Impressions - March 2016 - 40
are, however, several things you can do to
help minimize the cost and time it takes to
manage an order.
First, look for ways to reduce the time
involved. There are many great tools - both
free and paid - that enable self-service for
your clients. This is a growing trend and
some clients both appreciate and expect this
ability. It's especially useful because it lets
clients review the products and art when
they are available, which may be at a time
when you aren't.
There are some key components of
which you should be aware to ensure this is
successful. First, you should consider limiting
your product offerings. One of the reasons
clients like to speak with you versus selfserving is that they often don't know the
difference between the products and why
they should choose one instead of another,
so they depend on your expertise.
For example, if you limit the amount
of T-shirts you offer to two main styles, it
removes the confusion and simplifies the
buying process. This is key in providing a
good buying experience. Offer complementary
products, not competing ones. For example,
a V-neck tee versus a crew.
Also, keep the art you offer to a minimum
while still offering variety. Clients often get
frustrated because there are too many choices
and they don't have the time to browse 50,000
designs. However, having only three designs
from which to choose isn't enough variety
either. One popular self-service solution
is to include an online designer on your
website. Depending on your audience, this
can be a great purchasing experience for
your client.
Workflow also can be a black hole that
swallows your profits. If you're looking for
ways to streamline your business, which you
always should do, make your orders digital.
This way, clients can accept, pay for and
review their orders - and even reorder -
easily. This can save you tons of time, which
directly affects how much money you make
on an order.
When calculating costs for
your work, remember to
factor in time spent
meeting with the client.
Look for ways to reduce the time
involved in an order. There are many
tools that enable self-service for
your clients.
P.40
I M P R E S S I O N S M A G . C O M MARCH 2016
Finally, don't be afraid to ditch the clipboard
- you know, the one with all the order
details, signed client approval, etc. It goes
from desk to desk until the order is completed
and shipped. Then, the paperwork has to be
filed away and the "clipboard cycle" starts
all over again.
The clipboard is inefficient and prone
to errors. There are many great tools
available that can help you reduce or even
eliminate clipboard dependency. The best
investment you can make for your company
is just to revisit how you take orders and
your processes.
By doing this, you will find ways to become
more efficient, reduce errors and ultimately
make more money on each custom order.
Marco Pena is business development manager for
DecoNetwork. He has more than 17 years of industry
experience, ranging from graphic and embroidery
design to software development and e-commerce.
For more information or to comment on this article,
email Marco at mpena@deconetwork.com.
http://www.IMPRESSIONSMAG.COM
Impressions - March 2016
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Impressions - March 2016
Impressions - March 2016
Contents
First Impressions
From the Show Director
Overheard
First Look
Scene at ISS
On Design
Pretty Meets Practical
Use Bling to Boost Margins
IP Law: A Primer
Are Custom Orders Costing You?
Easy Does It
Shop Talk
Embroidery Production
Screen Printing Production
Sublimation
Direct-To-Garment
Heat Printing
Classifieds
Ad Index/Online Directory
Impressions - March 2016 - CT1
Impressions - March 2016 - CT2
Impressions - March 2016 - Impressions - March 2016
Impressions - March 2016 - Cover2
Impressions - March 2016 - 1
Impressions - March 2016 - Contents
Impressions - March 2016 - 3
Impressions - March 2016 - 4
Impressions - March 2016 - 5
Impressions - March 2016 - First Impressions
Impressions - March 2016 - 7
Impressions - March 2016 - From the Show Director
Impressions - March 2016 - 9
Impressions - March 2016 - Overheard
Impressions - March 2016 - 11
Impressions - March 2016 - 12
Impressions - March 2016 - 13
Impressions - March 2016 - 14
Impressions - March 2016 - 15
Impressions - March 2016 - First Look
Impressions - March 2016 - 17
Impressions - March 2016 - 18
Impressions - March 2016 - 19
Impressions - March 2016 - 19a
Impressions - March 2016 - 19b
Impressions - March 2016 - Scene at ISS
Impressions - March 2016 - 21
Impressions - March 2016 - On Design
Impressions - March 2016 - 23
Impressions - March 2016 - Pretty Meets Practical
Impressions - March 2016 - 25
Impressions - March 2016 - 26
Impressions - March 2016 - 27
Impressions - March 2016 - 28
Impressions - March 2016 - 29
Impressions - March 2016 - Use Bling to Boost Margins
Impressions - March 2016 - 31
Impressions - March 2016 - 32
Impressions - March 2016 - 33
Impressions - March 2016 - IP Law: A Primer
Impressions - March 2016 - 35
Impressions - March 2016 - 36
Impressions - March 2016 - 37
Impressions - March 2016 - Are Custom Orders Costing You?
Impressions - March 2016 - 39
Impressions - March 2016 - 40
Impressions - March 2016 - 41
Impressions - March 2016 - Easy Does It
Impressions - March 2016 - 43
Impressions - March 2016 - 44
Impressions - March 2016 - 45
Impressions - March 2016 - 46
Impressions - March 2016 - 47
Impressions - March 2016 - Shop Talk
Impressions - March 2016 - 49
Impressions - March 2016 - Embroidery Production
Impressions - March 2016 - 51
Impressions - March 2016 - 52
Impressions - March 2016 - 53
Impressions - March 2016 - Screen Printing Production
Impressions - March 2016 - 55
Impressions - March 2016 - 56
Impressions - March 2016 - 57
Impressions - March 2016 - Sublimation
Impressions - March 2016 - 59
Impressions - March 2016 - 60
Impressions - March 2016 - 61
Impressions - March 2016 - Direct-To-Garment
Impressions - March 2016 - 63
Impressions - March 2016 - 64
Impressions - March 2016 - 65
Impressions - March 2016 - Heat Printing
Impressions - March 2016 - 67
Impressions - March 2016 - 68
Impressions - March 2016 - 69
Impressions - March 2016 - 70
Impressions - March 2016 - 71
Impressions - March 2016 - Classifieds
Impressions - March 2016 - Ad Index/Online Directory
Impressions - March 2016 - 74
Impressions - March 2016 - Cover3
Impressions - March 2016 - Cover4
Impressions - March 2016 - N1
Impressions - March 2016 - N2
Impressions - March 2016 - N3
Impressions - March 2016 - N4
Impressions - March 2016 - N5
Impressions - March 2016 - N6
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201803
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