What We Do -
Innovative Products and Professional Services to the Hobbycraft Industry
See our products on eBay - Click/Tap here:
We'll work with your team to optimize your profits:
- Product development, sourcing and quality control (see details below)
- Project management from inception through completion
- Product marketing and promotion
- Management of Direct Mail, Website & Email campaigns
- Customer list optimization
- Analysis of marketing contribution and product profitability
- Operational and Distribution Center efficiency
- Warehousing Systems and Inventory Control
- Order fulfillment
- Customer package delivery
- Strategic and tactical business planning for growth
We'll guide your team through all or part of the product development process:
- Develop new product ideas
- Write technical specifications
- Establish price points
- Identify and contract product production . . . domestic or foreign
- Prepare drawings and samples for vendor quotation
- Review first-piece production samples and work with vendors to improve the design and manufacture
- Place production orders
- Write advertising/catalog copy; write product instruction manuals
- Provide promotional photos and videos of product demonstrations
- Establish incoming inspection criteria
- Determine harmonized/customs-duty classification numbers for imports; arrange transport of products to warehouse
- Design internet, web, direct mail and magazine advertising campaigns
- Measure profitability through the use of exclusive spreadsheets and company data
- Manage all customer service work and order fulfillment
About Our Chief Advisor, Tom Piccirillo:
- Tom Piccirillo started building scale models at age 12 after discovering a copy of the April 1964 issue of Model Railroader magazine for sale at a local corner store. After receiving his degree in mechanical engineering in 1974, he pursued a management career in well-known industries, such as Burroughs Corporation and Ohaus Scale, and holds patents on electronic connectors. His most-recent tenure was president of Micro-Mark where, for 24 years, he developed and marketed innovative tools for builders of scale models.
- A prolific author, Tom has written many how-to articles for the hobby press, including Model Railroader, Railroad Model Craftsman, The NG&SL Gazette, Fine Scale Modeler, Dollhouse Miniatures, and Great Model Railroads. In 2009, Tom earned his Master Model Railroader certification, and has been awarded the Paul Mallery Trophy for model building excellence. In 2014, he was inducted into the O Scale Hall of Fame. Currently a member of the Hobby Manufacturers Association, Tom has formed HobbyAdvisors LLC, providing consulting and professional guidance for major USA and international producers of tool and hobby products, including editorial and photographic services in addition to Marketing Analytics.
- He is perhaps best-known for the construction and operation of the O scale Somerset County Traction System, which he has described not only in magazines, but also on Public Television. Tom is also former-president of The New Jersey Live Steamers, where he operates his home-workshop-built 1/12th scale locomotives and cars. He is restoring an antique Mercedes-Benz automobile, and is an accomplished jazz rhythm guitarist.
Accomplishments:
- Developed Micro-Mark from a small kit and hobby tool supplier into THE dominant hobby and technical industry proprietary tool supplier, both domestically and abroad.
- Evolved the Micro-Mark marketing program from a pure catalog to a highly-sophisticated, integrated series of multimedia web, email, social media, magazine and catalog campaigns . . . customized to each individual customer.
- Delivered a consistent, multi-year bottom line operating profit for Micro-Mark that is recognized by independent verification as unsurpassed in the direct marketing industry.
Our client list is continually growing and includes such industry leaders as: