# New business, how to draw customers?



## icex (Oct 28, 2012)

We are starting to get some foot traffic in, but one of our competitors is still getting 99% of the business. Our competitor even orders shirt transfers from us, but come to find out is taking the credit for printing them and not giving us any credit at all. 

We've got signs up and do a lot of advertising, but how else can we get new customers to know about us?


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## sandmanbjj (Oct 26, 2011)

They have no incentive to credit you. So you can't blame them for that. I mean if I get an order I can't do on my own, I sub it out. I don't put a business card for the people I subbed the work to. 

As for getting people in the door. That's the million dollar question. 

Sent from my SM-G900V using T-Shirt Forums


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## icex (Oct 28, 2012)

I've tried advertising on facebook with no luck and also google. I guess word of mouth is the best.


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## Decal_Designs (Jul 4, 2005)

Well, don't worry about the competitor not mentioning you or giving you credit. He is contracting from you. To his customers, you don't exist. You are in a sense, a silent partner in those sales. 
I would first try to see why they are pulling in most of the business. Are they really cheap and working for nothing? Are they involved in more local events or clubs in some way?
Most of my business comes from word of mouth, my mouth.
I'm always bringing it up whenever I can. For me, I think "personal" advertising works much better.


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

So if you have a b/m storefront make solute your website has your address on the front page with your phone number and all the things you do

Then register with all the search engines. 

Get some business cards and make some flyers and go door to door. 

Contact your local clubs such as Kiwanis, moose, etc

Join your local chamber of commerce for one year. 

Put up ads in your local high school programs such as the football and basketball leagues.


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## furian14 (Jan 21, 2014)

Do you have a website? If not you might want to get one. Wordpress is a good place to start for that as well as Hostgator. You might also want to register with all the online directories such as Yelp, Google, City Search and many others and its free. You must flood yourself on the internet. Studies have shown that 90% of all people who are looking to get something done go to the internet these days. Also consider freebees. a t-shirt with your company info on it to give to potential customers. Plus people like t-shirts even if it just to sleep in and they will remember you. Anyway food for thought. Good luck


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## tchandler52 (Sep 17, 2012)

furian14 said:


> Do you have a website? If not you might want to get one. Wordpress is a good place to start for that as well as Hostgator. You might also want to register with all the online directories such as Yelp, Google, City Search and many others and its free. You must flood yourself on the internet. Studies have shown that 90% of all people who are looking to get something done go to the internet these days. Also consider freebees. a t-shirt with your company info on it to give to potential customers. Plus people like t-shirts even if it just to sleep in and they will remember you. Anyway food for thought. Good luck


I agree with this post a lot of good information !


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## BoyGirlStuff (Jun 25, 2014)

Have you tried selling some of your products at local outdoor markets. It can boost both sales and brand awareness.


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## Stefano (Aug 5, 2013)

sandmanbjj said:


> They have no incentive to credit you. So you can't blame them for that. I mean if I get an order I can't do on my own, I sub it out. I don't put a business card for the people I subbed the work to.
> 
> As for getting people in the door. That's the million dollar question.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G900V using T-Shirt Forums


Well, depending on the age of your target market ...
Schedule and publicize an event. Popcorn and soda (rent a tank/CO2 setup), music, maybe a local celebrity, etc. Have your products on display, AND - have live models ("booth babes/boys") wearing your products. Hand out flyers about your business. Have a drawing for product giveaways or store credits - collect email addresses on the entry form so you can send them ONE (no spam) newsletter or discount coupon a few days after the event.


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## sandmanbjj (Oct 26, 2011)

Great ideas 

Sent from my SM-G900V using T-Shirt Forums


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## bentcycle (May 1, 2014)

to further expand on the internet idea... a website really needs to be able to be found. keyword and search results optimization help as would using pay per click advertising to get you preference over competitors.

don't just count on a website though. do the social media thing... get on facebook, twitter and youtube etc. there's some extra free marketing. sell on ebay! it's it's own market. ditto that for amazon.

as mentioned, giveaways can draw customers, though that can get expensive with little guarantee of gaining a customer.

don't forget the phone book! having a nice ad in the book works! i just hired a locksmith because they had an ad. as you're doing shirts, you might even want to spring for a slick four color ad you design yourself to be really eye popping. most phone book ads aren't exactly eye catching.

it's really cheesy, and i don't know just how well it works, but you could try hiring a "sign waver" to spin a corrugated plastic sign advertising your shop on the sidewalk or even get someone to dress up as a character.

i hate to give my own take on that away before i ever try it, but i thought about standing at an intersection with one of those "front & back" signs people used to wear, i forgot what they're called, with some eye catching graphics and text like "will do graphics for customers"

here's a dirty little secret...
if you can come up with something novel to make it newsworthy, you can actually hire news stations to do a story about your shop. when you see news stories about businesses, they're really paid advertising. sad, but true.

another venue, literally, for advertising is movie theaters. it might be a cheap way to market to a captive audience.

events where you rent a booth are a good wayu to show your wares and hand out business cards. oh... speaking of that... you could make the rounds at other local shops, especially laundromats (great tie in, no?) where people leave their business cards and laundromats almost always have bulliten boards. colleges do to, like in libraries.


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## ForMySins (Jun 2, 2014)

icex said:


> I've tried advertising on facebook with no luck and also google. I guess word of mouth is the best.


It's not what you know it's who you know word of mouth should really help... Plug it at every opportunity you get... Keep up with the facebook group page my misses took a year to get her dog grooming business up and running properly with a facebook page but like you said all those people are now spreading her business via word of mouth. Document everything you do on there, sale offers, new products,photo's designs etc constantly, do you run on ebay or amazon as well as facebook and website? get a twitter account and use it like you would the facebook page. basically self promote yourself but keep at it. That's my advise for what it is worth.


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## drdalpha (Jan 22, 2013)

Thanks for the info! I too am just starting out and trying to generate some traffic. Best of Luck.


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## ericsson2416 (Aug 29, 2007)

Find a local coach with a school group and do a give away to fans. We created 6th man shirts for a basketball team with our store name on the back. Asked the coach to spread the word to his parents and fans that for a couple home games they just needed to come in our shop and say they are going to a game and we hooked them up. It was popular with the kids and adults. The shirts, a single color white design, had a cool design and have become a hot commodity with people offering to buy them after the giveaway was over.


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## carl2k2 (Sep 18, 2011)

icex said:


> I've tried advertising on facebook with no luck and also google. I guess word of mouth is the best.


WHere are you trying to sell your products?


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