# How to make Money with Sublimation



## Timkelco (Oct 26, 2008)

I really thought I would find this info using the search feature and I was not to successful.

How do you folks make money with you machines?

I will be purchasing a Epson 4880 with Sublijet inks CMYKLcLmRB, Print Jockey and a roll of media. Now I need to pay for it. I have a market that I currently work in but it may take some time to build them up to using it. I thought if there was other markets I could work with to really get the system making money quicker.

I have found some marketing plan programs that I am always skeptical of from Conde. They lay out a plan to approach, churches, schools etc. If they are good programs I will try them out. Just do not want to throw away cash.

Just looking for some ideas that have worked for people in the past.


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## Cjoe Design (Jun 3, 2008)

Your equipment choices are right on. I have the exact setup and after using the smaller setups, I am glad I upgraded.


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## CUSTOM UK (Jun 28, 2008)

Hi Robert. The machinery is only a tool to use, same as a hammer, or a saw.

Making money is all about creating a product that people want to buy and stimulating enough interest to get them to part with their money.

Approaching churches and schools is ok, but remember that sublimation has its limits, which is essentially being limited to polyester material and light garments. You need to devise a marketing plan that takes those limitations into account. The level of business those types of outlets will create, will only keep your machinery in use for a few days. What do you plan to do the rest of the time?


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## jpkevin (Oct 22, 2007)

Hi Robert,

Unisub has these free "mini" marketing plans available on their website to try. They are cut down versions of the Unisub ones that you can purchase. It gives you a chance to check them out and see if they would work for you. 

Here is the link.



wos_mkting-campaigns


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## Timkelco (Oct 26, 2008)

DREAMGLASS said:


> Hi Robert. The machinery is only a tool to use, same as a hammer, or a saw.
> 
> Making money is all about creating a product that people want to buy and stimulating enough interest to get them to part with their money.
> 
> Approaching churches and schools is ok, but remember that sublimation has its limits, which is essentially being limited to polyester material and light garments. You need to devise a marketing plan that takes those limitations into account. The level of business those types of outlets will create, will only keep your machinery in use for a few days. What do you plan to do the rest of the time?


I guess that is why I am asking the people here what has worked for them. I have my own ideas for selling sublimation. I want to add it to my large format printing I currently do for sporting events. I just figured I could broaden my market by getting idea from the people in the know.


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## rrc62 (Jun 2, 2007)

Cjoe Design said:


> Your equipment choices are right on. I have the exact setup and after using the smaller setups, I am glad I upgraded.


I also upgraded to a 4880, but knowing what I know now, I would have gone to a 7600. A nice used 7600, refillable carts and bulk inks would be considerably less than a new 4880. A new 7880 would be a little more than a new 4880 but considering the bottled bulk ink is a fraction the 4880 ink, if you do any volume at all, you'd make up the difference quickly in ink savings.


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## CUSTOM UK (Jun 28, 2008)

If you are looking at the sporting community Robert, there is good money to be made with sublimated trophies and awards. If you go for Vapor brand garments you can push the anti wicking feature, that is designed to keep athletes cool and comfortable.


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## Cjoe Design (Jun 3, 2008)

I have had the best luck with Adult Sporting Teams. These are the organizations where each individual of the team is forking out the $15.00 a shirt or $18.00 for the beer mug. You sell about 3 dozen shirts and other items and they keep reordering more and different items regularly. You can't compete with the bulk screenprint orders so you really have to stress the advantages of going sublimation. 

For instance right now I am working with 3 Adult Hockey teams. They all decided to go sublimation because I could integrate thier personal # right into the logo itself. One team also has a mascott that is politicaly incorrect and half the team wants it and half does not. I can address all those needs without any affect in the cost of thier shirts. Also Push that they do not have to limit the colors of thier design. I gave a Cond'e catalog to one of the hockey teams for thier meeting and 2 days later I got an order for 8 beer mugs, 4 coffee cups, coasters, and a bunch of youth and toddler shirts. They are now promoting thier team through thier wife and kids!!! I just told them to go through the catalog and pick out some stuff. You can do that in sublimation without having to make new films, burn new screens or any other setup fees that the other processes incur. I just resize the logo and push print. They passed off the catalog to another team and I am sure I will get more business. and once my products are out there I will get even more. I guarentee these teams are customers for life. Each item I have made for them is unique and different from thier teammates and it only took me about 3.5 seconds to accomplish that. Now I am worth the extra dough. 

I have given up on getting the big 250 shirt orders with the youth and church camps because they are more interested in getting the required shirt, the best deal and so forth. There is no way I can compete. I tell those clients that if they run short and need a couple extra shirts or if they need some kids tees that cannot be made with the size of the screens the company has to give me a call.


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## billm75 (Feb 15, 2007)

Well, if you have the heatpress from your sublimation setup and want to get into the other products that cannot be sublimated, you can always order plastisol transfers to do team outfits with. I offer vinyl services in house and sub out my plastisol work, so that I can keep my press producing and taking orders from anyone that needs anything. 

In fact, the only thing I don't offer is embroidery and sublimation at this point. There's ways to make that press earn money for you, even if you are primarily into sublimation. Just get creative!


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## Timkelco (Oct 26, 2008)

Thanks for the great input. I think I have some of the Vapor shirts on the way in some sample kits I purchased from Conde. I am pretty sure we have a few adult teams here in north Atlanta. I was also thinking of approaching some of the mail box places (pak mail, ups store) in the area.

I am signed up for a 2 day class in SC that is put on by Conde. They are going to cover marketing, production etc. I am hoping that will get me some training and maybe cut down on my mistakes when I am paying for the supplies.

All my stuff will be here Monday. I feel like a little kid getting a new toy.


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## Ceejay (Sep 26, 2008)

Try contacting a couple of business coaches (people who do team building etc) and give them a catalogue of your shirts. I have found that once you can give quick turnaround to these types of businesses you will be made. I now get calls from a company that sends it's staff on team building exercises on a regular basis. Also the referrals from this have been great. I think the answer is also to look for a niche market in your area.


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## Cjoe Design (Jun 3, 2008)

I haven't done too much with vinyl but I ordered a bunch of transfers from Ace. I have not tried them yet but it seems pretty straight forward. I actually have 2 presses. I have a 15X15 Mighty Press and a 16X19 Knight. So I would like to keep them a little busier. My first run is going to be a couple dozen plasticols of my own logo. That way I can get used to it, I can wear them for promotion and I will have samples to show my clients.


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## jge (Oct 7, 2008)

Here's my 5 cents worth. I've been involved in sublimation since the early nineties (though in those days sublimation was limited to large expensive printers - electrostatic and the like).
What I've seen in my years is:

1. Never only sell what you like - your customers will often buy things which you would never buy.

2. Don't try to re-invent the wheel - for example - many people spend all their waking hours trying to make their own coating so that they can make cheap mugs. These are the people who usually fail to do anything - they are so wrapped up in trying to come up with cheaper consumables that they spend no time on actually trying to build a market. In isolated instances where do so succeed in coating, their coating starts flaking after just a few days, and this kills their business.

3. If you're gonna do something, either do it well or not at all. Nothing travels further than bad news about your lack of quality or professionalism.

4. Figure out your market, and sell into that market. So often the temptation is to sell at too low a price on the idea that you will "capture the market", but all too often that doesn't happen. There is a perceived value that a product has and if your product is too cheap, in the customer's eye "there must be something wrong with it".

5. Stick to quality suppliers and not those offering some dirt cheap products, because in this industry you definately get what you pay for.

6. When it comes to transfer vinyl, Polyurethane based are far better (and more expensive) than PVC based. PVC based are thick, not suitable for fine text / art, and generally come off quicker.
In the beginning we had restistance to PU based, but now, our customers won't buy anything else.


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## CUSTOM UK (Jun 28, 2008)

Only thing I would add onto John's list, is to offer a good service to your customers and never try to get more business by attempting to reduce your prices. It is all too easy to become the 'busy fool' that ends up working for peanuts. Despite its limitations, sublimation offers a high quality print system that outclasses all the other print methods out there.


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## selzler (Apr 4, 2007)

I have been doing sublimation since 1985 and the things said are right with sublimation don't try for those big orders. I push one or two at a great price. For sports team shirts I use vapor and charge $29.99 printed one side and $7.00 for second side and have no problem. Just make sure that you ask if they would like a mug, mousepad, or any of the other products. Most people love to see photos on all kinds of products. I've been also selling NASCAR and NFL products and now looking at getting out of that after moving into a shopping mall our custom work has gone grazy. Good luck and have fun.


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## Timkelco (Oct 26, 2008)

selzler said:


> I've been also selling NASCAR and NFL products and now looking at getting out of that after moving into a shopping mall our custom work has gone grazy. Good luck and have fun.


How do you handle the licensing on the NFL and NASCAR?

Do smaller venues, like trade shows, RV shows, Boats etc work?


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## selzler (Apr 4, 2007)

Timkelco said:


> How do you handle the licensing on the NFL and NASCAR?
> 
> Do smaller venues, like trade shows, RV shows, Boats etc work?


 We buy all products from licened wholesalers that is the only way I can do it. The cost is just to great for the licence because each design and product needs a different licence.


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