Starting your own t-shirt business can be a daunting challenge, but it is also a potentially lucrative business. The industry is worth billions of dollars, and people buy new t-shirts all the time meaning that even though there is competition, there’s room for new businesses too.
In this guide, we’re providing some top tips for selling t-shirts and creating your successful business in the apparel niche.
T-Shirt Marketing Strategies for Your Business
In this competitive industry, you definitely need to set yourself apart somehow. Let’s dive into the marketing strategies you’re going to need to make your business fly.
Discover a good printing company, then prioritize marketing
A good custom printing company is crucial. For most people starting a graphic t-shirt business, the printing is outsourced, and with so many print-on-demand companies it is easier than ever. Once you have a reliable and affordable printing company you are free to focus on marketing. Having a dependable custom printing company by your side is paramount for anyone venturing into the graphic t-shirt business. With numerous print-on-demand options available, the choice can be overwhelming. However, a trusted partner that uses a great printing option such as direct-to-film printing and a Prestige DTF printer can make all the difference, allowing you to channel your energy into effective marketing strategies.
Focus on wholesale orders
The big bucks come from larger orders, of course, and this means that your marketing should not just be aimed at individuals, but also at potential wholesale clients like stores, who may be interested in carrying your designs.
It isn’t always easy to pick up wholesale orders, but if you do they can be potentially very large and help you to build your business. You may even end up supplying huge stores.
Design t-shirts for stores and corporate clients
Sticking with the theme of getting larger orders, you should try to pick up some bigger orders from companies by designing t-shirts for stores, corporate clients, and those who need them as part of their uniforms. This can ensure you get a good steady stream of orders from repeat customers who use your services to create uniforms. You can even present branded merchandise ideas to businesses in the hope that they like your designs and choose to place an order with you.
Allow customers to design their own t-shirts
Customers value the option to make something that is custom to them. A lot of the big print-on-demand companies will also allow you to give customers a way to design t-shirts using an online interface. This means they can add their own spin on tees, even if it is as simple as just choosing a custom name to put on the front of it.
You may even be able to allow customers to upload their own logo or design. This is another way that you might be able to target some of the bigger, corporate customers where there is a chance of big orders coming in.
Offer more than t-shirts
There’s no reason to narrow your market to just t-shirts, especially if you have found a printing company capable of doing so much more. You can offer many other products, and once you’ve done the hard work of creating designs, you can apply these to things like tote bags, hoodies, and more. Why stick to cool graphic t-shirts when you can also offer funny bags and hoodies, right? You could open yourself up to many more potential orders.
Email marketing
Email marketing can be done with the email addresses you collect while you are trading, or potential leads that you collect via your website or other sources. Email marketing isn’t necessarily easy, but in the world of t-shirt marketing, repeat custom is huge. This means that keeping a database of emails and continually sending updates, new designs, and promotions can be a great way to keep customers coming back.
Ask for a referral
Whenever you sell to a customer, see it as a chance to potentially grow your business. In your email confirmations or even on your packaging, you can ask for a referral. You may even incentivize this, offering discounts or rewards for those customers who manage to bring in new business.
Final Words on T-Shirt Marketing
T-shirt businesses tap into an ever-changing world, and it is important to try and be different, stand out, and find customers wherever you can. Following our steps will help you to go from a tiny business to a thriving and profitable one.
