Hi everyone,
I'm new here. Just started an engraving business May 2005. I have a question hoping someone can answer. Our business partners are backing out which leaves us with less manpower. We had started by doing craft fairs and trade shows but that isn't possible now with only my husband and I.

One route I've considered is joining ASI, a promotional products association. It costs $750 per year and you get a listing in their database and access to 85,000 sales reps for additional advertising. I thought about kicking it off with their Dallas Trade Show (as an exhibitor) but it costs $2000 for a booth. My company isn't even profitable yet so this is a huge move.

Does anyone have experience in that industry and with an association like that? I have some unique products with few competitors (according to ASI). Is it worth it?

Thanks,
Rebecca

If I read your post right, you are producing something you want to have ASI salespeople sell.

Most people here are on the other side. They are the ones that buy things from suppliers through ASI and sell to the end user. Most here also have equipment to do lasering and engraving in house and not all
sell Ad Specialty items to the end user.

There are a lot of ASI salespeople that don't have any engraving equipment and just sell completed products.

My first question would be if you are able to scale up quickly if the orders start rolling in. Unless it is a high cost item where people might only order a few at a time you might be overwhelmed with more than you can handle if if is only the two of you. Some big customers might require thousands of items in a short time. You could turn down excess orders but that defeats the purpose of the expense of joining and displaying at ASI.

It might be better to smart small. You could place an ad in the industry magazines linked in this forum. You can even post a message in the Advertising Buy/Sell Folder and offer it to the members here. You might also get enough business to start with a direct mail, web site or other common channels.

.

Hi logojohn,

You are correct. I laser a product that is an alternative to plaques and some others and I want ASI people to sell it for me. I didn't realize those with the lasers were doing the selling in ASI. So, they just use ASI for good deals on raw materials or supplies?

I take it from your response that I will see a significant increase in sales by joining ASI, right? In other words, it would be worth the money? I have been considering how to manage such an increase - like hiring part-time help as needed. I would think that if I am working to capacity then it is worth it regardless. Or, are the jobs usually such a quick turn-around that it wouldn't be feasible?

Do most small laser businesses only have one laser? I have the Epilog Mini 24x12 35 Watt.

Thanks for your help.

Rebecca

Rebecca,
We have only been doing the lasering for a little bit longer than you have. We got ours back in March. If you are wanting to do the kind of volume it sounds like I would think that you would need at least one other laser and I would make it a larger and higher wattage machine.

We have an Epilog 32EX 35watt and there are a number of times that I have thought we needed a larger and higher wattage to get things out faster.

Is your product something that multiples can be run at one time or do you have to do them one at a time? If you can do multiples now, how many more could you do if you had a 32" or 36" table? How long does it take you to run the job now? How many do you think you could get done on a higher wattage, since you can run a little faster with a higher wattage?

Just some thoughts. I just can't see myself trying to bite off that amount of possible work even with my laser. I have thought about going higher volume and the only way I even want to think about it is with a 36" in 50 to 100 watts. Am I way off base? Those who have been doing this a lot longer than I, please tell me if I'm right or wrong.

Good point. We are dealing with a smaller laser. However, would it always be 1000's of the product or is there a market for 100's or fewer in promotional products. Could I capture the smaller jobs yet not be stuck with the 1z-2z jobs I get now? That would be my goal. If all goes well with the investment in ASI, I'd love a larger laser and some part-time help. Is it worth it with what I've got? My husband shies away from any more debt without proof we can pay it off (reasonably so).

I am avoiding sales. I am good at networking but not cold calling. I've had poor return on advertising with a former business so I shy away from it, especially since I don't have a storefront.

I was hoping joining ASI would be a good fit considering.

Thoughts?

By the way, I've done 50 of our larger 12" round plaque/tribute and it was intense but could see doing more. It would probably take a week to do 75-100 with some graphic design. Our plaque/tributes can be tedious work because of the fine detail cutting involved.

We just finished 750 coasters. That went very smoothly and I enjoyed it intensely. Much different than the above because I can do more at one time and laser time is small.

Rebecca,

If you receive high volumes of work and truly want to become an ASI supplier, you may want to investigate a YAG Galvo system.

Difference in speed is astounding.

As a rough example, I once had an order for wooden sand timers, that required a logo on each end.

Running time for one logo, on a CO2 (flying optics) system, was about 2.5 minutes. Same logo on a YAG (steered beam) system was "maybe" 10 seconds.

It's been awhile, but I think the running time was actually less than 10 seconds.

Hi Rebecca,

Look before you leap into ASI. Check into the manufacturing side of SAGE. They are much lower cost for the distribution side, so I assume they will be more cost friendly the other way as well.

One thing you need to think about is competition. What you will find with an ASI or SAGE network is that the people buying have resources to compare your pricing to thousands of others that offer the same products that you do. Most pick the lower or lowest price depending on how that vendor is rated by the people that have used them.

This means that if my customer asked me as an ASI "distributor" to buy a laser engraved plaque, that there would be a search function that would bring up all the member "manufacturers" that make such a product. It would allow me to check for pricing and company performance.

Trust me.....The pricing is very compeditive. My guess is that if your pricing was low enough, you would be very busy, but not necessarily profitable. It may be a great opportunity for you, but you should really do some homework from the "manufacturing" side of the equasion.

Good luck and keep us informed on how things go.

Thanks,

Brian G.

Thanks Brian,

Do you have a website address for SAGE?

Good advice. My other option is to drum up sales locally. I have an idea of businesses to target with our products. But, it would require a visit to each one. How else do you get sales? Any suggestions for a different approach than ASI?

We had minimal success at smaller craft fairs, good success at large fairs but it is a whip setting up and taking down without additional help.

So far, we are the type of business that has a laser and makes the product from scratch or etches on materials supplied wholesale. We got business from craft fairs mostly.

I was just considering a new approach. We are low on cash so ASI or Sage may not be the best way to go.

I'm not sure hiring someone to help would be possible considering margins at fairs aren't real high for us (at least not the small ones). Although, we do get leads that bring in additional sales.

I've attached an image of the product we have featured most since starting.

Thanks for all your comments.

Rebecca,

I've resized your image, to a smaller file size, which will be viewable on our monitors, without having to scroll.

Thank you! Didn't realize it was so big.

The real hit with these plaques/tributes is doing custom centers with their organization's logo. We've done some real fun stuff. That is where I was headed with the ASI route.

Rebecca,

I can see where your product could be used as an applique on award plaques or displayed in shadow boxes, to create what I find most impressive with plaques -- dimension.

A company called Lazer-Buzz has a whole line of those products out.

I have my own line of about 25 different items up on a wall in my store. Here on the east coast we get a lot of comments about how unique they are, but few sales. I think it is a mid-western type of item.

Pricing here does not seem to matter, same sales with a $20 price change.

Philadelphia, PA (Really Bensalem)

Harvey's Tips Page When you finally understand it completely... it changes.

Rebecca,

I certainly don't mean to throw a wet blanket on your plans, but from what I've read so far, you may be heading down a road that ultimately could be enough to curb your youthful enthusiasm.

See if my experience with a high volume job resembles your situation at all.

http://www.engravingetc.org/forum/index.php?webtag=EE&msg=7.1

logojohn,

That's a great offer, thanks!

Maybe you'd be interested in meeting to discuss a bit about altering it for more text. I could treat you to lunch or coffee and dessert somewhere.

My email should be listed in my profile.

Looking forward to meeting with you.

Rebecca

Personally what works best for us is finding niche's that have needs. Find a niche that you can relate to (understand and speak the same language as the customers that fit that niche) that has a need, then target that niche with products that you know they can use.

The SAGE web site can be found at http://www.sageworld.com/

I am not trying to discourage you from trying to be a manufacturer for a SAGE or ASI, but you need to know that the margin's for the kind of work you will do for them are very low, so you need very efficient production techniques and equipment that is efficient to operate.......fast no nonsense production style equipment...

One thing that may work for you with a SAGE or ASI is to create a niche with something unique that no one else will be competing over.......Perhaps the best thing would be to combine the idea of a unique niche product and a SAGE or ASI.....Create a product that is unique to you (something unique that can be used as a promotional product that others aren't doing), and then market that product in the SAGE or ASI marketplace.

Brian G.