How to still get great swag during ongoing Covid complications
Covid has certainly disrupted many aspect of life… work, school, travel, dining, entertainment, even healthcare. Sadly, swag is no different! Between stock issues, production disruptions, shipping delays, and higher prices, it’s tempting to just assume it’s too much to tackle right now. But here are some pro tips on how to make swag still feasible (and even easy!) during such a difficult time.
1. PLAN AHEAD- in the past, we have worked some serious miracles when it came to in-hands dates. There was even one order that we produced AND delivered in the same day for a customer that was in an emergency! Sadly, those days are LONG gone. We now have very limited options even for 24-48 hour rush, and those options have more restrictions and higher fees. Additionally, standard production times are longer, as suppliers battle staffing shortages. Your best option is to PLAN AHEAD. Most suppliers are currently at a 7-10 day production after art and order approval, plus shipping. So we encourage everyone to give themselves a good 3 business weeks to have access to the largest variety of options.
2. BE FLEXIBLE WITH YOUR CHOICES- stock issues have meant that everyone has to be a little flexible with the products they choose. We highly recommend that you have a few backup choices so that if an item is out of stock, you have a second, third, and sometimes even a fourth choice to fall back on. It’s better to identify these “alternates” when you’re making your initial product selection so that no time is wasted making new selections if an item is out of stock. We are also really happy to help you find items! If you’re able to provide us with a budget, quantity, and deadline, we can pull together a selection of items that we know are in stock to meet your needs.
3. BUDGETS MAY NEED TO CHANGE- as we’re sure you’re feeling at the grocery store, hardware store, car dealership, etc., prices are going up. Worldwide supply chain issues means demand is outpacing supply, and labor shortages means that the cost to produce any goods is higher. So naturally, the price to the end user is higher as well. This is important to keep in mind, as your dollar may not go as far as it did on the same products even just a few months ago. That doesn’t mean you can’t get a good value though! We can help you find items that haven’t seen such a large price increase, and we can certainly help you find items that are produced closer to you to cut down on shipping costs.
4. WHEN IN DOUBT, REACH OUT- if time has gotten away from you, or you need something very specific, it doesn’t mean we absolutely CAN’T come through with what you need! It’s always best to ask, but know that we are doing everything we can to meet needs, without setting unrealistic expectations or making promises we can’t keep. If we feel confident we can meet a deadline or get a product, we’ll do it! But if we don’t feel totally sure, we’ll definitely tell you… and then suggest some other options that might still work.
Now is a GREAT time to start planning for spring and summer events, when hopefully germs, quarantines and cancelled activities won’t be such issues. Give us a call or email us today to let us get started on helping you plan!
sales@barefootswag.com http://www.barefootswag.com
866-247-4320
Swag Ideas for Creative Branding 