View a PDF version of the webinar: Webinar: A Successful 2012 – What’s new that will help your business

View all Great Dane Graphics layouts.

FIRST PLACE!

SECOND PLACE!

THIRD PLACE!

Watch Dane Clement from Great Dane Graphics introduce his layouts using the Easy View design previewer on the Transfer Express website.

Layout on the left customized to Live, Love, Laugh

One of the most popular themes on a t shirt is motivational, inspirational and encouraging phrases, some mixed in with a design or alone as just text. Either way, in the decorated apparel industry, we must cater to this niche and also provide these as one of our product offerings. Who wears these types of shirts? Everyone. Football teams need motivation, churches need inspiration and schools need encouragement. Not to mention musicians need to “Rock Out”, children need to “Make Believe” and those that love food references or movie quotes need to “Shake and Bake”.

A school layout has been customized to a motivational sports saying "Play Hard or Go Home"

Adding them into your t shirt business is something that isn’t difficult to do. Simple designs like text only isn’t hard to accomplish if you’re designing them yourself with a graphics program however for those that don’t have the skills in a computer program there are ways around to produce interesting and professional artwork on garments. With designs already created, you have the option of changing them and adding your own text. No these layouts aren’t just for Compton Eagles, they can be anything. We’ve taken a few layouts from the Easy Prints design layouts to give you some ideas. Even though these layouts came from specific sections in the collection like the School section, Cheerleading section and Alternative section, they can be changed to what you need them for.  The first step is to find a layout that matches how you want your quote laid out—do you want two lines, three lines , with a clip art, etc… Don’t forget you can try different fonts to make the design your own or to give it a different look.

Since these types of sayings continue to be popular and aren’t going away, it’s time to start adding them to your business.

A layout from the Clubs section changed to "C'est La Vie". Keep it simple!

During this webinar Steven shows you the creation of a design from the beginning all the way to final output. Steven addresses how to work through some of the common mistakes and how to take control of your designs. Learn about different graphics formats, how to separate and control them, conversion functions, and even how to add machine codes to help make a design that is user friendly.

Cutting of the appliqué is covered and different methods are discussed along with videos to demonstrate how it is all accomplished. See the equipment that can allow you to produce custom one-off designs right in your shop.

Also covered are specialty designs such as printed twill, laser engraving twill, and distressed appliqué designs. See how a felt appliqué design is created using the popular inner bean stitch method that is carried by major retailers across the nation.

For more information on TwillStitch Pro Plus or any of the equipment and materials shown in the webinar, contact Steven Jackson at Imprintables Warehouse. He can be reached at steven@imprintables.com.

TwillStitch Pro Plus – Add Appliqué To Your Sales!

New Rhinestone Transfers Offered by Transfer Express

As years go on a dazzling decorating technique that has made it through the times is now making its way into the shops of Transfer Express dealers. Both screen printed transfers and rhinestones have been around for decades but now they get to be used together along with the Easy Prints® layout collection. These layouts make it easy to customize a design to add the new rhinestone transfer designs to. You can choose from different rhinestone designs including today’s popular accents including skulls, crosses and peace signs.

Easy View designer let's you see the design that you can add rhinestones to.

Once you choose your design and the screen printed transfers are sent to you, heat apply them with your heat press and add then align the rhinestone transfer right over the applied screen print. Don’t forget to use a cover sheet over any exposed ink before heat pressing! Below is the blingified finished tshirt.

Skull Rhinestone transfer added ontop of a screen printed transfer.

Heat Transfer Designs are also available at Stahls’ ID Direct as well as HotFix Rhinestones.

When you think about it, we are bombarded with advertising/marketing messages every day, all day. How do you get your company name, logo or design to stand out? How do you cut through the clutter and in turn increase your sales?

Well you could try bright colors. Been there, done that- in the ’80s! How about a shocking message or graphic? Wait a minute, we are trying to increase sales, not get sued. Ken pointed out how to grab and, more importantly, hold the attention of your audience with unique placement.

And even though this webinar focused on headwear, his ideas/tips can easily be translated to shirts, jackets, etc. Varying the location/position of your logo or artwork makes you stand out. “Don’t restrict graphics to the front two panels (of a hat),” Ken said. He then added, “Experiment with mixed media.” Using different heat transfer materials can create texture and depth within designs. Couple that with unique placement and customers will beat down your doors!

As with anything, most people have to “see it to believe it.” So use your heat press and create samples. Ken showed a cap press that had interchangeable platens. Changing platens affords you an infinite number of placement options while using a variety of heat transfer materials.

So what did I learn today? To win in the sales game you need to stand out. Get ahead of the competition by using your heat press and positioning designs in creative places.

The two designs that are offered gives you, the heat printer, the opportunity to even add a more personalized touch by adding an event name or even the name of a couple that walks into your store.

New Transfer Extreme Valentine's Day design

Check out the Valentine’s Day Transfer Extreme™ stock transfers on the new Transfer Express website.

Use tools such as color charts and printed samples to help visually sell your custom apparel.

Along with the examples above, you’ll also need tools to help you sell such as color swatches and examples of retail pricing to help steer you in the right direction. Transfer Express gives dealers of their products an opportunity to use all of these types of marketing tools in a complete Marketing Kit. Starting with the Personalized Easy Prints® Idea Book, it comes with your company name printed on the front so this is the book you show your customers. It has hundreds of professional layouts that are able to be customized. It’s a great counter book to capture your customers’ interest of choosing designs to use on their apparel. A color chart showing you the exact screen printed ink colors and digital colors that are stocked help your customers choose the right colors for their artwork.

Everyone needs to touch and feel your products. What your products feel like on apparel is very important in the buying process. Create displays using  different items you wish to sell, like towels, blankets, T-shirts, and sweatshirts. Producing these printed samples can be costly. However, in these marketing kits you receive display transfers to help get you started. The new 2012 Marketing Kit also has a window cling that you can use on a store front showing that you print custom apparel.

There are many tools available to help you market, even if you don’t have funds available for huge marketing campaigns.  There are many options available at low or no cost that your manufacturers may provide. Check out the new 2012 Marketing Kit to see how it could help sell more heat transfers and boost your sales.

Kits that contain several marketing tools together will give you better pricing than purchasing them individually.

The process is easy.  Just load the Pebble Puff heat transfer film into your vinyl cutter, cut your design, weed away the excess material, and heat press it on. Voila! You now have non-slip, personalized socks and a great add-on sale!

What other ways will you be heating up sales this winter?

Personalized Socks with Pebble Puff

Post submitted by Stahls’ CAD-CUT^® Direct

With so many different processes available, why are so many decorators opting for heat printing?

Screen printers know that it can be costly to accommodate a customer looking for small-run pieces.  A heat press provides the ability to run a full-service shop whether your customer wants 100 pieces or 10 pieces. And with screen printed transfers, you can provide the look and feel of direct screen printing, even on short runs or samples.

As an embroiderer, you may have experienced the customer who wants the look of embroidery but is also looking for cost savings.  A heat press allows you to provide a full color logo in seconds so once again, you can say “Yes” to that job and make a profit.

If you have a direct-to-garment printer, you know how absolutely awesome it is but also that you are limited to printing mostly on cotton.  Adding a heat press or firing up the heat press you already have allows you to expand your offerings beyond your wildest dreams.

And if you’re exploring the garment decoration business and your brain is swimming with all of the options available, a heat press allows you to start decorating in an instant with very little investment.

Watch this video to find out more about garment decorating trends around the world and how heat printing can help your business.

Video: Globe Trotting Trends