There’s a lot to like about running your own t-shirt business. For one, there were 6 billion t-shirts sold worldwide last year alone. It is a huge market that you could find a place in. For seconds, it could be fun. You can be creative, set your own hours, work only with people you like, and make some money while you are at it. If you are interested in starting a t-shirt business, then there are some steps you need to take to get where you want to be. Here’s a beginner’s guide to starting a t-shirt business and finding success.
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Find Your Place
With a huge market, there is going to be a lot of competition. That’s the bad part. The good part is that with so many people wearing t-shirts, there are so many opportunities for you to find your niche. No matter what you choose, there are bound to be people who are interested. Your niche could be in sports, or comfort, or funny sayings. Whatever it is, your niche will ultimately determine everything to follow, from the type of materials you use, to your colors, to your brandine, to your marketing strategy.
Make Your Designs
For some, this is the most fun part of the process. Start to put your design ideas “on paper.” Buy a good design software and start letting your creative juices flow. Do whatever you can to be out of the box. If you are just like everyone else, then you won’t stand out, and you won’t be able to find your foothold. If you have a lot of great ideas but don’t know how to make a design, then hire a designer for help. They can make sure that you have the right fonts, images, and colors to create truly unique and exciting designs. You may not want to make that investment, but it will pay off in the long run over having shirts that don’t look as good as they could.
Fabric Printer
Just like you need to invest in having great designs, you also need to invest in great equipment. You do not want to skimp on a fabric printer. It is what will make sure that your designs look great on your shirts. The price might seem high, but investing in an Epson fabric printer is a must. The Epson SureColor F2100 is designed specifically to print directly on garments. Your designs will be clear and crisp on every shirt. If you have printing that looks shabby or breaks down easily, your shirts will not have staying power. Don’t take chances, and spend what you need to have a superior printing product.
Choose Your Method of Selling
There are several ways that you can choose to sell your product. You can keep things local, and work out of your home or a brick and mortar shop. You may also choose to be strictly an online retailer. You can use sites like Shopify to display your designs and effectively sell your products. Shopify gives you the power to create an online store specifically geared to your product and your preferences. Some people also choose to be online, but sell only through local buy and sell sites, or at local marketplaces. Figure out where your customers are most likely to be, and how they are most likely to buy, and place your efforts there when you are starting out.
Marketing
Being a part of the fashion industry means that there is competition. Everyone wears clothes, and you will be fighting to get people to wear your brand. Your marketing needs to be effective, but you also can’t go overboard on your investment since you are just starting out.
Make sure that you place your efforts where your potential customers are. If your niche is in sports, then make sure that your social media is marketed towards other fans. SEO efforts should reflect what those who are looking for “sports slogan t-shirts” will want to find. You may also start small with some Facebook advertising to local targets. You can always grow if you start small.
Shipping
You need to have your shipping prepared as well. Source out providers, and find the best rates. You may also take advantage of e-tail shipping as well, which is built into the price. Shipping is important because your customers need you to get your products to them on time and with as little hassle and cost as possible. Poor shipping results can absolutely sink your business, so choose your providers wisely. In several ways, they are a direct representation of your business.
Conclusion
Now that you have the basics, you are ready to start a t-shirt business. Remember, running your own business is hard work, but has so many benefits that come with it. With a t-shirt business, you can have fun, be creative, and make some money, while working for nobody but yourself. Just follow these basic steps to get started and on your way.
