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Someone recently contacted me with "Help, I'm in charge of tee shirts for our organization. What do I do?" Here is my response, basically the same as an article I wrote several years ago. Times have not changed very much on this one.
1. Components in price. Usually the imprint cost more than the shirt. Tee Shirts are cheapest in white or light colors because they are quicker to make. Dark colors look nice but almost all of them require two passes of ink to make the imprint look right also raising the cost. Tee shirts are a commodity and prices change often, usually every week. My price is based on two factors, the number of shirts I purchase in a year and how many color you want to see on the shirt. On the shirt cost, I purchase about $50,000 in apparel each year so prices are based on that far more than how many the client buys. Screen printing costs are based on quantity as well as number of colors. Price breaks are at 24-99, 100-249, 250-499, 500-999, 1000. I am happy to quote any quantity.
2. Design. We take what ever art the client has and work to make it the most professional we can. We have huge ability to find art with the power of the Internet. Recently a high school wanted to find art of their mascot, we searched Google images and found a graphic which we then used as a starting point for art. Everyone is very happy with the outcome and we have reprinted the order already. We never print without providing a proof in a graphics pdf file. We can't print one shirt because the screen would have to be destroyed. We can show colors and size in a pdf file so wasting a screen is not necessary.
3. Shirts are grouped by size and delivered that way. Recently someone at a school asked for the order to be broken down into what each classroom ordered. That is not a problem, there is an extra charge for that service.
Call today to discuss your next project, "off season" prices are in effect until about mid-March. M
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| Posted by Matt Davidson at | | | |
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I have done an award program for an association for a number of years. It always "kicks off" my new year with a nice order. Would you believe in this down economy it is a better order than last year. What the companies do that are receiving the awards is they get a crystal pyramid shaped award from the association but they buy ones for the sub contractors on the jobs being recognized. In an added bonus for me, they purchase awards that they give to their clients as a sales incentive for the next job upcoming. It was already at a $8500 project and today they add 14 more awards which pushed the project over $11,000. Could this idea work for you and your project? I learned today it is better to be an opportunity seeker rather than a consequence avoider. Great selling whatever the product. M
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| Posted by Matt Davidson at | | | |
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I stopped by to see a client new this year and had an eye opening experience. I said, "Not sure how you got me off Google but glad you did". She said, "I put in promotional products in Richmond and LOGO Dynamics came up." We continued to talk and she said, "I called three others and they all came and brought us a mound of stuff. You came and talked to me about what I needed and then started to get it for us. I like how you worked for us."
I can certainly see how my competition in the promotional products business would make a presentation focused on "stuff" but to me if is secondary to the real issue--communication with the client. As I reflect on the year, I would say while it has been a "downer", I certainly feel good about my ability to market myself and my company. Much better than ever before. Statements like the above confirm it. Have a great new year. Good selling and good will. M
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| Posted by Matt Davidson at | | | |
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As 2009, comes to a close, I am thankful to survive a tough year. (Didn't realize how tough until meeting with my CPA this week). I was saying, "Flat is Up as far as sales go" but it looks like keeping everyone paid is a major achievement. In any case the year closed on an up swing so maybe the hits we all have been taking are coming to an end.
I am excited about the new year because it does look like I have a better handle than ever before on how to market myself in any economy and especially in a negative one. I suspect we are in for more of these in the future.
In any case, needs go on and the ones who position themselves as a problem solver, approach provider, and needs proposer are going to be ahead of the game. Business owners and managers will continue to have issues and situations that need "fixes" and I intend to be the one promoting that I am here to help.
On another note, late news is a Richmond unit, the 224th Aviation Btn. at Sandston will be deployed to Afghanistan in the new year. This unit flies Blackhawk helicopters and was deployed in 2006-2007 in Iraq. Several of my friends in the Exchange Club are planning an effort to revive Armed Forces Day as well as get a "Farewell Teddy" program going in which teddy bears are made available to the troops to give to their kids before they leave on deployment. More details to come.
Have a very Merry Christmas and all the best in 2010.
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| Posted by Matt Davidson at | | | |
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| As everyone knows, schools are under financial pressure. Some are considering furlough days with no pay and in others there will be job cuts. One principal decided that even when he couldn't guarantee everyone a job for next year, he could at least keep his teachers and staff dry while on car and bus duty. He asked me about rain slicker and the result was a purchase of 15 in various sizes with the school logo on them. Lesson here: Do what you can. M
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| Posted by Matt Davidson at | | | |
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| The Metro Chamber of Commerce has a new networking program called Connect for Lunch and I have been to three sessions with three different sets of business professionals. This is a national program that our local Chamber is partnering with to arrange the meetings. In the three sessions, I have met 8 people who all seemed genuinely interested in getting to know me and learning about the promotional products industry. I have tried to return the favor and I know more about their. Are you a Chamber member, you might want to try this approach out. All is costs for this initial period is a lunch in a good eating place. M
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| Posted by Matt Davidson at | | | |
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| We supplied 1,000 bottles of hand sanitizer to a state agency to market a program they supervise. I think that is a good item to use this flu season (although I hear with swine flue it never really went out of season--cases all summer). One caution, if children are around hand sanitizer, be careful they don't ingest it. One school had it in the classroom and kindergarten kid licked the sanitizer off her hands and had immediate signs of alcohol poisoning. I understand it about 60% alcohol so I can see how that could happen. Snopes (www.snopes.com) has an article with details. A smaller body would not be able to handle a quantity of the alcohol as much as a larger one. M
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| Posted by Matt Davidson at | | | |
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I have a supplier that I have used for many years. Their niche in the imprinted item industry is small quantity items usually under $3.00-4.00. I can get as few as 12 from them. See their online catalog at www.elramcorp.com Any prices you see are list and I can get you the price on the highest quantity listed for 12 pieces. They are a great company and helpful to me when a client needs gifts for speakers at a conference or a stock of gifts for high profile visitors. Have a great day! M
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| Posted by Matt Davidson at | | | |
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| In a struggling economy, an important message to ask is "What is the reputation of this company?" Business failure are increasing and will continue to do so as the good ones succeed and not so good ones fail. It is also true in the imprinted item industry. With any order and especially with one with a sizable dollar amount attached to it, a legitimate question to ask is "What is the reputation of this company?" If the salesperson can't tell you, they are not a subscriber to the industry databases. No business is perfect because people aren't but if a company consistently has bad reports on quality of items and poor customer service those reports should be taken into account. Everyone has a miscommunication, but a series of them and lack of response to legitimate complaints should not be tolerated. Buyer beware! M
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| Posted by Matt Davidson at | | | |
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| There were a lucky 13 who attended the MAPPA Fall Showcase last month. Everyone reported good ideas to use to promote their business and many mentioned items I would have never thought to suggest. I have delivered about $60 worth of free samples. Save the date for 2010, I think it will be a the Science Museum again. M
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| Posted by Matt Davidson at | | | |
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