Communication tricks and tips

Good communication is the cornerstone of a great business partnership to bring your product to life. However, with all the cultural differences, the time difference, and the language barrier, how do you communicate with your potential supplier effectively?

Keep it simple

Avoid complex words and long, run-on sentences. In your emails, keep everything clear, concise, and to the point, so it’ll be easier for them to understand.

We found that when communicating with your manufacturer, it can be helpful to send a set of questions in numerical order, like the following:

1.         What is your minimum order quantity?

2.         Where are you located?

3.         Do you produce product packaging?

4.         What are the prices for 200, 500, 750, and 1000 products?

Asking these simple questions in an organized manner will make it easier for you and your manufacturer to communicate.

Phone calls aren’t very effective

To save time, we recommend communicating with your supplier through written communication instead. The most common channels are email, Zoom, WhatsApp and Telegram. WhatsApp is utilized by practically everyone and by using WhatsApp, you will have immediate access to your factory when they are awake. You may also make calls through WhatsApp.

Examples of effective ways to communicate

Here is an example of an effective message to a supplier:

Hello,

My name is Jens Jensen and I am searching for a supplier of [product]. I found your company and wanted to get some more information about the [product] I saw on your website.

1.         What are your minimum order quantities?

2.         Do you do your own packaging?

3.         What are the prices on 1000, 500 and 200 Pieces?

4.         What is your production lead time?

Could you please get back to me with the above information? My email is XXXX and my WhatsApp is XXXX.

Please give me at least three options of similar items that you have so I can review with my team. I will look at these options and get back to you as soon as possible.

Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you and hopefully placing an order with your company.

Best,

Jens Jensen

Notice how direct and concise the message is. This will make the message easier for the potential manufacturer to comprehend.

How to achieve faster prototype and production completion

Finding the right manufacturer can cut logistics costs, order lead times, and increase your margins by going directly to the source. Here are some tips to save time and money when contacting your manufacturer to develop your prototype.

Have your designs ready

When you approach a manufacturer, we recommend you have all of the design specifications already concretely mapped out. It is important to know the colors, dimensions, and materials of the product you’re looking to manufacture.

3D printing is the fastest way to make something custom. 3D printing is a process of making three dimensional solid objects from a digital file. Creating your own molds can come at a hefty cost and you should look into an injection mold if you have thousands of pre-orders and sales pending. There are plenty of services that can help you rapidly manufacture a custom prototype.

All in all, you will move a lot faster in producing a prototype and avoid a lot of expenses, time, and headaches by getting your designs ready before you take your production process overseas to a manufacturer.

Analyze manufacturer’s size

When searching for a manufacturer to partner with, be sure to take into consideration how large the manufacturer is. While a large manufacturer probably has many buyers and produces large quantities of products, you will also be one in a large pool of buyers.

You might prefer to find a smaller manufacturer that can give you more detailed attention.

A mid-sized manufacturer would be your best bet. Small factories tend to have quality products also but most of them do not have quality certifications like ISO or BSCI.

Midsize manufacturers will have the certifications and will be able to give you the attention and high quality you seek.

It’s time to cut costs and lead times

Finding the right manufacturer is critical to both inbound and outbound logistics processes and the overall success of your business. In the early development stages, it is especially important to find the most cost-effective and efficient manufacturer to elevate growth.

We hope this post helps you find the best manufacturer. If you would like help with the supplier research process, try Eximfix.

Learn more

Interested in additional business partners that help with product sourcing and Private Label? Learn about how becoming free member of Eximfix to find suppliers and to get found by buyers can help your business scale.