Screen Printing - April/May 2016 - (Page 16)
bu s i n e s s p e r s p e cti ves
A 5-Minute SAleS And
MArketing PlAn
There's a world of "expert" advice out there,
and for beginners, it can be tough to know
where to start.
Ross Yamashita has more than 20 years of public relations, marketing,
and advertising experience for both local and national companies and
brands. He owns a public relations and marketing firm
in Las Vegas and is the owner and operator of Naka Apparel, a screen-printing and embroidery shop. Reach him
at ross@nakaapparel.com.
ross Yamashita
W
hether you're a small, one-man shop or a large printer
running several automatics, most of you wouldn't say no
to an increase in sales. Working in marketing for the past
20 years, I know that it's the most overlooked aspect
of any business, regardless of its size. But, with only a
limited amount of time and budget to spend, what should
you prioritize?
You won't build a T-shirt empire by marketing in your
spare time but, just like in the printing process, if you can
become more efficient and learn how to leverage your marketing efforts, you will position yourself to see more benefits
with less time and money.
look inward Before looking Outward
Before beginning any type of marketing campaign, you need
to know and be completely honest about what your limits
are. Having a clear definition of your services will help
make it easier to identify your ideal client. Do you excel at
printing variable-data, personalized athletic gear, or do you
have a great vintage designer on staff? Perhaps your gear is
mobile and you specialize in printing at onsite events. Whatever your forte, your unique skillset correlates with
a unique audience.
Once you know who to target, look at online directories such as DexKnows or Yelp to find their contact
information and input this into an Excel spreadsheet or
CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software such
as Salesforce. You can do this yourself or hire a Virtual
Assistant (VA) to do it for as little as $5 on sites like
Fiverr or Upwork.
These businesses, like yours, receive dozens of
solicitations a day. Stand out by offering the company
something they can benefit from. Do research on each
company before you contact them, paying special attention
to their passions and interests. Many will proudly display
the causes they support, such as sustainability or a local
nonprofit. You could quickly establish a rapport with them
by letting them know your business is dedicated to using
eco-friendly products or mentioning a common interest
in volunteering.
Which Social Media Are right for You?
Besides contacting prospective clients directly, the best
way for shop owners to reach their target audience is
on social media. It's not only free to use (though some
platforms also have paid advertising options that can
be very cost effective), but you can also reach out
directly to the masses to find and connect with your
target market.
The downside is there are several social media
platforms, each with its own unique set of audiences
and features, and unless you have a dedicated marketing
person or company updating your social media, it's virtually impossible to have a consistently strong presence
on all of them. This is why knowing your target audience
is critical to help you determine which social media
platform is best to connect with potential clients.
Here is a brief breakdown of social media platforms and ideas of how you can utilize them:
Facebook
Find and target Your ideal Client
A good question to ask yourself if you want to expand
your market is "Who else?" Start by categorizing your business sectors. For example, if you're a B2B printing company,
think of types of businesses such as construction companies, medical offices, fitness venues, and so on that need
custom apparel. Once you have a list of business
types, identify specific businesses in your area to contact
regarding your services.
Your niche will dictate the best way to reach out to
your potential clients. Not everyone uses the phone anymore. Some people may prefer email, text, or messaging
through a social media platform as opposed to a phone call.
16
screenprinting
Facebook has almost 1.5 billion active users on its site
worldwide. While it's currently the king of social media
platforms, Facebook users are focused on the past
and present.
If you print and sell your own apparel or products,
Facebook's targeting metrics are the best you'll find on any
platform. You can create ads and boost your posts, targeting
specific demographics, occupations, income levels, family
statuses, and more.
twitter
Twitter is a favorite amongst many news organizations,
and for good reason. Research shows Twitter beats all
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Screen Printing - April/May 2016
Screen Printing - April/May 2016
Contents
Editorial Insights
Pressing Issues
New Products
A 5-Minute Sales and Marketing Plan
The Top 5 Art Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Stencilmaking in the Age of CTS
After the Print: Breaking the Logjam in Finishing
Distributor/Dealer Directory
Classifieds
Ad Index
It Looks Good on Paper
Screen Printing - April/May 2016
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