Where does the payment usually come from with the PTA and what size orders do they typically place? I have a few high schools but getting paid sometimes takes up to 90 days. Not a big deal for a few hundred dollars but I am close to 90 days on one of the schools and the invoice is over $6,000.00. I will get it but it's tough to tie up that much cash for so long. I just wouldn't want to get in a slow pay situation with 10 or 20 schools.

 

Wow great letter, and nice approach.

if you read the letter it tell you how to get your foot in the door. it odes not talk about payments.
that is what you do when yo sigh a contract with school. and you are intitled to late fees.
Remember you set the terms. and they should abide by them.

 

And then they remove you from the approved vendor list. It is what it is with my customer I was just wondering how he handled the finances with the PTA.

 

I am not sure what state your in
I am in VA and I work with about 7 schools,
I also work with schools in NY if you give them good customer service and a good product that is what counts. Real simple I tell them point blank I need to get paid as we agreed upon because of my over head and I have to but food on my table which I say in a joking but direct way.. Trust me they understand and they will make sure you get paid. Again its how you set up the terms with them.
If you feel your going to be taken off the list them bottom line you didn't make them happy lol

good luck

 

Yeah this is a little different situation. I am actually dealing with a school district that has over 25 schools including 5 high schools. I sell directly to each school and they sell the merchandise in their school stores but all payments are issued by a separate finance office for the district. The schools love the quality and price of the product so the individual schools are going to bat for me to get payments processed quicker through finance. There is one person that turns the order in, another that issues the PO then another that is responsible for processing the payment. If they can't tighten payment I may have to increase prices to help offset having to wait so long.

 

We just went to the district offiice and registered as a vendor. They gave us preferred status. Provide a W-9 and that is pretty much it.

Oops, one more thing. You really need an in with someone. Once you get that you will pick up a lot of work.

 

Good post Ryan, thanks for sharing your strategy.

To those of you who are targeting schools ... building strong relationships with the right people is critical to your success. Once you get your foot in the door, make sure you follow the protocol or procedures that the school requires, and maintain a dialogue with the folks who may be able to assist you or open doors for you (i.e. PTA officers, Sports Booster officers, Coaches, Teachers, Principals, etc).

If you can demonstrate that you are dependable, that you provide great service, and that your products are good quality, you will get some jobs thrown your way.

Also, try to optimize your sales by planning ahead for annual events (homecoming, sports banquets, senior prom, etc).

Good luck!

 

Great post

but if you want to keep them and never let them go.
Thank yo have to give back a little, i do raffle tickets and flyers at no charge.
And i do have specials on shirts and they always know they can contact me for anything.
Bottom line is you have to be creative and know how to please them. And they will give you the world.

 

Well it's no longer a secret

 

Thanks Instock Labels. We've done things for schools throughout the years.

In our state local highschools assign one teacher per class to work with for all that classes activities.

The teach works with them all four years starting their freshman year. If you can get with that person starting the freshman year, you have that class for four year.

We started when my daughter was a senior in high school. Thankfully she went out for the Powder Puff team. She actually asked the Teacher how much their last screen printer charged. The said $11 each. My daughter said we'll do it for $10. The lady just stared at her and couldn't believe my daughter just negociated the price like that.

The teacher then called me to confirm we'd do and I'd I told her yes, we'll do it for that price.

We also received a few more orders from the Swim Team. Since then we haven't received anymore, but have done many orders for many other schools.

There is one really simple thing that works, and many of us do it already. However, many of you and sometimes me, don't like doing it. It's really simple.

Do you know what that is?

 

I would imagine that Paul is refering to contacting your customer on a regular basis. I know I hate calling on customers.

As for schools and getting paid. I did some work for the local school and was told that it was a state rule that they couldn't pay for anything until the recieved it and then it would take 30 days to issue a check. I never followed up on the state level to see if I was getting told the truth (I suspect I wasn't - just the nature of things in this area). They went back to using the vendor from h*ll that gives them bad service and rotten designs and overcharges them. I suspect it is a relative or something (just the way things work in this area).

Thanks for the tips about not having to be in the area. I think I just might expand to the bigger schools.

 

One other thing to consider that there will always be someone at the school that 'knows' someone else who will do the work. Always get paid up front with a 50%-100% non-refundable deposit before you do any work at all.

We have had 'orders' but when it came time to pay, oops, someone else did it already. We never start without the money up front.

 

Irish is correct. I'm talking about Calling back and/or Cold Calling. Many people hate too do it including me.

I'd rather go to a Small Business Network meeting and tell multiple people at one time what we do.

Paul

 

Great tip thank you.

 

Our company just sends out a bunch of cheap postcards with a templated design laying out what each shirt comes out to. Simple and easy. Its super impersonal but we never have to really "bid" for anything. Its a relatively easy process...

until the orders start stacking up and Im here until 10 at night submitting them.

 

how much do you charge schools for P.E. Uniforms and polos?