8 Tips to Make your Apparel Business Profits Soar
Are you ready to make your apparel business profits soar? Here are some easy tips for you to grow your business AND your profits:
Gang Sheets
That’s 7 different images all ganged together on one sheet of paper, maximizing the bang for your buck!
You’re probably sick of hearing about gang sheets by now, but it truly is the #1 way you can increase your profits. Most transfer types are priced by the size of the transfer sheet. That means you pay the same whether you use all of the space or not. We often see transfer orders come in with a large, centered transfer with all kinds of white space. While that’s appealing because you simply place the transfer and press, a little pre-work will save you money and help get you new customers.
Here are some ideas to fill up that space:
- Print your own logo as many times as you can. You can use these to press promotional giveaways or to put inside or outside of the neck of the shirts you press for your customers.
- Place smaller versions of the main transfer. Press it on some non-apparel items like bags to show your customer what else you can do for them. Tip: give them pricing when you give them this item as a thank you for their order.
- Use the space to print designs for a customer you’ve been trying to secure. Providing them with an actual sample helps to push them to buy.
Do a Color Change
It’s common for a customer to need their order done in two different colors. In most cases, it’s cheaper to order this as one job with a color change fee. Here’s how easy it is to place an order with a color change. Here’s an example. Say your customer needs 100 shirts.
Based on current pricing, each transfer (Goof Proof, Easy Prints artwork) would cost $2.03 each if the order were placed as 2 separate orders of 50 transfers(a total of $203). If that order were instead placed as one 100 piece order with a color change, the transfer would be $173 ($1.58 each plus a $15 color change charge), saving you $30. That’s nearly a 15% savings!
Never Pay Retail for Apparel
We’ve heard customers talk about how they run out to a big box store to get apparel and non-apparel items for their order. Sometimes, they think they aren’t big enough to get wholesale pricing or think the order may take too long.
By being a Transfer Express customer, you automatically get access to wholesale pricing on the biggest names in apparel. Best yet, there are bags, pillows, and most anything you can dream of also included. Not a Transfer Express customer yet? Signing up for Easy View (it’s FREE!) is the first step to getting your business off the ground.
Just log on to your account and click on “Wholesale Apparel” to check out the selection.
Express Names™ strips for ready-to-print application.
Express Names
As the saying goes, “time is money.” While you can certainly cut vinyl for all of those jerseys, that’s time you’re not selling or attending to other aspects of your business. With Express Names, you simply upload the roster to us. We screen print them and they are delivered to you without the need to weed – while can be a time-consuming endeavor. Many of our customers find that not only does this option save a TON of time, it’s actually cheaper in the long run.
Expand Beyond T-Shirts
One of the great advantages of heat applied apparel decoration is that you’re not restricted to simply shirts. The world is your oyster. When you’re talking to your customer or prospect, find out if they could use some reusable tote bags, hats or even signs.
Add a second heat press
Back to the “time is money” adage…adding a second press (either a standard press or a specialty press, such as a cap press) can help you expand your business – and your profits! Training someone to use a heat press takes mere minutes. In fact, it’s one of the great advantages of choosing custom transfers over screen printing or other methods. Take advantage of this by having the equipment ready to take on bigger orders and more business.
Use Pre-Order Forms
A sure-fire way to eat into your profit is to get stuck with too many shirts. The best way around this is to make use of a pre-order form. You can put your designs from Easy View directly into it and have the organization collect orders in advance. Check out this blog to see exactly how to customize and use this form. Pro Tip: Always order more than the customer says they need. Not only might this get you to the next price break, but there are ALWAYS stragglers who forgot to get their order in. It’s an opportunity for you to save the day!
Use all of the Tools Transfer Express Provides
When we recently spoke to dealer Curtis Scott, he told us that he believes anyone can be a success in this business if they just use the tools we provide. Subscribe to this blog (which you can do at the top of this page) and our YouTube channel.
Make use of Easy View to make designing your images simple – even with no previous design experience (and it’s FREE for Transfer Express customers!).
Check out the Help and Education section of our website. You’ll find marketing materials, calculators and more.
Last, use our Transfer Selector Tool. You don’t need to be an expert in every transfer type – but you DO need to make sure you’re ordering the right transfer for the material you’re working with.
Your Turn!
What tips and tricks have you found to increase your apparel business profits? Share with your fellow decorators by posting below!