Custom Apparel
C.J. Mittica, editor of Stitches’ sister magazine Wearables, discusses custom-built apparel pulled red hot from the show floor at The ASI Show Chicago. Click here.

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BUSINESS VIEW: Using Online Ads To Build Buzz

When the recession hit a few years ago, distributor Kathleen Booth used unwanted downtime to begin learning about e-marketing and advertising. Increasingly, clients turned to her for advice on how they could improve their businesses' visibility online, triggering a shift in Booth's business model. These days, Quintain Marketing specializes as not only a promotional products source, but a full-service marketing firm that builds buzz for clients on the Internet.

At an education session at The ASI Show Chicago, Booth shared tips for how decorators and distributors can enhance the chances a prospective customer will locate them online. For one thing, you should be advertising through Google Adwords, says Booth. The benefits are that you get a guaranteed presence on the most frequently used search engine and you only pay when someone clicks on your ad. "You know you're getting results," she says. "It's a no-brainer."

You can also advertise on LinkedIn, which is particularly effective for business-to-business sales. Again, you only pay per click, but LinkedIn is cheaper than Google and, unlike the search engine, allows ads that feature slick graphics. Your ads, notes Booth, can be targeted to desired LinkedIn groups and set up so that only people with certain titles – say VP of marketing – see them.

Additionally, Booth recommends advertising on Facebook. The social media site allows businesses to target ads to prospects based on geography, demographics and "psychographics" – a person's interests, which they've detailed on Facebook. "It's very effective for business-to-consumer sales," says Booth, who notes businesses should avoid advertising on Twitter as it's the "least developed" advertising platform among social media sites and hasn't yet proven it can turn ROI.

Booth also recommends that you maintain a presence on business review sites, including Yelp, a site where anyone can comment about a business. By "claiming" your business on Yelp, you'll get an e-mail notification whenever someone writes about your brand, giving you a chance to respond.

Strong advertising is great, but it probably won't help if you have a shoddy website. Booth says decorators and distributors should create a website that's rich with content relevant to one's target market. Write a frequently updated blog, create video and make sure your site is populated with keywords that appeal to your market. Once you have great content, you can use tools like Issuu and Pressjack to have content quickly assembled into a sleek online magazine. "Your ads must direct to a good site that makes people want to work with you," says Booth.

Rain, Rain Go Away

Q: Hi Phil, I am looking for youth raingear to add to our school uniform business – specifically ponchos or hooded raincoats. Can you recommend possible sources? Thanks, Jo Snyder/Four Townes Embroidery

A: Hi there Jo, Get your feet wet by checking out some of these suppliers: Charles River Apparel (asi/44620); (800) 225-0550; www.charlesriverapparel.com; carries the Youth Pacific Poncho (product 8709), made of waterproof polyurethane, in six colors. The supplier also offers the Youth New Englander Rain Jacket (product 8099) in three colors and in sizes S-XL. Vitronic Promotional Group (asi/93990); (800) 666-7117; www.vitronicpromotional.com; might help you weather the storm with its Children's EVA Poncho (product FT8404), which is 100% UVA. Check out Acadia's (asi/30446); (781) 255-0800; www.acadiaonline.net; Youth Rain Poncho, product 50943, as well. It is made of PVC fabric and comes with its own carrying case!

For smaller children, EM Skylink (asi/52208); (805) 496-3022; www.emskylink.com; has a bright-colored, hooded polyester raincoat (product SL100497). Finally, "drop" in on Augusta Sportswear (asi/37461); (800) 237-6695; www.augustasportswear.com; for a clear rain jacket in youth sizes S-XL (product 3161).

I hope this advice doesn't leave you high and dry! (I have way too much fun with this – somebody needs to "rain" me in.)

Selling Tip: You can sell youth raingear to schools, daycare centers, camps, and kid-themed activity centers, restaurants and other businesses, like toy stores.

EMBROIDERY TERMS

Grommets: Small holes that allow for air circulation and ventilation, usually found underarm or in the back neck of garments.

Looping: Loops on the surface of embroidery, generally caused by poor tension or tension problems. Typically occurs when polyester top thread has been improperly tensioned.

Hemp: Three times stronger than cotton and easy to grow, hemp does not require fertilizer or pesticides. It’s also antimicrobial, UV resistant and breathable. It’s not as soft as cotton, but in a blend it can add durability to a garment.

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