By small printing shop offering t-shirt screen printing as one of your services, do you mean you regularly print things like business cards and brochures and are adding apparel to the mix?
If that's the case, maybe you should consider outsourcing the apparel portion. That way you won't need to invest in equipment, worry about finding employees to use it, or have it sit idle when you don't have orders.
Another thing to consider is your pay scale. Most often, the reason it's hard to "good employees" is because of lousy pay or working conditions. Typical wages will vary by market, but if everyone in town in your industry is paying $15 an hour and you offer $9 then you will likely end up with people who have minimal skills, issues with childcare, transportation, drugs/alcohol, absenteeism, perhaps even prison records. I'm not meaning to put anyone down by that description, but I've worked in the industry, and I'm speaking from experience.
If you can't offer the best pay, then offer other perks, like generous vacation benefits or bonuses.
As far as increasing your sales, how are you on social media? Do you have a website? Is it always updated? Are you on Facebook? Periscope, Instagram etc? Do you use email blasts so that your existing customers know about this additional service? These are tools you can use for free, without even having to leave the office to reach potential customers.
Do you have a display of printed t-shirts in your shop that anyone entering the building will see? What about window graphics? Are you able to place advertisements/decals on your windows that lists the services or products you offer?
Have you checked bid opportunities for schools in your area? A lot of times a big corporate company will get the contract to provide apparel system wide, but perhaps smaller, private schools may go under their radar and you could have a shot.
If you have a website or facebook page I would be happy to take a look at it and offer suggestions. Just to be clear, I don't have any business interest or anything like that in any form of social media or web development, or any kind of sales--I am simply offering my opinion on how it looks, or if the content contains correct grammar, etc. Just send me a message.
If that's the case, maybe you should consider outsourcing the apparel portion. That way you won't need to invest in equipment, worry about finding employees to use it, or have it sit idle when you don't have orders.
Another thing to consider is your pay scale. Most often, the reason it's hard to "good employees" is because of lousy pay or working conditions. Typical wages will vary by market, but if everyone in town in your industry is paying $15 an hour and you offer $9 then you will likely end up with people who have minimal skills, issues with childcare, transportation, drugs/alcohol, absenteeism, perhaps even prison records. I'm not meaning to put anyone down by that description, but I've worked in the industry, and I'm speaking from experience.
If you can't offer the best pay, then offer other perks, like generous vacation benefits or bonuses.
As far as increasing your sales, how are you on social media? Do you have a website? Is it always updated? Are you on Facebook? Periscope, Instagram etc? Do you use email blasts so that your existing customers know about this additional service? These are tools you can use for free, without even having to leave the office to reach potential customers.
Do you have a display of printed t-shirts in your shop that anyone entering the building will see? What about window graphics? Are you able to place advertisements/decals on your windows that lists the services or products you offer?
Have you checked bid opportunities for schools in your area? A lot of times a big corporate company will get the contract to provide apparel system wide, but perhaps smaller, private schools may go under their radar and you could have a shot.
If you have a website or facebook page I would be happy to take a look at it and offer suggestions. Just to be clear, I don't have any business interest or anything like that in any form of social media or web development, or any kind of sales--I am simply offering my opinion on how it looks, or if the content contains correct grammar, etc. Just send me a message.
