I think we would agree Facebook can be a great marketing tool.
I like to compare Facebook, twitter and other social platforms as ponds where you go fishing, first you need to choose the right pond and be sure that you have at least a few fish in it. What is your market? what is your main activity? custom print or your own fashion, I believe they are two very different streams and you may want to review your business plan.
A business page is appropriate, there are way to customise the page to the point it looks like your website home page.
How did you determine the friends that you would "invite"? Everyone you could find? Specific groups?
If you are in the custom printing biz and as a start you could select all the restaurants, bars, construction companies and any other businesses who would represent a potential customer. If you create your own fashion, then look for boutiques, and people who could relate to your designs. Developing a design around a specific subject is always helpful.
What content do you load? Pics of new designs? Product offering?
Promotions are generally the way to attract customers, a special price, a special product or a design that makes you unique when compared to your competition. Make sure that any pics you upload is clean and looks very professional. Contact forms oriented to a specific action are the way to create leads (request an estimate, get a freebie or a sample, etc ...). With time you will build a database of contacts. Then you will need an email marketing campaign to keep in touch with your audience, with proper content you will see leads converting into real prospects after 15 to 20 emails. You will have then an opportunity to create sales.
There are some online platforms that help you to develop this marketing for a monthly fee. They give you all the software to organise your campaign and makes it very user friendly. One of the best I found was at
Sendpepper - Home, it's the consolidation of a potent CRM software combined with email marketing tools, they have a free trial available and their prices are very affordable.
The main concept is to always keep a communication channel open with your leads, prospects and customers and to focus on creating sales rather than maintaining a costly and often useless branding marketing.
Have you even been concerned that as you promote your customers' product on your facebook page, your competitors are viewing that and using that as a tool to cherry pick your business?
Competition is inevitable and keep the industry healthy, research about copyright laws and you will feel more confortable in publishing your secrets. Did you know that by putting a © next to your designs, you are already protecting your property even if you did not registered the art legally. Registering a design is fairly easy and the cost should be relative to the importance you give to your business.
Potential customers are endless...but finding the ones willing/interested in buying shirts is the trick, right? Well you have just plastered the groups/teams/people that DO buy shirts all over your page.
Ask yourself if these "friends" have a good reason to buy your products. We don't do things just because and your arguments should be carefully evaluated. A product whether it is a T-shirt or a perfume must represent something valuable for the customers and it is not always related to the intrinsic value. Create an environment or a meaning to your product and you will realise the "complementary" product is even more important than the piece of fabric itself with your amazing print.
This is great because it makes me realise that the biggest challenge is not to learn the different printing techniques and to become a master. The true challenge is to find an output for your tees in order to make your business sustainable and profitable.
Are you still confused?
Good Luck!
