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 Stitches Behind the Scenes
Get a behind-the-scenes look at the embroidery judging for the Stitches Golden Needle Awards, which was held at ASI headquarters in late July. Click here to watch the video.
What are your decoration and wearables questions? Send them to nrollender@asicentral.com.
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Think Warm Thoughts
Products that can keep the seasonal chill at bay have proved successful for many decorators. Steve Kennedy, general manager of Brand 1 Promotions (asi/232119) in Wayland, MA, had good fortune last year by creating blankets for a real estate firm; he printed pictures of the firm’s customers’ houses on the blankets, which were given as seasonal gifts.
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| This 22-ounce bistro mug is available from Norwood (asi/80330) |
Donna Burst, president of Saint Louis-based Creative Burst Inc. (asi/170273), combines winter warmth with worker safety. One of her major clients, a local construction company, gives its employees stocking caps branded with the company logo. The caps always go over well, and most recently, the company used bright orange to make employees more visible.
Warming customers from the inside is an effective tactic as well, since traditional branded mugs and warm-drink holders remain a staple of winter promotions. Steve Smith, owner of Smith Promotional Advertising (asi/329120) in Urbandale, IA, recently ordered massive, 22-ounce mugs from Norwood for a school; the mugs were branded with the school’s name and a snowflake design, and offered to its teaching staff as a thank-you. Each mug included cookies and a package of hot chocolate to make it a special treat. |
PROBLEM SOLVED: "I need to keep sales coming in during the colder months."
Q. "I know money can run tight throughout the holiday season, so how do I welcome winter while heating up sales over the next couple months?"
A. The gift-giving time of year offers you a number of opportunities to boost your sales, even though buyers might be watching their dollars a little more closely. Here are some expert ideas on how to keep sales blowing in with the chill of the winter air:
1. Target end-of-year honors. The end of the year is a big time for organizations to reward their top performers. Whether providing custom awards or simple thank-yous, this period offers lots of selling opportunities.
2. Promote new beginnings. Whether with a simple calendar for customers or a more elaborate "welcome back" gift for employees, getting clients to think about ways to promote an optimistic message and a fresh start in 2011 can inspire sales.
3. Add value to an item. Look for ways to tie in a discount or offer that can bring a customer back later in the year. Tom Kaufman, president of Kaufman Promo (asi/239350) in Jacksonville, FL, is working with a convenience-store client to include a coupon in each of the hot-drink mugs it sells to customers in the early months of the year.
4. Play the long game. Developing awards that can be collected from one year to the next is a great way to ensure the same client returns over time. "We try to emphasize continuity programs," says Kami Arnold, manager of Shingle Springs, CA-based Arnolds for Awards (asi/124160). "It can be bookmarks, ornaments or a series of porcelain plates, but make it a set."
5. Let the cold weather get customers (re)thinking. Sometimes the freeze of the winter can get customers to order things they otherwise wouldn't. "You may have a difficult time selling caps to some customers during the year, but the same people who won't buy caps from you will buy stocking caps and mufflers in the winter," says Philip Davis, president of Your Extra Specialties (asi/365375) in Indianapolis. He's found that the winter gives him an opening to sell smaller apparel items to these customers throughout the year. |
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New Course Available on ASI Education's Online Learning Center
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| In this video, get tips from Nicole Rollender, Stitches editor and director of ASI Education, on honing your elevator pitch. Click here to watch the video. |
Start working toward achieving your BASI (Bachelor of Advertising Specialty Information) or MASI (Master of Advertising Specialty Information) by taking self-paced, on-demand courses at ASI Education's Online Learning Center. In our newest course, "Perfect Your Closing Skills," you'll learn the smart tactics to get prospects and clients to say "yes," and how to weed out buyers who'll never sign on the dotted line. Click here to take the course.
Subscribe now to our YouTube videos. |
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| BUSINESS WATCH: A Vintage Look |
Almost eight years after merging their two businesses into one large decorating company, Eddie Brascia and Tim Keehn have no plans of slowing the growth of Sonoma Design, Apparel and Promotions (asi/329869) in Santa Rosa, CA. They pride themselves on the service their staff provides, and they credit the popularity of the company to the innovative techniques handed down to them by Tim’s father, Ralph Keehn. Sonoma Design uses techniques that no one else does – and people can’t seem to get enough of its originality and the satisfaction-guaranteed attitude of these two owners.
Stitches: How did your company get started?
Eddie Brascia: Tim was a contract embroiderer and I used to bring product to him, and we had a contract screen printer; as both of our businesses grew, we partnered up in 2003. We quit the contract business in 2004 and started going directly to the clientele. Tim had the production background and I had the sales background. We’ve both been in business since the mid ’80s, just in different types of ad specialty and wearables businesses.
Stitches: What do you specialize in?
EB: About 75% of our business is wearables, and of that, it’s probably an even split between embroidery and screen printing. We sell the majority of our business to wineries, so we sell high-end wearables such as polos, sweaters, jackets, etc. We have a whole art department here, so we do all of the artwork in-house. There are about 500 wineries between Sonoma and Napa, and we probably do 300 of them.
Stitches: What are the most popular decorating techniques?
Tim Keehn: For wearables, we do some rhinestones and other processes, but its 90%-95% screen printing and embroidery.
EB: We also do foil application, because a lot of the wineries will duplicate wine labels, and many wine labels have foil involved in their label. So we do a lot of foil printing on garments.
Stitches: What’s the most unique or odd decoration you’ve done?
EB: Our technique that no one else does is the FlexTran, which is a 3-D application. Tim’s dad invented it – it’s a way of taking silk-screen ink and molding it to create a 3-D application to create different textures. It’s hard to explain unless you see it.
TK: We did an order for Nike that was a shoe print in the middle of the shirt, and literally the shoe print was in 3-D. It felt like the real sole of a shoe. We do the FlexTran once in a while. It’s more of a selling tool for us, but it’s a pretty expensive process. What it does is it gets people to view us as a vendor, but they don’t necessarily use it. It’s a really cool process, but pretty expensive.
Stitches: What else sets you apart from other decorators?
EB: We run on three statements: service, quality and pricing. There’s no one in our area that provides better service. We have quick turnaround. Whatever a client asks, we do.
TK: Customer service is very important.
EB: We’re in northern California, so the labor pool is pretty expensive. We have to be competitive, so we just have to make sure our service is second to none, because we can’t compete with the guys down in southern California and that labor pool.
Stitches: Where do you see your company in five years?
EB: We purchased a competitor out of Napa – Napa Valley Clothing – so now we have two facilities on book and we basically cover the entire Sonoma and Napa counties now. With just Sonoma Design it was hard to sell to Napa County because it was sort of a rivalry between the counties, so by buying Napa Valley Clothing Company, it gives us a presence on that side without creating too much debate on the name of our business. Our growth pattern, what we would like to continue to do, is to buy out companies that are struggling and build them back up again. As long as we live long enough, we’d like to buy out more and expand in that way. |
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| HOW TO SELL IT: Sleepwear |
Sleepwear, loungewear and comfortwear, oh my! What was once referred to as "sleepwear" has become a broad category of products that includes everything from traditional pajamas to items like robes, yoga pants, loungewear and even accessory products like blankets, eye masks and slippers. "The line between sleepwear and loungewear is blurred," says Catesby Jones, president of Peace Frogs Inc. (asi/47432). "Traditional pajamas are not as big as they were years ago when Ward and June Cleaver wore them," he says. "Boxers, loungepants and T-shirts are the garments of choice today."
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| These 100% cotton loungepants from Peace Frogs Inc. (asi/47432) can be worn to bed or to the grocery store. |
The products that have been grouped together into this more modern category aren't just for sleeping anymore; indeed, the terms sleepwear, loungewear, comfortwear and lifestyle apparel are basically interchangeable today. "Our flannel pants are perfect for schools and teams," says Jessica Levine, marketing associate for Boxercraft (asi/41325). "They're perfect to slip on after practice, or to wear on the bus to the away game."
Whether the end-user will be wearing flannel pants to sleep or to walk the puppy, the number-one expectation in this category is that the garment's fit, hand and weight are optimal for every application. For this reason, ensuring that products are high-quality and made well is very important. Here, one distributor shares her experience with sleepwear sales.
Sherry Kennedy's client, a Christian ladies' group, came to her excited about the new theme for their quarterly fundraiser: slumber party. "They were looking for us to provide them with pajamas to sell to raise money for their organization," says Kennedy, president of Proforma A-Z Specialties (asi/300094). "We brought in four or five different options, after brainstorming about the best way to coordinate colors and decorations for the organization."
Kennedy was looking for traditional flannel pants that fit the bill as pajamas, but that were more versatile. "The particular pants we chose were great – they can use them for loungewear. You might even run out to the grocery store or your mailbox in these," she says.
The Christian group was successful with the fundraiser, in large part because of the attractive options sourced by Kennedy. "We utilized black and white as an overall theme, and added hot pink as an accent color." The color choices and coordination allowed the group to sell individual items as well as a combination including bottoms, a top and accessories. The best part? The proceeds from this group's fundraisers went directly to charity. |
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| STEPS TO SUCCESS: Make the Perfect Pitch for Health Clubs |
A new fitness center will be opening with the New Year and right in time to accommodate all those resolutions to get in shape. It’s your job to help pump up their promotions too.
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| These assorted rubber bracelets shaped like fruit come in a resealable polybag from Zenith Promotions (asi/98980). |
First, a street team will be sent out two weeks before the grand opening to alert the public. Be sure they have imprinted products on hand to spread the word and create interest. Rubber brand bracelets are a good choice, given their popularity at the moment, but be sure to choose something health-related, like those in the shape of fruits and veggies. A light-up safety whistle on a lanyard will be a practical choice and appreciated by all who receive it.
On the day of the open house/grand opening, all visitors who come in to check out the facilities will receive imprinted products too. Think about useful items like socks for working out, flip-flops, which they can wear after showering at the gym, or at home, and a lunch cooler that anyone can use to hold healthy snacks and lunches for work or school.
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| This light-up safety whistle, from Buztronics Inc. (asi/43963), comes on a breakaway lanyard. |
Those who join the center onsite the day of the opening should receive a goodie bag of items that are a little more expensive as a show of appreciation. This will also create goodwill and result in some great word of mouth. A therapy pack that can provide hot or cold relief will come in handy after a tough workout. Eco-friendly T-shirts and caps with the center’s logo and tagline will serve as walking advertisements outside the building. And a sports bottle with a twist-off bottom compartment for keys and such will provide hydration and convenience.
After you’ve whipped this promotion into shape, you can use your success to muscle your way into other health-related clients. |
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Q: Here’s a good one for you, Phil. I have a customer who’s looking for belts that can be embroidered. This would be for teen boys in high school. I’m thinking of webbing, but will be interested in whatever you can recommend. Thanks for your help.
A: You can find woven belts that can be custom embroidered with tons of colors and backgrounds at Footprints USA (asi/55030); (800) 381-8940; www.footprintsusa.net; and also at WOV-IN (asi/92980); (800) 558-1709; www.wov-in-group.com. The first comes with either leather buckles or metal Webb buckles, and the second with a universal buckle – perfect for teenage boys. Let me know if they work out for you!
Selling Tip: Custom imprinted belts are a great sell, but think bigger. Offer additional items that coordinate with the belt, like sandals and other accessories. |
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Got a question for Phil? If you can't find what you're looking for in the Embroiderers Sourcing Guide, write to: Stitches, Attn: Phil Stitch, 4800 Street Road, Trevose, PA 19053. Or fax your question to: (215) 953-3107. For the quickest response, e-mail askphil@asicentral.com. For RN inquiries, visit www.stitches.com for the RN Database link. Although I try my best, I can't always answer every request, so please continue your search on your own. Remember, if you call the companies that I mention, tell them you heard about them here! |
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BLOG BLURB:
The Secret to Online Company Store Success: There Isn’t (Just) One
Lately, I've been answering a great number of questions relating to online company stores. Many of you may wonder how a digitizer managed to learn so much about taking decorated garments to the Web. Well, it's no secret that Black Duck runs several company stores and that I'm often called to the mat as the guy who manages them. What you may not know is that I helped to sell them, installed them and maintain them, as well. So the first thing we have to admit is that in an era where we have tools that allow us to create and manage websites without much more knowledge than it takes to make a nice-looking document in a word-processing program, that most folks will likely be able to get over the technological hurdles between running their current businesses and getting their stores online. If there was a secret to learning how to get yourself out there, it's saying yes to the challenge.
I learned about e-commerce and company stores because I was a fairly Web-savvy guy (having run simple websites since the late '90s), and when I came to Black Duck, they were woefully lacking an online presence. Like so many other things in my life, and many I've mentioned in this very blog, I learned because I volunteered to tackle the problem at hand. I learned almost everything I know about selling online though experience, and often enough, I learned the hard way. These days, however, there is such a wealth of information at your fingertips and so many tools available to you that a diligent soul with any kind of love for learning will likely be able to find their way to some level of proficiency.
Want more? Check out Black Duck Inc.'s (asi/140730) E-commerce Manager Erich Campbell's blog, "On Links and Needles," on Stitches.com. |
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WEBINAR CALENDAR |
Did you know that ASI Education has more than 50 archived webinars that you can access 24/7? Click here to view our complete selection.
Here are just two of our on-demand selections:
Get Hip to Current Decoration and Apparel Trends: Want to know what imprinting methods and clothing styles buyers are craving? Click here to get the inside scoop.
Apparel Sourcing: Find the Right Partners: Want to know how to build the perfect short list of apparel suppliers? Click here to learn how apparel suppliers can help you make more sales. |
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NEWS BRIEFS &
PRODUCT NEWS |
Bodek and Rhodes (asi/40788) has announced its partnership with Gildan for a November promotion giving away a free Apple iPad unit to each day’s highest online total order of Gildan products from www.bodekandrhodes.com.
Canyon Outback Leather Goods (asi/43766) has signed a licensing agreement with Realtree Outfitters to produce leather camouflage nylon products starting in 2011. The lines will consist of gun and rifle cases, shell bags and luggage.
Carhartt (asi/43861) and West Coast Customs (WCC) have announced a fully integrated partnership including Carhartt’s premium twill workwear products as the official uniform of WCC.
EnMart has relocated its West Coast shipping facility to California to better serve West Coast customers.
Great Dane Graphics has introduced a new group of military jet fighter plane designs to its stock art library.
Great Garment Graphics is offering nine different free educational webinars on heat-applied graphics in November. Check them out at www.greatgarmentgraphics.com.
Hanes Imagewear (asi/59528) has announced a new partnership with TSC Apparel (asi/90518). Beginning in January 2011, Hanes will be available at all of TSC’s locations: Cincinnati, Houston, Atlanta and Los Angeles.
Imprintables Warehouse has awarded a brand-new limited-edition Cut-3000 vinyl cutter as a prize to celebrate the fifth anniversary of T-ShirtForums.com. The winner was Mark David Biletnikoff, owner of First Amendment.
Siser North America has introduced its EasyWeed CAD-Cut material specifically designed to weed even small letters and detailed designs quickly.
Transfer Express is offering CAD-PRINTZ full-color digital transfers for nylon, which easily adhere to umbrellas, warm-up jerseys, and other athletic apparel.
Tri-Mountain (asi/92125) has introduced the women’s Dash, style 621, and the men’s Diversion, style 624. The quarter-zip performance shirts are made of 100% polyester with UltraCool technology and feature contrast panels and piping along the collar, shoulders and front body. |
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CALENDAR |
DECEMBER 2010
Dec. 3, Phoenix
Holiday Social at the Phoenix Zoo
(480) 889-1392; www.azppa.org
Dec. 8, Austin, TX
CAPPA Holiday Social
(830) 980-9077; www.cappatexas.org
Dec. 8, Houston
Awards Dinner & Holiday Party
(281) 238-4772; www.houstonppa.org |
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 Podcast: Michael J. Fox on Overcoming Challenges
On a recent ASI Internet Radio Show, the hosts welcomed a special guest: Michael J. Fox. The actor and activist told his inspiring story of being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at 29 – and offered his own methods for overcoming obstacles to continue a highly successful career. Plus, as keynote speaker for The ASI Show Orlando in January, Fox previewed his talk by revealing his favorite promotional items.
Click here to listen to the Michael J. Fox interview segment from the Radio Show. Want more information on Fox’s appearance at The ASI Show Orlando in January? Go to www.asishow.com. |
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