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.
Hi Everyone,
I have a new print shop in the S.F.Valley L.A. and i am having a tough time getting some new business. I am brand new and i have done the flier thing but any ideas anyone could give me to get some cash flowing in would be great. My screen printer guy says that I have one of the most complete shops he has worked at, but I can't seem to hit the right promotion idea(s). Any help that someone could give me would be great.
Thanks,
Vince
Vince I would create a website and business cards to hand out. On the website I would show alot of the work you can do; people like visual things. Also if you have *speical packages* I would emphasize them on your visuals. I've had many success with it when I have built many websites. If you have any ?'s just hit me up with an e-mail and ill try to answer them the best I can.
Try carrying some samples and brochures to an open air market of some type(fleamarket, crafts show?) and get yourself known a little. Maybe find a local artist with a few designs you think will make an impact or at least be sellable and make him/her go with you. Don't forget a couple of banners with adds on them. get some kind of canopy or tent setup and hang the banners prominently.
What is your target market? You need to determine that before you hit the streets making cold calls. First, get some really greatly designed business cards. Also have a good website showing your past work, and of course, web address on your cards. If you can afford it, some nice ink pens & memo pads with your company info would be helpful to leave behind also.
Now, here's where you get into your vehicle with your cards, samples, & catalogs, and begin calling on potential customers in your target market. If your market is businesses in general, then you get out and cold call every business in your area, starting with the closest, working out from there. You leave behind your well designed card, and ink pens & note pads if you have them. Also, generic clothing catalogs with your company info printed on them (not a label, or business card stapled, but printed). Most of the major clothing suppliers (Broder, Alpha, Bodek, etc) will be glad to give you a 100 catalogs printed w/ your logo, and generally charge you only for the shipping, as long as you have an account with them. You leave a catalog ONLY if a potential customer expresses some type of interest. If you get "ushered" out the door, then just leave your card (& ink pen & memo pad if you have them).
You do this as many days a week as possible....it's like planting seeds...you never get anything to grow if you never plant any seeds. That's how we've done it for 23 years, and we get calls from cards left 1 to 2 years later.
Thanks So much for so many of your great ideas. I am trying as many new ideas as I can. Is anyone else feeling some slowdown from the economy? If I get any more poor I am going to have to sell my DTG just to stay afloat.
Thanks Again
Vince
Get some sidewalk signage and banners outside your shop. Relatively inexpensive, but dont go with boring colors for your banners....liven it up abit. Put your price for 144 white t-shirts up there on the banner, (by the each) That draws them in.
Hit some of the networking events in your area. There are many that are free....go schmooze.
If there are any networking groups in your area that are smaller, and inexpensive go and visit. Usually the first 1 or 2 meetings are free.
Get some postcards (with product info or pricing) and business cards done up and make sure everyone who walks into your shop gets one. Take them to the networking events too.
Start a blog (its free) direct people to it in your emails, on your postcards and business cards. (if you arent using a website yet) otherwise send them to the website.
Do you have an email contact list? If so, start a newsletter. I use constant contact and LOVE it!! Its only $15 a month for 250 contacts. They have a free trial period for 60days, but you can only email 100 contacts at a time. www.constantcontact.com
The biggest for us is the storefront signage and the networking. The signage brings in about 45% of our customers, networking is the next biggest draw.
..........no thankfully we arent feeling the slowdown.
..........Your DTG printer is a huge money maker!!! If you can hang on to it do it! It is a niche all its own, push it!
.........did you hit the bricks on the street you are located on? With the DTG you can push staff shirts in small quantities/no minimums/full color etc. Get a your literature together and pop in to the local merchantile
Another thing you can do is contact your city and see what kind of festivals are coming up. If you can get a list of the vendors for the festivals and send festival specials on items for advertising, just send each business a flyer with your specials. Most vendors doing festivals need banners and tees and such.
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Always do right; this will gratify some people and astonish the rest. ~~~Mark Twain BobbieLee
I always recommend Jay Conrad Levinson's Guerrilla Marketing in 30 Days for marketing on a slim budget. It is a great practical how to to get business to your door. One thing I have done is get a web banner on a niche market radio web site and that has given me huge traffic to my web site. You can always trade them t-shirts for giveaway or their own radio station gear for free radio advertising or web banner.
Help Getting New Business 
