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Here are ten reasons to do business with LOGO Dynamics. Your comments are appreciated and solicited.
10. Matt Davidson is not particularly smart but he is accessible, matt@logomd.com, cell phone 804-241-1152, office phone 804-515-0300, fax 804-515-8050, Showroom at 7206 Impala Drive,Henrico, 23228 and come see clients anywhere in the region.
9. Guarantee prompt response to get you the information you need to make a good business decision. Messages left at the Showroom phone are immediately forwarded and usually responded to within an hour. Gotten out of a sick bed to make callbacks. Recently upgraded to a Blackberry to keep closer contact with e-mail messages. (Don't do buttons-had to get the touch screen)
8. Made the commitment to research a long time ago. SAGE has database of 900,000 items. Blackberry can get me on their mobile version in your office as long as I have a Verizon signal. You don't have to call 5 distributors to get the best price on a travel mug. I can find all the specials.
7. Fair pricing and worked hard to hold overhead to a minimum. For example, I am using the same screenprinting price list from 2005. Volume with local tee shirt warehouse and major golf shirt supplier is such that I can pass free freight along to clients. Work with clients on fair terms, all major credit cards.
6. My role is not just to sell, but to help my clients with other issues like art, sales, and marketing. I often do sales sheets in support of their efforts to market the imprinted items I handle for them. Ours is a full service approach, we are not peddlers.
5. Working to make our industry better as I am thankful for the people who helped me get started 18 years ago. I am the Professional Development Chair for the Mid-Atlantic Promotional Products Association (MAPPA) and am working to offer training to new people in the industry. Also member of national trade associations, ASI and PPAI.
4. Proven commitment to making the community better. Always help charities as best I can with prices. When asked to supply teddy bears for the 276th Engineers of the Virginia National Guard to give to the children of troops going to Afghanistan, supplied the 300 bears at cost and passed the word to friends who collected $800. Bears supplied at no cost to the unit Family Readiness Group. (Note: 276th is clearing roadside bombs. Keep them in your prayers)
3. Personal dedication to improvement so that no one can said, "He has 1 year experience repeated 18 times, rather 'he has 18 years experience'". Training commitment so that stock answers are not given but creative solutions.
2. With 18 years experience, we know the industry as well as the market. Our goal: complete client's satisfaction. Work hard to achieve it. I don't always know immediately the best answer but I have learned where to look to find that best answer. if I can't help, I know where to turn to for the help my client's need. We participated in the Open Ratings process with Dun & Bradstreet and 20 clients were contacted to offer their views on client satisfaction. With a 95% approval rating I believe we are doing something right in customer service. I'd like to get to 100% the next time. Of the things reported as "neutral", some I have little or no control over.
1. We primarily offer solutions, not items. Certainly we will respond when someone asks, "What is the best price on a tee shirt?" but other situations call for questions and an answer "tailored" to the situation. A recent client needed help with a training event. We looked at two solutions and found in the second a better alternative in both application and price.
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| Posted by Matt Davidson at | | | |
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Yesterday I was at the City of Virginia Beach Purchasing Dept. for an information session on how to do business with them. Content wasn't all that interesting because I will rarely respond to bid situations. I went to see if I could pass on information about LOGO Dyanamics and follow-up on the $4,000 order I did for the employee appreciation program for their Public Utilities Dept. I met the Purchasing Director and his assistant.
I know some things to tell other people related to employee appreciation programs based on these two conversations.
1. The assistant said, "We just order what they tell us they want". Items were picked from two companies. One company has since filed for bankrupcy. I think they are going to work out of it, could lose art set-up if they go under.
2. Items picked were similar but none could use the same art set-up because the imprint areas were different sizes. If I had been involved sooner, I would have related the items so we could avoid some of the $300 in set-up costs.
3. Don't forget taglines. Rarely is the imprint area so small, a message can't be added to a logo. You are trying to accomplish a task, get as much "bang" out of the "bucks" is my philosophy.
Keep marketing, helps you know what to talk about. M
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| Posted by Matt Davidson at | | | |
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I handled an order Friday for the VA Dept. of Rehabilitation Services to supply 2500 soda can holders that will promote the DRS and Assistive Technology web sites. The item is one we were able to get in the past but the supplier dropped it, now someone else is making it but selling it to golfers. For the challenged it makes something you and I take for granted, possible. My thought while walking Daisy, the Wonder Dog, "Well if Virginia can use this item, what about California or New York?"
I sat down at 9:00 last night and worked until 11:30, got back on it at 8:00 this morning and finished at 10:30 and have sent messages to all 50 states and several places in Canada. Got a great idea, use the Internet! Keep you posted on results but so far only one state, Alabama, has come back with a bad address. M
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| Posted by Matt Davidson at | | | |
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I have been attending a seminar series on "Selling to the Federal Government" and went to a session last month in Williamsburg that was on developing team agreements to share contracts. I wasn't sure it would be helpful to my business but since the first session on capability statements was helpful I went. Fortunately, a guest not on the program, Barbara Booker-Williams spoke about her work helping small businesses get work with the City of Virginia Beach. i passed on a copy of my marketing kit to her and said if I can help anyone, let me know. To make a long story short, I ended up with a $4,000 sale to the Dept. of Public Utilities for employee appreciation gifts. I invited Ms. Booker-Williams to join my network on www.linkedin.com and this week she did. I wrote a recommendation for her, commending her for taking time from her busy schedule to come speak to small business owners like me and said, "To work our way out of this recession, we need dedicated public servants like Barbara helping small business people be successful". From her response, you would think I gave her $1,000 tip. She was overwhelmed that I took the time to write about her and told me my comments might be used in an annual report she has to do to the VA Beach City Council. She says she will be passing my name along to other city departments. I thanked her and send copies of other e-flyers I have done for schools and churches describing projects I have done.
I still don't know a lot about this social networking but I think this is something of how it is supposed to work. Our comments and recommendations are powerful, especially when they say things like "Keep up the good work", "Thanks for your help" and "The community is a better place to live because of you". Try it, it seems to be working for me.
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| Posted by Matt Davidson at | | | |
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In many business situations, long term relationships involving sales are discouraged. Our Commonwealth is one example in which thanks to former Gov. now Senator Mark Warner, a system of procurement was developed based purely on whose price is the cheapest. On a regular basis I heard of dissatisfaction with the system, commonly called "EVA". My comment, "It's bigger than you and me and is here to stay.
I don't do nearly as much business for one state agency, the Dept. of Rehabilitative Services as I once did. All acquisitions are put online and sometimes the awards are for less than cost to keep cash flowing in a competitor's business. Friday I demonstrated again the value in having along term relationship with this agency. About six years ago, I supplied an order of plastic handles for soda pop cans that made it easier for people with diseases like MS and MD to hold a can. Something I suspect most of the population takes for granted. Unfortunately, the supplier had production problems and this item was dropped from his line. When I saw the item again in an e-mail I knew right away a segment of the market that could use this item. Samples are on the way from PA tonight and I hope the Commonwealth of Virginia will not use my diligence against me. I had one situation with this same agency where the Purchasing Agent said to my client, "Find out where that man got the items he supplied us so we can put them out for bid". Of course, I declined that request but that episode initiated a steep decline in requests for help from this marketing supervisor. I cerainly understand the Commonwealth's need to do business economically but sometimes they cross the line of decency. That's my opinion. M
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| Posted by Matt Davidson at | | | |
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What is the extent you can expect on service? Try and top this one.
A school client needed a chart to use in a training session for administrators to be prepared for crisis situations. (Sad to say that is the situation in schools today). We looked at doing it as a large 24" X 36" pad of paper where sheets could be filled in as a part of these training sessions and torn off after they were finished. Sorry to say with the cost of printing plates, to print one sheet would cost $500 and then the cost of paper would be added to that. No go but we didn't give up.
Best solution was a "white" board that is the same 24" X 36" size and the outline of the training session preprinted on the board. That option required about 2 hours of art time on our part but we finally got the art worked out and that approach saved approximately $300 over the other approach.
We hardly ever say, "It can't be done". Call us today to discuss your project.
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| Posted by Matt Davidson at | | | |
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| What many people don't realize is about specialty items is you can have an excellent selection of an item but either fail miserableby to have an impact or have a near miss if the art is poorly handled. With a computer's ability to capture a logo off the Internet, we rarely have art that is good enough to use. The resolution is kept low to keep the page from being so slow to load. The image is far too ragged to be of good use. Part of the adviser's job is to realize when art needs to be improved, usually by being redrawn to avoid those issues. Additionally, with most items there is room for more than just a logo. There is space for a tag line to enhance the impact of the specialty item. I advise clients on a regular basis to come up with a tagline to further enhance the impact of their item. Even on as small an item as a pen, there is usually room to add a few words. If not, I would advise looking for another item so that their is maximum impact for your investment. If questions, contact me at matt@logomd.com. Have a great day.
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| Posted by Matt Davidson at | | | |
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| Until a few years ago I thought social networking meant hitting the rounds of meetings with groups like the Chamber of Commerce or BNI. Until a few months ago I thought social networking was for the kids who got on Facebook or My Space. Until a few weeks ago I didn't know about "LinkedIn" but lately I have been on it everyday and seeing a great opportunity to reconnect with friends I have done business with in the past or connections I can make for future business. Today I even connected with someone in Hungary I met there in 1992 when my pastor and I went on a missions trip. If you haven't tried it, go immediately to www.linkedin.com and take a look. So far it is free but I am beginning to see the value in upgrading my account. Try it, you might find a new "tool" to market yourself in this strange new world.
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| Posted by Matt Davidson at | | | |
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Pity those business people trying to do business the same way they did it 20, 10 or even 5 years ago. I think I would be out of business if I was still doing things the same way. Success lies ahead for those who are will in to grow. I remember a story about Sir Edmund Hillary who most people know was the first to climb Mr. Everest over 50 years ago. Story was told how he failed on this first attempt, best friend died in the snow and he came home defeated. There was a community meeting and before he rose to speak, the people gave him a standing ovation for the attempt he had made. Sir Edmund said later, "I resolved then and there not to let Mt. Everest beat me, I said to myself, 'Everest you will not grow another inch but I will--I will grow to meet the challenge and I will beat you!".
My latest growing edge is social networking on "LinkedIn" and so far I have 48 connections on my profile and I am looking to add more in the next few days. See www.linkedin.com to add you name to my list. What looks like the potential for me is to make connections with people I haven't talked to in awhile and also make connections through people who can be "door keepers" to ones on their lists I should be talking to about imprinted items. I developed a marketing piece that I have been e-mailing. So far no business in the 4 days I have been doing this but sure see the potential as I look at names on other people's profiles. Try it, you might sharpen your edge. Let me know what you think about this form of marketing. M
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| Posted by Matt Davidson at | | | |
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Hard to believe it has been over 5 months since my last entry. Due to a busy schedule and having surgery, blogging is just one thing I never got around to doing. But I'm back and here to help you grow your business or organization.
Recent Developments:
1. One of the best things for 2008 was to learn about and begin to implement Duct Tape Marketing. See www.ducttapemarketing.com for the national web site and www.themarketingcoachva.com for Tim Nagle, a local proponent of this plan. Duct Tape has helped me focus on the purpose of my business and I heartily recommend it. I now have a marketing/information kit to use to expand what I can do as well as a better organized plan. Talk to me about how you can use this plan to grow your business.
2. I expanded my business in 2008 with the Federal Government with some very good relationships at DSCR and Fort Lee. To help that continue, I have been attending a series of seminars on "How to Sell to the Federal Government". One development is a capability statement that I have been sending to small business development contacts in various branches of the Federal Government. If you have any capabilities the government can use, market them. As the instructor pointed out last week, "The Federal Government spends $19,000 a second" and that was before the bailouts started. Get you piece of the big pie.
3. Even before the financial "crunch", I started looking at my expenses with a long hard look. One thing I realized is I was not getting as good service and paying way too much for the online search engine for imprinted items I make available for you to use. If you have not been on www.logomd.com lately, you will see a change. Still there is a link to a national database and you can search as you have been able to do. Also I have an online collection of catalogs for my top suppliers. Either on your own or talking to me on the phone we can get online and review options. In no way does this replace meeting together but I hope it will enhance our working relationship.
Have a great year and check back often. Matt Davidson.
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| Posted by Matt Davidson at | | | |
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