8 Ways To Speed Up Your Medal Order

Custom medals take on average two months to design, make, and ship. 

We've seen this take hundreds of clients by surprise - and sometimes, by terror. 

Unfortunately, when time's not on your side there’s only so much we as suppliers can do, like offer up stock or insert medals. 

But there are things you can do to help us speed up the medal-making journey. It just takes a bit of preparation. 

In this post, we’ll walk you through exactly what these time-saving tricks are so you can get your medals faster.

Ways To Speed Up Your Medal Order

1. Be responsive

We all know someone who takes an entire workday to reply to an email.

Let's call them "Dave". 

And sure, most of the time it's not a big deal if Dave takes a bit longer than average to email people back. 

But when it comes to the approval process for your medals, slow responses can be a real time killer. 

Whether it’s signing off on the design or passing along details, every day suppliers spend waiting for Dave to give his stamp of approval is another day your custom medals aren’t being made. 

The solution? Don't be like Dave! 

Ensure the team member handling your custom medal order is ready to respond quickly. 

The faster they tick things off, the quicker your medals are made.

Time saved: up to a week.

2. Share all key details early

This might seem like common sense, but it doesn’t happen as often as you’d expect. 

For example, we’ve had hundreds of clients ask for medals but forget to mention how many they need or when they need them. 

This turns what could be a quick, simple reply into days of back-and-forth emails. 

To speed up the process, make sure you've got all the key details ready before placing your order, and include them in your reach out email. 

Here is what most suppliers will need to know before they can start making your medals:

• How many medals do you need?
• What are your contact details?
• When do you need your custom medals?
• Do you have a design ready?
  • If not, what do you want your medals to look like?
• Where do you want the medals delivered?
• Do you need your medals packed a certain way?

Time saved: a few days.

3. Have a medal design ready

If you’re serious about speeding up your order, one of the easiest things you can do is have a medal design ready. 

The design doesn't have to be professionally made - even a rough sketch on paper or a picture collage will do! 

The key is knowing what you want your medal to look like. 

Most delays happen during the design stages because revisions pile up. 

But if you hand over a clear design at the start of the process, all the supplier needs to do is convert it to the correct format for their machines. 

This means that instead of the design process taking days or weeks, it's done in a day.

Time saved: up to two weeks.

A simple drawing is all it takes to help your supplier!

4. Choose a simple design

Everyone loves an intricate medal. 

But, if you’re short on time, then simplicity is your best friend. 

The more complex the design, the more specialised equipment and skills it requires, which means the more time it takes to complete your order. 

By choosing a simpler design, you can cut down on those extra steps and speed up the process by a few days. 

Take engraving, for example. 

It's a great way to add a personal touch to your medals, but it's not a quick process. 

It takes about a minute to engrave a medal with a laser - longer if it's being hand engraved the traditional way. 

So, if you want 200 of your medals engraved, you're looking at three hours of work. 

That might not seem like much, but that’s just one aspect, and when you're on a tight deadline hours add up fast.

Time saved: a few days.

5. Send the right artwork files

When it comes to your artwork, most suppliers will ask if you’ve got any logos or images you want to include in the design. 

If you do, you'll want to send these as an AI or EPS file.

Sure, you probably have a JPEG or PNG file handy, but these can slow your order down.

Why? Because those file types are made up of tiny pixels - so when the supplier tries to resize them, they get blurry or pixelated. 

(You’ve probably seen this before yourself when you've enlarged an image, only for it to become a fuzzy mess.) 

To fix that, suppliers usually convert your image into a AI or EPS file, because they keep everything sharp, no matter how much it’s resized. 

But here’s the deal: creating vector graphics takes time. 

So, if you want to speed things up and save yourself a few days, send over files like AI or EPS right from the start. That way, you’ll get your medals faster!

Here are a few ways to get vectors:

• If you or someone in your team has design software like Adobe Illustrator, you can vectorise your images before handing them to the supplier.
• Many free online tools and software programs can convert JPEG or PNG files into vector graphics. These tools often offer simple step-by-step processes.

Time saved: a few days.

The difference between a JPEG/PNG image (left) and a vector graphic (right). 

6. Ask about express production

Some suppliers are more flexible with their production timelines than others.

Some offer express options that can shave days - if not weeks - off your timeline. 

They do this by pushing your order further up the queue, so your medals get made and shipped much faster than their standard turnaround. 

It’s worth asking about this upfront. 

Sure, it might cost a little more, but if time is your biggest concern, it could be worth every penny.

Time saved: up to two weeks.

7. Pay for express shipping

You’d be amazed how many medal orders get delayed simply because of shipping. 

Even if your supplier finishes making your medals on schedule, standard shipping could drag their actual arrival out for several days. 

We've seen this happen over and over, especially during holidays, strikes or during bad weather, and it's incredibly frustrating. 

If you’re working to a strict deadline or want peace of mind, investing in express shipping is a no-brainer. 

Yes, it’s an extra cost, but it’s less stressful than wondering if your medals will show up the day before your event… or worse, the day after.

Time saved: up to a week.

8. Choose a local supplier

If you're very short on time, going local is going to be your best option.

Shipping is one of the biggest causes of delays in the medal-making process, especially when your medals are coming from overseas. 

Since a local supplier is nearby, shipping times are usually much quicker. 

On top of that, you’ll sidestep the potential delays that come with getting your medals through customs

Time saved: up to a week.

Put these tips to use!

At the end of the day, speeding up your medal order comes down to one thing: preparation. 

At Badges And Medals, we’ve seen first-hand how a little planning can make a big difference. 

We’ve helped countless clients avoid delays by giving them the tools to stay ahead, and now those same tools are in your hands. 

By following the tips we’ve shared, you’re already a step ahead of the game. 

So, take what you’ve learned and put it into action! Contact us today to start your custom medal order.