With enough things to deal with when running a business in a challenging economy, most industry firms are nonetheless looking forward to the coming season. About the last thing you need is “the gummint” (read: the government, any government) looking over your shoulder any more than “they” already do.
August 27, 2010
Maintaining quality control usually is thought of as being a concern that’s addressed internally. And it should be. But in-house oversight of quality isn’t bulletproof, nor is it as comprehensive as most companies would like it to be.
August 16, 2010
When there’s a one-time problem in a particular area of your shop, you probably don’t need to worry about it too much. For instance, if a customer service representative forgets once to get a customer’s written approval on artwork, chalk it up to a memory slip.
August 02, 2010
Guglielmo Marconi is generally credit with the invention of radio (though his patent was overturned in 1943 by the United States Supreme Court and awarded to Nikola Tesla).
August 02, 2010
In Parts 1 and 2, we looked at the basics of networking and opportunities to meet potential buyers — including groups you can join, speaking to community groups and inviting groups to tour your business to see your production facilities and your staff in action — and a starting point for lead follow-up. We’ll continue the prescribed follow-up agenda here in Part 3.
July 19, 2010
Whether you’re approaching retirement or you simply no longer get a kick out of running your own business and are ready to let someone else take the helm, at some point in the future you will have to consider an exit strategy.
July 19, 2010
In Part 1, we looked at the basics of networking and opportunities to meet potential buyers, including organizations you can join, speaking to community groups, and inviting people to tour your business and observe your production facilities and staff in action. The “Now what?” after developing a contact is outlined here, so you can develop your own implementation agenda for following up your leads.
July 06, 2010
New to the industry? Been in the biz awhile and looking for new accounts without spending a fortune to find them? Are you a good networker? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, read on.
June 21, 2010
In Parts I and 2 of this series, we look at some of the issues, challenges and benefits of having a good showroom at your place of business, tagging your samples to help your customers buy “up,” at store fixtures, the use of mannequins and how to effectively display decorated and undecorated samples.
June 07, 2010
In Part I of this three-part series, we explored questions that you should ask yourself with regard to your company’s showroom.
May 24, 2010
A troubled economy doesn't have to mean trouble for you. In fact, while some businesses are trying to scrimp, save and cost-cut their way to success, others are gobbling up market share and racking up record sales — taking a proactive approach to growth while others are too afraid to move.
May 21, 2010
Not all apparel decorating companies have showrooms, of course, but most of those that do may consider a makeover once the insanity of high season has abated. For all the businesses that operate in the real (as opposed to the virtual) world, the mission isn’t to tell you what a showroom is, but to tell you what it should be.
May 10, 2010
In Parts 1, 2 and 3, our discussion covered considerations in naming or re-naming our company and using tag lines to better position and define your enterprise in the minds of your customers and prospects. Now, let’s look at putting your tag line to work for you to help make your case in the minds of prospects and customers.
April 26, 2010
Imagine visiting a retail store with dusty items on display in the window, aging signs with misspelled words, and out-of-style products for sale. Sounds unappealing, right? While most companies wouldn’t dream of leaving their brick-and-mortar business in such a sorry state, all too many let their online content gather virtual dust — and turn away potential customers in the process.
April 26, 2010
As an entrepreneur, you probably find it a bit difficult to take advice from others. After all, to this point, you’ve grown your business just fine by following your own instincts. However, even the savviest shop owner can only grow his decorating business so far before he needs professional help — I’m talking about a consultant, not a therapist (although the latter might not be a bad idea either).
April 16, 2010
In Parts 1 and 2 of this four-part series, we’ve collectively explored several angles on naming or renaming your company. Now, we’ll look at creating additional company names and augmenting your company name or names with tag lines to help strengthen your company’s or companies’ position(s) in your prospects' and customers' minds.
April 12, 2010
Let’s look at some of the types of names that you shouldn’t consider for your business: two types of company names that have inherent limitations, evince little creativity or are weak in developing a distinctive, differentiated business name. Then, we’ll discuss the elements of a “dream name.”
March 12, 2010
Naming — renaming — your company is a critical factor in positioning it for success. Finding the right name entails lots of considerations. Finding an effective name addresses and answers several questions: Does it tell who we are and what we do? Does it tell our story well? Does it tell the whole story? Is it memorable or catchy? Is it dated or does it limit us?
March 03, 2010
Attending your first decorated apparel trade show is exhilarating. Even though the cost of travel is up, I don't think you can afford to miss the trade show closest to your home town. If you are new to the industry, prepare to be astounded by the number of new products and suppliers you will find. If you are an old hand in the industry, expect to find new products, ideas and processes to keep your business innovative and on the right track.
March 02, 2010
Perhaps one of the most daunting, time-consuming tasks for every business owner — and perhaps even more so for decorators — is finding good employees. It would be wonderful if there were an abundance of qualified job candidates who could perform their duties well and be a good fit in your shop’s culture, but that’s just not the case.
February 19, 2010
In Part 1 of this series, we looked at using some of the available time during the winter doldrums as an opportunity to revitalize how we look and feel to our customers and prospects, including rethinking our company name and logo, and making a better effort at upgrading how people judge us in terms of first impressions. Now, let’s turn to implementation considerations for improving our response time on leads and a follow-up agenda for converting inquiries into orders.
February 16, 2010
If you want to invest in new equipment, what’s the best method to finance your purchase: cash, a lease or a bank loan? There are several things to consider when making your next equipment purchase.
February 05, 2010
Pssst...Hey, wanna buy screen printing and embroidery equipment at rock-bottom prices? We’re talking high-end machinery that retails for thousands of dollars going for a fraction of the price.
February 05, 2010
The chill of winter has its “effect” on the decorated apparel industry, as well as many other business sectors in our economy. By mid-January, our production areas are about as clean as they’ll be all year long. But while we’re all waiting for the weather to warm up both the Northern Hemisphere and our production departments, you might take the opportunity to revitalize and revamp how your enterprise will look and feel to your customers this year.
February 01, 2010
If you want to invest in new equipment, what’s the best method to finance your purchase: cash, a lease or a bank loan? There are several things to consider when making your next equipment purchase.
January 15, 2010
During my elementary school days, I recall, my dentist wore a white cottonsheet garment with a Nehru-type collar and big buttons that ran along half of the top, from his shoulder to the neck. Today, my dentist wears a golf shirt embroidered with the logo of his practice. When using his jackhammer, he still wears an embroidered white smock, which could be a clue that he also may be wearing my blood in the next 10 minutes.
January 15, 2010
In "Good Enough for Government Work: Part 1," we discussed the basics of bidding for government work, getting on bid lists and where you can get assistance to help get started with the process. Now, let’s turn to maximizing your chances of winning a bid that you can actually make money on, and whether (or when) to sharpen your pencil.
January 04, 2010
There are times in business when, for a moment or two, you wish you could pack it all in and get a “normal” job — you know, one where, as long as you show up on time and clock in the required number of hours, you get a paycheck every week. Or maybe you could get a government job, where it seems that sometimes, even if you don't show up to work, you can still get a paycheck — at least until somebody notices you’re away or your boss gets indicted.
December 07, 2009
Though various sectors and regions appear to be slowly clawing back to normalcy, if you own a screen printing, embroidery or promotional products business, you’ve felt firsthand the challenges to your sales endeavors and your enterprise’s profitability.
November 23, 2009
While the economy is still on everyone’s mind, fewer question marks exist about how to compete. The turbulent climate has purged some local competition, giving the surviving decorators opportunities to pick up the failed shops’ business. Impressions interviewed six proactive decorators to get their take on the year to come.
November 17, 2009
You’re probably sick and tired of hearing about the ongoing economic crisis. Yes, times are tough and businesses are hurting — but what, exactly, are custom apparel decorators supposed to do about it?
November 17, 2009
In Part 1 of this two-part series, we examined the importance of making a good first impression on prospective clients, properly handling incoming inquiries, what your company’s appearance says about it, as well as its professionalism to first-time visitors. Now, let's turn to issues regarding educating your prospects about your products and services, responding to inquiries, following up on them and what these improvements will cost.
October 26, 2009
What’s so special about your company that would influence a prospect to buy from your company over another? What are you doing to create — and reinforce — the perceptions that buying from your company is a wiser choice than buying from your competitor?
October 12, 2009
In Part 1, we looked at important aspects in contacting prospective decision makers and the key questions you need to ask in moving the ball forward toward your goal of scoring an account. Let’s turn now to discussing the key determinants and reasons as to why religious groups buy custom decorated and personalized products and maintaining price integrity wherever possible. Here are six big ones and a few ideas that’ll help you close the sale: A. Spirit and pride B. Identification C. Promotion D. Required UsageRequired Usage. F. Recruitment. E. Fund-Raising.
September 28, 2009
In our industry we decorate a massive assortment of items by a broad variety of technologies. Then we distribute what we produce to virtually every economic sector in every nook and cranny of society. And among the myriad destinations we reach are churches, synagogues, mosques and a wide variety of array other faith-based entities.
September 14, 2009
While the economic lows that many American markets have been experiencing for the past year are certainly painful, they’re also nothing new. Historically, the tide of business success continually ebbs and flows, with one market experiencing a rush of good fortune while another watches its revenue all but dry up. This cyclical nature of business is precisely why decorators must have a diverse customer base that allows them to weather slowdowns — or even meltdowns — in parts of the economy.
September 02, 2009
While the economic lows that many American markets have been experiencing for the past year are certainly painful, they’re also nothing new. Historically, the tide of business success continually ebbs and flows, with one market experiencing a rush of good fortune while another watches its revenue all but dry up. This cyclical nature of business is precisely why decorators must have a diverse customer base that allows them to weather slowdowns — or even meltdowns — in parts of the economy.
September 01, 2009
To successfully screen print on fleece fabrics, there are several variables to be aware of including fleece quality, separation type and whether your design is created using vector- or raster-based artwork. Here are some basic recommendations for printing fleece using high- and low-tension screens:
July 31, 2009
In Part One, the author, a veteran industry business consultant,looked at accounting philosophies, types of accountants, software and general ledger issues. Part 2 gets into constructing general ledger categories to better allow monitoring costs and performance levels, and understanding how key components determine your bottom line.
July 20, 2009
The author, a veteran industry business consultant, has concluded there are two major types of accountants when it comes to counseling the owners of apparel decorating firms — “mechanics” and “consultants.” Which type of accountant do you have?
July 06, 2009
In Part One, our veteran decorated apparel industry consultant outlined the seven key barometers of business health and marketing performance. In Part Two, he reviews specific goals and remedies impacting those seven areas.
June 22, 2009
In Part One of a two-part series, our veteran decorated apparel industry consultant outlines the seven key barometers of business health and marketing performance. In Part Two, he will review specific goals and remedies impacting those seven areas.
June 08, 2009
Beginner's luck has its place in the apparel graphics industry. Veterans can tell great stories about beginners who happened on our shores and made a big pile of money — fast. But for every such tale, there are scores of others where entrepreneurs' dreams of success were dashed upon the rocks of conventional wisdom, wrong assumptions, poorly researched solutions, shopworn strategies and poor execution.
May 22, 2009
Veteran decorated apparel industry consultant estimates that more than 95% of embroiderers and screen printers don’t acknowledge or confirm orders — especially orders received by phone and where there’s no paper trail -- which can be a major cause of confusion, frustration, ill will and screw-ups.
May 11, 2009
Based on my field observations in this industry, I estimate that more than 95% of embroiderers and screen printers don’t acknowledge or confirm orders — especially orders received by phone and where there’s no paper trail. The verb “acknowledge” here refers simply to the act of sending out a written confirmation of an order placed with the vendor who’s selling this order.
May 11, 2009
In Part One, we looked at how companies handle incoming inquiries on the phone and the first impressions people get when visiting companies in our industry. Now let's turn to improving your company's marketing identity, educating and informing your prospective customers, and improving the follow-up with these prospects.
April 27, 2009
Why should a customer buy from you instead of your competitor? What’s so special about your company that it would inspire a customer to choose your services over your competitor’s? What are you doing to create — and then reinforce — the perception that buying from your company is a wiser choice?
April 13, 2009
Each year, many apparel decorators go from 1st Quarter famine to 2nd Quarter feast — it’s a common phenomenon in our industry. As peak season blooms with a burst of incoming orders, few companies consider expanding their advertising investments during the strong spring months. That’s because the majority of industry entrepreneurs believe in the conventional wisdom that you don’t need to advertise when times are good, and use that as a way to cut marketing expenses overall.
March 16, 2009
Learn how good phone technique and follow-up will help create loyal, long-term accounts. Assigning a human being to handle follow-up solicitations via e-mail, via telephone, and, circumstances permitting, in person will dramatically increase and accelerate your return on investment.
March 02, 2009
Follow these tips and tricks to find and hire the right freelancers. In Part I of this column, we discussed some of the challenges in finding free lance artist. Now we’ll explore where to focus your search.
February 13, 2009
Whether your quest is for artists who can execute custom graphics for local accounts or to design work for preprint lines, where to find artists isn't rocket science, but it does entail a proactive regimen that rewards initiative and follow-up. There’s more than a few tricks to finding and hiring the right freelancers, and building trust and loyalty so they’ll be available when you need them.
February 02, 2009
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