Celebrate Your American Story

The United States is a beautiful nation of immigrants and natives, each with their own story of how they became an "American".  To celebrate our American heritage, Keystone Specialties is presenting all types of custom USA-made ornaments.  This collection is as diverse as the nation they represent - covering many different types of materials, custom imprint methods, and packaging options.  Here are some of these American made Christmas ornaments:

Acrylic Full Color Christmas Ornaments Made in the USA

These ornaments are made from sturdy 1/4-inch thick or 3/8-inch thick crystal-clear acrylic.  Your custom design is printed onto the material in brilliant full-color imprint, which allows your custom design to be represented in true colors against the clear acrylic material.  After your design is printed on the acrylic, the material is cut with a laser into your preferred shape.   The custom shape cutting allows for more creative graphic design and visually stunning custom ornaments.
 

  

Acrylic Laser Etched Christmas Ornaments Made in the USA

Also made from the same 1/4-inch thick or 3/8-inch thick clear acrylic, this time your design can be etched into the surface of these see-through custom shaped ornaments with a laser, providing a visually softer contrast against the clear acrylic material.  The etched areas fracture the light passing through the ornaments, which appears white on the clear background.  If you don't need color, but simply a custom shaped ornament with a line-drawn design or logo, this method appears quite sophisticated without the cost of etched glass.  Plus the ornament is less likely to shatter if it's dropped on a hard surface. 

How Church Fundraisers Can Be A Roaring Success

Every church group on Earth wants their fundraisers to be successful. Often, most successful fundraising programs were well thought out, leadership planned out their goals, and conveyed them to each participant. I have seen church fundraisers that decided on an item to sell and promoted it doing what we advised. The group sold out within just a few days and hit their targeted goal for profit raised. Wouldn't you like to have a church fundraiser with those results?

It always amazes me that the organizers will spend a month or more deciding what they want to sell or promote only to ignore the follow up that will make the program successful or even more successful. Usually it only takes a few hours to make sure the fundraiser gets off to a good start and do a little follow up. By proper preparation and follow up, any church group, whether a youth group fundraiser, raising funds for mission trips, or just to celebrate a church anniversary, you can raise all the funds you had in mind if you would just take those few extra hours to assure its success.

Not too long ago, I wrote a FREE REPORT called "Fundraising Made Easy" that was designed to help any type of organization have a successful fundraising project. It is still available and a copy can be downloaded for FREE by going to www.KeystoneSpecialties.com/treasuredscenes/how-to-fundraise.html . In there you will find 7 simple steps to organize and implement a successful fundraising program.

Case Study

One of our clients wanted to raise some funds to help celebrate their 100th Anniversary. They also had a beautiful Rose Window, although nearly any stained glass window will usually work. By reproducing the window on a collector's edition glass ball ornament, they sold them with the advertised proceeds going to fund the Centennial celebration. They could have just as easily used the proceeds for new choir robes, mission trips, or even to rehab the stained glass windows. Because the committee took the time to do it right by advertising the program in their bulletin before the ornaments even arrived and having them on display after each service, they were able to meet their objective of selling out quickly. They even reordered and now offer them to new members or newly-weds looking for a memento of their big day.

There are so many creative ways to have successful church fundraisers. Call Keystone Specialties at 800-240-8639 for some more great FREE ideas. Great people to work with and very willing to offer some more FREE ideas.

About the author:
John McWilliams, MAS is the Chief Executive Officer and past President of Keystone Specialties, Inc, an international  distributor of Promotional Products located in Butler, PA. He is a past Vice President and served as acting President of the Three Rivers Advertising Specialty Association. In 2004 he was inducted into their Hall of Fame. With over 30 years of helping thousands of organizations raise funds for their various needs, he is always willing to offer advice to help make every organization more successful.

Glass Ball Ornaments - The Perfectly Easy Fundraiser & Promotion (ON SALE THROUGH MARCH 31st)

Hello Treasured Scenes fans!   

Despite the cold weather recently, we are now offering a very hot sale price on our famous Treasured Scenes Glass Ball Ornaments.  Yes, the individually gift boxed, custom printed glass ball Christmas ornaments are on sale for 20% off regular price!  Save $100 to over $1000 if you order before March 31st! 

With 30 colors available in glossy to frosty finishes, the design options are endless for your custom imprint.  Try a robin egg frosty blue to feature a metallic bronze and crimson imprint, or why not go boldly with a hot pink and bright teal imprint on a glossy black glass ball ornament?  The color combinations are endless, and Keystone Specialties' design staff will create the perfect color combination for your image.  Here are a few examples of stunning color combinations on custom printed glass ball ornaments:

Examples of printed Glass Ball Ornaments

If you're planning to use these glass ball ornaments as a fundraiser, our staff at Keystone Specialties will recommend a number of ornaments based on your organization's membership, student body, congregation size, or any other factors relevant to your outreach in the community.  We can create free promotional ideas for you to promote your Treasured Scenes collectibles, teach you how to fundraise, create a risk free fundraiser with you, or simply teach you about how a photo you send us can be turned into a beautiful collectible using our exclusive art process.

There's another detail about custom printed glass ball ornaments that we offer:  Gift boxes!  Not just any gift boxes, but break-free, protective window boxes that offer a clear view of the custom ornament inside while providing protection from breaking if the box is dropped with the ornament inside.  These come automatically with your order to prevent damage in shipment, and provide a convenient way to transport the ornaments once you receive shipment.

Glass Ball Ornament Gift Box

Planning Your Design:

Other than the thirty colors of glass ball ornaments available for custom imprint, we also have the option of printing 1 side or 2 sides.  Most designs are printed on one side with a second design or text on the back side.  This allows a description of the image on the front to be included, or a special thank you message for the recipient.  For a series of designs where a new design is featured each year until the series is complete, the series edition number can be included on the back side as well as any background information regarding the subject.  By adding this series information on your printed glass ball ornaments, each ornament will belong to the larger collection and encourage collectors to purchase the entire series.

Looking for a subject image for your ornaments, and not sure what might sell best for a fundraiser?  We work with thousands of organizations each year, and would love to help you with selecting the perfect image for your glass ball ornaments. 
 
From schools that feature a mascot or a motto to park departments that feature a natural feature unique to one of their regional parks, we can suggest the image that sells well and raises awareness for your organization.

Fundraising with Glass Ball Ornaments:

With wholesale prices ranging from $3 for large quantities to $4 for small quantities, most organizations retail Treasured Scenes glass ball ornaments for $10 to $15 each.  This price range varies according to the number of imprint colors and how renown the image printed on the ornaments is.  With famous organizations worldwide purchasing these ornaments as fundraisers every year, they can be sold for as high as $25 each.  With the suggested retail price range of $10 to $15 each, this allows your organization to raise $5 to $8 per ornament.  Full color photo imprint ornaments often sell for $12 to $15 each, while 2 color imprinted ornaments may retail for $10 to $12.  It all depends on the art featured, which our staff at Keystone Specialties can help you select.

How to Plan a Glass Ball Ornament Purchase:

Since these glass ball ornaments are custom printed from custom artwork (which must be created and approved before printing can begin), the team at Keystone Specialties suggests ordering at least 3 to 4 weeks in advance of any event dates for your custom artwork and production to be completed.  With shipping included, it may be necessary to order 4 weeks in advance of any special event dates for ground shipment service.  If you're planning on ordering these ornaments for your organization, here are the simple steps to make your purchase easier:

To begin your purchase:

1.  Select an image for imprint
2.  Select a color of glass (See the glass colors here)
3.  Order your ornaments (Order online or call 800-240-8639 Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM EST)
When placing an order, we can accept a credit card deposit or check by mail deposit.  

Once you place your order with deposit, 3 things will happen:

1.  An art proof will be created in 2 to 5 days (depending on design complexity)
2.  Your approval or revision of the art proof will be requested.  
3.  Ornaments will be produced and shipped in 2 weeks after art proof approval.
4.  A digital PromoPacket will be emailed to you for publicizing your new ornament design (optional).

The process all begins with your selection of an image and a glass color to feature it on.  To make things simple, you may send a design directly to us through our order & online quote system accessible here:

http://www.keystonespecialties.com/treasuredscenes/glass-ball-ornament-store.html


Questions before you get started?  Feel free to call us at 800-240-8639 Monday through Friday between 8 AM and 5 PM Eastern Time.  We are always glad to help!

Cheers to starting your own custom printed glass ball ornament!

      
    

Ornament Fundraisers Start Now!

It's the most wonderful time of the year...  Truly.

The holidays may seem farther away than they really are at the moment, so this friendly public service announcement is to remind you that if you're planning on creating an ornament fundraiser, it's time to start your order now!  The whole ordering process takes longer than expected to produce and ship ornaments during the busiest season of the year, so we want to make sure you get your orders in on time for delivery before the holidays are past.

How long do ornament orders take to be delivered?  Well, that depends on manufacturing material you choose, how long it takes for art production and your approval, and shipping time to wherever we're shipping to.  The range is from 4 to 8 weeks from start to finish for custom ornaments.  If you're ordering a custom glass ball ornament, count on 4 weeks total.  If you're ordering an custom shaped metal ornament, count on 8 weeks.  There's a whole die cutting process involved, production and shipping from overseas, etc that takes a bit longer for etched metal ornaments. 

Another advantage of ordering early is that you have more time you have to sell your custom ornaments until the last holiday of the season is past.  Having 1 month to sell your ornaments is a lot more probable than having 1 week to accomplish the same, right?  So in that case, it's time to get your order started.   

A few ornament materials to select from for your custom design are right here:

Acrylic Ornaments (custom shaped, full color)

Ceramic Ornaments (stock shapes, full color)

Color Filled Brass Ornaments (custom shaped)

Epoxy Dome Brass Ornaments (stock shapes, full color)

Etched Metal Ornaments (custom shaped in brass nickel, or copper)

Glass Ball Ornaments (stock shape glass in 31 colors, full color option)

Goldtone / Silvertone Ornaments (stock shapes, screen printed 1 color)

Nanobrite Stained Glass Ornaments (stock shapes, full color)

Pewter Ornaments (custom shaped, optional color fill)

Porcelain Ornaments (stock shapes, full color)

Shatterproof Ornaments (stock shapes, screen printed 1+ colors)

To start your custom ornament fundraiser, select a material from the list above, and click on the picture.  You'll land directly on the selection page for that specific ornament type, where you can start your order.  Not sure about imprint options for the image you would like printed?  Request a quote directly from one of the product links above by clicking on one of the selections you see in the store page.  (The Request Quote button is located right next to the Order button for each item once you're in the store.)

Remember, the earlier you order your custom ornaments, the more time you have to sell them before the holidays are past us.  Maximize your ornament fundraising opportunities by ordering in October. 

Cheers to a successful custom Christmas ornament fundraiser!  

Keystone Specialties
800-240-8639
Monday through Friday 8 AM to 5 PM EST


P.S.  Ever head of a PromoPack?  It's a word we coined to describe our digital promotional marketing package you'll receive with your Treasured Scenes fundraising order if you request one.  When you place an order with us as a fundraiser, be sure to request a PromoPack.  It's a kick start to your fundraising success! 

Holiday Fundraisers for PTO's, Sports Boosters, & the Arts

 The School Year is Here!

     School bells are starting to ring, the PTO budgets are being discussed, and sports boosters are kicking off fundraisers over the next few weeks at the start of another school year.  Fundraising programs happen to be the central theme of any school group supporting the arts, athletics, or enhanced academics.  Getting a new fundraising idea to sell to any one of these groups, however, takes a bit of novelty combined with a lot of planning and teamwork to reach an agreement.  Especially in light of school budgets being squeezed along with students' and parents' schedules being squeezed tightly as well, it's make-it or break-it with trying new fundraising programs.  One shining fundraising program stands out from the pack though for its beauty, nostalgia, and class.  

How Treasured Scenes Collectibles Become Effective School Fundraisers

Beauty in the Eye of the Beholder

      No one can deny the apparent attraction they feel towards the Treasured Scenes fundraising ornaments at first glance.  Free display packaging keeps each ornament on view of your buyers while protecting the collectible from bumps or breakage.

     Surpassing the packaging, the hand-drawn details in each collectible's artwork make each Treasured Scenes fundraiser magical, as collectors who purchase them from your school organization see the feature subject image on the collectible in a whole new perspective.  Perhaps a historic building in your city is revealed in its original form shortly after it was built, or a person famous is featured for his or her contributions to your region, or a piece of art created by a student is used.  There are hundreds of ways the subject image you choose can make an ornament fundraiser, collectors plate fundraiser, afghan fundraiser, pillow fundraiser, collectors mug fundraiser, tote bag fundraiser, trivet fundraiser, or collectors coin fundraiser popular beyond your imagination. 

Marketing Support

     Keystone Specialties, the company behind Treasured Scenes, provides marketing support materials for each Treasured Scenes fundraiser.  After the artwork is designed and approved for your collectible fundraiser, a template email will be sent to your school group's contact person with several fundraiser marketing materials.  These materials include:

Media Release Template (For online/print newspapers and broadcast)

Promotional Flier Template (For printing and posting in permitted locations)

Inventory Control Sheet (For tracking inventory of collectibles sent to locations for retail) 

Pre-Order Sheet (To take orders before collectibles are delivered (Upon request))

Digital Image of Your Collectible (For inserting into your own email templates and print material)

Social Media Guide (For promoting your fundraiser on Facebook, Twitter, blogs, etc.)

Free Fundraiser Support Examples

Retail Product Sourcing - Limited Edition Collectibles

     Coming from a retail management background, I've learned what customer's expect before making a purchase in a retail store.  Even if they're buying an inexpensive item, their purchase comes with a level of expectation.  Knowing these expectations for a product before purchasing a new product for a gift shop or other specialty store are quite important. 
     Consider how functional a collectible product is first.  Even if it is a collectible for display only, the function and design of the product create a single force that impulses the customer to purchase.  For example, although a collectible plate would not be used for fear of damaging its finish, its function as a plate is entirely replaced by its form and function as wall art or a tabletop display.  This is where form and function merge, as the design of the plate featuring colors, textures, and shape, become the force of its function as a display piece.  A collectible that doesn't provide high contrast, texture, or some other artistic value, will no longer hold its form and be considered a waste to the potential buyer.  Then the collectible will simply waste inventory dollars and retail display space until it is liquidated at a heavily discounted price.  The loss extends beyond the retailer's cost of the item, and affects the profitability per square foot, the most important point of success for a traditional retailer (versus online retail).
     So how does a retail store plan and design new products to fill the consumer demand while avoiding potential dud products?  This is where design and sourcing strategy are most important.  Having a strong working relationship with a product marketing company can provide insight on consumer demand for products based on the sourcing company's overall sales history.  Having a graphic designer who can make an imprinted product stand out among the other products on the shelves is also key.  This combination will make each new product that hits your store display cases another hit among many strong sellers.  When a product immediately sells as soon as it is available to customers in a store, that's a home run product, and sales numbers will benefit from its presence in the product mix.

Top Selling Collectibles for Retailers:

     What are some of the top selling collectibles that every gift retailer should consider?  To start with, glass ball ornaments are one of the most attractive items available for gift shops to carry.  With their full-color imprint on a select glass color, each ornament stands out like a work of art.  Better yet, each glass ball ornament automatically comes inside a break-resistant display box to catch the eye of the customer.  Another top-selling retail collectible is custom woven afghans.  These natural woven cotton blankets have many thread colors as a tapestry, or two colors as a 2-1/2 layer afghan for simplified design.  To boost the sales of afghans, complimentary pillows can be sold along with the woven blankets.  Another top seller for the collectibles market is custom designer mugs and glasses.  These can be etched with an image into the surface of the ceramic or glass, molded medallions can be attached to your selection of mug, screen printed images can be printed onto the drink ware, or even a photographic image can be permanently printed into a ceramic mug.  The design options are quite open for collectible mugs and glasses, so it's probably best to ask a promotional marketing firm which designs are most in demand.  Choosing one of these product categories as an addition to your gift shop should be a start towards positive sales growth. 
      
How to Start Sourcing New Products for Your Gift Shop:    

      First of all, browse custom collectibles on a reliable supplier's website for design ideas.  Look at your store's sales numbers for what are your strongest selling products, and which are the weakest.  Focus on moving the weakest products out of your inventory, but understand what makes those products weak sellers.  Is it quality issue?  Does the product appear dated?  Are there too many similar products in your store that the entire store's sales suffer?  Does your product selection appeal to not enough of your customers?
     After considering the new products you wish to add to your store's selection, choose a design feature that would be consistent with your gift shop's purpose.  For example, if your gift shop is specifically for military themed gifts, choose a design that will mean something important to the likely shoppers.  If your gift shop deals with history of a place or person, select images that convey that history well.  Whatever images you choose, it's important to then provide your product supplier with the images for the products selected.  A professional supplier will then provide conceptual design ideas for the images to be featured in style on the products you wish to add to your gift shop.  This takes the guesswork out of product sourcing, and provides your retail store with improved product selection and sales growth.   

Church Fundraising Ideas & Solutions

     There are a million ways to raise funds for a church, but not all of them enhance the reputation of the participating congregation.  Car washes?  Music download cards?  Yes, they are fundraisers with small immediate returns, but they don't necessarily spread the reputation of the congregation, or more importantly, the message, in a way people are not soon to forget after the fundraiser is over.  In a media-saturated world, things are very soon out of sight & out of mind.   

     To raise funds for your church & spread a positive message more permanently, a custom imprinted fundraising collectible - an physical item people can purchase - can help.  This can be accomplished through a collectors item that features a historical Bible scene, a modern scene demonstrating a Christian lifestyle, or simply inspirational messages from scriptures or spiritual leaders throughout history.  Here's an example of a stained glass window scene on a glass ornament featuring Jesus depicted as the Great Shepherd guiding his sheep:

Glass Ornament featuring a Stained Glass Window

    
    Another fundraising item churches use is a custom woven pillow.  This fundraising item also allows a colorful scene to be shown is detail to spread a positive message.

Custom Pillow Fundraiser

     How about a coffee mug?  There are hundreds of mug designs to choose from, and an everyday item like this sells well as a fundraiser.

Custom Mug Fundraiser

     There are hundreds of scenes any church or affiliated organization can use to spread a positive message while raising funds.  Best of all, each fundraiser will come with a digital promotional package to help your church group raise funds successfully.  Each step of the packet will outline what needs to be done before, during, and after closing your fundraising efforts for complete success!

     One way to start your new collectible fundraiser is to select an item that most interests you.  From custom coins to coffee mugs, afghans to collectors plates, anything is possible.  Simply choose an item, send your artwork or photo to us, and we will advise you the best way to meet your fundraising goals.  Even if you're not ready to select which item you want to raise funds with, answer a short fundraising questionnaire and we will send you the best ways for your church group to raise funds.

Ready to start? 

Find a fundraising item now!

Complete the Fundraising Questionnaire

Learn about No Risk Fundraisers