| Selling T-Shirts has become big business and it's a | | | | marketing/promotion shouldn't stop there. You have to |
| growing industry on the Internet where there are | | | | always be marketing/promoting your site one way or |
| already thousands of shops and websites where you | | | | another because it won't take long before someone |
| can purchase almost any design or T-Shirt style | | | | else over takes you, simply because links can die and |
| imaginable. Thanks to the many T-Shirt companies that | | | | you need incoming links from other websites to get |
| now print and create the T-Shirts for you, with no risk | | | | traffic.T-Shirt Ranking Websites |
| involved, many people have been able to start their | | | | Do ranking sites work? Yes, ranking websites are a |
| own T-Shirt business without having to invest any | | | | great way to market/promote your T-Shirt designs |
| money. This however, has turned the T-Shirt business | | | | and shops/websites. Many people don't want to waste |
| online into a fierce, competitive battle against all T-Shirt | | | | their time searching all over the web trying to locate |
| shop/website owners.There are now millions of T-Shirt | | | | websites that sell specific designs that they are looking |
| websites online for customers to choose from and this | | | | for. This is where T-Shirt ranking websites come in |
| is why starting your own online T-Shirt business can | | | | handy and allow customers to view thousands of |
| be stressful, disappointing, and very difficult to attract | | | | different T-Shirt designs and styles from many |
| customers and make the sales that you are expecting. | | | | different websites. Ranking sites are a great way of |
| Now, I'm not saying it's impossible, I'm just saying it's | | | | bringing many unique and different T-Shirt websites |
| going to take a lot of time, effort, and maybe even | | | | designs together and help to bring the buyers to the |
| some money for you to get started and get | | | | sellers. is a great example and offers many different |
| customers visiting your shop/website.There are many | | | | categories to choose from including: Animal, Artistic, |
| things you need to consider when starting your own | | | | Attitude, Automobile, Biker, Computer, Floral, Funny, |
| online T-Shirt business. Simply creating a design, putting | | | | Holiday, Kids, Logo, Misc., Movie, Music, Novelty, |
| it on a blank T-Shirt, and expecting it to be a big seller | | | | Occupation, Offensive, Patriotic, Pets, Political, Religious, |
| isn't going to do the trick and bring you many sales, | | | | Sports, Unusual, Vintage, and Western.Many T-Shirt |
| unless of course, you are a very lucky person, whom I | | | | business owners think that they can just upload their |
| can assure you, there aren't very many of them | | | | T-Shirt designs to a ranking website and expect to |
| around. If you want to start a T-Shirt business just to | | | | receive sales. This is a myth and it's not true. Ranking |
| make easy money fast like many other schemes on | | | | sites, like bring high quality targeted traffic to your |
| the Internet claim, then you're looking at the wrong | | | | website, but it's your T-Shirt designs in the end that |
| business. There is no such thing as easily making | | | | have to convince the customer to buy/purchase the |
| money fast and you're always going to have to put in | | | | product. T-Shirt ranking websites only make it easier |
| the effort to get the results you are looking for, | | | | for you to market/promote your site/designs and to |
| especially for a T-Shirt business.Now, I'm not trying to | | | | get the high quality targeted traffic that every business |
| scare you from owning your own T-Shirt business, as | | | | wants.Below I've included some advice, problems, and |
| there are many successful individuals who have | | | | solutions from other T-Shirt businesses that they |
| started their business in the T-Shirt industry and are | | | | encountered when they were starting their own |
| doing very well. I just want to give you the facts of | | | | T-Shirt business.For MindTrix the hardest part for |
| reality so that you're not disappointed when your | | | | starting out, besides money, was finding a "nitch". Our |
| business isn't doing as well as you thought it would. | | | | first line of T-Shirts was all over the map, so starting |
| You may succeed at one aspect of the business, but | | | | your own clothing company can be hard. I had to do |
| fail in another, or you just might be that person who is | | | | and learn everything on my own. I over came this |
| successful at all the aspects of the business, which will | | | | obstacle by going to tradeshows, surfing the Internet, |
| obviously make your business a success. Either way, | | | | and reading magazines like Sport and Street, |
| you're still going to have to spend the time and work | | | | etc.MindTrix has grown beyond just T-Shirts due to |
| very hard to achieve success.Below I've listed some | | | | the fact that everyone including their moms have a |
| of the things you need to consider before you setup | | | | T-Shirt company. When I would go into stores trying to |
| or start your own T-Shirt business:Business Goals | | | | sell my T-Shirts, I would always get feedback, like |
| Before you start your own T-Shirt business, you need | | | | what makes these any better than the other 90,000 |
| to think of your business goals. These goals should be | | | | brands we have in here, which most of these other |
| realistic and they should point you in the direction you | | | | brands people have heard of, and that is why we |
| would like your business to go and what you hope to | | | | graduated to cut and sew as well as any higher end |
| accomplish. An example of a goal would be to have | | | | T-Shirts.You have to stay ahead of the pack to |
| 100 visitors visiting your shop/website a day or to | | | | survive. for Promotion: Don't be afraid to advertise. |
| create two new designs a week and put them up on | | | | Create buttons, stickers, give them out and be sure |
| your website. Whatever the goals may be that you | | | | people remember you. Tell people about it, you'd be |
| have set for yourself, you then need to strive for them | | | | surprised how many people would be willing to help |
| and once you have accomplished your goals, then you | | | | you out.Advice for Designing: When designing A |
| know you're on the right track.Passion | | | | T-Shirt, there are many points to keep in mind, but the |
| You have to have an interest in what you are doing | | | | following factors are some technical stuff overlooked |
| or you're not going to enjoy spending the time and | | | | by companies starting off: The Number of colors used |
| effort your business requires. Everybody has a | | | | & what material will be used. Most screen printers |
| passion in one thing or another whether it is creating | | | | charge in the $10-$40 range for every different color |
| the designs, promoting, or any other aspect of the | | | | you use. It can get really expensive for someone |
| business, but you should have an interest in it. If you're | | | | (Example: music bands) to get several T-Shirts printed. |
| not passionate about a certain subject, then you need | | | | They then have to sell the fans $36 dollar T-Shirts just |
| to think of another theme that you would be more | | | | to cover the costs and make some profit.The Material |
| interested in doing. Remember, you are going to spend | | | | used: Usually each material/brand/size comes with a |
| a lot of time on the subject/theme that you choose, so | | | | set of colors that they're printed on. There isn't one |
| if you aren't passionate about it, then you're going to | | | | that provides you with every single color in existence. It |
| get bored very fast and it's not going to be | | | | would be a great idea to ask the client what material |
| enjoyable.Subject/Theme | | | | they can afford and then research it, or familiarize |
| This is very important in the T-Shirt industry as some | | | | yourself with the more popular brands that are being |
| subjects/themes do much better than others and | | | | printed on (Examples: American Apparel, Fruit Of the |
| receive more customers, but like all styles, they come | | | | Loom and Hanes). I've had several problems with this |
| and go. It's possible to have a general subject/theme, | | | | when I began, so don't just go creating something that |
| but it makes it harder for you to market/promote your | | | | only looks good on a red background that you can't |
| shop/website. I suggest choosing just one subject | | | | easily fix, or something that looks good on a T-Shirt |
| theme to begin with as you can start adding other | | | | color that's almost impossible to find. This will save you |
| subjects/themes later when you are established. You | | | | so much time and trouble.Lastly, but most importantly, |
| should by all means choose a subject/theme that you | | | | just be original. Keep the designs more personalized, |
| are knowledgeable about and have a passion for, like I | | | | deeper and more meaningful. Vision. You need to |
| mentioned under the passion paragraph.Target | | | | know who you are, what you're doing, why, etc. This |
| Audience | | | | will define how you market your product, how it looks |
| Who are you targeting? Will you be targeting a | | | | over all, and all the little details within that you need to |
| certain age group, occupation, style, general public, etc. | | | | do. Yep, so figure that out and then go nuts because |
| Finding out who your primary target audience will be or | | | | you can't go wrong with a big idea, as long as you |
| is, will help you with marketing/promotion. This will also | | | | know what the big idea is.2. Marketing. It's essential in |
| help you with creating and designing your T-Shirts and | | | | today's design world. You might have a good product |
| shop/website to suit your target audience. Once again | | | | but if its weak on branding, labeling, packaging, shelf |
| you can choose to go for a general audience, but this | | | | appeal, matching coat hangers, etc., it'll look bad. |
| will only make it harder for you to market/promote | | | | Consistency also needs to be achieved across the |
| your shop/website.Research | | | | spectrum including same font, same style, etc. |
| You need to always do your research and find out | | | | Designing is totally open to new creations and ideas, so |
| what's new, what's not, what's in style, what kind of | | | | anything goes, but there are some boundaries that you |
| designs people are looking for, etc. You also need to | | | | don't want to cross, while others you need to break |
| keep up-to-date with your subject/theme as some | | | | through.3. E-commerce. Yes, it's fully possible! It will |
| change on a regular basis (Example: Politics). Keeping | | | | take some setting up though, but I've recently realized |
| informed and up-to-date will give you the leading edge | | | | how I can just pick up the phone and order a set of |
| over your competitors, bring back customers time | | | | hoodies, wait four days until they're on the doorstep, |
| after time, and most importantly it will make sales.Third | | | | pay for them a month later online, etc. Also, I can call |
| Party shops Vs. Your Own Website | | | | up the fabric company down the road, or one in |
| Should I invest in my own website or use a third party | | | | wellington, get them to send me samples of denim, call |
| website to host my T-Shirt designs? If you are thinking | | | | them back and order a set amount of denim to be |
| about doing every aspect of the T-Shirt business | | | | sent to my garment manufacturer, and then call him |
| yourself (including making the T-Shirts), then I suggest | | | | and tell him how many of what I want right from my |
| you invest in a website (not a free website hosting | | | | rocking chair at home.4. Online selling. Totally possible if |
| service), but first try out a third party website that | | | | you use ebay or know how to set up an E-commerce |
| makes the T-Shirts for you (no risk involved or | | | | website yourself, but getting the credit card system |
| investment needed) to see if you can make your | | | | sorted out is a major cost. Lots of girls shop online |
| business a success. Once you're confident in your | | | | now, you just need to know how to market it right and |
| business, then you can upgrade to making and owning | | | | get your products noticed.5. Promo. Get it out there! |
| your own website.There are many online third party | | | | Make sure your friends buy your products or you |
| websites available on the Internet that you can choose | | | | could give out freebies. Put stickers, advertising your |
| from that will create and ship the T-Shirts to your | | | | shop, wherever you can. Be shameless because |
| customers (risk free with no money invested) and | | | | designers are really admired (as opposed to being a |
| therefore, save you the hassle of actually having to | | | | 'salesperson'), especially if your product is favorable.6. |
| deal with the customer aspect of your T-Shirt | | | | Don't waste your time on silly details. I'll let you figure |
| business. There are as many cons as there are pros | | | | out what those are.7. Get your accounts sorted out |
| when using a third party service. Some of the cons | | | | now. Segregate your personal and business spending, |
| are: You don't get your own website and you are in | | | | so you can claim back GST with no problems. Make |
| some way connected to them, you don't make as | | | | sure every transaction (sales, purchasing, spending, |
| much profit (you have to pay them to do all the work, | | | | etc.) goes through your account, so you can see how |
| like printing the T-Shirts and shipping), and they make all | | | | well you're doing by looking at your bank statement. |
| the rules (Example: not providing you with the E-mail | | | | Use the ATM machine for petty cash; your |
| address of your customers or refusing any designs | | | | accountant will love you one day for this.8. Have fun! |
| that you create). When you sign up with one of these | | | | It's not the end of the world if it doesn't work out. I was |
| third party services, you are actually working for them | | | | just thinking how involved my life is at the moment with |
| and that includes promoting their site. The customers | | | | my T-Shirt business. My life revolves around it, which is |
| that purchase your T-Shirts are actually their | | | | crazy, but if it all fell apart and closed down tomorrow |
| customers meaning they have full control and every | | | | I'd be the same person and I'd find something else to |
| time you make a sale, they make a profit. In other | | | | do! I make sure I take one day off during the week to |
| words, these third parties depend on your success | | | | do what I love that doesn't involve my work. I love |
| and if your business goes under, theirs doesn't | | | | doing my work, so I'm very lucky in that aspect, but |
| because there'll always be someone else to take your | | | | sometimes it gets boring or tedious so I make sure I |
| place.Marketing/Promoting | | | | stay fresh and focused.9. Work hard. I still do after |
| This will be your biggest enemy in the T-Shirt business | | | | three years. I work my butt off and hardly make any |
| and many businesses fail because of this. I suggest | | | | money off it, but I know it's worth it in the long run and |
| you do your research on the web for SEO (Search | | | | the things you learn along the way are invaluable.10. |
| Engine Optimization) and about how the basic search | | | | Give away free stuff! People love free T-Shirts and |
| engines works, as there is a lot of information about | | | | sponsorship goes a long way. It's also your duty, being |
| them. Do not just resort to search engines as being | | | | in business and generating wealth, to share that with |
| your source for traffic as there are many other | | | | society in some way (Example: Old stock goes in |
| websites that can help bring in quality targeted traffic | | | | recycle clothing bins, etc.).Check the story out at |
| to your website like T-Shirt ranking sites (Example: | | | | involved... choice! |
| major search engines (Example: Google) are | | | | you'd like to copy this article and place it on your |
| complicated in how they work and many people have | | | | website or pass it around, then you are FREE to do |
| been trying to figure out how they work for years. | | | | so as long as you copy the article in it's entirety, keep |
| The search engines change their algorithms on how | | | | the links intact, and don't make any modifications |
| pages are ranked every once in a while so you're | | | | whatsoever. - The Ultimate T-Shirt Website On The |
| better off not focusing your attention on just getting to | | | | Internet. You can Rank, Vote, Comment, E-mail, Visit |
| the top in the search engines.If you do manage to | | | | T-Shirt Websites, Auction, Bid, Sell, Buy, Promote |
| make it to the top and are very successful, then your | | | | Market T-Shirts and more. |