T-Shirts are often reflections of our personalities, interests, and identities. Because of this, selling t-shirts online has become a popular business choice for entrepreneurs that are looking for a relatively inexpensive startup. Due to the crowded market place, there is no doubt that you will face some stiff competition. These next ten tips will help separate you from the herd!
1. RESEARCH
Selling t-shirts is an extremely competitive business. Fortunately for you, we live in a time where limitless knowledge is just a few clicks away. If you are reading this, then that is a good sign! Do some research on your favorite brands, read about their journey, and learn about some of the challenges they faced and overcame. If this business is something you are genuinely interested in, then this type of research will do wonders for your motivation!
2. PLAN
A goal without a plan is a dream. Take what you learned while researching and lay out your game plan. You’ll need to know what kind of t-shirts you’ll be selling and who your target audience will be. Will your shirts be sold online or solely in stores? What is your marketing strategy? Can you identify your brand’s values, mission, objectives, policies, goals, and long-term vision? What’s your business structure going to be? I realize this sounds like a massive pain in the ass, but it is necessary for long-term success, do the work!
3. IDENTIFY
I know you’re itching to start designing but before you do that let me ask you this, who are your customers? You need to know that answer, and it should not be generic. Too often do I see brands with no direction, one shirt is about fitness, and the other is about hamburgers and beer, what the hell is going on here? The answer is usually “well the artwork is cool,” sorry, that won’t cut it. If you want to hit your target, I suggest you aim. Ask yourself who you want to target your brand towards and then focus all of your efforts on being the very best in that space.
4. OUTSOURCE
I can’t stress this enough; a $10 app does not make you qualified to design your t-shirts, nor does “kinda” “sorta” knowing your way around photoshop. Click HERE to learn more about the basics of good artwork if you’d like to learn more. You can waste hours on your artwork or for a relatively low cost you can find yourself an illustrator, and they can help you produce a high-quality design that you can print for years while you work on the essential things like growing your business. PRO TIP: Your artwork should connect with your target audience.
5. QUALITY > QUANTITY
When someone finds a brand that they like, they tend to make additional purchases. With that in mind, do you want to choose a premium t-shirt for your brand or an economy t-shirt? You may sell a very profitable economy t-shirt but will that customer return for more now that they know your quality isn’t there? The decision is yours to make, but going with a low-quality t-shirt is not advisable. Click HERE for a quick overview of the different types of t-shirts that we sell at Haleink.com.
6. KNOW YOUR COST
Once you have your plan, it’s time to figure out what everything is going to cost you. When you start selling t-shirts, keep track of all your expenses. Don’t be fooled by the hundreds of new t-shirt startups you see these days; starting a t-shirt business might not have the overhead that other startups do, but it isn’t cheap. Knowing your cost should help you set your prices and figure out your margins.
7. MARKETING
Figure out a way to spread the word about your brand in a way that those who discover you will spread the word to others. While social media is essential, it isn’t enough, you will need to invest in things like online ads, sponsorships, and other paid marketing methods. Understandably everyone is on a budget but figure out a way to balance the best of both worlds.
8. SET GOALS
Goals will keep you motivated. How many t-shirts do you want to sell this year? This quarter? This month or this week? Set a goal and believe in your ability to reach it, the higher the purpose, the greater the success. There are plenty of tools to help you set some goals; you can look into S.M.A.R.T. goals as a point of reference.
9. DO NOT QUIT
Do not quit because you aren’t seeing sales the first day, that’s an excellent way to get nowhere fast. As a business owner, you will have your ups and downs, quitting is the easy way out, so keep your mind right and the internal chatter to a minimum. Don’t focus on why your sales are down; focus on how to get your sales up! Feel free to reach out anytime, and we’ll be happy to share some great books and podcasts to help keep you focused on success.
10. HAVE FUN
If you’re in this business to make a quick buck, you won’t be successful, that goes for any business. Your personality and passion will show in your brand, so be humble, be hungry, be honest. Connect with your customers and take them with you on your journey. Good luck!
