Character Toys

The Sales Team has been working hard to develop our 2013 Catalog.   There are so many good ideas; however, bringing it all together to balance words and pictures to tell a story about how Artistic Toy is different than other stuffed toy manufacturers is not an easy task.  We talked with a graphic artist for two hours about our ideas and determined we needed to outline a story of the most important things about our Company.  Through further reflection following outline was developed to help tell our story.   

Custom Stuffed Toy Prototypes in 48 hours

Helping You Build Character

Absolutely Safe – All of our toys are independently safety tested and meet or exceed requirements by the CPSIA

Relationships - We are on purpose about helping customers understand the opportunities that exist within Character Marketing™

Artistic Alerts – Email updates are provided to you at each stage of your order from initial entry to final shipment to keep you informed

Case studies – We will provide you with case studies to help understand the uses of plush toys in your business and their ROI.    

Thousands of stock toys – We have thousands of stock toys in our inventory that can be personalized and delivered in 10 days

Every detail of the toy is considered before the first stitch is made. 

Reliable – You can count on our Artistic Toy team for all of your stock and custom plush toy needs

Top notch quality –  Our factory quality control experts, overseas manager, and US production team examine every detail of your toy to make sure you are 100% satisfied

Our promise to you – We create products for distinguished organizations.  Working with our character will change your life forever

Your Brand – Our master designer will create your one of a kind custom prototype in 48 hours from an existing mascot, drawing or concept to bring your brand to life

Service above all others – Our unique CPC – Clear Process Communication meeting system keep you informed every step of the way from initial order to final delivery

Everything from the marketing to the manufacturing is based on Character at Artistic Toy.    Character Marketing™  is the concept that stuffed toys, when used as Characters in your marketing, will transform a brand so that it connects with people emotionally, move customers to action, and turn customers into fans. Character Marketing ™ is more than plush toy manufacturing.  It is the establishment of brand that is dependent on Character Manufacturing™.  Character Manufacturing ™ is about factory relationships that allow us to do things other suppliers can’t.  It is a shared philosophy that quality control goes beyond government standards to a global team of people who care about how the product looks when it comes out of the box. 

It’s Everyone’s Job

If you look at Artistic Toy’s organization chart you might wonder where is the Marketing Department.  Who is responsible for Marketing?  The biggest complaint about most Marketing Departments is that they never talk to the Sales Department.  Some organizations propose to solve that problem by making a Sales & Marketing Department. 

In reality you can’t put the additional burden of something so complicated and important on one department.  At Artistic Toy we subscribe to the philosophy that Marketing is NOT a department, it is an ATTITUDE.  I recently learned from Paul Kiewiet, MAS that People are the 5^th P that many Marketing text books overlook.  (Product, Price, Place, Promotion).  My feeling is that the most influential people are on marketing is the entire team of people that show up to work every day.  It is their attitude and desire to do more than push product and paper all day that sets us apart.  Please join me in celebrating the accomplishments within each and every department to take on this very important role of Marketing our company.

1. Public Relations:  PPB Boss Nomination, Customer Service SuperHero, Product Safety
2. Product Website: Accounting leading the team to accurate product information
3. Loyalty Packages: Production delivering relevant products to each customer.
4. Email Campaigns: Sales sending weekly product ideas to customers.
5. Facebook Posts: Product of the Day, Quotes, Team Member Birthday, Anniversaries
6. Catalog Design:  Developing attractive layouts and new product suggestions
7. Clear Process Communication Meetings: Customer Surveys & Ratings
8. Character Story:  Holding us to accountable to our vision and mission.

I think everyone in the Company would agree they have been involved in many of the activities above; however, may not have viewed them as Marketing.  So the next time you are doing something and wondering, “How is this my job?”  Think about how important Marketing is to the Company and that the set of expectations you set for yourself, memories created, stories shared, and relationships built all taken together account for our brand and when communicated effectively is the most powerful form of Marketing we have.   Keep up the good work team!   

How do you handle a situation in which distributors complain about suppliers selling direct yet they, themselves, source product directly from overseas?

The premise of the Industry is founded on a Supplier and Distributor relationship.  The integrity of the Supplier and Distributor relationship is the strength of the industry.  The primary tenant that no one will disagree is that the Supplier does not sell product directly to end buyer organizations, as this is the job of the sales organization or Distributor Company.  Suppliers that sell to end buyer organizations are looked upon as less favorable than those who do not sell direct.  From the Supplier’s perspective their does seem to be a double standard because Distributors have many direct factory relationships to overcome price pressure from customers.  

With a hobbling global economy Distributors are economically pressured to skip the U.S. import supplier and deal directly with factory in China.  Consequently, direct import trading companies have started to register with the industry organization making it easier for Distributors to connect directly with factory representatives that work on commission and can eliminate all need for a U.S. supplier.  Some of the larger distributor companies have but their own purchasing policies in place that make all orders over a certain dollar value go out for bid to other suppliers.  Many of these suppliers are non-industry suppliers, trading companies, or directly with the premier factories.

In my experience it provides no value for the Supplier to complain about the Distributor's sourcing practice, as well as it does no good for the Distributor to complain about the Supplier's direct sales practice.   While Artistic Toy does not sell directly to end user buyers, the focus must be on how we can help each other regardless of who you sell to or buy from.  No one distributor or supplier owns any customer relationship.  Every buyer has a different set of needs and requirements for ordering and you have to carefully understand how each of us fits into that relationship.  The real problem for most businesses is who my target market and what am I better at than anyone in the world?  Once we answer those questions with clarity and integrity our value is sustained regardless of supply chain problems.    

10 Sage Marketing Tips

These marketing tips are brought to you by Sage.  Sage (S2119) is our 7" American Eskimo Plush Dog .  Sage is a profoundly wise character that brings holiday joy and business marketing tips.  

1. Don’t try and run with the Big Dogs if you’re not a Big Dog.  Trying to make yourself bigger than you are will end up biting you in the tail.
2. Customer’s like Dog’s need attention.  Take the time to show them appreciation, but don’t lick their face.
3. Dogs and customers were made to be close companions, don’t treat them like a meal ticket.
4. Customers are smart but you have to make your message simple. 
5. Give more in each interaction than you ever expect to receive. 
6. Communicate a vision and cause beyond your product or service. 
7. Never stop making a first impression with your customers. 
8. Listen to your customers and make sure you hear them. 
9. Your personal attitude is your most valuable piece of marketing. 
10. Be passionate about what you say and carefully decide how to deliver the message. 

What should a Supplier do when they receive this type of email from an End Buyer?

From: Karen
Sent: Friday, September 21, 2012 4:22 PM
To: Jennifer Jaman
Subject: RE: Distributor Request from Promo Marketing User: Karen Sherrill

We’re not members of ASI, SAGE or PPAI.

But our corporate structure is such that we support 6 brands in the physical therapy industry –  so most suppliers (like Gold Bond, Hit, LogoMark, etc.) sell to us as a distributor.

Thanks,

Karen 

ARTISTIC ALERT: DELIVERY DELAY - Longshoreman Strike

We expect some of our customer orders will be delayed due to the pending Longshoreman Strike for all East Coast Ports.  The looming strike has a 90% probability to go into effect at midnight October 1, 2012.   Please be see the most recent news release

http://kuehnenagelusa.newsweaver.com/7tdz34sn3xasqeqwyuf7to?email=true&a=11&p=27392895

The shipping carriers have already introduced CONJESTION SURCHARGES in anticipation of the strike.  If the strike does happen more additional costs and delays will occur.  We cannot accurately estimate your delivery time and additional costs at this time; however, we are preparing our team to understand the costs and to discuss alternatives with customers.  We will be closely monitoring the situation and schedule a meeting with you to discuss timing and costs should the strike go into effect. 

Some experts think that since the government has the ability to step in and control the ports, the November elections could play a factor.  

Unlimited Potential

 

Sometimes we are limited by our beliefs.  Over the last 7 years I felt that since Artistic Toy supplies plush toys exclusively to independent distributor companies that it would be biting the hand that fed us if I began attending community networking events where I would be introduced to more end user clients versus  distributors.  In the last 4 weeks, I started challenging myself around this belief discovered I am missing huge potential for our Company.

 

(1)   BNI Networking Meeting -   I attended my first meeting and decided not to join for a number of reasons; however, encountered an uncomfortable situation with a Distributor Salesperson that felt threatened by my attendance.  Today, Five Thousands Forms – David Eiskowitz is visiting our office to meet our team and will be working with me to create a Character Marketing Presentation that I will deliver directly to his 30 BNI members on how and why they should use Plush Toys over other promotional products.

 

(2)   Business Partner Referral – Our Accountant’s Stortz& Associates recognized that one of their preferred providers KeystoneFinancial Management was placing an order for promotional products.  They emailed the Marketing Coordinator and told her to consider using us to help them source their products.  I spoke to the Coordinator and told her why toys were the best promotion she could use and to prove it to her I was sending a sample to her office.  In the meantime, I also noticed from an email copy that Don Spencer – Boundless Networks - Valley Brandworks was attempting to build a relationship with this end user.  Artistic Toy never worked with Don; however, after sending him a duplicate sample and speaking to him about this opportunity he was thrilled to work with us.  Today, I spoke with the Sr. VP of Sales Marketing for Keystone Financial Management who explained he would be placing an order with Don for a couple of hundred of our bears to give out into a school networking functions. 

These two experiences and several conversations PPAI Board Member, Team Member, and Editor have convinced me to think differently about the Supplier Distributor Relationships.  In business and in life we have to continue to re-define ourselves and think about how we are adding value.  I am happy to say suppliers can work directly with end users and maintain the integrity of the supply chain.  This truly is fulfillment of Artistic Toy’s Unique Selling Proposition…. “Helping You Build Character”