that we are able to sell them.  We offer some that are less than $10/each that enable companies to mass purchase them for a corporate event or sales incentive.  You can even take a step up to a small version with a round base ($15) or its larger counterpart ($23) .  We offer these as a symbol of success, not to compete or imitate the Oscar.  We do have one special trophy that very closely resembles the Oscar, and it is made by the same supplier (RS Owens).  We sell that for $275 (and I think it is worth it).

In addition to the Oscar-like trophies, there are also traditional cup style award that are very popular as well.  These are typically used for applications that a symbol of success is necessary, but the Oscar-theme doesn’t work.

Still needing help with your corporate awards selection?  Finally, we offer a catch-all category that includes a selection of marble awards.  We sandblast these awards and color fill them for a great finished look.

Hopefully this article has helped and given you guidance for your awards purchase.

Again, please feel free to leave a comment or ask a question.

Thanks, Jeff

Introduction - Personal

What drives me, makes me fulfilled, brings me joy, shows me love?  My family.  I have been married for 12 years to Jessica.  We have 2 very cute girls, Brenna (7) and AJ (3.5).  I also have a female cat and dog (kona).  Due to the estrogen in the house, I should be taking steroids.  We live in Issaquah (very close to my work). 

I like to golf, gamble, cook (and eat), vacation, and hang out with family and friends.  What I don’t like?  Right now it is yard work and working out. 

I have 2 sets of parents (how did that happen?), Bonnie and Mickey Kosko (of Issaquah), and John and Glenda Anderson (of Packwood).  My sister (Jodi) and brother-in-law (Kelly) live in Lakewood with their kids; Quinn, Bentli, Perri, and Rachel.  My sister-in-law (Jenny) is marrying Justin soon and they will live in Seattle.  I have some great friends in the area, too, but I refuse to do any more parentheses so I am not going to name them.You get the picture, though.  My life is fulfilled with family and friends that make me laugh.  I create memories with them and cherish them immensely.

Participation trophies - when I was a kid…

Running a trophy shop for 15+ years, I think I have heard it all from my customers.  One of my favorite sayings (that of course comes from males ranging in age from 45-50) is, “when I was a kid, they didn’t give trophies just for showing up…you needed to win something to get a trophy.” That phrase is one of my motivations for what I do.

Just think of what the world would look like if 35 years ago that kid did get some recognition.  He wouldn’t be walking around the rest of his life feeling like he was trying to make up for not winning that championship game.  Large truck sales (the under-recognized man’s self given trophy) would be half of what they are.  Station wagon sales would be through the roof and it would also be OK to wear a pink polo on your golf outing.

What if that same guy was given some verbal or tangible recognition at his first job?  Maybe he wouldn’t have to prove his worthiness by working 60+ hours and making a gazillion dollars.  At least he can now afford to spend $5-10 on a participation trophy for his child and give them a token of recognition that he wished he got from his folks.

In all seriousness, what is the harm?  A trophy (or plaque, acrylic award, or crystal award) is a symbol.  It is a symbol of recognition, of accomplishment, of appreciation, of thanks, of completion…of success.  You can spend $5 or $500 with me for that symbol.  You can also spend nothing by telling them in your own words, in an email or by printing out a certificate.  Any of the above is great with me as it makes others feel good about what they have done.  That appreciation and recognition is what I am about and is what drives me.

I am proud to have myself and staff focused on providing your child or co-worker the recognition they deserve.

The Future of the Awards Industry

Easy to get in, hard to get out.  Time and again I have seen it.  The lure of entrepreneurship and the ability to get out of your current lifeless job.  That is what drives newcomers to the Awards and Recognition industry.  50 grand and 6 months later, you are up and running.  You are excited and there is a ton of potential in your business.  For the next few years, you enthusiastically grow your business until you are tired of doing it by yourself or with partner.  The thought of hiring someone is painful as you will have to train, pay and trust them.  The workforce is tough and you cannot afford a decent wage for your workers, so you settle for a less than perfect employee.  You give them the keys to your shop a day or two a week and eventually you hear back from your customers that the business isn’t the same without you there.  You become trapped and feel you need to control every aspect of your shop.  Five years pass, you are burnt out and ready for a change.  You want to sell, yet no one will pay you what you think your business is worth.  Most in our industry continue on while some quit or sell. 

Your story may be somewhat different, but I would be willing to bet that your company has come to the point where the owners are sick and tired of some aspect and want to get out. The younger generation is not the same.  The sex appeal of easy money in other businesses and/or the lack of glamour in the Awards and Recognition industry are limiting the future entrepreneurship. The younger generation doesn’t know how to work yet they want to get paid a kings ransom for showing up.  They do not see potential in our industry or realize they will have to work extremely hard in order to be successful.

So what is next you ask?  I see 2 possible extremes.1) Industry stagnation and staleness.  The older generation hangs on.  There is not a lot of technological or product change.  In this instance, the newer generation will eventually take over, yet nothing will really change.Or2) Innovation and the quick death of the mom and pop trophy shops.  In this case, there would be a complete shock to the industry that would take 20+% of our sales away.  One or two innovators would benefit immensely from a great idea or brand or new way to recognize others.

There is also the middle ground.  That is where I stand.  I think that innovation will mean the slow and painful death of smaller shops.  Innovation may come from franchises, the internet, new products, manufacturers or distributors selling direct, or a number of other ways.  The businesses that thrive will be ones who embrace change, take risks and stay committed to the long-term success of their business.  Complacency with your sales, with your order processes, with your customers and with your life will most likely drive boredom.  This complacency is at the core of what is wrong with our industry.  Your customer’s feel it and you know it is true more often than you wish to admit.  If you are in the awards industry and don’t care about your business, your employees and your customers, do us all a favor, walk out the door, lock it and never look back.  Find something that you like to do.

The point of this article is not to rank on slow growing and energy-less companies, but to inspire change.  Even though there are a lot of under motivated young individuals, there are still some very bright and ambitious younger people.  These people will slowly eat away at your sales until you become frustrated and make a change for the better.  Why not make a change now?  I am certain there are things that you can change with your business, your attitude or with your staff that will raise the bar of success for your company.  These changes will improve the amount of fun that you and your staff have and undoubtedly raise your long-term sales.

My wish for those who stay in the industry is to innovate.  I hope that we all stay focused on providing quality products and great customer service at a fair price.  If we do that, we will not only increase our own financial and emotional prosperity, but we will increase our own industry’s image for generations to come.

Testimonials Charge Us UP!

Sometimes I lose focus on how important we are to our customers.  On the shipping confirmation page, we ask for some feedback in order to ensure we are taking care of our customers.  A few people each week take the time to reply and say nice words about the service and product that we provide.Why I say I lose focus is that those emails go into a special folder I have on my outlook.  They stay there until I find the time to look at them or I have a purpose, such as updating our website.  I insert newer testimonials to keep them fresh and make sure there is a proper blend of corporate and sports testimonials.  Today was that day, and WOW, some of the heartfelt thoughts really make me feel as if our company makes a huge impact in people’s lives.  Not only was there dozens of testimonials, but all of them had a common theme; quality products, good customer service and fast shipping.  Beyond that, most of them took the time to add an extra sentence like, “we have been very pleased”, “we will be using you in the future”, or even “you prevented another ulcer”. 

All of us here work very hard and do our very best to make sure our customers receive world class customer service, awards products and prices.  We are flattered that so many of you take the time to thank us.  It really charges us up helps us want to serve you more.

Our Best Vendor

As a consumer, it is easiest to get mad when a company provides crappy customer service or screws up your order.  It takes more effort to recognize a company for doing a great and consistent job.  Because they always come though and assist us in providing great customer service, I choose to make the time to recognize one of our best suppliers. There is a beaten path from the docks of Western Trophy and Sign Supply in Portland, OR (or one of their 4 other locations) to the roll up door of Trophies2go.com in Issaquah, WA.  Either the daily UPS truck or the occasional freight delivery company knows the path well.  Our staff’s know each other by name, voice, moods and/or vulgar noises.  You get the picture - the epitome of a great vendor/customer relationship. Before describing some of the great customer service they have implemented for us, here is a sampling of some of the products they supply for us:

• The best plastic component parts in the industry (they are a PDU authorized distributor).
• The highest quality walnut plaques.
• Brass, Aluminum and Plastic sheet stock for engraving.
• and much more

 Here are some examples of some of how they have helped us (some of these policies have been developed as a result of phone conversations with them): 

• Free shipping on larger orders - allows us to keep our product cost down and pass it on to our customers.
• Consolidation of orders in a special place in their warehouse - if we place more than one order throughout the day, they will be combined to reduce the box count or achieve the UPS hundredweight rate.
• Last truck UPS shipping preference.  They have multiple UPS pickups throughout the day.  We can order later in the day and they will ensure it gets on the last shipment.  This enables us to assist with our rush orders.
• Tiered pricing structure - We are on their best volume discount plan.  This helps again with keeping our product costs down.
• No hassle returns.  Sometimes, well rarely :-), we make mistakes.  They are willing to accept our returns and don’t give us too much grief about it.
• Incredible problem solving.  Occasionally mistakes happen on their end.  They are always there to rectify them and make sure that we get the correct merchandise in time.

 Even though we are their biggest customer, I am certain they treat other customers the same way they treat us…with a friendly smile and a can do attitude!  Thanks, Dan and crew! Western Trophy & Sign Supply is my vote for best supplier for the past several years.  Because they have excellent customer service, so do we.  Because they have product in stock, so do we.  Because they ship quickly, so do we.  My hat is off to them!

Introduction - Business

Well, I have finally done it.  I have now ventured into the land of blogging in order to download some of my business knowledge to the world.  I am a 36 year old guy (my name is Jeff Anderson) who has a decent amount of awards industry knowledge.  Well, cut the garbage, that is all I know…trophies, plaques, awards, etc.  I bought a business called Issaquah Trophy & Awards in 1993.  I was right out of college and it was a great fit.  I grew the company’s sales until 2000 when the internet was at the peak.  I started trophies2go.com in 2000.  We have grown trophies2go.com for the past 7 years and have had a great time doing so.  We have a staff of 10 or so FTE employees that are very knowledgeable and fun to work with.  We now have 9 websites (2 full-line sites, and 7 niche sites).  I am starting this blog to share some of my industry knowledge, thoughts, and feelings.  I hope to accomplish that along with helping others with their questions or needs.

Thanks for reading and let me know if you have any comments or questions!  Jeff