# marketing tip question - when doing a sample logo for a company to showcase your printing services - any legal issues?



## ZodeeTs (Oct 8, 2007)

Newbie question... I'm just starting out in the T-shirt biz and I can't believe how helpful the forum is to greenhorns like me!

I've read alot of posts on marketing ideas and really want to try some of em, but my question is when people say a good way to get business is to go to a company with with a sample tee with thier company logo on it for show, my question is... could you be in trouble for using thier logo without permission? As for a school, if you make a shirt with thier logo can you be in trouble for that? I think its a great idea to create something original and possibly better than they are currently using but I don't want to find myself in a situation where I crossed the line incase someone wasn't happy that I used what may be a trademarked logo?


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## joeshaul (Mar 1, 2008)

*Re: marketing tips*

Most business people are sane. You could walk in with a shirt that says "Your name could be here" "Your logo could be here", but that's not as impressive as a shirt that you've already put forth the effort to design specifically for them. It shows that you've at least done research on them and have put some time into a product for their use. I haven't ever had someone go off the deep end doing this, and it has gotten me orders. 

If you're absolutely dreaded you might be facing someone insane, when you call up to schedule a time to meet, tell them you would like to show them a sample of your product, which includes their company logo/etc in hopes that they like it and will permit you to use it to reproduce for their use only, or something along those lines. 

I personally like the "here's what we can do" and then reveal "their product" to them. I've not yet faced one person claiming I had no authority to do that, and I was going to be charged, etc, and I've dealt with small businesses as well as some casinos in town (the casinos I'm sure would've been the first to pipe up if anything).


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## ZodeeTs (Oct 8, 2007)

*Re: marketing tips*

Sounds good Joe! I'll get started then, glad to hear this approach works well for you. I agree most shouldn't be bothered by an idea to improve thier business but I wasn't sure whether if I use thier possibly copyrighted image I would be looking for trouble or not? Maybe somebody has had an experience they'd like to share?


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## demarques05 (Feb 4, 2009)

new to the forum...can anyone tell me how to make a blank t-shirt design page where i can upload my customers designs and email them what it would look like on the t-shirt without sending a sample t-shirt.


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