The Creative Process of T-shirt Design: Part 1

What is it about a design that lets you know it was done by a professional, and not the neighbor’s kid Read more

The Creative Process of T-shirt Design: Part 2

In this two part tutorial we’ll show you the step by step creation of a t-shirt Read more

Creating A Viral Marketing Campaign For Your Brand

The focus of viral marketing is the fact that it has the ability to replicate itself without any outside assistance. A viral marketing campaign is one which allows and motivates customers who are exposed to the campaign to actively help spread the word themselves.

Your customers pass on the word to other potential customers either because of their excitement about the clothing brand, because of what you are offering, or worth sharing as the result of a gift or award option associated with the campaign.

Having such a built-in replication capability, viral marketing has the potential for exponential growth and can quickly spread a message to thousands or even millions of people from just one simple starting point. Urban myths are a good example of exponential growth. Even though many of these myths have been proven fake, they continue to circulate. Many people forward them to others even though they’ve heard them already and know they are false. It doesn’t take long for an urban myth to spread fast and far.

A great case study of viral marketing is Hotmail. Hotmail.com, was one of the first free web based e-mail services. They recruited members by first giving away free e-mail addresses, then requiring that every e-mail sent by their service include an advertisement at the bottom for their free e-mail service.

This strategy had their free service quickly spread through exponential growth and grew a large member base to be tapped for marketing other services also.

Some viral strategies are obviously going to work better than others. The Hotmail campaign in which free services are offered with no cost for the users, are positioned to grow fast.

The key to success for viral marketing is delayed gratification. The company may not profit today or even tomorrow, but can generate a groundswell of interest. Eventually the profits will come and hopefully for a long time afterwards. Investing up front by providing something for free will attract attention that can be redirected to other items you are selling and eventually earn money.

In the real world a virus only spreads when allowed to transmit from one person to another. Likewise, your marketing message must rely on existing mechanisms through which the message is just as easy to transfer and replicate: e-mail, social networks, etc.

Viral marketing works so well on the Internet because of the ease of instant inexpensive communication and because people like to share things. From a marketing standpoint, your goal is to simplify your message so it can be spread easily and the shorter the better. As with the Hotmail example, broadcasting that it is free and telling where to get it is about as simple as it can get.

If you expect your message to spread virally, then the method of spreading it has to be easily scalable. This was one of the few problems of the Hotmail case study. By offering free e-mail services, they needed their own mail servers. When they became successful, they needed more mail servers and had to add them very quickly to support the rapid growth. Without doing this, the service would have come to a halt and lose all momentum.

Just like real life, if the virus kills its host, then it just won’t spread. Planning in advance for the potential growth and building any necessary scalability into your viral model is vital for success.

A clever viral marketing plan will take advantage of common human motivations. A hunger to be popular or to be liked stand out as driving human factors. The resulting urge to communicate based on these basic human needs can produce exponential growth. When you can design viral marketing that builds on these common motivations and behaviors you have a winner.

It is a fact that most people are social. In fact, scientists tell us that each person in the modern society has a network of anywhere from eight to twelve people in their group of close friends, family, and associates. If you factor in a person’s broader network that may increase to hundreds, or even thousands of people with whom they interact with. A person running a blog may reach tens of thousands of people on a daily basis. Affiliate programs exploit such networks, as do permission e-mail lists. Learn to place your message into existing communications between people, and you rapidly multiply its reach.

The use of others’ resources is what makes viral marketing unique. In traditional marketing, you must identify a niche, design a campaign that appeals to that target audience, and then pay for and otherwise promote to reach that group of people. Viral marketing, on the other hand, creates its own promotion and is at least partly self-targeting. People who are interested in your message will most likely to be communicating with other people like themselves. They do the work for you by reaching your target audience without having to do the preparation yourself. Even more important it removes your cost for contacting a specific group.

Viral marketing isn’t always predictable. You could be wildly successful or may only have a small percentage of interested people spreading the word. On the plus side, when compared with the costs of traditional marketing you will always come out ahead.

Anthony Marsh is the owner of Popular Threadz and Crack Smoking Shirts. He runs the online resource TeeBiz.com and the t-shirt community TeeBurb.com.

Dig Deep, Than Dig Deeper: Boston T-shirt Marketing to a Niche Within a Niche

With the rise of technology it has made it that much easier to become successful online. It also allowed all the bad apples to become successful as well. Those who educate themselves and continuously stay up to date on latest marketing trends will prosper. Those who don’t well they will end up on Monster.com.

I am not sure why people choose to reinvent the wheel. There is no room for reinventing the wheel these days. Do you know how many people I speak with that have decided to start a social networking site? Why? MySpace and Facebook are not going out of business any time soon so you better bring a few truckloads of venture capitalist funding with you and truly smart programmers
to not just bring them down but only to catch up. Marketing a niche within a niche seems to be the way to go. Boston Knucklehead, a Boston themed t-shirt company has done just that. Focusing on a city and then a specific group with in that city is exactly what it will take for new upcoming online businesses to succeed.

There is too much noise online these days and targeting a national brand takes a great deal of time and money. Finding a niche that you have a commonality with is a great starting point. Finding a niche that doesn’t have much competition is even better. They are still out there you just have to look. Take a hobby for example; some of the best businesses have started from marketing to obscure hobbies. Finding a group of people that enjoy doing something that is not completely mainstream and market a product to them and I bet you will see movement. Any movement these days is great with the amount of competitors targeting any given audience. If done correctly niche marketing can be very powerful business choice. Take marketing to sports fans in the city of Boston. Now you take that group and target those fans that enjoy fashion and street wear and you have just found yourself niche within a niche that could blossom. Boston Knucklehead takes this approach and targets a few niches within the Boston sports fan community.

By doing this they can allow themselves to take many different marketing approaches and target a handful of audiences within an audience. It allows Boston Knucklehead to keep their options open as much and as wide as possible while offering Boston based clothing that fits into vastly different audiences that all enjoy one product. This is not an easy defeat. Although you are dealing with greatly different audiences within one target there have to be aspects that appeal to both masses in order for thistype of marketing to succeed. Something simple like t-shirts takes a well thought out plan. With the economy slowly crumbling all audiences will keep a watchful eye on where they spend their hard earned dollars. If you are going to start online business do your homework and take a look around you and see how many others are already doing it. The last thing you want to do is sit there and only spin your wheels. Find a unique niche and open it up.

About the Author: I am a 28 year old Boston area entrepreneur and Northeastern Marketing graduate. I have recently ventured into the area of Boston themed t-shirts and I feel that I have target a niche that will respond
well. I also work for a online marketing firm as a website marketing strategist helping others. With this new venture, bostonknucklehead a new niche is born.

Source:isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=269476&ca=Marketingtarget=

10 Tips for Launching Your Clothing Label

1. Do your reasearch.
Make sure you know a few things about the clothing industry before you dive in too deep. At least have a general understanding of how business works. Another key thing to research is how other successful companies became so successful, and some guidelines and tips for running a successful business.

2. Plan everything.
Before you get started, have a clear idea of what you plan on doing. Try to decide things like what kind of t-shirts you plan on selling, who you expect to buy your tees, whether they’ll be availible online only or if you’ll be selling in stores.

3. Know your competition.
You should always know what other clothing labels you’ll be competing with. If you’re starting a label based on humorous t-shirts you should watch what all the other funny t-shirt labels are doing. Keep track of things like their design variety, pricing, and promotion.

4. Create products people would actually buy.
It seems this step should be obvious, but you’d be surprised at some of the t-shirts you can find these days. Test the quality of your t-shirts by getting honest opinions from others, preferably people who are within your target audience.

5. Know the finances.
Once you know what you plan on doing get an idea of how much everything is gonna cost you. When you start producing and selling t-shirts, keep track of all of your expenses. Alot of this should help you decide how much you should charge for your clothing.

6. Come up with a promotion strategy.
See, you wanna become a t-shirt millionaire. The only way to do that is by selling millions of t-shirts, and the only way to do that is by telling millions of people about your shirts. But how? Figure out a way to spread the word. For starters, your strategy can include PPC ads, press releases to blogs, and social networking.

7. Find partners.
You might start your business on your own but you should find partners to help you maximize your potential and help you reach your goals more efficiently. Have people working with you on your label and also collaborate with other businesses that may be of some help to you.

8. Set business goals.
How many t-shirts do you plan on selling this year? How about this month or this week? A successful business sets goals of success. Set a goal and believe in your ability to reach it. If you know you’re gonna get it, you’re gonna get it.

9. Don’t quit because your not seeing sales the first day.
That’s a good way to get you nowhere. Try to figure out ways of improving your designs, your strategy or your work habits. When you’re just getting started you’re still learning so keep at it. Winners never quit and quitters never win.

10. Have fun.
If your in it just to make a quick buck you’re probably not gonna get too far. Love what you do and do what you love, and if you’re a real tee maniac then this is definitely the right profession for you.

About the Author:

T-Shirt Magazine is the premier source for everything surrounding the t-shirt culture. Published weekly as a free online magazine, T- Shirt Magazine is also a web community of t-shirt fans and collectors as well as designers and entrepreneurs.

Vintage T-Shirts – Where Old Is Gold!

T-Shirts in today’s world have carved an irreplaceable position in our closets. Right from button-less ones to the collared variety, from graphic T-Shirts or designer wear, they have become a part of our life. In this maze of designer wear and graphical imprints, if you open your closet to find something matching with your dress, you may suddenly get hold of a long lost tee, which was once your favorite.

In the bygone years there was very little information, if at all any, about vintage t-shirts. However, slowly and surely collectors and T-Shirt aficionados have realized that there is a whole new collector’s item out there waiting for them. Unlike other collectibles this item can also be worn. This is, of course, only if the condition of the shirt is such that it is wearable. Popular T-Shirt companies are coming out with vintage T-Shirts because the demand for these shirts is booming. So what are these vintage T-Shirts any way?

Vintage T-Shirts are categorized as those T-Shirts, which are not necessarily old, but are produced in such a fashion that their overall look gives an antique impression. So when you find a relatively old T-Shirt in your closet, get happy because you just got your hands washed in treasure. Everyone has his or her own description or understanding about the term vintage, but in regards to tees, it depends upon how old it looks. Thus, sometimes your 5-year-old tee in good condition is deprived of its vintage badge.

Vintage T-Shirts appear in various forms and graphics. The only concern is that the theme should necessarily be old, yet fashionable. The most popular tees in this category are the concert tees. The price of these shirts also depends upon the theme that has been printed upon the T-Shirt. If it gives an authentic vintage aura then you are in for a lot of money.

In the case of vintage T-Shirts it is not necessary that they be old. You can have a T-Shirt that dates back to just a few years and it can be called a vintage T-Shirt. Do remember, that we are talking about the world of T-Shirts. Here anything that is about two months old gets slotted as an antique piece. It’s funny but true.

There are cases wherein people come and complain that the tees look spanking new when they were expecting them to have that worn-out vintage look. Another facet to this is that if you search long enough then you will definitely find vintage T-Shirts dating back to 60’s, 70’s and the 80’s. Vintage T-Shirts are basically offshoots of the billion-dollar T-Shirt industry. They are niche products that at times do not have any aesthetic value but are frightfully expensive. So if you are looking for vintage T-Shirts then be clear as to what you expect out of them.

Find Vintage Tshirts at uneetee.com

Article Source: Henry DeGuzman ezinearticles.com

10 Reasons Why Graphic T-Shirts Are the New Art Form

Fashion is going in new directions now after the death of couturier Yves Saint Laurent. Graphic t-shirts have become a new medium by which artists can showcase their talent. There is a strong call for those vintage band t-shirts that we used to wear to concerts, but now variations are appearing on various graphic t-shirts that are vintage in style, and diverse in their message. They used to just say things like “I am with stupid” or “I love NY”. Now there are so many variations on the theme that it is hard to tell what came first and which t-shirt design came most recently.

Also, graphic t-shirts are gaining in class. A t-shirt used to be considered something that you would wear when you had nothing else. Now, it is all you need under a jacket to look trendy. However, your graphic t-shirt must be form-fitting and deliver an original message – or else you will miss the target. More and more, these simple t-shirts, often one-line messages, have become more stylish due to their new cuts. Girls have babydoll t-shirts that do a great job in showing off their curves, while guys have shorter sleeves to show off their arms. There is no longer the one-size-fits-all mentality about t-shirts that once existed when everyone and his brother were wearing Fruit of the Loom t-shirts.
Ten reasons why Graphic t-shirts are the new art form:

1. It being acceptable to spend more than 10 dollars for one t-shirt.
2. New weaving technology. Very fine cotton is being used these days.
3. The return of retro irony and themes from the computer world. “All your base are belong to us.”
4. Emergence super-soft and distressed finishes. Now vintage t-shirts look really vintage.
5. New cuts and sewing techniques.
6. Websites that allow graphic designers to submit designs for graphic t-shirts.
7. New necklines. Anyone say v-necks in 10 different styles?
8. Casualization of everything, including going out to clubs. You can wear a graphic t-shirt anywhere.
9. Easy access to graphic design software. Now anyone can become a graphic designer.
10. It being acceptable to display a message on your clothing. Couldn’t do this so easily a few decades ago.

Now fashionable people have the option of wearing graphic t-shirts, which makes them an even more appealing piece of clothing for high-end designers to target. Basically, the graphic t-shirt has entered the ranks of haute couture, where now it has entered the playing field among the major designers. Armani has already attacked this new medium with its Armani Exchange line, while mainstream brands such as American Eagle have embraced the movement as well.

Where the art of graphic t-shirt truly shines is on the Internet with the multitude of web 2.0 websites that allow designers to upload their designs and get them printed once they are voted on enough times. This democratic system pushes designers to come up with unique designs that will be popular enough to get printed. The creations that come out of these websites tend to be the most creative of all [http://www.ragnewyork.com]graphic t-shirt designs and where this art form takes on a life of its own.

Al Keser is a New York clothing fashionista, journalist, and video producer. He writes for online retail store of R.A.G New York that has 5 Manhattan locations and being a perfect place to buy New York clothing and accessories.

Article Source: Al Keser EzineArticles.com

Get Graphic with Your T-Shirt

As the name, evidently suggests, graphic T-Shirts are those whose design is markedly enhanced by the use of graphics. It was the emergence of skilled graphic designers that saw graphics being used in T-Shirt designs. It was an artistic revolution that changed the face of T-shirt designing.

It was in the eighties, that artists found an extraordinary canvas in the T-Shirt. Graphic designers, who were on the look out for a new medium to display their talent, found an innovative new way to showcase their work. The eighties were the beginning of the extraordinary graphics craze. Earlier, graphics were secondary and the shirt was primary. Now, it was the graphics that sold the shirts. The price of T-Shirts has soared day by day, owing to the fantastic new graphics developed by designers. It was right after the graphics boom of the eighties that companies woke up to the fact that T-Shirts could be used as vehicles for advertising their products. The very fact, that people would not only display their company’s name on their chest and actually pay for doing so, was just too good to be true.

More and more people like event promoters and others had a realization that underlined the fact, that they could increase their bottom line by merchandising. They did this by marketing customized T-Shirts graphically designed to advertise and promote their events. The business of licensing is now a billion-dollar business and is still growing by leaps and bounds. This gives you a fair idea about the demand of graphic T-Shirts.

Graphic T-Shirts are an integral part of the billion-dollar T-Shirt industry. The unique designs that range from plain to absolutely spectacular, from cute to downright rude have taken a strangle hold on the apparel market. Buying a graphic T-Shirt is very much like going to a movie. Just like a movie tells you a story, the graphic T-Shirt tells your story to the viewer. It gives them a fair idea of the kind of person you are, your likes and dislikes, your views on a particular subject and so on and so forth.

Designing the contemporary graphics T-Shirt calls for a lot of expertise. Customers have increasingly become more demanding, as they are getting more and more aware of everything around them. They have strong opinions about the environment that they are living in. T-Shirt designs are a medium that gives full vent to their feelings. This is why graphic designers must be in-sync with whatever is happening around them and of course the needs of their customers. It is only then that there is an output of an extraordinary graphic T-Shirt. As can be seen, both the customer and the designer have to walk hand in hand on this one. Therefore, it can be said that a unique graphic T-Shirt is a product of the accumulated input of both the customer and the designer.

In the end, it can be said that graphic T-Shirts are potent vehicles of expressionism. May they survive and flourish!

Find Graphic T-Shirts at Uneetee.com

Article Source: EzineArticles.com

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