Impressions - Digital Decorator - Fall 2015 - 25

This image is from the surf line
produced by Surf & Adventure,
Virginia Beach, Va.

screen, shoots a picture of each party
attendee, drops the picture into a template and creates an instant party favor.
Attendees pick up their shirts as they leave
the event.
The idea of T-shirts for a company event
isn't new, but a custom T-shirt with the
recipient's picture is a fairly fresh idea. This
same concept works just as well with birthday parties, Bat Mitzvahs, Bar Mitzvahs,
alumni events and a thousand other occasions. Note that most decorators who go on
site will only offer light-colored garments to
keep the line moving.

REVENUE FLOW

CREATING A MARKET

I'm a huge proponent of creating a consistent cash flow through repeat customers.
I'll use lawn care as an example, since it's an
ongoing 365-day undertaking in my neighborhood of Scottsdale, Ariz. These lawn care
specialists mow, rake, trim and edge. As they
do it, they're ruining the shirts issued to
them by their employer.
Your task is to create an easy way to offer
a package of shirts, sweat shirts, caps, etc.,
for each of the company's new employees. It
also is a simple way to offer replacement garments as the season progresses. Once you
create such a package, you are in the business of printing replacements.
Who else uses - and uses up - garments? The classic example I use in my
classes and seminars is Jim's Towing
Service. How about local auto repair
shops, heating and air conditioning specialists, plumbers? Create this "New
Employee Pack/Fill-In Pack" concept
and reproduce it among a variety of
businesses. Sell the concept of being the
employee uniform warehouse over and
over again.
Still looking for your own niche market?
Make a list of 20 things you're passionate
about. Don't stop until you write 20. In that
list is the sparkle of a niche market concept
for your business.

The concept here is to imagine an entire
new way to promote and sell your garments
- create a new market where no market
existed in its place before.
Decorators who do this successfully
offer their services at corporate events -
picnics, holiday parties, open houses and
more. The number of shirts to be produced
can be predetermined - and prepaid. One
example is a printer who sets up a green

Terry Combs is a 35-plus year veteran of the
garment printing industry, and has managed production shops large and small across
the United States. He currently is in sales and
training with Equipment Zone, Franklin
Lakes, N.J. Keep up with Terry's classes, blog
posts, speaking engagements, 2 Regular Guys
podcasts and other resources on his website
terrycombs.com.

Bill Pomer
from Left-Tees
Designs Bayou,
Derry, N.H.,
with a shirt
produced for an
auto show.

great way to stay connected with hobbies,
causes and personal interests is to marry
your passion to your DTG business.
I know a printer who offers a line of
monster shirts year round. He's a faithful
fan of those 1950's and 1960's black-andwhite monster movies. Th is decorator
loves everything about these movies and
that industry. He was attending related
events anyway, so why not make a little
money and meet like-minded people.
He sets up his booth at theaters offering
B-horror movie festivals, and of course the
Internet is an outlet for this product line
as well. His particular line of shirts feature classics like Dracula, Frankenstein,
A SUPPLEMENT TO IMPRESSIONS

the Wolfman and others. And of course
with DTG you can personalize each garment purchased.

FALL 2015  25
http://www.terrycombs.com
Impressions - Digital Decorator - Fall 2015

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