Custom Apparel Startups

During today’s MiniCast I’m going to talk about how you approach learning new things, new equipment, making new products to sell – and the lessons I learned doing home improvement this weekend. The last few weekends have been focused on home improvement – which is what happens around Halloween after your kids move out. Part 1: Assembly REQUIRED Part of those projects was assembling and installing this new entertainment center – if you’re watching the video recording you’ll see a picture. It was all unexpectedly difficult. And that made me think of all of you. First: The instructions for this RTA thing were awful. And parts weren’t labeled. My wife and are RTA PROFESSIONALS, but we still went through a solid day of “oh, that’s backwards, let’s take it all apart again”. There were no IKEA style pictures that were clear enough to help. No handy assembly videos. Noone to call and ask questions. And like I said, even though we are PROS at this, a few nudges from someone that had assembled this thing before would h

The basic idea from this book by Brian Tracy - Eat that Frog - Ways to Stop Procrastination Free pdf: https://www.briantracy.com/success/time-management-made-simple/op/eat-that-frog-transcription.html Brian Tracy's ABCDE Method: Make a list of all of your To Do’s. Go through the list and put one of these letters (ABCDE) by each item “A” items are your key tasks. There will be major consequences if you don’t complete these. Start on these first. A “B” item is “Should Do” but is not as important as an “A” item. There are only mild consequences to not completing these tasks. The consequences are only short-lived. “C” tasks have no consequences. They’re nice to do, but not essential. They will not contribute to your long-term success in your personal life or career. D’s need to be completed but should be given to someone else. In one word – delegate. The only time you should spend on these tasks is the amount of time it takes you to figure out someone to delegate the task to. “E” stands for eliminate. You c

Jim Francis with https://www.bestblanks.com/ is has been getting people started in custom t-shirts and promo products business for about 150 years (maybe closer to 10 but it seems like that much) - and we've asked him on the podcast today for 2 reasons: 1: Because he's a PRO in a part of the business that we have less experience in. 2: Because Sublimation is a great technology if you want to start small and really bootstrap a custom t-shirt business. 3: Because now that BestBlanks is part of the ColDesi family - we just have to BRAG! During this episode we're going to get Jim's take on: What's hot in the sublimation business right now? In other words Jim, if you were going to start a business, what would you be SELLING? What are the Pros and Cons of Sublimation vs other technology? How much does it cost to get started, and what does that include? What can ColDesi customers ONLY get from BestBlanks right now? Sawgrass printers Hix heat presses Roland BN-20 Sublimation inks BLANKS! If you want to learn about

If you arent making sure you are able to be found on google maps - you are 100% missing out on business! According to Brandify: 77% of people use google maps to find a local business, second place is Facebook at 38% (obviously there is overlap, some people use both) 25% of these searches are in the car. This means they might be 'in town' or 'running errands' and hoping to find someone nearby 59% of these are done at home, meaning they are seeking for nearby places Local Search Fast Facts: 78% of local, mobile searches result in an offline purchase. 86% of people find the location of a business using Google Maps. 61% of people who perform a search on a mobile phone are more likely to contact local businesses who have a mobile-friendly site. 88% of consumers view online reviews as trustworthy as a personal recommendation from a friend. 18% of local, mobile searches result in a sale within 24 hours. There has been a 900%+ growth in mobile searches using “near me” and “today/tonight” (for example “electricians

Jason Fuchs https://www.sagepathfa.com/ is a Financial Advisor that specializes in small businesses - and entrepreneurs just like you. And he's here with some of the answers to questions that we get all the time.. about insurance, retirement and the personal "money" side of the customization business. People most wanted to learn about: Small business loan options - When to pay Cash, When to Borrow and When to Wait Using credit vs cash for large purchases Getting Set up right from the beginning Planning for retirement for small business Resources and recommendations from this podcast: Listen to Jim's Podcast "Dad Cents" where he talks about life - and about personal finance in small bites: https://www.sagepathfa.com/dadcents Listen to this episode: CAS Podcast Episode 137 | Marketing Playbook: https://customapparelstartups.com/episode-137/ Read this article about Financing Options: https://coldesi.com/financing-options/

Here are seven (7) things that kill business growth. Ignoring these things are certain to keep your custom t-shirt business, embroidery, sign, promo products business from being more. More sales, more profits, and more satisfying for you and your customers. 1. Bad Accounting - In other words, not knowing your numbers. All too often people think they are doing well, but they are failing slowly. 2. Ignoring Customer Feedback - Your customers will tell you what's wrong, especially if you ask them. Listen to what they say to improve your business. Often, new business owners will let pride get in the way - thinking "this is the way I do it" instead of how can I give the customer what they want. 3. No plan for Customer Service / Experience - If all you think about is sales, you will forget to think about customer service, customer experience, good processes, organized accounting, etc. 4. Focus on the Making and not the Money - making t-shirts is an art, but if you spend so much time on the art, your order

One thing is has become clear this year. That MOST of our new customers, and ones adding new machines to their shop, are doing a lot more than just apparel. At every tradeshow, in every industry email and magazine, even in ColDesi emails you see more and more outside the norm. Just recently we finished a video on making custom Whiskey glasses with DigitalHeat FX. And the Embroidery Grip has been selling more and more because embroiderers are embellishing more than just polos. Cutters and spangle machines are also doing a LOT more - especially for holiday items. And of course - the king of NOT printing apparel is our UV printer lineup! So during this episode we're going to look at the most popular and PROFITABLE things people in the custom apparel business are selling.. that's not actually apparel. What are some popular items you might not be selling now? Mugs Can Cookers Tumblers Backpacks Hip Packs / Fanny Packs Aprons Blankets Lunch Bags Below are some links to items with cost and estimated retail values.

We've been actually kind of BUILDING a Marketing Playbook over the past few episodes - not on purpose. Las episode we talked about identifying your ideal customer, and recently we've done podcasts on: Ecommerce sites: https://customapparelstartups.com/episode-130/ Turnaround strategies: https://customapparelstartups.com/episode-128/ Selling Conversations: https://customapparelstartups.com/episode-127/ Winning Sales Methods: https://customapparelstartups.com/episode-124/ During this podcast we'll be talking with Kelly Lawrence about the idea of an ACTUAL Marketing Playbook - or Business Playbook. What that is and why it just might be the key to long term growth for your business. Intro Kelly Lawrence from Lawrence Innovation https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellylawrence/ What is a Marketing Playbook? Okay - let's talk about this idea of developing the playbook by company size, because they're going to be quite different depending on where you are in your business life Bootstrap - Self-funded startup Big Starters

Here's how to build a winning ad strategy for your business: Step 1 – Choose your Niche -Fitness Coaches & Personal Trainers -Local Moms from pregnancy to toddler years Step 2 – Build your Avatar Male – 25-45 – In shape, loves fitness, likes cool t-shirts, casual minded, wants to be independently wealthy. Has own business for personal training. Probably works out of a private gym and does some online coaching. Female – 20-30 – Small town mom, loves personalized things for her children, has a network of friends and family that support her and love her kids, loves to buy local, doesnt want to buy gifts from walmart but prefers something with a personal touch. Goes to local farmers markets every week, plus home parties for jewelry, apparel, etc Now you are ready to build an ad campaign. Here are some steps on how to give yourself the biggest chance for success. Why – Why would your avatar want this? Where will your avatar see it? Where will you advertise? The question really is, where will you most likely be

Marketers are constantly talking about a "customer avatar", which translates into normal English as your Ideal Customer. Identifying that Ideal Customers is very similar to, and JUST as important as choosing a Niche Market, something we've devoted quite a few episodes to as well. All you're really doing here is creating an imaginary person. The one you'd most like to sell to. The one that will most respond to your products, your business and YOU. Once you've created your ideal customer - right down to their name, their neighborhood, job, kids, marital status, income, etc. you'll better know: What your website should look like What to say in your emails The important things to highlight in your services The products that most appeals to them How much they can and will spend on your products What images to use in your ads The WAY you talk to them everywhere they see, here or read about your company During this podcast you'll hear the great, real life example of a start up business that inspired Marc

Let's talk about making that BIG Decision like adding a new piece of equipment to your business, or moving into or out of a retail location, or moving your business to a print on demand model. 1. Look at the opportunity objectively and from several perspectives. Are you doing this because you're excited, or because it's objectively a good opportunity? How will your existing customers view this decision? 2. Develop goals. What are the results you expect from this decision - specifically? Like if you're planning on investing in a new UV printer, what revenues are you expecting? 3. Compare alternatives. Is there something more profitable I could do instead? Is there a better way to invest that time and money? Into expanding existing capabilities instead of adding new? Can I accomplish the same goal in another way? 4. Make your decision. Lot's of opportunities are lost through inaction You've thought it through and the decision is sound - you're just delaying success if you don't pull the trigger. 5. Plan

One of the problems people have about opening their small business is being shy about it. You have to tell everyone There is a thing where people are scared to share that they are starting (or started) a new business. This might be because: Fear of ridicule.. aka that's a bad idea. Fear of looking like a failure - next year you aren't in the business Fear of not being good enough - do work for them and they don't like it You HAVE to tell everyone. Nothing wrong with failure, nothing wrong with making mistakes and don't let naysayers control you Stop being camera shy Take videos of yourself Take videos of your work Take pictures, smile Post online Get in pictures with people Get on social media, even if you don't love it Insta, FB, Twitter, LinkedIn Will help you make money You don't have to be a pro or have 10000 followers. Get on there, post pics, thank people for replies Give potential customers a place to go to look at your work and business Good for SEO Don't be scared to fail... get back on the hor

The first thing to discuss about this episode is WHY you want to call people you've never met. Why make sales phone calls? They are proven to work (aka make you money) They are essentially free Why don't business make sales phone calls? Scary Feel they are intrusive Don't know what to say. How to get past these and start making calls? Realize you've done something WAY scarier, you started a business. You ARE being mildly intrusive, are 'interrupting' their day. It's OK. You HAVE good intentions. You follow the below steps and have a plan. The Set Up Decide who you are going to call. Let's say its local owned restaurants. Write your 'call plan' - I never say 'script' cause you aren't an actor. Choose the right time - is there a time that makes most sense? day? Choosing a Niche / who to call Go after the low hanging fruit first. If you are new to this, it's best if you can call places where you will likely talk to the decision maker. e.g. Call the local sandwich shop before you call the local electric c

Here is the reasons why we see this episode caught your attention. You are a new business working on a shoestring budget You are an existing business dealing with an economic downturn / recovery and uncertainty. You are doing well, but realize you might be missing out on some ways to grow your business, or ways to reduce budgets. The good news is that ALL 5 of these things work for everyone listening. Let’s get right into it, there are ways you can really use your creativity and your time to get more business. Linked in This is a place where business owners and business people socialize. You will find that not everyone you know is on here, but there are a lot of prospects for your business here. You can join groups or directly connect with people. Your connections with people can turn into connections with other people. There are a lot of articles and videos on how to use linked in for business. You can do a lot of it for FREE. Here’s a link to our mini-cast on creating a good LinkedIn Profile: https://cust

In this CAS Podcast episode, Mark is talking with Mike Angel about ColDesi OnDemand.

We’ve seen a huge jump in the number of customers adopting UV printers. Why is it so? Listen to this episode and learn more!

During this episode, we’ll walk you through how to look at your business with fresh eyes. Like you were BUYING a struggling or stagnant business, not running it. This kind of “outside” perspective can reveal both personal and professional areas for potential growth and lead to a better business. The basic premise is that everything you do to make your business more attractive to a Buyer will be better for your business! First: Getting ready to “Sell” your business – because in order to really evaluate where your business is and how it’s doing, you have to pretend you’re selling: Prepare your financials – What are those? An income statement, cash flow report and balance sheet. How much money you make, what cash in and out look like every month and what you own vs what you owe. Gather 3 years of income tax filings if you’re a sole proprietor especially. But even if not – do that because of what we’ll discuss below. Figure your asset value – What does your company own, and what is that worth? Equipment, invento

Being the owner of a Custom Apparel company means that every person you meet is your next potential customer. You don’t want to be consumed with turning every conversation into a sales pitch, but you should be likable and know when you should try to make the move for a sale. Step 1 – just be a good conversationalist List of things that make a good conversationalist: Be friendly – Talk to people, be nice, be a pleasant person, inviting, warm. Not talking about YOU all the time – You have great stories, but let someone share their stories too. Actually listen to people – Hear their stories and comment / give feedback. they will notice. Find commonality and expand on that – If you hear them bring up they love sports, books, writing, playing Call of Duty… talk about that with them. The more enthusiastic they are about it, the longer the convo can go. Stay away from controversy – Politics, religion, current events (unless they bring it up and you agree) e.g. don’t insult a losing sports team if you don’t know they

The idea for this podcast came up just recently - because of a disastrous detail. One of my clients has me managing their Google Ads account, which I've been doing for about 6 months. When I first did the analysis on their ads and budget I noticed there were SEVERAL other account managers. I didn't think anything of it at the time. It turns out that they had left admin access turned on for a few previous ads managers. AND one of them had left THEIR CREDIT CARD attached to the account. So 2 Hidden Expenses there: The company was paying for someone else's ads about $500 a month for 10 months. The company that didn't notice they were getting FREE ADS has to pony up a big lump sum Here are just a few expenses that I've personally missed over the years that have cost me serious money - and a checklist of the most common things for YOU to check to makes sure you're not wasting your profits on nickles, dimes, and dollars: Domains - remember that www.thisisanamazingidea.com url/domain name you bought? No? Well, it

In this mini-cast episode, Mark from ColDesi is talking about the idea of Horizontal Marketing. Listen to this episode and learn how your business can benefit from using Horizontal Marketing.