The million-dollar question…

There are many questions that the Altrum team will have when you brief them for a Deal Toy, and those questions are designed to deliver you the best service and ultimately, an impressive product.

But the first and most crucial question that will dictate many design and production choices?

When do you need them?

Time is money, and on a daily basis someone reaches out to our team and requests a Deal Toy with a tight deadline.

So today we want to share some tips and advice about how to get a great Deal Toy, even when you have a short deadline.

Follow this guide to reduce stress and get a design to be proud of!

First up. Don’t leave it to the last minute.

• Yes, we are experts at problem-solving but it’s an obvious fact that time = choice so if you can influence that, brief us early.

Consider an NDA.

• We routinely sign NDAs and always respect client privacy without them, so don’t be shy.

Brief us before the deal closes.

• This is a slightly controversial take for our clients who are superstitious but if you weren’t avoiding black cats on the way to the office to close the deal, consider giving us a heads-up so we can begin to workshop ideas and designs!

Come prepared.

• It’s ok to not have design ideas; that’s our specialty! But you will see faster results if you have some ideas about what you want. Even if we need to take those ideas and pivot due to time constraints. We have a great guide to coming up with design ideas here!

Consider classic and minimalistic designs.

• The more complex and unique the design, the longer it will take to scope and deliver. Likely with many revisions and approvals required, opting for a classic option will give you much-needed gains in design and production turnaround.

Skip the prototype if you have ordered before.

• We will not recommend ordering a design that is complex, or you haven’t seen before without a prototype BUT if the piece is minimal or something you have ordered before, there is much less risk approving the design files and can save you several weeks

Be creative.

• Skip the custom 3d model and look at utilizing a third-party item in the design to save modelling and production time. Yes, a custom, never-before-seen 3d model of your design is going to look incredible, but you might find a very impressive product on amazon or a model website that can be integrated into a design to save time

Produce locally.

• We own or have manufacturing partners in Europe, Asia & North America – one of the many factors that set us apart from our competition. We can get those fantastic 3d etched crystal cubes to your Wall Street closing dinner much faster from our Canadian factory than our China partner and that may be the difference between having a gift for the clients on the evening or not.

Look at our online store.

• Outside of our custom design solutions, we have a webstore with a range of materials, shapes and templates that are ready to go. With no set-up fees and print on demand design solutions, you can hit the store 24/7 to add your deal text and logos to a design and have something shipped extremely fast.

Getting your deal toy fast without compromising on quality is possible with the right preparation and approach.

By planning ahead, considering simpler designs, and leveraging local production options, you can meet tight deadlines while still delivering an impressive product!

Remember, our team at Altrum is here to guide you through the process, offering creative solutions and expertise to ensure your deal toy is delivered on time and exceeds expectations. With these tips, you can navigate the pressures of a tight timeline and still celebrate your achievements in style.

Reach out today through our Get My Design form to open a new project!