# Travel around the country selling T-shirts



## uk2la99 (Nov 28, 2009)

OK... so this might sound crazy! I own a cool adventure inspired line of tees and am tired of sitting at home waiting for things to happen. I want to get out on the road, buy a cheap RV and travel around the country selling tees. I was thinking that maybe someone out there also has a brand they would like to promote on the road. Of course you have to have something that sells. I am ready to do this, build a business by going to the people. I'm thinking music festivals, fairs shows, the beach etc. 

I am not a young wippersnapper, so if you are not at least in your 30s and think you might want to do this, we probably wouldn't have much in common.

Cheers,

Rob


----------



## royster13 (Aug 14, 2007)

I think it is a great idea if your supports you....


----------



## jeannekay (Mar 19, 2012)

I don't know for sure where you live but there are likely many shows and festivals within a decent drive time to you. Unless you're selling thousands of t's then to think you can just live out on the road is a little unrealistic. This is coming from 6 years experience of doing these type shows with other products. Shows are not a guarantee of sales, sometimes you're doing good to make your booth rent. Yes you'll have an RV so you think no hotel costs but you still have a hook up fee many places. And you'll have the initial cost or payment of the RV. 
I would just suggest starting with some shows that you can do close to home and see how they go, then as sales increase you can start going further and further. As you hear of good shows then it's worth the risk of all the expenses involved.


----------



## missabby (Apr 23, 2012)

It is probably a great idea but you have to have the information (where and when the festivals are scheduled) before hand.


----------



## printingray (Apr 4, 2012)

I thinks this is a great way to be a brand around the country ! Looking forward any successful event.


----------



## ryan barker (Jul 21, 2011)

jeanne pretty much hit the nail on the head. try local first, say within fifty miles. that'll be an adventure in itself. 

sure, your 'plan' sounds like a blast, and if you're comfortably retired, why not? but, while you're out on the road, where do you plan on having product shipped to you? certainly you're not going to haul around 500 shirts and hope for the best, eh? i mean, that stuff takes up a lot of room when space is limited. of course, you may want a small trailer to take with you. (i've met people that did the antique circuit, and some of them will haul a small car around with them for when they have errands to run... like buy groceries, do laundry, etc..)

if gas money isn't an issue and you can figure the logistics out, sounds like something i'd do.


----------



## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

Since many distributors have warehouese throughout the different countries, you could plan on picking up blanks while driving by. 

You could also have them shipped when you leave one location and planning on getting to the next location within a certain time from. 

Many stores in the states sell t-shirts too. They're usually the 5 ounce t-shirts, but that's not bad.


----------



## ryan barker (Jul 21, 2011)

true, you can buy blanks. but, how are you going to put an image on that whilst cruising the countryside? when you're king of the road, it's easier when it's something like antiques: you sell what you can, replenish along the way (and these guys typically have some kind of storage unit waiting on them back home). 

this is not a business plan, it's a hobby venture. fun, no doubt, but as it stands there's likely to be little to no money to make after the expenses. indeed, most lines fail even when they have relatively static expenses, not adding gas and festival fees to the mix. all told, i put 200 miles a week on my trailblazer to and from work and that runs me roughly $50. you're likely to spend that a day galavanting around the country.... 

dunno, sounds like a ridiculously expensive thing to do when you could spend that money elsewhere and with better results. i mean, if i had an adventure line, what in the world would make me think that art shows and festivals are the places where my market is going to be at? just because i'm there? 

but, i'd love to be proven wrong.


----------



## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

Well how do you think people sell when they go to Fairs and Craft Shows. They carry a heat press. 

Many people set up RV's with screen printing equipment, heat presses etc. 

What about people who set up at conventions? How do you think they set up for those?

If he has a predetermined design, he just brings so many screens with the design. He can put the screens in a plastic bag so he doesn't have to clean them out. 

He can also use transfers. He didn't say screen printing. 

If he sells the t-shirts for $10 each, and sells 100 per day he just made $1000. Now add that to a 3 day event and he just made $3000 providing he sold 300 t-shirts for that weekend or 3 day event.

What about all those Mobile Service Companies. They drive around all day doing service calls. They buy gas daily, and pay their mortgage etc. Bread, Chip, Candy Route Drivers, etc., also drive all day. They make about $100,000 a year. 

He could live in the RV, and barter Professional Logos, and T-shirts for any work done. I know many people that do this in the states. 

One person, sold their home, bought an RV, and travel from show to show all year round. 

I spoke with a guy in Virginia that Rigged his RV years ago. He includes signs too. He was selling his now older RV and buying a new one. He only drives around the North East.


----------



## tcrowder (Apr 27, 2006)

uk2la99 said:


> OK... so this might sound crazy! I own a cool adventure inspired line of tees and am tired of sitting at home waiting for things to happen. I want to get out on the road, buy a cheap RV and travel around the country selling tees. I was thinking that maybe someone out there also has a brand they would like to promote on the road. Of course you have to have something that sells. I am ready to do this, build a business by going to the people. I'm thinking music festivals, fairs shows, the beach etc.
> 
> I am not a young wippersnapper, so if you are not at least in your 30s and think you might want to do this, we probably wouldn't have much in common.
> 
> ...





> May 18th, 2010 May 18, 2010 5:55:27 AM - #1 (permalink) -
> uk2la99
> T-Shirt Lover
> T-Shirt Fan
> ...



Looks like you have been talking about this idea since your first post two years ago......


----------



## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

Terry, in his defense, many people do that. That's why he's looking for someone to join him, imo. 

Isn't that true for many people who tell us they want to start a business? They keep talking about it for years before they actually start one. 

I hope he finally does. Many people just don't know how to get started. They don't realize that there are many markets within each industry. 

He needs to just start one. People will come to him and ask if he does custom work as you know. If he's smart he'll say yes, and as he's on the road between fairs, events etc., he could screen print local business t-shirts.


----------



## Fenrir (Mar 13, 2012)

Ugh, back when I used to make a product that would appeal to horror fans I briefly entertained the notion of doing a year or two hitting all the major conventions in the US. I was never really serious about it but I did do some research. Just the thought of dealing with maintaining a tax ID in every single state you plan to visit (unless they offer a temporary vendor's license which most states do *not* have) was a horror film all on its own.

More power to you if you do it, though! I am terrible at keeping records.


----------



## tcrowder (Apr 27, 2006)

selanac said:


> Terry, in his defense


No need to defend him, I was just stating a fact. If I had been talking about it or trying to get the ball rolling on this project, after two years I would say ,hmmm maybe I should try some other approach.


----------



## ryan barker (Jul 21, 2011)

you can't compare a traveling salesman with samples and sells out of a catalog or contracts with someone hauling around equipment trying to make a living off of the actual product in their RV, can you? how do the antiques people do it? they're selling higher dollar merchandise and are on a consistent circuit, hitting their target market. just taking stabs at fairs, festivals, events, etc., and you're not necessarily hitting your market (he said it was an adventure brand. you might as well be selling horror tees next to grandma peddling her home crocheted doll clothes. and this indicates potential sales of 100 shirts per day to you? hmmm, not to me, it doesn't, not by a long shot. look, if you're not selling to your market, you're going on a fool's venture, it's as simple as that.)

yeah, johnny cupcakes inspires a lot of people. and a lot of people forget that gas was half the price of what it is now. they also forget that he had an awesome design and tons of people who wanted that design based on the fact that he was in a band that toured nationwide, so thousands of people saw the product for hours on end. all most people take out of that story is that he sold shirts out of the trunk of his car, ne'erminding the supporting evidence that made him a success. 

as far as attending conventions and setting up there, again, it's no comparison. in fact, that's a ludicrous comparison. these companies don't support themselves selling just to people at a show. if they did, they'd be out of business. they traipse about *demonstrating* their product, much of which requires financing. often they sell their products/equipment at a discount at the end of their run just to get rid of it as not to have to haul it back as it's now used. 

of course, you're probably referring to ppl that sell shirts at a show. sure, they'll bring their stuff. again, though, it's apples and oranges. you're comparing a more-or-less set circuit of events with a market that's more likely to buy with hitting whatever place you can scrounge up along the way that has nothing to do with your product whatsoever. too, the OP makes it sounds as if this is an extended venture, whereas those attending events take breaks, skip a show here and there, and it's sometimes a seasonal thing anyway. i have salesguys i only hear from at certain times of the year ~ when it's appropriate for them to do so.

selling 100 shirts per day is a heckuva goal! what happens when you're rained out? bad sales because you're stuck on the fringes where people are too tired to walk to by that point? or just simply no one buys because your product doesn't fit in with the sauerkraut festival crowd? 

can you find exceptions? sure, you can find exceptions to anything, but it doesn't prove anything other than something is conceivably possible *if*.... that's my point, there are a lot of 'ifs' here that's not adding up to a successful outing, imo. just hitting the road with a product, regardless of whether or not you're able to actually produce it, with no plan whatsoever would be calamitous to 99% of the attemptees. 

i mean, what fool *wouldn't* try setting up at local events, the kind he plans to travel to in a second-rate gas-guzzler, first before doing this to see even if he could sell ten shirts? this may be going out on a limb, but i'm betting those provided examples knew they could sell their product before heading out on the highway. in other words, they had a plan, not a whimsical adventure scheme, a dream, and some hope. i also view examples like that with a jaundiced eye, as there's invariably a lot of the story that's being left out... usually by the people telling the story, usually to make themselves sound more adventurous than the truth of the thing, lol. 

without knowing if whether or not you can even move enough product to support yourself while on the road by trying it locally first, this is just a bad idea. others do it because they have a plan and years of experience with a proven product.


----------



## beastmodejd (May 2, 2012)

hi there my names jose and me and a friend have a product that will sell if you would be interested in more info let me know and would b happy to talk more about it thanks


----------



## safetyimprints (May 16, 2012)

Sounds like fun.. Keep in mind that you need to book these venues in advance and some have some hefty fees.. I agree that you should start with your local county fair and farmers markets etc.. Get a feel for it and then roll out the big plan.


----------



## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

I would start an advertising campaign with the hotels. I'm sure they have them there already, but contact the manager or GM. Make sure they make money and you get a free ad. Put a good looking book together that shows Restaurants, Printers, Mechanics, cleaners, in the local area. Find the price to print the total book and one per room. Include your full page Ad. 

Another way is to ask the local newspaper what it would cost to include a one page insert in the newspaper. See how many areas. Create an Ad and sell eight spots per page or side. Enough of a fee to cover 15 spots leaving one free ad for you and maybe even a little cash left over. 

Print the pages on like GotPrint.com and deliver them to the newspaper just in time for the next delivery.

One of my friends here in town does it. He's the printer so he creates the ads, sells the spots with quite a few local businesses. Many of them buy either several spots or multiple days. 

Good companies know they have to advertise.


----------



## Nancy G (Mar 14, 2010)

If its a dream, and you can do it, enjoy our beautiful country!

If you paint the RV, maybe you can get atax deduction for advertising?!
Nancy


----------



## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

He could use Vinyl or wrap it.


----------



## uk2la99 (Nov 28, 2009)

Wow... I haven't checked in for a week and now see that there is a a lot chatter about my post. Here's what's new... I packed up my SUV and moved to Huntington Beach... arrived today - Surf Capital of Cali! It's funny that a lot of people assume I have no business sense. It's true I don't have much of a plan. I've build a few successful businesses without a business plan and start up money. I lost most of my entire net worth a couple years ago and that's when I went traveling and dreamed up Bondi Buddha. I did start on this in 2010, but completely ran out of money and had to work for a while. I never stopped creating and now have about 60 designs. My idea of traveling around the country in a motor home, selling shirts was a thought, but I was hoping to hear from people who had actually been successful at doing just that. I know there is a couple of guys that are permanently on the road and sell shirts out of a camper... very successfully. Someone told me about the brand a while ago, but I don't remember what it was. 

Anyway... this is a general reply to everyone that posted comments. Thanks for your input, I would love to hear from anyone who actually has been successful with a unique brand. Now that I am in Huntington Beach, I hope that I will find a great audience for my clothing. I am finally going to dedicate a lot of my time and effort into making this happen. I know it won't be easy, but I believe I have a real brand and something that has legs.

Rob Thomas
Founder of Bondi Buddha.


----------



## royster13 (Aug 14, 2007)

Did you bring your inventory with you?....

If you need more, there is printer called Absurb Shirts that has been there since 1979...Absurd Shirts : Premium Social Networking/Magazine Theme

Good luck....


----------



## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

Also in Downtown LA on Market Street you can buy plenty of blanks for cheap. It's like Canal street in NY. 

Huntington Beach is my old Stomping grounds. I wouldn't say Surf Capital. Try Venice Beach, Yuma, Santa Monica and Malibu. 

For a big kick, try Black Beach in San Diego. To get kicked go to Hermosa.

So your Login should read: UK 2 OC 99


----------



## uk2la99 (Nov 28, 2009)

I've lived in SM. This is where they have the US Open. Better surfing here than Venice. Besides... I don't want to live in LA again. Malibu would be great... I might go there when I hit it big!


----------



## uk2la99 (Nov 28, 2009)

I have about 1000 shirts, so I am ok. My printer is here - City of Industry. I know downtown... lived here for 21 years. The guy I am using was the best value for discharge and water based printing I could find. Their work is excellent, but I will keep that name and perhaps give them a try with a couple of new designs I've got coming out.


----------



## ryan barker (Jul 21, 2011)

like i said, those guys that sell out of camper and are titans of industry probably are keeping some of their secrets, both good and bad, to themselves. to drive in random directions and just stop wherever there's some kind of event is something i doubt they do. if they have a brain, they plan the trip and would have to call in advance to reserve space ~ you don't just roll up on the day of the event and get a great spot... if they get one at all. and to be remotely self-sustaining at it they most certainly are hitting their target market. 

plan your route, have a budget, and prepare. don't rely on bartering. work out the kinks in more local venues first. if you have it in your mind to cruise up and down the PCH, that's one thing, you're not likely to get too far out of your depth or seriously far from your market.


----------



## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

I use to live in the town next to City of Industry. In fact, City of Industry was originally part of our town. 

Lots of Gang members there too. You could market to them or just the other Mexicans that look like Gang members. Many people out there like to buy t-shirts of their fallen friends. You could sell lots of t-shirts at funerals, believe it or not. Of course that you have to plan.


----------



## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

RB, do you mean like Rock concerts that have hundreds of vendors outside the venue. One of my fellow screen printers here in town, is a band roady. He takes his t-shirts, and during the concerts sets up his own booth. Sence he's a roady they look the other way, but he doesn't plan anything except to follow the band around. 

Of course it helps when your a big biker.


----------



## namana (Mar 8, 2012)

I admire you for getting out there. "If the customer doesn't come to you be proactive" go to them. I travelled for a year in my own RV, it was great! There are always going to be people telling you not to do things and supposedly coming from their vast experience. They may have tried selling at festivals etcetc but maybe they were just bad salespeople or had a bad product. It is easy to nit-pick but more helpful to give solutions. Where there is a no, there is a yes around the corner you just have to find it and fit into it. Assess negative suggestions and find solutions. I admire you desire to travel. As Nike said "Just do it"


----------



## ryan barker (Jul 21, 2011)

if you have an audience that's prepared to buy shirts, like you do at a concert, and your product is specifically made for them, that's one thing. and when you have your travel expenses paid for by someone else, that certainly helps! 

yes, maybe someone sold at a festival and tanked. maybe they were hawking bad product or just sucked at selling stuff. or maybe they were selling something that completely didn't fit in with the market. 

nam, why don't you drop some of those secrets you must have learned on the road while you're telling someone to just go for it? for example, what were your costs? how much money did you actually make on average during an event? what did you do when you was rained-out or it was just a bunch of looky-loos? when did you do this? was this fifteen years ago when gas prices were down and your return was higher and people had expendable cash? how far away from home did you go? did you make any plans at all? was your product geared towards your market? how many shirts did you need to sell to cover all expenses? did you have a professional looking set-up, or just a couple of tables with shirts thrown about? how did you handle credit card sales, which is how a lot people buy things now? was this a hobby venture you did out of boredom, knowing that you'd still be financially secure even if you failed? if this was such a success, why aren't you still doing it?

if these questions aren't of any interest to you, rob, all i can say is good luck, you're gonna need it. you're a smart guy, so i hope you're smart enough to approach this sensibly because for you this is putting all your eggs in one basket. if you fail because you did something stupid like forget to pay your vehicle insurance while out of the road and get in an accident, maybe all the 'just go for it!' folk will help raise a fund for you... kinda doubt it, though....


----------



## Riderz Ready (Sep 18, 2008)

I am with Nam - Just Do it! 

Just like any new business you will make mistakes, lose some money here and there but if you are smart you will learn and fine tune your sales/marketing based on your experience and market. 

Your plan is more than just a business it is an adventure that many of us would like to take as well. The only people I would personally seek advice from are people who have done this before. Everyone else is just guessing.

If you do hit the road keep us all posted with a blog -


----------



## uk2la99 (Nov 28, 2009)

I think sometime you can over think, over plan and under execute. I have built several businesses from the ground up and I find as an entrepreneur, things are always changing. I am not on a spiritual quest! I have only been in Huntington Beach for two days and I have designed and completed my catalog, made a list of 60 local stores that I plan on visiting next week, looked into several shows, fairs and markets, designed my display for those and handled a ton of other personal things. There are plenty of successful people that don't know one end of a business plan from another. Personally I can write one in my sleep, but I prefer to go off gut instinct. I am taking my product to the people, when someone hands me cash for that product, I'll know I have something marketable - I've actually already proved that at the shows I did. All the spread sheets with cash flow projections, SWAT analysis, executive summeries, etc., are pretty, but I prefer to get out there and sell the **** out of my brand. I take one day at a time and put one foot in front of the other. Another thing is I've never owned a clothing company. I have contacted a couple of successful CEOs of popular brands and their advice was don't do it unless you have a ton of money! Maybe they will be right, but it's worth the shot! 

Life is nothing without an adventure or two!

Rob

Bondi Buddha.


----------



## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

*Thread note: *please note that some off topic posts have been moved out of this thread. Instead of going back and forth and getting caught up in a flame war that takes threads off topic and doesn't help the original poster, please just click the "report bad post" link so we can take care of it.

We're here to help each other and share our opinions, experiences, tips. There are many ways to accomplish the same thing and it's fine if people disagree with how to do something. If you disagree on something, it's best to argue the topic instead of trying to argue the person making the post. 

Calling names or criticizing members who don't put a link in their profile doesn't help anyone. People are NOT required to share a link to their business on the forum. Someone can have a world of experience but prefer to post anonymously for any number of reasons. Someone can join the forum today with 20 years of experience, but may be just new to posting. That doesn't mean they don't have great information to share. Please do not comment about the posting habits of other members, it doesn't help the person looking for help or anyone reading the topic. If you have differing information to share, post about the topic instead of trying to make someone else feel bad about what they post and everyone can benefit.

Hopefully this thread can get back to the actual topic. If anyone has any questions about this, feel free to PM me so the thread doesn't get even further off the topic.​


----------



## ryan barker (Jul 21, 2011)

yeah, you're right, rodney. but, ya gotta admit, some of that was pretty funny.... 

so, rob, what is your idea here? you made it sound like you were just packing it up and making a new life on the road ala some 70's sitcom (in which case you would need a chimpanzee). now you sound as if you're going to do this on a more local basis. 

i agree, there are plenty of people out there who are successful business owner that never had a business plan. that doesn't prove anything other than some people are lucky and/or had a marvelous idea they backed up with a product, or provided a service that was very basic, or some variety of something in between. and if you asked them, i'm sure every one of them would say they wish they'd known this or researched that, but they did learn it along the way... 'and it only cost me a thousand bucks to learn that lesson.' and for every business that made it, can we call upon the ten that didn't? 

don't misunderstand me, i'm not advocating doing everything some book says you need to. i can see that being as disasterous as anything else if you don't apply common sense to it. common sense is what i'm driving at here, and common sense dictates you known your expenses and competition, etc., so that you can set realistic goals. crunch the numbers and see if it's going to work. at our level of business dealings, it doesn't have to make wall street shudder, but at least find out what you minimally have to do to stay afloat and decide if it's feasible. 

i just don't get it. you've built other businesses up using certain methods and tactics. are you now not going to use the same proven tools? that's insane to me. i think you're a good guy and all, though i'm not getting a sense that you yourself are quite sure what you're wanting to do ~ maybe i missed something or you didn't express yourself quite clearly enough for my mind, or whatever. 

what does seem clear is that you've made up your mind, and i can only wish ya good luck! i mean, i *want* to be proven wrong here, for your sake. i just don't want you to miss out on 25 sales because no one thought to remind you that you should have a means by which to process credit/debit cards, say by using an iPad app that can do that for you. sure, you would figure that out... after losing 25 sales. 

some businesses will succeed regardless. but, i aver that NO business suffers from being prepared. i've gotten a lot of guff for holding that opinion, which boggles my mind....


----------



## uk2la99 (Nov 28, 2009)

Ok... what I really wanted from this thread was some sparks of ingenuity. I've been working on this a while, so the truth is I've researched the market, looked at the competition, am aware of the costs and know how difficult it is to get any brand going. Everything now for me is about bootstrapping. I need to think outside of the box to get brand recognition and sales. 

My idea to go on the road may have sounded crazy, but as I said, I read about a couple of guys (can't find the article now) that do just that and a successful business. My brand is about adventure and focuses on board sports, so I could pretty much go anywhere. I literally started this thread and then decided to move to California on a whip... meaning I aced the traveling around the country idea in favor of moving to Huntington Beach. 

I do know about credit card processing and was taking cards through my site until I took it down. I am going to get one of those gadgets that allows you to swipe through your phone this week. 

Thanks for you input. BTW... have you ever developed a brand?


----------



## royster13 (Aug 14, 2007)

When I was in San Diego a couple years ago, I ran across a couple craft stores that were basically very large co-ops.....Each vendor had a tiny space to call their own.....And central management that looked after sales....One place was leapinglotus.com The name of the other one escapes me....Not sure if a place like this will work for you.....But if it does, I am sure there are lots more just like it....


----------



## uk2la99 (Nov 28, 2009)

Thanks for the suggestion, but I don't think I want to rent space in someone else's store. It's a good business model, but not for me right now.


----------



## royster13 (Aug 14, 2007)

That leads me to believe you think that you will be able to find "free" locations to sell....am I missing something?


----------



## ryan barker (Jul 21, 2011)

i think if you hit events that your target market hits, that's obviously going to be your best bet. 

have i ever developed my own brand? now you're starting to talk like that one guy, lol. have i? no. i haven't a brand to hawk, we just do basic screen printing along with have a small convenience store and trophies and awards. in other words, people come to me, i'm not out there having to scrounge up work too much, although now that my wife and i are separating, amicably, i hope to have the time, freedom and extra resources to devote towards filling in the dead spaces, particularly with the screen printing part of the business. 

that said, does it matter? i do have comparable experience in other things, namely flea markets and antique fairs, so it's not as if i'm completely talking out my arse. me dear ol' mum is still very involved in it, and she often takes her junk out-of-state/over-night.

still, all these things people say, and even what i say, are anecdotal, meaning that you have to bear certain things in mind when listening to someone's story. but, you listen to enough of the same thing from a variety of people, and you start to see patterns. what you should be looking for is a common denominator. 

at first you made it sound as if you were just going to wing it. that's how i took it, at least. now, it seems like you have a loose plan. dunno... kind of feels as if i'm getting bits and pieces of the whole story here and there. and that's exactly the kind of storytelling i say to be wary of when listening to these success stories. and now you make it known that what you're really after is some interesting promotional ideas, some 'sparks of ingenuity.' i thought you originally wanted someone with a brand you were willing to promote, even a partnership of some kind. so, at this point i'm a bit cornfuddled.

i haven't the foggiest idea of how to promote a t-shirt line appearing at a fair or festival. other than getting online and putting your schedule for all to see, what more can you do? i mean, how many people are likely to go to the tomato festival looking for your shirts? i'd be willing to bet not that many. the thing is, even if you were to hit an event that everyone is going to, what's the point of handing out fliers *if your target market is going to be there anyway*? is someone on the fence about hitting a music festival, but they're definitely going because 'that tee shirt is going to be there!'? see what i mean? 

obviously, brand recognition is your key here. clearly you're not going to get something like a car wrap. keep hitting the shows and try not to go belly-up in the meantime. 

but, okay, here's your play: if you don't do this, your brand will die! are you ready? because this is good stuff i'm about to tell you! remember, if you don't do this, satan himself will take over the earth and force us to vote communist. so, here it goes... are you sitting down?... grab ahold of your face because i'm about to rock it off! ~

'the first annual bondi buddha beach olympics!' 

there ya go, my friend, problem solved. 

next!


----------



## Riderz Ready (Sep 18, 2008)

uk2la99 said:


> Ok... what I really wanted from this thread was some sparks of ingenuity. I've been working on this a while, so the truth is I've researched the market, looked at the competition, am aware of the costs and know how difficult it is to get any brand going. Everything now for me is about bootstrapping. I need to think outside of the box to get brand recognition and sales.
> 
> My idea to go on the road may have sounded crazy, but as I said, I read about a couple of guys (can't find the article now) that do just that and a successful business. My brand is about adventure and focuses on board sports, so I could pretty much go anywhere. I literally started this thread and then decided to move to California on a whip... meaning I aced the traveling around the country idea in favor of moving to Huntington Beach.
> 
> ...


I am not heavily into blogs but I think you could write an awesome blog on your experience. This is as much as an adventure as it is a business. Heck you may just be the next Phil Knight.


----------



## VTG (Dec 16, 2010)

uk2la99 said:


> Ok... what I really wanted from this thread was some sparks of ingenuity. I've been working on this a while, so the truth is I've researched the market, looked at the competition, am aware of the costs and know how difficult it is to get any brand going. Everything now for me is about bootstrapping. I need to think outside of the box to get brand recognition and sales.


Rob, I applaud you for what you are attempting to do.

Ordinary people with the courage to take extraordinary risks are more likely to build a brand than those who take no risks at all.

In your spare time, I highly recommend that you read the following book:

"*The Power of Cult Branding*" by Matthew Ragas and Bolivar Bueno (2002).

It's a great book that has nothing to do with destructive cults, but everything to do with what it takes to build a magnetic brand with a cult-like following. Not t-shirt brands, per se, but brands none-the-less.

It's an easy read with great insights regarding non-traditional marketing tactics. They don't bore you with stuff that you'd find in a college text book. Instead they talk about real life brands that have achieved great success by resisting the urge to rely on conventional wisdom and tactics.

Some of the brands they discuss include, Harley Davidson, Apple MAC, Jimmy Buffett, VW Beetle, Linux, VANS shoes, and a few more.

The book outlines Seven Golden Rules of Cult Branding:

1. Consumers want to be part of a group that's different
2. Cult brand inventors show daring and determination
3. Cult brands aren't just selling products, they sell lifestyles
4. Listen to your customers and create customer evangelists
5. Cult brands always create customer "communities"
6. Cult brands are incredibly open and inclusive
7. Cult brands promote personal freedom and non-conformity

Again, don't be confused with the word "cult"... the authors are simply talking about how to create a magnetic brand with a cult-like following. I thought it was a great book. In fact, I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants to get a fresh perspective on their brand ... or their business.

Good luck!


----------



## ryan barker (Jul 21, 2011)

heh, heh, that sounds like a fun read. and don't get me wrong, i'm not getting on you personally here, but most of those brands you listed have extraordinary circumstances behind it. for example, how is harley davidson now? like 100 years old? (don't individual harley franchises bear the onus of paying for their own advertising, probably within some corporate approved guideline.) the VW was a project adolf hitler commissioned ferdinand porsche to design (if you've ever wondered why those two cars share so many similarities, now you know ), and was a part of germany's post-war manufacturing that was, oddly, supposedly to go to the british, but they didn't want it. suffice to say it's a long story, but also one that didn't involve once-in-a-century circumstances. of course, buffet is a singer (i own his 'best of', seen him in concert, which i can almost remember) that everyone's heard of. i'd have to research the others, but at lot of these examples are fulfilling a need in the marketplace where something doesn't exist. in other words, it's hard for me to make the leap between building a trans-continental railroad and a tee-shirt, unless that tee is something like affliction. 

so, i'm just playing devil's advocate here:

1. Consumers want to be part of a group that's different ~ i wouldn't say this is necessarily true at all. those that want to be a part of a different group are a part of a different group. or so they think. a 'different' group is just about anything, isn't it? your group is different from mine, like how i will wear a star wars shirt while you'll wear a skate shirt. it's all rather ironic, imo, the feeling of 'individuality' associated with something like a shirt or a tattoo, yet because everyone has a tattoo these daze it seems, it could be argued that the person *without* a tattoo is the more individual person for not allowing himself to follow the crowd and their expectations.
2. Cult brand inventors show daring and determination ~ sure. but, daring in what sense? failure can also lead to desperation. that's why book editors have to call the cops on the author standing on his front lawn at three in the morning shouting, 'buy my book! i'll throw in the film rights!' 
3. Cult brands aren't just selling products, they sell lifestyles ~ this is exactly what most t-shirt brands are going for and if there was a textbook on how to market tee-shirts, this would be included, so this fails as something new. essential, it is, but not new.
4. Listen to your customers and create customer evangelists ~ again, nothing new. this is how giant corporations like general motors fail, but that culture is arrogant and backwards. individually, those are very smart guys. put them in a room together and they all become idiots. beyond that, though, companies from movie studios to food/beverage makers listen very closely to their market.
5. Cult brands always create customer "communities" ~ not sure what this means, really.
6. Cult brands are incredibly open and inclusive ~ i'm not sure what they mean by this, but for tee shirts i wouldn't say that's true. while any street wear brand will be more than happy to take my money for their shirt, the people what actually live this lifestyle wouldn't hesitate to inform me that i just don't belong no matter what i'm wearing. even in something like car tees, they represent different cultures within the niche. sure, one group will invite you in... as long as you fit in. cliques are a part of life.
7. Cult brands promote personal freedom and non-conformity ~ ...as long as you conform to the clique's expectations. i probably wouldn't advance very far in the mafia by wearing hello kitty shirts. groups have their standards and methods-of-operation, that's why it's a cohesive unit. the conformity of the group members is the only way we're able to mass-market an item. they may view themselves as non-conformists, but they're not: everyone conforms to their group, that's why you give away free swag to the leaders of the group, so the followers will see it and wear it, also. that's why celebrity endorsements exist. 

one of the comments i made that was deleted centred around rob's past experience and the (at the time) bewilderment at why he would toss proven methods out the window in favour of taking a risk. getting out and meeting people face-to-face is a great way to build your brand, get feedback, etc., but the way i understood his intentions it seemed a completely foolish venture, at least in the manner by which i thought he would operate. 

'Ordinary people with the courage to take extraordinary risks are more likely to build a brand than those who take no risks at all.' ~ i'd say ordinary people with the knowledge and skill set to know what works and what doesn't is more likely to actually sell shirts than someone skywriting their name. there's a fine line between courage and foolheartiness that common sense and experience can and should define. you can play by the established rules and probably do well if you do everything 'right.' but, if someone thinks what they're doing hasn't been done before, they're probably wrong, and the reason you don't see it tried again for so long is because it didn't work until such a time passes by that someone thinks it's a new idea. 

frankly, the college textbooks are probably right more often than not. anyone that thinks, 'well, that high-falutin' college book said to do this, but i'm a non-conformist so i won't. that'll show 'em!' is probably doing themselves more harm than good, no? 

take a chance? sure. but, try to make it as much of a calculated risk as you can. the vast majority of successful business ventures aren't built on the wings of a prayer and an utter lack of knowledge. you start with an idea, you do research, then you crunch the numbers to see if your plan has any merit. if that's conformist, so be it, but it's also logical and intelligent.

lest you think i'm a conformist that doesn't get the 'cult' philosophy, i recently had an idea for a side business that someday i might try. it's just about making ice. glamourous, huh? well, it's like a $7 billion industry, and where i'm at it's a monopoly that's ripe for the picking. after doing some preliminary research, i revised my initial concept into something i think would work, at least it would seem so on the surface anyway (it's just a high-cost start-up idea. fortunately, however, i can test the market because i own a convenience store, too). the difference is in the marketing, or i should say the branding?, where the outdoor merchandisers would have a facade to attract attention (seeing as how one of my interests is to take a stab at fibreglass and vacuum forming, this fits in perfectly with the idea), separating my ice from the guy's across the street. 'hey, look, there's one of those 'frozen nest' machines that looks like a friggin' jukebox. they have more ice in their bag for a cheaper price. let's go there!' of course, i may place a little advertising on the bag for tee-shirts.  actually, i just may sell advertising on the bags anyway, now there's a thought, huh? 

it seems to me that one of the more common ways by which brands try to market themselves if they have the means is through sponsorships, something else that some would consider outside thinking though is likely to be in tee-shirt marketing 101. some put on a fashion show, i know of one guy here years ago put together a comedy show, or some event. 

if i had an MMA brand and found myself locked out of the main event due to money and/or that structure simply being exclusive, i would look to sponsor some local guy and put on a spectacle of my own (i base this particular idea on the local wrestling matches they used to have in town before the place was condemned ~ which was a bunch of crap the corrupt city officials said to buy the place cheap to tear down as we're having a new interchange built and that will become prime real estate soon. yeah, i've seen these scheisters pull something similar to this before). 

anyway, that's why i was serious about the beach olympics. if it's possible to get permission, or even if you really need permission, not sure about that, you already have a built in market that's going to the beach anyway, you're offering something fun to do that would entice someone that may have otherwise skipped the beach that day to go to a movie, you have a valid reason for selling your gear, and perhaps you can arrange for some kind of concessions if that's at all possible to offset the cost. all winners get a shirt, then you can hand out cheap trophies with your name engraved on it for all to see. again, you have to research, do logistics in this case, crunch some numbers and determine whether or not the risk is worth the *potential* reward. maybe it's a terrible idea, but at least let the numbers and hard facts bear that out moreso than anecdotal 'evidence' of someone's second-hand story or experiences from a bygone era.

to me all that just makes sense, so i can't grasp why someone would enter into such a venture without using their heads, nor can i understand why someone would advocate not using the brain at their disposal by saying 'just do it!' (funny, that, no? you're talking about non-conformity, and these guys are quick to use the most conformist corporate catchphrase out there from a company that uses sweatshop labour (from my cursory research (cursory because the numbers and graphs began to confuse me after awhile), some chinese labour actually is cheaper compared to black slaves in the old south during the antebellum period given extended costs) and has one of the most powerful marketing machines known to man.)

i guess the conclusion to my sermon is just be smart about your marketing. yes, i believe you can apply intelligence to outside thinking, it's not just crazy ideas that get you anywhere. weigh the risks with the rewards. of course, you may not make money this time, but next time you may make more. just don't ruin yourself, and your brand!, in the process just because you didn't take the slightest bit of trouble by doing research and planning. and when it comes to people's opinions and stories, balance that out, too. don't stop asking questions at what you've found you want to hear.


----------



## ryan barker (Jul 21, 2011)

holy mugomba, i didn't realize i had written that much! 

anyhoo, just for some kind of reference, here in the dayton area, festival prices for a space seems to be $60-75, without electric. of course, in cali it's going to be more, i'd reckon. from what i'm told, and this makes sense to me, try to set-up during a holiday weekend. if a non-holiday, choose festivals with entertainment. i know some festivals will put you on a waiting list once you call, so you would want to call i would guess a couple of weeks in advance, if not sooner.


----------



## Riderz Ready (Sep 18, 2008)

VTG said:


> In your spare time, I highly recommend that you read the following book:
> 
> "*The Power of Cult Branding*" by Matthew Ragas and Bolivar Bueno (2002).


This is an excellent read and ditto the recommendation. 

There is also another good book - "I Know Everything Yet Have Done Nothing".


----------



## ryan barker (Jul 21, 2011)

hey, looks like i have my summer reading list right there! thanks, guys! rider, you're a doll!


----------



## Riderz Ready (Sep 18, 2008)

ryan barker said:


> hey, looks like i have my summer reading list right there! thanks, guys! rider, you're a doll!


 

No problem just some suggestions for good reads that anyone can learn and be inspired by.


----------



## ryan barker (Jul 21, 2011)

nothing wrong with good advice. regardless of where it comes from.


----------



## royster13 (Aug 14, 2007)

Nothing wrong with bad advice either if is allows you to think over your own plan more....


----------



## ryan barker (Jul 21, 2011)

this is true. hopefully the person is able to tell the difference, though.


----------



## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

Just like everywhere else CA has different prices. If you have a Brand, try Farmers Markets. They're lower cost and you have hundreds of towns with them.


----------



## VTG (Dec 16, 2010)

Rob clearly stated that his brand is about "_adventure and focuses on board sports_". Why on earth would he waste his time at a Farmers Market? Perhaps, the better advice would be to encourage him to go hang out in places (for free) where his target audience is most likely to be hanging out and actually engaging in those types of sports.

Guys, I really think he understands a lot more than you guys seem to think he does ... at least that what I gathered from his earlier post, "_I've been working on this a while, so the truth is I've researched the market, looked at the competition, am aware of the costs and know how difficult it is to get any brand going_".

Not picking on you Selanac, but based on the same post, he also stated, "_what I really wanted from this thread was some sparks of ingenuity_" ... I think just think he's looking for some good ideas that would actually make sense.

Besides, if I was going to pick on anyone, it would probably be Ryan ... just for the hell of it ... and because, it seems as though he missed his calling as a novelist. I couldn't even get passed the first paragraph of his epic post, let alone the 99 other chapters.


----------



## Hegemone (Oct 18, 2011)

[content deleted by author]

To the op. congrats on starting your endeavor and I hope you stop back and share your background (what led you to where you are) and the experiences you gleaned from this ever so excellent adventure!

My two cents. Toss them in a well and make a wish.


----------



## VTG (Dec 16, 2010)

Hegemone said:


> Honestly the demographics for farmers markets include young thirties that are into adventure and sports.


Mikel, I appreciate your insight and despite the fact that you neglected to cite exactly which marketing study you gathered this demographic info from ... I'll just take your word for it ... and I'll even concede the point that Rob "might" find a few people at a Farmers Market who "might" take interest in his line (none of us have actully seen his tees, so who really knows for sure), and yes, I agree that flea markets would be a waste of time.

In all honesty, this thread has become about as random as the OPs original suggestion of traveling across the country in an RV selling t-shirts at various events ... which we have learned was not his real plan after all, but just a crazy idea he happened to post. In other words, it's time for me to move on to some more interesting topics. It's been entertaining.

Good luck to all who are willing to take prudent risks in an effort to succeed!


----------



## Riderz Ready (Sep 18, 2008)

VTG said:


> Rob clearly stated that his brand is about "_adventure and focuses on board sports_". Why on earth would he waste his time at a Farmers Market? Perhaps, the better advice would be to encourage him to go hang out in places (for free) where his target audience is most likely to be hanging out and actually engaging in those types of sports.
> 
> Guys, I really think he understands a lot more than you guys seem to think he does ... at least that what I gathered from his earlier post, "_I've been working on this a while, so the truth is I've researched the market, looked at the competition, am aware of the costs and know how difficult it is to get any brand going_".
> 
> ...


100% dead on


----------



## Hegemone (Oct 18, 2011)

VTG said:


> Mikel, I appreciate your insight and despite the fact that you neglected to cite exactly which marketing study you gathered this demographic info from ... I'll just take your word for it ... and I'll even concede the point that Rob "might" find a few people at a Farmers Market who "might" take interest in his line (none of us have actully seen his tees, so who really knows for sure), and yes, I agree that flea markets would be a waste of time.


Thanks for the argumentative response to my post. I will include my MLA formatted citations in future post relies that include my personal experiences and perceptions. I removed my previous post to prevent others from Interpreting my comments outside of the context of a Internet forum where people share with a community of shared interests.


----------



## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

VTG, In California Farmers Markets aren't like the Midwest. They're in small towns with no farms anywhere in the area. Many vendors come by with obviously farm items, but also t-shirts, toys, insurance, horse rides, food, etc. etc. 

Also in the Area he said he was in, doesn't have beach towns like the east coast. The only ones I've ever seen there where in San Diego, and Santa Monica/Venice (right next to each other). Manhatten Beach (CA), has like an old town, but they run up and down like a mall or old town shopping, and along the beach.


----------



## jeannekay (Mar 19, 2012)

Like I mentioned in my way earlier post I've done shows of all sorts for the last 6 years. Many shows you need to sign up for 6 months or more in advance, many you can apply for the next year at that year's show. Prices for booths range from $50-$2000. I've done them all. 

I do agree you have to find shows that will most likely hit your target market. Once you do one show then get out and chat it up with the other vendors. They'll share which shows are good and which ones aren't. We vendors are all in this together.

I can also say that what one makes at shows has gone down drastically over the last few years, and that's not just my product which was then a new item and now has been there for a while, but for every other vendor I know. Shows that used to be fabulous are just ok now.


----------



## ryan barker (Jul 21, 2011)

me dear ol' mum has even resorted to auctioning off some of her junk that she's tired of lugging around from show to show. but, she's much more local and only does an overnight very rarely out-of-state. what she does now is pretty much stick to the tried and true territory. while she's of the 'nothing ventured, nothing gained' philosophy, much like myself, it's finally dawned on her (i think!) that while she's not done the venturing, someone else has and, hm, maybe there's a reason why she's not getting the price she wants for antiques selling at certain places. 

i wasn't able to help her with any shows last year, but pretty much what you said about great is now just ok echoes with when i did help her, which is pretty much what the other vendors i talked to had to say. some of the vendors that i would see at the same auctions most of us went to said they're really pulling back on buying stuff b/c they can't get rid of the stuff they got! 

anyhoo, i did see rob's shirts and think they're really good. personally, i think i'd rather see my brand in an appropriate brick-and-mortar venue and cruise around locally doing events that are more market-oriented. not sure exactly what a west coast version of a farmer's market meant, and the time i was out there many, many years ago wasn't what you'd call conducive to shopping. well, being homeless is like that, you know. lol. ah, good times....


----------



## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

RB, that's awesome to hear your Mother's into the Auctions/Events. How cool is that? 

If my wife wasn't so ill, we'd be at the shows every weekend. After watching Storage Wars, She told me she wanted to to hit some events. She just can't do it.

Any Ma How, The best places to hit your surf market is at the Surf Town Farmers Markets/Street Fairs. Venice Beach rents out booths too. 

However, in Cali, many people commute to the beach to surf from the inland towns. We use to drive from the Foothills to the beach during the summer. That was back when the Beach Boys were popular, lol.


----------



## ryan barker (Jul 21, 2011)

sorry to hear that your wife is ill. 

i rather started mom down her path accidentally, as i used to sell toys at the flea market back when collectibles were worth more than a nickel. that gave her the idea, so for many years now she's been buying and selling stuff, some antiques here and there, but mostly whatever she finds a good price on at an auction that she thinks will sell (and she can physically move). her problem is she doesn't take some of it seriously enough or tries new things. for example, she doesn't know a thing about ebay. she goes to different places, but it's pretty much the same deal, just a new location. oh, well, she's retired and it keeps her busy, i don't think making money is necessarily her life's dream with it, lol. it's not so much of a business with her more than it is to make a few extra bucks to go to the casino with. 

it shouldn't too difficult to find places to sell, you just have to ask around. usually the older guys knows what's where.


----------



## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

That's awesome RB. 

Also want to mention that putting yourself on waiting lists help too. Sometimes someone doesn't show or calls out sick, or something came up, and the coordinator will call you. Many times we were told to call the day of, in the morning to see if anyone called out.

When we do get out, it's usually to a seniors Flea Market.


----------



## beastmodejd (May 2, 2012)

Are you still traveling?

Sent from my M860 using T-Shirt Forums


----------



## uk2la99 (Nov 28, 2009)

Drove 3000 miles to Huntington Beach, CA and am selling my shirts most days at fairs and direct to consumer everywhere I go! Loving that I did this, but also glad I made one destination rather than moving around. Go where your market is.


----------



## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

Have an In and Out Burger for me Rob.


----------



## uk2la99 (Nov 28, 2009)

I love em!!!!


----------



## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

Technically UK you're not traveling around the country, but across the country Lol.


----------



## uk2la99 (Nov 28, 2009)

Hi... Well actually, my first thought was to get an rv and do music festivals and surfing/other boardsporting events around the country. It was a romantic notion that I realized would probably not be profitable. Making the move to Huntington Beach was perfect and things are already going quite well. I started the discussion because I really wanted to see if I could find someone else that had successfully traveled around making and selling tees. I did read about a couple of guys that are doing this very thing, but can't seem to find them now. 

Thanks for the response.


----------



## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

One of my students makes his t-shirts in his Garage, and takes them to concerts. He mainly does Dead Head Concerts. I believe that's The Greatful Dead, or something like that. Not my Genre. 

He does fairly well. However, lots of concerts forbid you to sell t-shirts cause they're selling t-shirts. 

I lived in a town called San Dimas in California. Straight down the 57 freeway from you on the Foothills. Take 57 North or maybe the call that east, to I210 South. Exit San Dimas Ave, make a right and that will lead you to Downtown San Dimas. 

We called it Farmers Market. It was every Wednesday evening. You have to get intouch with the City Planning and find out whose in charge. My neighbor was in charge, but her husband, also my neighbor was laid off. He was the City Planner. Believe they moved to another town. Anyways, people like them host the events in town all over. I believe you have to send them a picture of what you're selling.


----------



## ryan barker (Jul 21, 2011)

san dimas? excellent!


----------



## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

I can't believe how many people Remember those movies. 

There's no San Dimas Mall. The area the allocated for it is now an Automall.


----------



## bizhack3r (Aug 1, 2012)

As an entrepreneur I think this is possible if you have the right product and presentation.Presentation is how the salesman sold the ice to Eskimos IMO


----------



## sunny skies (Jun 16, 2012)

Fun topic/thread. I have no advice for the OP, but in honor of Jerry Garcia’s birthday I will share that I spent a few solid years travelling all around the states selling my shirts - fully supporting myself and promoting my business at some very special events. There were around 60+ a year (except 1986) His impact on the course of my life has been tremendous, and I join in here today because:  
I doubt would be a t-shirt artist if I hadn’t known him.


----------

