Impressions - August/September 2023 - 28

...whether you are offering
webstores for your
clientele or you are selling
your own holiday apparel
and gifts online not having
a presence or offering this
service means you are
losing out on income
annual sales, which includes direct-to-garment (DTG) and directto-film
(DTF) transfers as well as customizable gifts such as T-shirts,
mugs and a variety of sublimation products.
Maximize Profits
by Planning Ahead
No matter how big your business is, decorators who prepare in advance
inevitably find that their efforts pay off.
Says Lawrenz, " It is never too soon to start! Increased demand in
December combined with any lingering supply-chain delays will limit
options. We work with our clients to encourage ordering (or securing
inventory) as soon as July to ensure they get exactly what they need for
their project. "
" I think you should start pushing right after August, " agrees Dockery.
" Sometimes, depending on the month and how customers respond,
we start teasing [as early as late summer] with Christmas designs from
past years. "
" Between my CrossFit gym and corporate clients, I start pushing
late September, early October, " says Christy Rossi, president of Snatch
and Run Screen Printing in Fort Mill, South Carolina (snatchandrun.
com). " I want orders in by the first or second week of November. We
are in full production mode and delivering by December 1st if possible. "
Similarly, Tom Rauen of Dubuque, Iowa's, 1-800TSHIRTS (1800tshirts.
com), says he gets holiday sales rolling by hosting a showcase event in
the early fall. The location has ranged from his own facility to a brewery
to a hotel conference room. Snacks and drinks are provided, and top
vendors are invited to set up a table with their newest products.
" We get a good turnout, usually at least 100 people. It's about getting
them in a buying mood and starting conversations, " Rauen says.
Online Stores Drive Sales
In 2022, according to Adobe Analytics, online holiday sales hit $211.7
billion in November and December. This in turn means whether you are
offering webstores for your clientele or you are selling your own holiday
apparel and gifts online not having a presence or offering this service
means you are losing out on income.
As evidence of this fact, Rick Roth, president of Mirror Image Screen
Printing, Pawtucket, Rhode Island, (mirrorimage.com), which offers
webstores to his nonprofit and political organization clients as part of
its business model, says he sees a dramatic increase in sales over the
holiday season.
" T-shirts are affordable, so whether your client is Farm Aid or another
type of fund-raising entity, it's a perfect personal gift for friends
or family, " Roth says. " We've done huge numbers from Farm Aid. We've
taken their sales through the roof. And much of our post-concert sales
P.28
ImpressionsMagazine.com Aug./Sept. 2023
Don't hesitate to get creative when it comes to the
holiday market. Today's customers expect nothing less.
Art by Design Store- stock.adobe.com
The holidays are not only a profitable time for
decorators, they can also be a lot of fun!
Art by Design Store- stock.adobe.com

http://stock.adobe.com http://snatchandrun.com http://snatchandrun.com http://1800tshirts.com http://1800tshirts.com http://www.mirrorimage.com http://stock.adobe.com http://www.ImpressionsMagazine.com

Impressions - August/September 2023

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