Discuss the fun task of marketing a t-shirt shop. Where to advertise, local marketing tips, word of mouth, press releases, search engine marketing, keyword advertising, magazines, etc.
Hello all, I am writing this evening (around midnight in SD), in hopes you can give me some marketing guidance and advice. First and foremost, our website isn't getting any orders. We did a huge event this past Sunday and passed out a bunch of business cards, but we haven't heard from anyone yet. This event was $150 for the space and we only made about $90. Even though I was thankful for that $90, I was disappointed (for an all-day event), it wasn't more. I have a ten-month old at home and have a full-time job. I try to market on the weekends and at night when my family goes to bed. I feel like I am working really hard, but not getting anywhere. We have had some small custom orders, but no one has ordered from our site and I can't understand it. When people see our shirts, they say they like them and we get a lot of promisses made, but not many sales. What are we doing wrong? How can we market our site in the most efficient manner. Also, how do most of you pay for your business? When we started our business, we got a business credit card. Now the credit card is getting up there, and the sales aren't rolling in. I guess I am in search of guidance from those of you who are getting orders from your website. I would also like to know how some of you are financing your business (those of you who don't mind sharing). Something has to give or I will have to take a break from my business (which I love) because it will be dipping into our family $$ which won't work. Please offer your helpful tips and advice.
Desi
__________________ Need Tees Done? Say Vende's the one! www.sayvende.com
Hi there, This is my advice for you, it is what I do and works good for me.
Open a blog, write news, send newsletters to your friends and tell them to forward them to their friends. Find a joke site and send it to your contacts by email and @ the end attatch an image and a link to your site, I personally dont like that kind of emails and dont forward them, but many many peolple like them and send them to their contacts. So sending jokes and chain emails would be a way to get to many people. Also advertise offline with bumper stickers and shirts with your URL. Good Luck!
You are trying to accomplish ine of the most difficult things a person can do, start a business from scratch. I commend you and wish you all the luck in the world.
A couple suggestions and observations;
I can only recall one order made from a business card that got handed out at a show (our focus then was woodworking and primitive Americana). I noticed that potential customers were interested as long as they were at your booth and would often take a card to remind them of your wares as they looked at the rest of the show but then, as they go to other booths, the become interested in other things and eventually they see that one irresistible item that gets their dollars.
what kind of hit count is your web site getting? +can we look at it?
AS far as the credit card, try to pay that off as soon as possible, even if you have to use household $$ to do it. It may take a couple years for your business to become self-sustaining, the credit card folks are not that patient. It's impossible to start a business like this without tools and materials but try to avoid credit purchases whenever possible until you have an income stream sufficient to support the credit. Look for used equipment (sad to say, there are T-shirt printers that go under every day, it's not unseemly to take advantage of the depreciated value of their equipment). Inventory, on the other hand, is something that you cannot be without if hope to respond to an order but most suppliers offer pretty rapid order fulfillment if you find yourself low on a particular size or color.
It may be small consolation to think that the great majority of the forum members started out just this way and, at one time or another, sat around the kitchen table after the kids had gone to bed and asked themselves how they can keep on going. Just know that it is possible even when it isn't easy. I may not have a lot of cred based upon my postings but this is the fourth or fifth time that I've started a new business (I guess my ADD doesn't let stick with one thing for too long) and I'm beginning with well-used equipment, a borrowed computer and a single order. I've invested a Big Mac's worth less than $2000 for an order that will gross $1000 but I will then have all the materials needed (except blank shirts) to net 70% off each subsequent shirt. My $1000 investment on the first order will be paid off in 100 shirts or so.
Hope this isn't too long a reply, I'll keep my fingers are crossed for both of us.
May I chime in here as well? We do embroidery and screen printing. Our focus is what some call "work identity wear". When you go to a place of business and the person you talk with is wearing a garment (shirt, apron, hat, etc.) with the business name on it is what I'm talking about. We are a small business. Just my wife and myself, although sometimes we get our teenagers to help (providing they want some spending money and the batteries in our cattle prods are fully charged....LOL...just kidding).
We "stock" threads of various colors for embroidery and we "stock" plastisol inks of various colors for screen printing. Of course we have the equipment as well, but as far as "stocking" clothing.....NO! We only have a selection of sample garments to show customers. Some can be bought and worn right off our sample rack, others have a large grommet and color swatch tag on them. Most clothing vendors/suppliers will sell you samples for very little money. That way you don't have a bunch of clothes that will go "out of style" and you'll be stuck with. After all, when was the last time you bought a pair of paisley bell-bottoms and a 2½"-wide white vinyl belt? Make sure the samples you buy are in the sizes you and your family can wear so when that particular garment has been discontinued by the supplier, at least YOU will be able to get some good out of it.
True, a white T-shirt is a white T-shirt, and as long as it doesn't get damaged somehow and gets imprinted and sold before it rots and turns to dust, you'll be able to turn it around. But why tie up your money in something that can be delivered to your door usually within 24-48 hours? If you can, have your customer pay up front for the entire amount due, if not, get a deposit that is large enough to cover YOUR cost of buying the goods you're selling to them.
If you can't do either, then you have to decide whether you want that person for a customer. Is it going to be worth your financial risk to invest your own money into garments on the hope and assumption that it will bloom into something greater? The down-side of THAT is, if it does bloom into something greater, and the customer begins ordering more and more, you'll have already trained them that they don't need to pay up front. And YOU'LL be fronting more and more of YOUR money for the garments you'll be imprinting and waiting for the customer to pay you (and hoping and praying they don't stiff you).
Believe me, most companies, even really big ones, seem to understand when you tell them your a small home-based business and you don't have enough money in the bank to be able to buy the goods necessary for their order and you NEED them to give you a deposit of "X" number of dollars. Make that "X" at least enough to cover your costs.
There are some customers we have (certain branches of the Federal Govt.) that no matter what, will not pay anything until the finished product is delivered. If you get customers like that and want to keep them, that is a decision you have to make.
Remember, you are in this for the money. It's great if you happen to really like it as well, but here's two last bits of advice....
Are you a screen printer/embroiderer that happens to be in business, or are you a business that happens to do screen printing/embroidering?
And lastly....Watch the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves.
Keep at it! it takes a while to build this thing up. A business takes time to grow. Just don't get yourself into corners and think it's do or die.
For my business, I choose to pay cash for everything. That way I am not beholden to the banks and have that stress. Do I have everything I want? Nope. Will I get it when I get the money? Yep, but not until that time. It's a slow burn, one brick at atime.
__________________
The original Thread Killah!™ Heavy Metal Art and more @ www.deathisgain.com
Your sit looks good,but you need to go after the custom orders to make the money .Start by going to all the schools in the area and asking them for work ,this time of year most schools have year end fun days and all the kids get ashirts. Don't forget all the retailers yoy buy from ,give them a Biz card so if they need shirts they can call. Good luck Bob
Try some of your local clothing stores, make a portfolio of your designs and take it in, see if they might be interested in stocking some of your shirts. I also saw a poker design at your site, see if there is any poker clubs around town and try to market to them. Or wear your poker shirt to a local casino walk around and have some freebies to hand out if someone seems interested. Pens, magnets or bumper stickers, to me when I get a business card it gets lost in my purse and I forget about it, but I would remember the pen or magnet. Also maybe put a wholesale link on your website, "If you are interested in carrying our shirts please contact us at......".
Just remember that any business takes time, everyone has their slow and bad days but the good ones will outway the bad ones in time.
__________________ Mystic Never give up on YOUR DREAM!
This is such a good pep talk!!! I feel that we can DO IT!!!
Im also starting this new business. I hope I have what it takes to get there.
I realized something when I first started thinking about this business, I said " look around! Everyone owns a t-shirt." Now we have to find the people who like ours.
I learned to focus on one nitch at a time. if that didnt work, look for another until you find the one that matches you.
You may want to add "click on a shirt to see samples" When I looked at your sight I saw just a few shirts saying Say????? . If I was looking for a shirt, I would just move on to another of the millions of sites out there. You only have seconds to grab peoples attention on the web until they are off to another site. They need a reason to stay and look around.
What can I say but thanks. Everyone on this forum is really helpful. I appreciate you sharing both your ideas and suggestions with me. I wish everyone on the forum the very best success.
__________________ Need Tees Done? Say Vende's the one! www.sayvende.com
Hello all, I am writing this evening (around midnight in SD), in hopes you can give me some marketing guidance and advice. First and foremost, our website isn't getting any orders. We did a huge event this past Sunday and passed out a bunch of business cards, but we haven't heard from anyone yet. This event was $150 for the space and we only made about $90. Even though I was thankful for that $90, I was disappointed (for an all-day event), it wasn't more. I have a ten-month old at home and have a full-time job. I try to market on the weekends and at night when my family goes to bed. I feel like I am working really hard, but not getting anywhere. We have had some small custom orders, but no one has ordered from our site and I can't understand it. When people see our shirts, they say they like them and we get a lot of promisses made, but not many sales. What are we doing wrong? How can we market our site in the most efficient manner. Also, how do most of you pay for your business? When we started our business, we got a business credit card. Now the credit card is getting up there, and the sales aren't rolling in. I guess I am in search of guidance from those of you who are getting orders from your website. I would also like to know how some of you are financing your business (those of you who don't mind sharing). Something has to give or I will have to take a break from my business (which I love) because it will be dipping into our family $$ which won't work. Please offer your helpful tips and advice.
Desi
Desi, try going to major events and functions in your town. If you can rent a booth. Place a few banners and that should help you. I hope it does.
Need marketing help 
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Re: Need marketing help 
