| WearableStyle
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Volume 128 / August 2, 2010 |
| Click here to read this and past issues online. | |
| VIDEO Come Along for the Ride Summer’s the perfect time to hop in your car, drive around … and try out the latest driving apparel and accessories. For any markets that have a need for speed, this video is for you! Click here to watch it. What did you think of these videos? Send your feedback to cmittica@asicentral.com. |
| Trend Alert: Safari |
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In apparel, it is often believed that some styles are fashionable, some styles are practical, and never the twain shall meet. But one recent hot trend in particular, safari, is bridging the gap between these opposite poles.
Why is safari so hot? Look to Africa. The Dark Continent has been thrust in the public eye the past few months, primarily due to the international attention cast upon it for the World Cup, but also because of its emerging status as a player on the global economic stage. In addition, trend-watchers like Fashion Snoops have proclaimed that tribal prints will surge in popularity this year and next; safari apparel is a natural complement to that trend. Two things distinguish safari gear, says Darsana Laxmidas, director of marketing for TAG Safari Clothing (asi/33176). The first is lightweight cotton and breathable construction; the second, a range of muted colors and neutrals. “The coloring, you can blend in with the environment,” she says. “If it’s winter, you wear the khaki. If it’s summer, you wear the forest green.” Those elements make it not only suitable for the bush in Africa, but any place with outdoor activities, such as hunting during the summer. Plus, “When it gets dirty, it doesn’t show up,” Laxmidas adds. “So if you’re out in the bush, you can go without washing the garment for at least two or three days. You don’t have to be worried that all the stains are showing up.” Beyond using it as rugged outdoor apparel, Laxmidas says that clients have bought TAG’s safari gear for everything from uniforms to company events, such as an outdoor picnic. For fashion applications, use the range of neutrals to pair with brighter apparel for vivid results and useful everyday wear. For more on safari and other hot trends, be sure to check out the upcoming September issue of Wearables.
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| Business Mistakes to Avoid |
Certain aspects of increasing your business opportunities are no-brainers: provide quality customer service, practice time management, and follow up. Don’t be fooled, though – there are things that you should definitely avoid if you plan on getting more business from your current customers. Here are three mistakes to never make: 1. Don’t emphasize your company’s age. You don’t want to hint at how long you’ve been in business if you’re a relative newbie, according to John Wagley, vice president of Jan’s Humdrum in Winona Lake, IN. “There may be competing businesses that have been doing it longer,” he says, so stress the quality service you offer. 2. Put away the crystal ball. It may seem as if guessing your clients’ needs will win you some brownie points, but it doesn’t always work that way. When you do this, you’re giving your client the “hard-sell pitch of how what you’ve got is what they need,” Wagley says. “Let them talk first, and then come up with a match of what you have for what they need.” 3. Let quality speak for itself. Assuring your customer of the quality of your products is nice, but ultimately they're just words. To harp on it over and over again can actually make clients wary. “It can sometimes make your customer think you’re not going to be competitive with your prices, and that you’ll then overcharge them,” says Wagley. Make it known that your products are of good quality, and then simply let your goods speak for themselves. |
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| Breaking Into: Safety Wear |
Here are four tips from some of the top safety-wear suppliers in the industry on how to break into the market and excel in your safety sales appointments: 1. Look to current clients. “I think the best way to find new safety clients is to look at your current book of business,” says Lee Strom, senior marketing manager for SanMar (asi/84863). “If you’re selling the front office, you could also be selling their manufacturing department or their field service staff.” 2. Find the decision-maker. “Ask the customer about their current safety requirements within the company, and ask who makes the decisions on safety,” says Ritchie Belyea, product manager for Ash City (asi/37127). “Make sure you are talking to the person who needs to make the decision, including the person writing the purchase order.” This is particularly important when it comes to safety gear, because this person may be the only one at the company who truly knows the needs and specs of the items they’re buying. 3. Always bring samples. To prove your knowledge and breadth of offerings, never walk into a client’s office without items to show and talk about. “To establish yourself as a reliable vendor of safety products, a sales rep or distributor should always bring a hard hat, a high-visibility safety shirt, a vest or two and some gloves,” says Laura Vermeire, national sales representative for OccuNomix (asi/74830). “Cooling bandanas, hand warmers and other comfort or novelty add-ons can help round out the appointment.” 4. Let your client make informed decisions. “The ultimate people to decide on safety issues are the supervisor and the employee,” says Belyea. “The supervisor is legally bound to provide a safe work environment to the employee, as they are the key individual to know the job requirements.” This is especially important when considering the distributor’s liability as a consultant. “The best way to handle these types of sales is to supply the information, present the offering and let the customer pick the product that best serves their needs,” Strom says. |
Our Favorite Wearables Selling Tip: This product is ideal for the frequent traveler. Target travel agencies, tour groups, airport services and more. Embroider the company name across the chest to advertise across the globe. |
Ask An Expert |
Q: I'm looking for a black polo shirt with purple trim on the sleeves and collar. Thanks for your help. Selling Tip: Don’t hesitate to go custom if you can’t find the perfect item. Your clients will thank you for it – and won’t mind paying a little more. Q: We have been using a shirt for many years. The company we order from is no longer importing this shirt. Bummer! We have many groups, clubs and businesses that have enjoyed this shirt for many years. We have searched all over trying to find a similar replacement. Sure hope you can help us out. The shirt has been through a few names. It’s 75% poly and 25% cotton. It has a tailored collar set into a dress-shirt neckband, classic four-button top-canter placket, left-chest open pocket, and short open sleeves. Selling Tip: Poly/cotton blends have become a favorite among consumers because they offer the softness of cotton and the performance aspects of polyester. Be sure to include some poly/cotton items in your sales calls. |
| News Briefs |
Beyond Zebra Inc. (asi/138945) provided several eco-friendly items, including baseball caps, fedoras and beverage napkins, for the 2010 ESPY Awards held in Los Angeles. Boxercraft (asi/41325) has released its new fall catalog, featuring new colors and patterns and three entirely new products. Also, the company recently donated 3,000 new garments to the six winners of its “Bring Comfort to Your Community” charity contest. The winners each received 500 garments to donate to their chosen charity. Cap America (asi/43729) has announced that Tom Gillespie will be the company’s new vice president of production. Executive Apparel (asi/53418) has announced a 7% discount (valid until the end of the year) to any distributor who places EA’s logo on its website as a preferred supplier. Flexfit (asi/32199) has announced it will donate its custom headwear to be designed by famous pro surfers to raise awareness for the Mauli Ola Foundation’s work with cystic fibrosis and other genetic diseases. Great Dane Graphics has announced several new designs in its sports and games category of graphics. Hanesbrands Imagewear (asi/59528) has announced that Eskimo Joe’s Bar and Restaurant in Stillwater, OK, and cofounder Stan Clark were accepted into the Hanes’ Beefy-T Hall of Fame. Oeko Tex will hold a webinar on August 11 at noon ET to review its certification process and the updates to its Standard 100. To register, contact Dina Dunn at dina@blinkready.com by August 9. OOBE Inc. has signed an agreement to become the official apparel company of the Greenville Drive, a minor league baseball team in Greenville, SC. Pacific Western Sales (asi/75731) has announced Pat Dore, Greg Jackson, Joe Eberz, and Rod Williamson as the newest members of it sales force. Dore and Jackson will cover the Northwest, while Eberz and Williamson will cover the Great Lakes and Midwest. In addition, Michelle Hirn and Ed Manbeck have been named inside sales reps, while Andrea Pennington has been hired as the new customer service manager. Penn Emblem Company (asi/62485) has announced that its PennEdge system, a patented, custom emblem program, is now available as a silk-screened product. Proforma Stewart & Associates’ (asi/300094) Owner Bruce Copeland served as a judge for the Technology Student Association’s (TSA) National Competition on June 30 and evaluated entries in the promotional graphics category. Rainy Day Solutions (asi/81230) has announced that its Brella Bag hands-free umbrella holder has been selected as one of the businesses to debut in this year’s Daytime Emmy Awards Gift Bags. SanMar (asi/84863) will introduce its 2010 Holiday Gift Guide in early September. Pre-orders are available now at www.sanmar.com. Sassy Scrubs donated two large boxes of scrub pants to U.S. troop hospitals in Germany and the Middle East to use as comfortable sleepwear. The T-Biz Network has announced that T-Seps 2.0 is now released for both Mac and PC. Tri-Mountain/Mountain Gear (asi/92125) has announced that Walter Brzyski & Associates will now be its representative for the metro NY, NJ, MD and D.C. regions. |
| Wearables Terms |
Knowing these terms will make distributors who just started sound like they’ve been in the business for years. Virgin Wool: New wool that has never been used before, or reclaimed from any spun, woven, knitted, felted, manufactured or used products. Hoop: Device made from wood, plastic or steel with which fabric is gripped tightly between an inner ring and an outer ring. The hoop is attached to the machine’s pantograph. Machine hoops are designed to push the fabric to the bottom of the inner ring and hold it against the machine bed for embroidering. Silk: The only natural fiber that comes in a filament form. Most silk is collected from cultivated worms. |
| Show List | ||
August 3-4, New York City The SAAC Show (818) 346-1796; www.saac.net August 6-7, Houston, TX August 12-13, Murfreesboro, TN August 12-14, Long Beach, CA August 15-18, New York City August 16-19, Edmonton, Alberta August 18, Houston |
August 18-19, Live Oak, TX August 20-21, Nashville, TN August 21-24, Seattle August 22-25, Marlboro, MA August 22-25, Montreal, Quebec August 25-26, Orange County, FL August 30-31, Boston, MA, and Long Island, NY |
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