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vol 46 / June 15, 2010
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In this issue:
Video
Problem Solved
How to Sell It
Business Watch
Steps to Success
Blog Blurb
News Briefs &
Product News

Webinar Calendar
Ask Jerilee
Calendar
VIDEO
   Stitches Cheat Sheet: Bamboo
Want to know the pros and cons of bamboo apparel? In our newest video series, “Stitches Cheat Sheet,” where we answer your decoration and wearables questions, Nicole Rollender, Stitches editor and director of ASI Education, takes a closer look at recycled bamboo fabric. Click here to watch the video.

Send us your decoration and wearables questions – and we might answer them in an upcoming video. E-mail your thoughts to nrollender@asicentral.com.
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PROBLEM SOLVED: “I’m terrified of cold-calling.”  
Top Three Cold-Calling Don’ts
Now you know what to do when it comes to cold-calling. But what about the biggest cold-calling no-no’s? Here are the top three ways a cold-call could go wrong on your part, so make sure to avoid these deal-breaking mistakes!

1. Unprofessionalism. It’s obvious that you’re not going to be intentionally rude to the person you’re calling. But sometimes the littlest “errors” can make you seem unprofessional to your prospect. Make sure you have your contact’s title correct, and that you address them by it initially. If they tell you that you can call them by another name, take the invitation. But until then, maintain a high level of respect. “You have to assume you’re speaking to someone who demands the highest level, because even if they didn’t, they appreciate the highest level,” says Joanna Grant, vice president of Affinity Express, a Chicago-based company that specializes in international digitizing, document creation and multimedia services.

2. Talking too fast. If you aren’t rehearsed, and if you try to cram in too much information too quickly, your contact will be hesitant to trust you. That’s where the term “fast-talker” comes from. Obviously, don’t talk so slowly that your contact nods off, but don’t talk her ear off, either.

3. Being unprepared. “Make sure you have the facts about your target and his business as strongly and completely as possible,” Grant says. “You need to be familiar with what they do, what they’re good at and how your products and services can help market their business.” Once you’ve got these facts down, rehearse what you know. “Have your talk track down,” says Gail Williams, business consultant for Allegre Communications and author of Effective Selling Techniques 1.0.1. “If you’re not rehearsed, then you aren’t going to get anywhere.” But, be ready to go off script based on the information your prospect gives you.

Q. “The thought of cold-calling literally makes me shake. I know I need to get over this fear so that I can win over some new clients – but first I need to break the ice and get my prospect excited about learning more about my decoration services. Where do I start?”

A: It’s no secret that cold-calling is one of the most difficult parts of networking. Nobody likes to get turned down, and a rejection certainly isn’t conducive to future cold-calling ventures. Here’s a three-step process to master cold-calling:

1. Connect. The first thing you need to do is connect with the person you’re calling by finding some common ground. You can even start the conversation by asking your prospect how her day is going, and respond back in kind. “Respond in a similar way,” says Gail Williams, business consultant for Allegre Communications and author of Effective Selling Techniques 1.0.1. “Whatever they give to you, give back in a respectful way. And, try to be humorous. Try to first connect with the person on a conversational level.” Also, use your prospect’s name. For instance, instead of saying “Thank you,” say, “Thank you so much, Mrs. Fitzgerald.” This builds your connection with your contact.

2. Make it relevant. One of the biggest things business owners forget when they’re cold-calling is relevancy. It’s essential to communicate why your prospect should listen to you in the first place. “You want to get to the point, because they have 2,000 other things they could be doing,” Williams says. Be specific: Mention different decorating or marketing services or goods you could provide the person that would make your business interaction beneficial to him or her.

3. It’s nothing personal. Recognize that rejection isn’t a reflection of you as a person. The person you’re calling is out to make money just as much as you are, and if he rejects you, it only means that your paths toward your monetary goals don’t intersect. Instead, try a different perspective. Williams suggests “treating rejection like a gain.” Make it a goal to make 100 calls, or strike up a friendly competition with another member of your staff to see who can make 100 cold calls first.

DEADLINE EXTENSION:
Stitches
Golden Needle Awards Call for Entries

We’ve extended the deadline to June 16! So enter the 2010 Stitches Golden Needle Awards now and show off your embroidery and digitizing skills and creativity! Finalists will be selected by a panel of veteran embroiderers and digitizers – and then we’re opening the voting to Stitches readers. Winners will be featured in the November 2010 issue of Stitches and online. So, select the entry category that fits your skills, and show us your talent. Click here to learn more.
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HOW TO SELL IT: Novelty T-shirts

Looking for something hot right now? In the branded T-shirt market, novelty sells. “The true definition of ‘novelty’ is something fresh, new and innovative,” says Michelle Swayze, marketing director for In Your Face Apparel (asi/62494). “Some people may place the old-school mentality of novelty items being fad items that quickly pass away, but that’s just not true. A novelty item can stay fresh, new and innovative for some time.” 

Take, for example, classic novelty T-shirt designs. “Water-based print will never go out of style,” says Bayo Simmons, CEO of All Fashion Services (asi/37166).

Available from In Your Face Apparel (asi/62494); (866) 583-2800; sales@inyourfaceapparel.com
Instead of emphasizing the transient nature of trends, it’s important to emphasize the importance of being trend-right, especially to clients and end-users. Not only does this emphasis help the garments you sell get more immediate wear, it keeps you relevant – as trends change, it’s time for the client to call up his decorator and order the next great promotion.

“I know decorators have heard many a customer ask, ‘What do you have that’s new?’ in a sales appointment,” Swayze says. “But, I don’t know if the customer realizes they’re looking for a ‘novelty shirt’ – they just want their company’s branding to stand out above the competition.”

If the garment is a great value and quality, it will be worn long after the trends have shifted. “New is always great, but after the sizzle, you still need to offer value,” says Mark Seymour, national sales manager for Royal Apparel (asi/83731).

Another important aspect of novelty shirts to emphasize is decoration. “A novelty T-shirt is a tee that has elements that stand out from the day-to-day,” says Jessica Clifford, marketing rep for Kavio! (asi/64152). “It has a new, unusual or striking look that demands attention.”

These attention-demanding tees can come in a variety of styles. “The type of T-shirts that would fall into this category are burnouts, tees constructed of blended fabrics, distressed or raw-edged shirts, decorated apparel that features unique processes, washes, glitter, embroidery, rhinestones and/or shirts that feature standout art,” Clifford says.

Keep on Top of Decorating Trends
New for 2010, according to Simmons, is non-elevated plastisol printing that washes for an even greater hand. “What will never go out of style is your standard water-based print, which you can dilute for a washed-out effect or strengthen for more of an over-dyed feel,” he says.

Also big in 2010 are foil print, embroidery with print combinations and tonal color fabrics with contrast knit fabric details, Simmons says.

Clifford suggests that burnout and delicate fabrics are a trend that will continue over from early 2010 and extend throughout the rest of the year. “New trends for the novelty T-shirt include burnout/delicate fabrics, sublimation because it can achieve brighter colors and intricate designs, longer-length shirts, deep V and deep scoop necklines, and vibrant and intense colors,” she says.

 “Sometimes the product itself isn’t novel, but when paired with a unique decorating method it becomes truly different,” Swayze says. “Consider printing your design reversed out on a burnout tee. The art will show through the burnout tee and give you a cool vintage look.”

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STEPS TO SUCCESS: Debunk This Sales Myth

The Myth: Product knowledge is top priority.
The Truth: People buy emotionally.

Sure, buyers want to know about the products they're buying, but often salespeople put more attention on this than needed. Expansive details about product features make the salesperson more of an unpaid consultant than a person carefully reading the emotional concerns of the client.

“Studies have shown that over 80% of the training offered to salespeople is product-oriented,” says Joe Zente, president of Z3 Performance Development. “They then become eager to meet with buyers and tell them everything they know. But people buy emotionally, and features and benefits aren’t emotional.”

Similarly, when trying to make an impact on a new customer, the most important thing is often just to get the job turned around as quickly as the client wants, since a first-time client often comes to a decorator in a time crunch. Rather than needing to be swayed by an elaborate presentation, the customer just wants to know the job is going to get done and fast.

“A lot of times people are really on a tight deadline and they don’t even have time for samples,” says Christina Riordan, owner REP Chicago (asi/303417). “They just want to get the order in and taken care of.” She has found this to be the case more often than not, where practical concerns like turnaround time and price take precedence over all else. She cites a recent hotel client that was looking at notepads with four colors and large size, then downgraded to a basic option once they realized how long it would take and how much it would cost them.

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BLOG BLURB: Selecting a Supplier

When it comes to selecting a supplier, the first thing you should do is make sure that you know what your company needs to be successful. Be firm about what you require. Some suppliers may try to win you with flashy discounts or deals that sound great, but all the discounts and deals won’t mean anything if what the supplier has to offer doesn’t really meet the needs of your business. Knowing how your business works best and what is required to keep it running in that condition will help ensure you select suppliers that meet those requirements.

You should also consider reliability when evaluating a potential supplier. If a supplier can’t get the materials you need to you in a timely fashion, it could cause a lot of delays for your business. A supplier that drops the ball and doesn’t get necessary supplies to you is a supplier that could cause you to drop the ball with your customers. It goes without saying that an occasional glitch or mistake can happen to anyone, so most suppliers should get a pass if the problem is an isolated issue. What you need to watch out for is suppliers that consistently have problems. You also need to pay attention to how problems are solved and issues are handled. Does the supplier really seem to care about making things right? Does it respond in a timely fashion to requests for more information or help? Does it really seem to care about your business?

Want more? Check out EnMart’s Director of Marketing Kristine Shreve’s blog, “DecQuorum” on Stitches.com
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ASI Online Learning Center
Click here to get a sneak peek of just one sales strategy you'll learn in this course.
Did you know you can take self-paced, on-demand courses at ASI Education’s Online Learning Center? This is the newest and most convenient way for distributors, decorators and suppliers to get educated. In our newest course, “Cold-Calling Clinic: Get More Appointments Now,” we’ll teach you how to use cold calling as an important tool that can take your selling skills to the next level, including five ways to reduce rejection and key tips for connecting with your prospect. Click here to take the course.

Coming next month: Break Into Five Hot Apparel Markets

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BUSINESS WATCH: Things to Do Before the Sales Meeting

While many decorator salespeople have techniques to use when prospecting face-to-face, it’s easy to overlook the strategies to utilize before meeting potential clients. It’s critical to make a good impression quickly via voicemail or e-mail when first contact is made without a live meeting.

Deb Johnson, co-owner of On Target Promotions (asi/287578), will send a prospect a promo product or dimensional piece first, and use it to get the recipient to listen to her entire message when she follows up with a call. “Now they have in their hands a sample of the type of quality we offer, and it makes a cold call a warm call, like a personal referral would do,” she says.

When you get a person on the phone, you should take advantage of the short time and emphasize the benefits you offer, rather than the items you sell. “We say that we can help with branding and give you many ideas and suggestions you might not have thought of or know about, because this is what we do every day for a variety of companies,” says Sharon Schamehorn, co-owner of Elite Sportswear & Promotional Products (asi/186738).

When it comes to crafting e-mail solicitations, Joanne Franklin, president of Joanne Franklin Packaging & Promotions (asi/198020), adds an important caveat: “Placing the word ‘free’ in the subject line often sends a message straight to the spam folder. So use the subject line to show that you were referred to them, or you know something about them, or what your benefits to them can be. But leave the offer of free ideas or samples for the body of the message.”

Rudy Brynac, a sales manager for Lipic’s Recognition (asi/254650) for 35 years, used to be able to make an instant impression by mentioning that his well-known firm has been in business for more than 100 years. “Among those who hadn’t yet heard of us, it would get their attention because they’d know we weren’t fly-by-night,” he says.

But in the past few years, with economic changes placing more work on fewer people, “You have to be well prepared to make a cold call, and say something more about them that hits home in less than 15 seconds,” Brynac says. So he changed his approach to emphasize that Lipic’s can save HR, sales and marketing departments time and money while increasing the return on their programs, and can offer examples of the firm’s work that the prospect could relate to.
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ASK JERILEE

Q. What’s the best way to deal with a charitable request?

A. A forum member made her first quilt while she was employed at an embroidery shop; even though she did all the work, the owner of the shop claimed credit for the work. This decorator later turned her negative experience into a winning and profitable part of her new business and for charity. After she opened her own business, she created more quilts to sell in her shop and to donate. She includes information how long it took to create the entire quilt, how long it took to embroider and the total number of stitches in each quilt. Since both the purchased and donated quilts are hung up on walls or displayed, she gets referrals from all the quilts that leave her shop. Sometimes customers even request that other items be decorated with a design from one of the quilts.

Read more on this topic in "Jerilee Answers" in the Stitches archives. Jerilee Auclair is owner of Black Eagle Designs. To join Jerilee's Google forum on machine maintenance and repair and other embroidery-related topics, send an e-mail to: jerilee@blackeagledesigns.com.
Hot Markets
While novelty T-shirts can be sold into almost any industry, there are a few hot markets to consider when adding novelty tees to your apparel mix.

1. The beverage industry. From Coca-Cola to Sunkist, novelty is huge in the beverage industry. These shirts are especially popular in the alcohol sector of the beverage industry.

2. The entertainment industry. Entertainment companies like Sirius (pictured), and especially those that appeal to youthful audiences, are looking for some novelty.

3. The auto industry. What better way for customers to show their brand loyalty than with a great novelty shirt featuring the logo of their brand-new car?

4. Corporate clients. Though you might not usually think of novelty T-shirts for your corporate clients, these trendy designs can work well for company outings, meetings, retreats and trade shows.

WEBINAR CALENDAR

Business Management
Business-Building Strategies: Sneak Peak Counselor SOI 2010
June 22, 2-3 p.m. ET
Get a sneak peek of the top sales, marketing and operations strategies included in Counselor’s 2010 State of the Industry issue.
Register here.

Wearables University
Not Just a T-Shirt: Everything You Need to Know About the Staple Wearable
*Sponsored by Fruit of the Loom & Tri Mountain (asi/92125)*
July 13, 2-3 p.m. ET

Join this panel of experts as they cover the basic knowledge you need to sell this top-selling item, as well as the hottest trends and decorations that will have clients asking for more.
Register here.

Wearables University
Boost Apparel Sales:
Tips From the Pros
*Sponsored by Hanes*
July 20, 2-3 p.m. ET

Want to be a million-dollar apparel seller? Join the other top sellers who've figured out how to cash in on the $4.5 billion in annual wearables sales.
Register here.

NEWS BRIEFS &
PRODUCT NEWS

BITO offers The LaserBridge, a robotic laser cutter built over other equipment and connected via software to perform multiple tasks; The BridgeBoard, a stationary table designed to be positioned at the end of an embroidery machine; The BridgePlotter, a motorized table that moves front to back; and The BridgeRoller, designed to feed fabric under a laser head and collect it once it has been cut. For more information, go to www.bitousa.com.

Broder Bros. (asi/42090) hosted its annual Philadelphia Apparel Showcase at Lincoln Financial Field on May 6. Attendees met with representatives from their favorite mills, participated in sales-building seminars, enjoyed a cocktail party with live entertainment and had the opportunity to win prizes and tour the stadium.

Brother International Corp.’s Industrial Products Division offers a 24-month, no-interest leasing program and a Trade-In program until June 30 for the Brother GT-54. For more information, go to www.brother.com.

Cotswold offers a new children’s wear stabilizer called EMB 200 for embroidered apparel. Made of 100% polypropylene, the material is fire-retardant, washable and supports low stitch counts on any type of children’s wear.


Dalco Athletic offers a 100% polyester football official’s shirt (product D824LS) and 100% polyester football referee pant (product D9840).

Dunbrooke (asi/50930) has extended Mark Chipchase’s territory to include Maryland, Washington D.C., Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina as of July 1. Chipchase is responsible for both the promotional products and decorator markets.

Floriani offers a Heat ‘N’ Stay stabilizer designed to stabilize lightweight woven fabrics that tend to shift while being sewn or embroidered. It’s perfect for quilt-quality cottons, fine linens and shirt-weight denim.

Imprintables Warehouse (asi/58475) offers the Cut-3000 personalization partner package that features a 24-inch Cut-3000 digital cutter, 45-degree cutting blade, 8 yards of cutter materials, two weeders, a USB cable, sheet-cut tool, and an extra cutting strip.  The package also includes a DVD training video series, free lifetime subscription to CadworxLive, and two-year warranty. Shipping is free to anywhere in the U.S.

The North-American Association of Uniform Manufacturers & Distributors (NAUMD) has announced creation of the “NAUMD Emerging Leadership Group.” Criteria for membership is that a nominated member must be in a policy making/decision making position in a member company in good standing and be under 50 years old.

Siser North America offers EasyWeed Electric CAD-Material, a heat-applied material in 13 colors: lens (silver), gold lens, green lens, yellow, orange, red, cherry, pink, purple, blue, lime, olive and copper. The polyurethane film adheres to 100% cotton, 100% polyester and poly/cotton blends and requires less pressure and a lower temperature than traditional films.

Stahls’ ID Direct has expanded its Team Perfect line to include field hockey, swimming and golf graphics.

Vantage Apparel (asi/93390) has promoted Christine Gianantonio to regional sales representative for southern New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

CALENDAR

June 18-19, Louisville, KY
Embroidery and Direct to Garment Extravaganza
(813) 846-6031; www.swfeast.com

July 13-15, Chicago
ASI Show
(800) 546-3300; www.asishow.com

July 22-24, Glendale, AZ
OASIS Gift Show
(800) 424-9519; www.oasis.org

July 23-24, Pittsburgh, PA
The Embroidery & Direct to Garment Extravaganza
(877) 793-3278; www.embroideryextravaganza.com

July 24-27, Orlando
Orlando Gift Show
(678) 285-3976; www.orlandogiftshow.com

July 26-28, Oaks, PA
Philadelphia Gift Show
(678) 285-2976; www.philadelphiagiftshow.com

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