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6 G R A P H I C S P R O • J U N E 2 0 2 3 G R A P H I C S - P R O. C O M M A T T D I X O N | E X E C U T I V E E D I T O R V I T A L S I G N S PRESIDENT DAVE POMEROY VICE PRESIDENT / AUDIENCE & EVENTS LORI FARSTAD VICE PRESIDENT / FINANCE KORI GONZ ALES, CPA VICE PRESIDENT / CONTENT REGAN DICKINSON DIRECTOR OF TECHNICAL SERVICES WOLF BUTLER CEO & OWNER ROBERT H. WIEBER, JR. 10170 Church Ranch Way Suite #401, Westminster, CO 80021 ( 800 ) 669-0424 | ( 303 ) 469-0424 | FAX ( 303 ) 469-5730 W W W.G R A P H I C S - P R O.C O M PRESIDENT DAVE POMEROY dpomeroy@nbm.com VICE PRESIDENT / CONTENT REGAN DICKINSON rdickinson@nbm.com EXECUTIVE EDITOR MAT T DIXON mdixon@nbm.com DIGITAL CONTENT EDITOR MARIE FENNEMA mfennema@nbm.com PODCAST/CONTENT EDITOR ERIN GADDIE egaddie@nbm.com DIRECTOR OF SALES JAMES "RUGGS" KOCHEVAR jkochevar@nbm.com SENIOR TERRITORY MANAGER – WEST BRANDY JAMISON-NETH brandy@nbm.com TERRITORY MANAGER – MIDWEST SARA REESE sreese@nbm.com TERRITORY MANAGER – NORTHEAST & CANADA KRYSTAL FRANKLIN k franklin@nbm.com TERRITORY MANAGER – SOUTHEAST DESIREE DELFRARI ddelfrari@nbm.com TERRITORY MANAGER – PACIFIC & INTERNATIONAL RYAN APPLEBAUM rapplebaum@nbm.com DIRECTOR, EVENT OPERATIONS JACKIE RAMSIER jramsier@nbm.com EXHIBITOR SERVICES MANAGER JOIE MARTIN jmartin@nbm.com ART DIRECTOR - MANAGER, CREATIVE DEPARTMENT LINDA CRANSTON linda@nbm.com SHOWS ART DIRECTOR IVETH GOMEZ igomez@nbm.com SALES SUPPORT SANDY MAES smaes@nbm.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS ANGELICA BROADNA X, LORI CHAMPAGNE, JENNIFER COX, RUTH DOBBINS, JAMES DEAN HAMILTON, CHARIT Y JACKSON, EVE LOWRY, ADAM MCCAULEY, A ARON MONTGOMERY, JOHN MORMAN, CHRIS RODKEY, STEPHEN ROMANIELLO, KRISTINE SHREVE, LON WINTERS EDITORIAL INTERN NATHAN STROMBERG nstromberg@nbm.com IN THIS ISSUE: Building an interior sign system from the outside in – Page 8 GP+: START HERE – Page 33 Working with Awards – Page 70 Know the trends and laws for childrenswear – Page 76 WANT TO KNOW MORE? Feel free to give me a call directly at 720-566-7286 or email me at mdixon@nbm.com. A Package Deal S hipping is the necessary evil of almost every busi- ness. Businesses have limited options to choose from, and once your product leaves your facility, shipping per- sonnel become de facto company representatives with none of the shared consequences to your company's repu- tation should something go wrong. e lack of control can be frustrating, but there are steps you can take to optimize the process. Compare shipping rates: Always compare the ship- ping rates of different carriers and choose the one that offers the most cost-effective solution. You can use ship- ping comparison tools to get an idea of which carrier is the best for your shipping needs. But remember, just like you tell your clients, cheapest isn't always the best. Reliability is important. Use shipping software: Shipping software can help you automate the shipping process and hopefully save you time while you compare rates from multiple carriers. It can also help you generate shipping labels and track your packages, which is more time and money saved. Optimize packaging: e size and weight of your package can significantly affect shipping costs. You should aim to reduce the size and weight of your pack- ages without compromising the safety of your products. Using standard packaging materials can also help you save money on shipping costs. Also, consolidate as much as you can. Negotiate with carriers: Negotiating shipping rates with carriers is another way to lower your shipping costs. You can negotiate based on your shipping volume, fre- quency, and loyalty to a particular carrier. Use regional carriers: Regional carriers may offer lower shipping rates in certain areas. By using regional carriers, you can reduce shipping costs while still provid- ing timely delivery. Offer free shipping over a minimum order value: If you have an online store, you can offer free shipping to customers who reach a minimum order value. is can help you increase sales while still providing a cost-effec- tive shipping solution.