Discuss the fun task of marketing a t-shirt shop. Where to advertise, link building, word of mouth, press releases, search engine marketing, keyword advertising, magazines, etc.
I have a question about giving a couple of tees away as a means of promotion. I just had my first set of 8 tees printed up for an event this weekend. I'm not formally selling anything at the event, but this is a place where my target consumers will be in large numbers. My plan is to wear a shirt and give one to a friend to wear during the event and talk to people and pass out business cards. I know a couple of other people who will be attending also. Is it beneficial to give them tees for free as a means of promotion or should they pay for them?
I have a question about giving a couple of tees away as a means of promotion. I just had my first set of 8 tees printed up for an event this weekend. I'm not formally selling anything at the event, but this is a place where my target consumers will be in large numbers. My plan is to wear a shirt and give one to a friend to wear during the event and talk to people and pass out business cards. I know a couple of other people who will be attending also. Is it beneficial to give them tees for free as a means of promotion or should they pay for them?
So you want people to pay you to wear your t-shirts? Isn't it usually the other way around?
Luckily, these are your friends and I'm sure they will do it for free as long as you provide the shirt for free.
I always want people to pay me, when I print a shirt... But things don't always work out that way. If your going to give out promotional shirts, make sure your logo is on them and visable. I can't really tell from your post if it is.
The "them" are 2 acquaintances who will also be attending the event. My friend and I will already be wearing the tees, I just need to know if I should give away a couple more shirts to those 2 acquaintances for more promotion or should they buy them? My logo is on the shirts.
I just need to know if I should give away a couple more shirts to those 2 acquaintances for more promotion or should they buy them?
Did they ask for the shirts to wear at the event? If so, then you might want to sell them. If they didn't ask and you just would *like* them to wear your shirts at the event, you should just give them away as promotional items.
It could also be worth the good will to just give them the shirts to wear. It might make them more happy to spread the word
So I'd be leaning towards free.
What in your gut makes you want to sell them the t-shirts? Seems like there may be more to this?
I can go with my gut on most things, but I'm just not sure what to do in this instance. One of my hesitations about giving the tees away is hoping to make some sort of profit. The other piece is I work in the non-profit world, and I'm steadily trying to build my business sense and identity outside of that work. I don't want to start handling my business in the same manner I think of my work, which is more altruistic, if that makes any sense.
But maybe free is the way to go, however that would only leave me 5 to sell. I guess that's ok. Attending this event is really just to showcase the tees and drum up interest and potential business.
I have a question about giving a couple of tees away as a means of promotion.
Is it beneficial to give them tees for free as a means of promotion or should they pay for them?
I would say if they are for promo purposes, free. I'd gladly give away a few shirts with the hopes of generating business. Walking billboards are seen more than stationary billboards. Just watch and see if you don't catch a glimpse of a rolling billboard around town sometime.
think of how much a program ad or booth might cost at the event and then compare it to the cost of the freebies. if your friends are willing to be walking billboards for you and tell anyone who asks where they got the shirt, it sounds like relatively cheap advertising to me.
remember: you usually have to spend a little money to make a little more money. even though those 8 shirts seem mighty precious right now, making people aware of your shirts should be a top priority.
I would give your acquaintences shirts and chalk it up as a marketing expense. The good will toward your line, that you'll end up spreading, is worth it.
I've recently given away some shirts to friends and acquaintences, in my niche, and I can't believe the response I've received. You'd think that people wouldn't get all that excited about getting a free shirt but they love it. Its definitely made me believe that others would spend money on my shirts, and is motivating me to keep going with it.
I'm thinking about giving away some t-shirts to my friends to see what they think of my designs. Although they're all over the world so it should be interesting to see how they respond. I'm also planning to allow some friends in Melbourne to have some t-shirts themselves in exchange for selling them at car boot sales etc. As well as giving some out to university friends, I figure I may as well open three different markets. But focus on the first two which would be me currently in the UK and my friends in Melbourne. Once my website is running it could go international. Make any sense? I'd welcome any advice from the good folk who come to this here forum.
Promotion/Giving Tees Away 
People to pay us to wear our shirts? 
