# Do many of you take to the streets?



## bsdclothing (Feb 26, 2011)

I'm curious to know if many of you go beyond the web, and get local with your companies. Like promoting with flyers/postcards distributed in your city (and neighboring ones). Are you connected with your local music scene? Connect with the local college kids? Is it worth the effort? 

I'm just looking at different options for promotion and getting the word out about a company. Getting local seems wise, but I'd like to know how it goes for alot of you. I live in a huge college town, with a decent downtown area and my local scene is poppin (plus i'm less than an hour away from 3-4 majorly toured cities). 

Could be a cool idea, instead relying entirely on the interwebz.

SHARE! =)


----------



## BeesWife (Jan 26, 2011)

Yes!
I think that face-to-face meeting with the owners/managers of local companies goes a long way. I have found that most companies are very supportive of other small businesses and are willing to help out other "locals".
Find whatever niche you will be focusing on with your clothing and go to every store you even think would be willing to carry them. Ask for the owner. Ask them if they buy their merchandise from outside vendors (you). Give them a list of your wholesale prices. Be positive and professional and put on a happy face! It works.
I have not tried the flyer/postcard idea, but whatever you can do to get your name out there is better than doing nothing.
Good luck!


----------



## J Alexander (Apr 12, 2011)

We have a HEAVY street campaign and focus a lot with person-person and LIVE advert with bands, dj's etc. It works with what we're offering, so it definitely is worth the effort. But, can't forget to update the web stuff because that helps tremendously as well. One thing I can HIGHLY recommend...stickers!!! Get some dope stickers made and you'll be surprised where they end up. Hope this helps


----------



## bsdclothing (Feb 26, 2011)

Awesome! This totally sounds like a good thing to pursue. I've played in bands for over 10 years, and I wasn't sure if my brain was just locked in on that style of DYI promotion, if it applied or not. I like hearing that it has worked well for you guys.

BTW, J Alexander, I checked out 50/50's facebook... I LOVE that mini-store tab you have set up. Great job!

xoxo


----------



## jonkeefe (Mar 11, 2011)

There's a massive music scene here in tiny St. John's, and that's where the bulk of our sales have been coming from so far. We're still getting off our feet and trying to get our name out there, so we've actually set up a table ourselves at a few shows to sell shirts.

Selling product ourselves at shows obviously isn't sustainable long-term, but it's a good way to get our product and our name out there; word-of-mouth travels very quickly in the music scene, and after doing shirts for just a single band, we had orders lined up for four others in less than a week.

Great market if you can tap into it, and if you've been playing in bands for 10 years, I'd say you can


----------



## AngrySpade (Feb 7, 2010)

We're trying to start up a street team with people all over the place. I got some post cards printed up for like 20 bucks through club flyers and they seem to be doing a pretty good job of spreading the word. Can't wait for warped tour to come around so we can use that to promote.


----------



## ProperGnar (Dec 19, 2010)

we pass out flyers at all the local shows. i try to go to as many concerts as i can to pass out. my partner visits Cincinnati on the weekends and is a skateboarder and he passes out flyers at skate parks and the college down there.


----------



## AngrySpade (Feb 7, 2010)

ProperGnar said:


> we pass out flyers at all the local shows. i try to go to as many concerts as i can to pass out. my partner visits Cincinnati on the weekends and is a skateboarder and he passes out flyers at skate parks and the college down there.


Speaking of skateparks, some time ago we contacted a few local ones and they allowed us to leave flyers on their counter for kids to take. Went over well.


----------



## MacCannon (Apr 18, 2011)

ProperGnar said:


> we pass out flyers at all the local shows. i try to go to as many concerts as i can to pass out. my partner visits Cincinnati on the weekends and is a skateboarder and he passes out flyers at skate parks and the college down there.


Its a good idea if the price is right for the customer. Don't not go and sell your shirts!!!


----------



## tomstar (May 31, 2007)

Events face to face is a great way to really get the actual brand image to the consumer.... there's a lot of times you can just be talking casually to a person at an event your at and after you've built some trust by talking about whatever, there usually pretty open to hear about your brand and 90% of the time they'll usually end up being a supporter


----------



## GrapeCloth (May 20, 2010)

MacCannon.. Do not go sell shirts?! Seriously? What's your thought process behind this?


Live The Good Life.
www.GrapeCloth.com


----------



## rainbodaz (Feb 17, 2010)

Lots of good info here. Thanks for some good ideas.


----------



## nperoni (Aug 12, 2010)

awesome thread, a lot of great info. i have two shirts that are specifically made for the philadelphia area and i want to start posting up at philly games or philly historic sites to try selling shirts to the local population as they go about their day. i figure these niche market shirts are a great way to get my brand out there. i wouldn't set up anything extravagant, just a table with my shirts, bring some friends out to help make it look interesting enough to stop by. anybody have any experience with this kind of t-shirt selling, thoughts/opinions you could offer?


----------



## GrapeCloth (May 20, 2010)

Most cities require business licenses and liability vendor insurance. If someone hurts themselves in the space you occupy, in the past, they could sue the city. Now most cities require coverage to cover their asses .
as far as exposure, great idea! In Richmond, VA, $300000 vendors liability only runs like $350 a year... So it might be a worthwhile investment of you're in it for the long haul!


Live The Good Life.
www.GrapeCloth.com


----------



## GrapeCloth (May 20, 2010)

You could also transact funds on the low and when approached by law enforcement tell them you are only marketing through lromotion


Live The Good Life.
www.GrapeCloth.com


----------



## shirtnewbie (May 24, 2011)

I am only selling online right now, but small shirt stores sound like a good idea in the future


----------

