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YOU CAN QUOTE THIS!

Anne Kinner

Director of Production at Leder Games

they/them

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AGENDA

Introduction

Overview

Spec Sheets

Quotes

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Summary & Further Resources

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INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE

  • Director of Production & Logistics at Leder Games
  • 10+ years in print production & design
  • Formerly worked in production at Pandasaurus Games and Asmodee North America
  • Worked on titles such as Star Wars X-Wing, Marvel Crisis Protocol, Pandemic Legacy, Arcs, Root, Dinosaur World, and many others
  • Volunteers with the Tabletop Mentorship Program & provides consultation for independent designers

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  • How to write a spec sheet
  • How to research components
  • What to expect from the quoting process
  • Additional resources, a sample spec sheet, and helpful links

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WHAT YOU WILL GET…

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…& WHAT YOU WON’T

  • The costs of components
  • How to quote components for your specific design
  • How to find a manufacturer
  • How the production process for each component works

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SPEC SHEETS

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WHAT IS A SPEC SHEET?

  • Short for “Specification Sheet”
  • Used for both internal product reference and for quoting
  • Contains all information about the physical components
  • Generally formatted in a table or Excel spreadsheet
  • May need additional hard component sheet

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SAMPLE SPEC SHEET

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BUILDING A SPEC SHEET

Item

Pieces

Size

Printing

Material

Notes

Description of component

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Identifiable

& Specific

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Group like with like

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Numerical

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Count individual items i.e. X number of cards vs 1 deck

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Guesstimate higher than lower

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Numerical

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Metric (unless US)

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Number of pages for rules (divide by 4)

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Use existing components sizes

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CMYK�

4c/4c

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All applied printing including plastics

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Manufacturer often has guide sheets

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Ask other publishers

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Consult past spec sheets

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Can include finish

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Other details

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Color Split outs

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Folding instructions

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Packing instructions

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UNIQUE & NEW COMPONENTS

  • Look beyond the board game space e.g. toy aisles, online marketplaces (Alibaba), packaging design blogs, etc.
  • Consider variations in complexity
  • Provide images rather than relying on descriptions
  • Have a sample made e.g. 3D printing, laser cutting, hand building

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TIPS & TRICKS

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  • Research games in the same design space

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  • Go component shopping in your board game collection

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  • Consider user experience

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  • Ask other designers or publishers for help

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  • Consult manufacturer component guides & sample boxes

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  • Use past spec sheets or quotes to match materials across products

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  • Keep spec sheets organized

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QUOTES

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WHAT IS A QUOTE?

  • Contractual document setting pricing & production terms of the physical components in a product
  • Provided by a manufacturer to a publisher
  • Includes per unit and fixed costs
  • Usually time sensitive
  • Can include terms and conditions of production, payment, timeline, and pickup
  • May separate out paper components from hard components (wood, plastic, etc)

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QUOTE CYCLE

Submit Spec Sheet & Request Quote

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Manufacturer Responds to Request

Receive Quote

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Revise Design Or Approve

Final Quote

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TIPS & TRICKS

  • Check for accuracy
  • Make sure you met manufacturer minimum order quantity
  • Ask for a range of quantities (consider reprints)
  • Get quotes from a range of manufacturers
  • May receive summary or itemized quotes
  • Read it carefully & ask questions

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YOU CAN QUOTE THIS!

  • This is a skill; as you do it more

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  • Ask for help!

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  • Organize your documents

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  • Keep making amazing games!

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Q&A

Thank you for attending!

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FURTHER RESOURCES