Full Moon Rising - Made In The USA

FMR 15% Discount Coupon

We are reactivating / extending our 15% off coupon until June 1st of 2009

This is your reward for reading our blog!

This is good for any purchase on our web stores and is good for the clothing. Upcharges and decoration are not included.

Look for a free shipping coupon in the future.

We would be interested to hear which you prefer when shopping.

Coupon code is FMRBLOG

Thanks
Bryan

The Power of Prelation

In these turbulent times, many companies are taking a hard look at what exactly they're spending their money on, looking to maximize their Return On Investment (ROI).  One area that many companies are reportedly looking at slashing is their marketing budgets, trying to separate the proverbial wheat from the chaff.  The Bottom Line question CEOs & CFOs alike want answered is: "What's the most cost effective method of getting our brand name into our customer's minds which produces the most favorable impression of our company, which in turn will generate maximum sales?"

Full Moon Rising, Inc. has the answer(s) to this and many other questions.  It's called "Prelation."

Prelation \Pre*la"tion\, n. The setting of one above another; preference.

Prelation may be viewed as the degree to which excellence is achieved in three core areas:

• Image - More than a logo; it is the Perception of your company that the customer holds in their mind when they see your logo (also known as "branding"). If you want to project excellence, your Company's image (logo) needs to be "well framed" with quality production on interesting and memorable promotionals.
• Focus means targeting your marketing efforts in a cost-effective way while maximizing your branding.
• Results is exactly what it means! You want your customers - whether they're new or well established - to hold your company in their mind's eye as the source for your product.

You don't have to just take our word for it.  We've got both the data behind this, and the products & experience to enable you to take your company's image (and sales!) to the next level.

The Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI), a promotional product industry "think-tank" that recently conducted a survey of the impact of promotional items in key U.S. markets.  The purpose of the survey was to understand how promotional products influence end-users’ purchasing decisions; determine the number of impressions of various promotional specialties; and analyze the Cost Per Impression (CPI) of advertising specialties compared with other popular advertising media.  Among their findings:

• Instant recall: More than 8 out of 10 (84%) respondents remembered the advertisers of the promotional products they’re received. (IMAGE)
• Very impressionable: 42% of respondents had a MORE favorable impression of an advertiser after receiving the item. And nearly a quarter (24%) said they are MORE likely to do business with the advertiser on the items they receive. (FOCUS)
• It’s all business: Most respondents (62%) have done business with the advertiser on a promotional product after receiving the item.  (RESULTS) 

More than that, the ASI study discovered that companies and individuals alike valued their promotional products because:

• User-friendly: The majority (81%) of promotional products were kept because they were considered useful.
• Staying power: More than three-quarters of respondents have had their items for more than 6 months.  

Well, sure, you say, many promotional items are nice.  But "where's the beef?"  You're not in business to supply others with cute little souvenirs.  How are promotional products helping generate SALES?

Quite impressively, it turns out.  The ASI survey found that the CPI (Cost Per Impression, a measure of the cost of the promotional product's impact on sales) of the average promotional item was $0.004.  That's Four-Tenth of One Cent per promotional product.  Or, to put it another way, promotional products beat out all forms of TV, radio and print advertising as the most cost-effective advertising medium available. 

So the question now becomes, Where are YOU going to spend your company's advertising budget?

Call us at (630) 513-8728 to discuss how we can combine our proven Prelation techniques to your company's marketing plan.  We know which products have the most impact in different markets or occupations, which have the lowest CPI, are considered "favorites" among potential clients, and how to "layer" (timed sequences of promotional releases) your marketing in order to maximize your promotional ROI.

The Bottom Line?  We know how to make you look good.

Air-Traffic Controller Turned Distributor

I was featured in this profile from the February issue of Counselor magazine. I feel that they over simplified or glossed over some things I wish they would have focused on concerning our company. I hope it allows you to see a little more into my life, assuming you were interested to begin with.

PDF version also available,

Bryan

Air-Traffic Controller Turned Distributor

By Dave Vagnoni

It’s 9:00 on a Wednesday night and Bryan Thompson’s day is far from over. At arguably the busiest airport in the country, Thompson is working as an air traffic controller, nearly finished his shift. About eight hours earlier, he arrived in the tower, after working all morning at his “day job.” And he still has energy left to burn. “Usually, after work I go to the gym for a while,” he says.
It was almost 30 years ago when Thompson enrolled in the United States Marine Corps. At the time, he was a professional photographer, but opted for a change. “The $5,000 bonus helped convince me to sign up,” Thompson admits.

While he came close to choosing a path as a pilot, he decided instead to pursue a different type of career in aviation. Before he left for boot camp, he had never been on an airplane. Today, after stops in places like Tennessee, South Carolina and Louisiana, Thompson works six days a week at O’Hare Airport in Chicago.

“Sometimes it’s stressful, sure,” he says. “I used to love getting up and going to work. I got paid well. More recently, things have changed a bit and it’s more about procedures. But it’s still a good challenge.”

Thompson concedes he’s looking forward to retirement. He actually has a retirement countdown clock ticking on his computer. With his future in mind, he’s started to pour his heart into his promotional products business, Full Moon Rising Inc. (asi/199736). Along with two partners, who are also air traffic controllers, Thompson generates annual revenues of over $400,000.
“We started as basically a non-profit,” he says. “We would sell embroidered items at conventions for the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. People wanted jackets, shirts, belt buckles and key tags. A few years ago, we decided to incorporate.”

While Thompson sold logoed products, he also made time to design the first ever Web site for the NATCA. Plus, he served as an editor for the quarterly, 48-page union newsletter. “My friends are used to the fact I’m always busy,” he says.

Busy, but happy. Thompson is also an avid musician. He plays the saxophone, trumpet and piano and recently he bought an electric guitar. But he’s not a guitar expert just yet. “I’m trying to find time to learn it,” he says. Working through the office of Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, Thompson also shoots photographs of the city’s annual Jazz Fest and Blues Fest. The photos are often used on brochures. “I work pro bono, in exchange for access to the shows,” he says.

And there’s more. Thompson enjoys riding motorcycles as well. He’s ridden cross-country to honor prisoners of war. Despite his growing interests, Thompson is committed to his company. He feels his business is doing well, despite the economic slump. “I take time to talk to people,” he explains. “Sometimes I’m on the phone for 20 or 30 minutes with a customer getting to know them. We send ‘thank you’ cards to everyone who places an order. And we send Christmas cards out, too. I think it makes a difference.”

Thompson says he’s creating more profits by adding more customers and focusing on marketing USA-made apparel to clients. He uses social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook to promote his work. “Recently, the orders haven’t been as big, but we’re getting more of them and that’s helping,” he says. “If you don’t try new things, you’ll never know what works.”

The Cyberspace Race

I was featured in this article from the January 2009 issue of Counselor magazine on industry web sites. It is an interesting look at the current state of the industry , and I was honored that they found my input valuable.

PDF version also available,

Bryan

The Cyberspace Race

Why the future of apparel ordering is online and what industry suppliers are doing to beef up their Web offerings to distributors.
Byline: By Dave Vagnoni

Bryan Thompson is a professional multi-tasker. He works days, nights and weekends growing his promotional products business, while still fitting in time for his other job. And that other job is no ordinary thing. “I can’t afford any false starts in my life,” Thompson says understatedly.
When he’s not selling ad specialties, Thompson is guiding airplanes, working as an air traffic controller at O’Hare Airport in Chicago. “Obviously, time is important to me,” he says in a dead-panned tone.

Time is also important to his clients, which is why Thompson takes advantage of another useful skill. He designs Web sites. “I’m self-taught,” he says. “I used to put together grassroots newsletters and then went online.”

When he started his distributor company, Full Moon Rising Inc. (asi/199736), Thompson built a main site. Soon after that, he began creating a suite of Web stores for his clients. “The idea was to make access easier for clients and it’s worked out pretty well for us,” Thompson says.
Yes, it has. FMR has doubled its sales every year since it was established in 2004. Even in a staggering economy, Thompson continues to gain clients, mostly through the Web. “People are using their computers, even the elderly,” he says. “They’re finding me online. I can tell by their voices when they do call, some of them, they’re in their 70s.”

Armed with graphic design experience, and strapped with a heavier schedule than most, Thompson is an ideal distributor to ask about an ever-evolving and more frequently-discussed industry topic: online ordering of apparel. Like many salespeople, doing business on the Web allows Thompson the convenience he needs to be successful. “I like fast, reliable, clean Web sites,” he says. “I want to maximize the time of my customers and not waste their time. I expect the same from vendors.”
Thompson is one of several distributors Counselor called on to explain what features they value most about apparel supplier sites. Some of the most appreciated points are sophisticated, like fancy and targeted marketing tools. Others are more basic, like 24/7 information access. No matter, all apparel suppliers are facing a never-ending cyberspace race to provide the most desirable and practical online services, especially to smaller distributors that lack large sale forces and in-house creative departments.

Here, we look at the different capabilities that apparel suppliers have online, and how distributors are taking advantage of them.

Why Web Sites Matter

Spurred by constant feedback from distributors like Thompson, apparel suppliers have spent thousands of hours and millions of dollars redesigning and upgrading their Web sites. For example, Broder Bros. Co. (asi/42099), Vantage Apparel (asi/93390) and River’s End Trading Company (asi/82588) have finished major Web site overhauls in the last two years. Ash City (asi/37127) and Bodek and Rhodes (asi/40788) redesigned their sites within the last year. SanMar (asi/84863) committed to a Web site re-launch after the 2008 holiday rush.

The payoff has already been noticeable. River’s End has seen Web sales increase 15% since it recreated its Web site. Also, a full 50% of Broder’s orders are now placed online, accounting for 43% of sales. A year ago, only 40% of orders were made on Broder’s Web site.

“We took a lot of time researching, talking to customers and studying other sites,” says Girisha Chandraraj, vice president of marketing at Broder. “We feel like we have the best B to B site, built on customer behavior and customer service experience.”

Distributors say the most attention-grabbing Web sites aren’t the ones with catchy graphics or colorful animation. Actually, the sites most complimented are those that are simple and streamlined for time and energy savings. “Sites that are too flashy can be distracting,” Thompson says. “Sometimes, designers want to show off a new technique they just learned.”

Ash City and River’s End got exceptionally high marks from distributors Counselor spoke to for designing clear and understandable sites. “We don’t have an overwhelming amount of information on our site,” says Lori Anderson, River’s End marketing manager. “We hear it’s easy to find the right brand and the right products.”

Personalized Accounts and Search Engines

The most trusted apparel supplier Web sites offer user-specific online accounts. After registering with a login and password, a customer has immediate access to a variety of tabs, portals and charts. As purchases are made over time, Web sites remember order history and patterns.

Broder gives account holders numerous online product search tools, enhanced by a tutorial for beginners. The Express Order option allows customers to enter a style number and be given instant product information, including available colors. A buyer can order up to eight different sizes, in any quantity, with updated price lists highlighted on the screen. At any time, a customer can access a checkout window, which provides an order breakdown and shipping options. “We want to make our site so good that customers can get everything they need here,” says Chandraraj.

Broder customers can also search for products by category and brand or by browsing through an online catalog. Broder provides comprehensive size charts as well that include details on two dozen clothing manufacturers.

Besides Broder, distributors give high marks to SanMar for its Web site search tools. On this site, a first-time user needs to download software before ordering. Once the plug-in is installed, users can search based on several criteria, including price range. Chad Stokes, owner of Utah-based 801 Promos (asi/186309) touts SanMar as having an especially useful site. “SanMar’s site is excellent,” Stokes says. “Having a clothing specific site is critical. A good supplier will have order look-up and tracking history online. They have amazing turnaround time, too. Talking to customer service is so outdated.”

Real-Time Inventory

Distributors widely agree that providing real-time inventory is the greatest online tool currently available. Suppliers know it. An increasing number of real-time systems, including the one employed by SanMar, will even automatically locate the warehouse closest to a distributor with the amount of product requested. Instant information and coordinated shipping are tied together. Some sites can also estimate when a product will be restocked.

“We want our site to think like our customers think,” says Lee Strom, senior marketing manager at SanMar. “The site should link to wherever they live and give info that’s relevant to them.”
It’s a sentiment that distributors appreciate. “It may be 10 o’clock at night and I want to place an order or confirm stock,” Thomspon says. “I don’t want to guess. I want to lock it in.”

Of course, Web site speeds and download times are also key factors in convenience. Improvements are constantly being made. For example, despite a considerable increase in recent daily Web traffic, Bodek and Rhodes’ site is able to update inventory every 15 seconds. “When you’re with a client on the phone or in person, it’s about your word,” says Jean Obad, owner of Diamond Stitch Embroidery (asi/180213). “It’s a huge advantage to know availability and to know if a shirt has been discontinued. To be able to recommend a product and size is nice.”

Strom admits his company’s site wasn’t always the fastest, but upgrades have made a significant difference. “Now, our site is notoriously fast,” Strom says. “Customers are able to cruise through our site and quickly satisfy their needs.”

As part of its Web site upgrades, River’s End implemented a new software system to provide interactive real-time information to customers. Account holders can view detailed product descriptions, merchandise in stock, invoices and close-out specials. “It’s a great benefit to our customers if they can log on to a generic Web site while sitting with their customer and pull up products and inventory availability right on the spot,” says Anderson of River’s End. “Distributors have to be more efficient, so as suppliers we need to make sure they have quick access to information.”

Payment Options

Most distributors have accounts set up with apparel suppliers with agreed upon net terms. But with online ordering becoming more common, more distributors are considering using credit cards to gain points for travel or other purchases, like office furniture. “I’m using a credit card more often,” says Thompson. “I like to fly first class.”

Before a distributor makes the switch to credit cards, though, be warned that some suppliers charge an extra 3% for credit card purchases. Among larger apparel suppliers, Ash City is one that does not tack on upfront credit card fees.

“We continue to get great feedback about our site,” says Chris Clark, vice president of sales at Ash City. “We want the online ordering experience to be the best it can be for our customers. Good payment options are part of that. We don’t charge additional fees.”

Marketing Tools

Apparel suppliers have committed significant online resources to marketing – especially providing marketing help to their distributor clients. The viewpoint: Suppliers are trying to create distributor loyalty by doing some of their marketing work for them. Indeed, apparel supplier Web sites allow distributors to advertise with interactive e-catalogs and pricelists, design flyers and Web sites and order embroidery.

Vantage offers trend reports, decorator information and a variety of sample kits. SanMar produces survey tools as well as product videos that give distributors the option to personalize with a message at the end of the demo. Broder has a variety of marketing options available to its distributors online. And, Ash City just added new marketing features, including a “make your own movie” section that can be customized with logos. Customers can choose from among six short movie clips that each spotlight a different type of performance apparel. The clips can be personalized and e-mailed to clients. In one clip, an unsuspecting football player is hit by a man in an advertised bonded fleece. The caption reads: “This season’s big hit.”

To supplement its marketing features, the company is adding to its customer service staff and inside sales team. “We’re about to move into our brand new world headquarters and we want to be pounding the pavement as much as possible,” says Clark.

Smaller distributors expect to benefit the most from upgraded marketing tools. Dan Kaufman, president of DKG Promotions (asi/173954), believes Bodek and Rhodes maintains one of the most comprehensive Web sites among apparel suppliers. But he was more impressed when he took a closer look at recent updates. “I hadn’t looked at their marketing tools in a while,” Kaufman says. “I’d definitely consider using them now.”

Bodek refreshes its site with new features about every two months with online, print and showroom displays. Months before the new year, the site provided a section that gave customers a sneak peek at upcoming products for 2009. “We’re finding that our revenue online is increasing,” says Marc Held of Bodek. “Our site is very accurate with sizing instructions and pricing and our customized tools are great.”

Thompson is one distributor who uses as many online marketing materials as possible. “Ones that we can brand with our company info are also great,” he says. “Most of the bigger sites offer this on their catalogs.”

Artwork & Virtual Samples

As image resolution improves on apparel supplier sites, logo transferring is gradually gaining popularity. More and more sites now offer users the option to upload and save artwork and then essentially paste it digitally on an online silhouette. These virtual samples can be e-mailed to clients as part of a highly-effective sales presentation.

Realizing the desire for this technology, Vantage as well as Bodek and Rhodes are testing ways to enhance logo features. Both companies expect to apply the upgrades to their sites early this year.
“It used to be that it would take hours for anybody to produce a virtual sample,” says Gina Barreca, marketing director at Vantage. “We continue to develop tools that are easy and that control quality and output.”

Ash City gives customers a six-step outline for developing virtual samples. After uploading an image, customers can move and modify logos then send the image to clients. Broder even goes so far as to supply customers with a DVD of product images. There are also options to create virtual samples on Broder’s product detail pages.

But despite suppliers’ efforts, many distributors still prefer to create virtual samples in-house, trusting their own skills or the talents of their design staff. “This is the digital era and we’re trying to be more eco-conscious, but we like to do samples internally,” says Memo Kahan, president of Top 40 distributor PromoShop (asi/300446). “We think it’s more fluid and speeds up the sale.”

Michael Kaufman, owner of Wear It’s At (asi/356021), understands that virtual samples can save time, but he prefers his clients to see an actual sample instead of one online. “I like clients to be able to feel the material of a shirt and see the collar and buttons to make sure it’s OK,” he says. “You can’t do that with a virtual sample.

Room For Improvement

1. In general, smaller distributor owners have few complaints about apparel supplier Web sites. But large industry distributors have some suggestions for how these online outlets could be more applicable to their needs. Here are three ways that distributors believe apparel supplier Web sites could be more effective.
   
   1) Product Descriptions – Some distributors feel apparel suppliers have shrunk copy to fit more products on a screen or Web page. Distributors want more detailed product information – the details are what their clients ultimately are interested in.
   2) Back Images - Distributors would like to see images of the backs of apparel in creating virtual samples. They say it would help them give clients a complete picture of a product. While the front of a shirt or jacket is what many see first, buyers of promotional apparel need to have a feel for a garment’s complete look.
   3) Integration - Large distributors don’t need suppliers to build them Web sites. They want specific information electronically sent to them. “We are looking for ways for them to help us flatten the supply chain, such that our end-buyers have more of an "Amazon" experience,” says Dawn Olds, director of operations at Halo/Lee Wayne (asi/356000). “Electronic information regarding order status and shipping information, sent automatically to us when status changes and in a way we can integrate with our systems, is ideal.” – DV
   

Three Amigos

Here we are at the Scott Deming seminar!

L to R: Brian Fallon, Bryan Thompson, and Jeff Parrish, the Three Amigos of Full Moon Rising, Inc!