Starting An Account
Consider “starting an account” and locking in a discount rate of $52/hour as your permanent rate for research this year.

It’s a fact - research costs are constantly rising. Over the past three years, rates for commercial services rose nearly 50%. These tools are critical to provide you with the highest quality research in a time-efficient manner. 

"What is an "Account," and what are the benefits?"

In essence, you are paying ahead for a predetermined amount of research time at the discounted rate of $52/hour. 
By establishing an account, you can greatly minimize the administrative headache of coordinating invoices for payment, paying a substantially higher fee for important rush work, and/or paying at a higher rate if the discount deadline is missed.

Your account time never expires. If you have a “balance” at the end of the month, the research time is carried over and available for the next month’s use.
You will receive a statement at the end of each month that clearly indicates your beginning account balance,  itemized list of  research "debits" against your account, and the balance left in your account.

You may also place a “lump sum” amount in your account, and utilize those funds over the coming months. A minimum $1,000 is required for a "lump sum" deposit.

"Ok, how do we get started?"

First, think about your research needs over the coming months.

  • How many prospects do you think you will research during an average month - 3, 5, 10, 20, etc.
  • Think about the "type of research" you may need – full profiles, philanthropy/wealth, philanthropy/boards/wealth, or a mixture of services.

If you need assistance in the planning process, just call my office at 724-295-0679 to discuss.

Next, using the "Profile Production Time" list and "Monthly Account Level" chart below as a guideline, determine the account level that best matches your needs.

Remember: Your time never expires; you can carry over unused hours to the next month, or for several months. You may also place a "lump sum" in your account. However, if you go over your account allotment, you will be billed at the regular current rates and terms. Balances are non-refundable.

Profile Production Time:
  • Full Profile: 5.0 hours (average)
  • Boards/Philanthropy/Wealth Assessment: 4.0 hours (average)
  • Philanthropy/Wealth Assessment: 3.0 hours (average)
  • Also available: Prospect identification and qualification services.

Monthly Account Level     Research Time By Level*

$1,000           19 hours
$2,000 38 hours
$3,000 57 hours

* Does not include shipping fees. Shipping of hardcopy profiles and back-up research documentation will be deducted from the account balance.
 
"How does billing work?"

  • Once you establish your “Account Level,” you will be billed on or about the 1st  of each month for the following month’s account fee, i.e. January 1  billing covers February research, etc. The invoice is due within 15 days of invoice date.
  • Thereafter, you will be billed each month on the 1st of the month at the predetermined Account Level until you change, suspend, or cancel your account.
  • You may also select to place a “lump sum” in your account, which is available on an on-going basis. When your account gets low, you can add more money if you plan to do more research. "Lump sum' minimum is $1,000.
  • At the end of each month you will receive a detailed statement covering your account activity for the prior month.
  • If you do not use all of your research time during the month, your time will be carried over to the next month, and reflected as a “credit” on your next month’s statement.
  • You can place your account on hold if you do not plan to do any research for awhile, or adjust your Account Level rate as needed.
  • Important: If you go over your account level allotment, you will be billed for the overage amount plus the next months fee. If an overage occurs for more than two months, we may need to revisit your monthly account billing level.
  • Research time is non-refundable.

"What if our needs change?"

The only thing constant is change! Your account is custom tailored to your needs and your time never expires!

For example, as your campaign revs up, you may find you need to increase your Account Level for the next few months. Conversely, you may be nearing the end of your campaign or project and find yourself starting to slow down and need to lower your Account Level.  You can change your Account Level at any time prior to the next billing cycle.

You can also stop your account at any time. Again, your accumulated time does not expire. You can use those hours any time during the next 12 months. If you stop your account and have a balance due, you will be billed according to current rates and terms.