158:16< +)6),) ;/, 4(92,;05. (5+ 05-694(;065 :6<9*, -69 047905;()3, 796+<*;: A Tristan Communications Ltd. Publication Volume 19, Issue 5 6HSWHPEHU2FWREHU 8=3DBCAH =4FB Get caught up on the latest industry news 4 F70CB 8= 0 =0<4. ?0AC Mark Venit examines the criteria for selecting a name or renaming your company 6 <0G8<8I4 H>DA C8<4 0C CA034 B7>FB Maximize your ROI of attending trade shows with some planning before, during and after industry events 12 8<?A8=C @ 0 Gunold Canada's Fran McAvity answers your embroidery questions in our Question & Answer series 16 WHAT'S INSIDE Maximizing Custom Garment Sales at Events By Ted Stahl .^MV\ -MKWZI\QWV ,WV\QV]ML WV 9IOM ,WUXIVa 9ZWNQTM ,WV\QV]ML WV 9IOM 50;;F8=C4A !" F40A01;4B ?064 ' 8==>E0C8E4 03 B?4280;CH 8C4<B ?064 "% If you had the chance to visit a county fair, festival, craſt show, trade convention, sports tournament, race or any type of event recently, you probably said to yourself: “is would be a great place to sell custom garments. I should have a booth here next year.” Taking your heat press on the road is easier than you think. It’s not only a great way to prof- it from sales, it’s an excellent way to increase your visibility, build your brand, market your business and find new customers. Here are some tips and tricks that will help you maximize your custom garment sales at events. FIND YOUR VENUE If you haven’t already found an event at which you would like to sell, there are a variety of resources online which will list just about every craſt fair, festival, holiday giſt show you’ve ever heard about, and then some. You will be surprised at all the opportunities out there. In Canada, two sites where you could start your researching would be FestivalNet.com and Craſt-Fairs.ca. Consistency and Customer Service Separate B.C.-Based Distributor From Local Competition I n the promotional products industry, loyalty among clients isn’t guaranteed. Aſter all, if a customer is looking to place a relatively stan- dard order– like for pens, bags, or T-shirts – they know full well that they could just as easily go to the shop down the street as they could with you. Oſtentimes, what separates your business from getting an order over your competitors can be consistency, reliability and the cus- tomer service that you are capable of providing on a daily basis. For Terrace B.C.-based Silvertip Promotions and Signs, the mandate of delivering top-notch customer service, professional advice and consistent quality work is what has helped make them the largest promotional distributor west of Prince George, B.C. “We get some clients that come to us for an order and then for their next order they go to one of our competitors,” says owner Janice Shaben, who notes that these same clients usually end up coming back for the service, quality and experience they consist- ently provide. “at was one of my first goals when I came on board,” explains Shaben, referring to the mandate of growing the business. When Janice first joined Silvertip Promotions and Signs 8 years ago to help her husband Gord oversee the day-to-day, she admits that the company was relatively small. Gord originally started the business in 1985 & has been heard saying, “I’m 27 years into my overnight success.” However, once the promotional product division moved into its current street front location two years later, it didn’t take long for the growth to follow. “I would say that we accomplished (our growth objectives) by being consistent and always eager to help with friendly, expert advice,” she explains. Always Putting Customers First It’s important to note that Silvertip’s growth came at a time when most other companies in the area were struggling. Shaben explains that the economy in northwest B.C. has been depressed for a good number of years now; what was once a bustling area, Terrace B.C. witnessed its two largest saw mills close their doors ,][\WUQbI\QWV I\ M^MV\[ Q[ I U]KP [W]OP\IN\MZ [MZ^QKM =PM[M JIKSXIKS[ _MZM XMZ[WVITQbML NWZ SQL[ \ISQVO XIZ\ QV I 7M_ +ITIVKM \ZIKS IVL NQMTL M^MV\ TI[\ 6IZKP
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Transcript
A Tristan Communications Ltd. Publication Volume 19, Issue 5
Get caught up on the latest industry news 4
Mark Venit examines the criteria for selecting a name or
renaming your company 6
Maximize your ROI of attending trade shows with some
planning before, during and after industry events 12
Gunold Canada's Fran McAvity answers your embroidery
questions in our Question & Answer series 16
WHAT'S INSIDE
Maximizing Custom Garment Sales at EventsBy Ted Stahl
If you had the chance to visit a county fair, festival, craft show, trade convention,
sports tournament, race or any type of event recently, you probably said to yourself:
“Th is would be a great place to sell custom garments. I should have a booth here next year.”
Taking your heat press on the road is easier
than you think. It’s not only a great way to prof-
it from sales, it’s an excellent way to increase
your visibility, build your brand, market your
business and fi nd new customers.
Here are some tips and tricks that will
help you maximize your custom garment
sales at events.
FIND YOUR VENUEIf you haven’t already found an event at which you would like to sell, there are a
variety of resources online which will list just about every craft fair, festival, holiday
gift show you’ve ever heard about, and then some. You will be surprised at all the
opportunities out there. In Canada, two sites where you could start your researching
would be FestivalNet.com and Craft -Fairs.ca.
Consistency and Customer Service Separate B.C.-Based Distributor From Local Competition
In the promotional products industry, loyalty among clients
isn’t guaranteed.
Aft er all, if a customer is looking to place a relatively stan-
dard order– like for pens, bags, or T-shirts – they know full
well that they could just as easily go to the shop down the street
as they could with you.
Oft entimes, what separates your business from getting an order
over your competitors can be consistency, reliability and the cus-
tomer service that you are capable of providing on a daily basis.
For Terrace B.C.-based Silvertip Promotions and Signs, the
mandate of delivering top-notch customer service, professional
advice and consistent quality work is what has helped make them
the largest promotional distributor west of Prince George, B.C.
“We get some clients that come to us for an order and then for
their next order they go to one of our competitors,” says owner
Janice Shaben, who notes that these same clients usually end up
coming back for the service, quality and experience they consist-
ently provide.
“Th at was one of my fi rst goals when I came on board,” explains
Shaben, referring to the mandate of growing the business. When
Janice fi rst joined Silvertip Promotions and Signs 8 years ago to
help her husband Gord oversee the day-to-day, she admits that
the company was relatively small. Gord originally started the
business in 1985 & has been heard saying, “I’m 27 years into my
overnight success.”
However, once the promotional product division moved into
its current street front location two years later, it didn’t take long
for the growth to follow. “I would say that we accomplished (our
growth objectives) by being consistent and always eager to help
with friendly, expert advice,” she explains.
Always Putting Customers First
It’s important to note that Silvertip’s growth came at a time
when most other companies in the area were struggling. Shaben
explains that the economy in northwest B.C. has been depressed
for a good number of years now; what was once a bustling area,
Terrace B.C. witnessed its two largest saw mills close their doors
What’s In a Name? - Part 1: Criteria for Selecting a Name or Re-naming Your CompanyBy Mark L. Venit, MBA
Naming – or re-naming -- your company name is a critical factor in positioning it for success. Finding the right name will entail many considerations. Finding an eff ective name addresses and answers several questions: Does it tell who we are and what we do? Does it tell our story well? Th e whole story? Is it memorable or catchy? Is it dated or does it limit us?
Of the more than 600+ apparel graphics companies I’ve worked with in this industry, I’ve advised about half of them that to continue marketing under their existing name would be counterproductive in the long run, entailing the investment of more time and money into an entity that would be locked even further into a name that had already outlived its usefulness. (As an matter of personal ethics I’m unwilling to waste my time and clients’ money, so in several cases I’ve had to inform them my continued service is contingent on eff ecting a company name change).
Some clients strongly resist a name change and have understandable misgivings and jitters. All of them nonetheless have come around and agreed to a name change.
Here are some guidelines I use, and off er for your consideration, in weighing whether a company should change its name. Ask yourself these fi ve questions:
1. If the existing name is still adequate for now, can it be expected to serve as well in the
future? Included in this question are concerns about whether a company name has some defi ciencies that limit or inhibit the company’s growth and improved positioning.
2. How much is the name really worth in terms of good will? Will changing the name cost
it any customers? Or will it serve to help attract many more? (Do note that rarely, if ever,
does a name change of a good company result in any loss of customers).
3. Is the name - or has it become - tired, trite or dated, or has it simply lost its groove?
4. Are there special attributes in the name that are absolutely indispensable? Some major issues here include names that have been in use for decades and have earned status as virtual community “institutions” or have become thought of as “brands.”
5. Would the owners of the company really like to change the name, but
don't know quite how to go about it, haven’t yet calculated potential
downsides or risks, or aren't yet totally convinced of the substantial
benefi ts? Oft entimes – through, a catalytic comment from an astute customer or vendor, a key employee or salesperson or words in a book from a consultant – is what spurs management to take a closer look at a name change and ultimately take the plunge. Once a name has been selected though – aft er what can be a frustrating exercise in an squishy milieu that’s more art than science – management and staff usually become energized in the process and get to work quickly on implementing the new name.
Below are 10 categories of variables and tips to help you open your search for your company name or to ponder when contemplating a name change. Keep this list handy for use during your brainstorming sessions.
1. Local factors: Th ese would include geography, culture, history, landmarks, fl ora and fauna, and climate of the primary trading area or targeted market or market niches.
2. Personal factors: Examples here could include your interests, any special talents you or your partners possess. It could include family heritage ethnicity, personal achievements, favorite pets, or even some important event or experience in your life, as well as your passions.
3. Notable customer-friendly, professional attributes: Examples here could include speed, quality, service, and performance.
4. Market-oriented factors: Th ese could be related to busi-ness, schools, organizations, government, events, athletics, leisure and recreation, or a specifi c industry or target market.
5. Positive, inspirational, innovative, exciting
attributes: Words for starting your brainstorming process here could include: superior, premier, peak, reputation, fi rst, excellence, winning/winner, victory, triumph, forward, advance, professional, challenge, and power. All of the aforementioned words are ones which should stimulate further thinking and lead you to other routes in many diff erent directions. Sometimes a turn off the main road, as you know, can result in wonderful surprises.
6. Fun stuff : Magic, enchantment, wizardry, animals, literary characters, movies, goofy names (and the like) will get you headed in the right direction here.
7. Application-related: Corporate identifi cation, advertising, uniforms, awards and incentives, promotion-oriented, gift ware, fundraising, recruitment, spirit, pride. Th e reason or reasons people buy your products and services becomes the focus of the search for an appropriate, winning company name.
8. Garment specialization: Infants, juveniles, children, sen-iors, plus sizes, maternity, outdoor, uniforms. Your name will indicate they’re at the right place to buy what they’re looking for.
One lucky attendee at the 14th Annual Western Imprint Canada Show will win one night's accommodation, courtesy of Twiga Industries Inc., at the prestigious Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel,
located at the heart of the stunning Banff National Park
Frigidaire (for “frigid air,” a name invented in 1916),
MasterCard, AccuWeather, Addidas (a contraction of
the founder’s name, Adolph “Adi”Dassler), Air Canada,
USAirways, and Cisco Systems (from San Francisco), and
ScotiaBank.
10. One-word names already in the language: Th ese
are words or terms that have been around for many years,
but are claimed by a business or product to brand or title
something altogether diff erent from the original meaning,
though some might connote something good or positive
in their new incarnations. Th ink of how they came about,
intuitive or otherwise, and try to learn or understand how
it. And if your customer or prospect doesn’t understand
the associative properties or its derivatives, it really doesn’t
matter because these names sound cool or fun or just plain
perfect in some way. But do realize that the name, itself,
contributes to the brand becoming important, successful,
and thus earns its own meaning, which oft entimes becomes
massively more powerful that the original meaning.
What's a genius world-class example, you may be
asking? One word: Google!
Google is a brand of course, but today - since in its
founding in 1998 - has earned the status of a verb in the
English language. Other good examples include Amazon,
Bing, Apple, and Blackberry.
Th e list above could have many more categories, from
Latin and Greek root words, modern foreign languages,
mythology, Bible stories or characters, nursery rhymes,
legends, and on and on and on. I trust you get the idea.
A name can be about you, your life, your neighborhood
or your world, your dreams, your vision, what you do for
fun, something that used to mean something but now
means something else, is silly, contrived, or means noth-
ing at all – yet!
Please remember, the goal of the list here is just to help you
get the naming process started. An old adage comes to mind
about the process when you begin it: you might not know what
you’re looking for, but you’ll know it when you fi nd it.
In Part Two of this series - which will be featured in the
November/December 2012 edition of Imprint Canada - we’ll
take a look at company names that have inherent limita-
tions, evince little creativity, or are weak in developing a
distinctive, diff erentiated business name.
Mark L. Venit, MBA, provides manage-ment and marketing conulting and proprietary research to apparel graph-ics companies throughout the Americas and Europe. He’s the author of several books and over 500 articles published in trade magazines and professional jour-nals. His book, The Business of T-Shirts: A Textbook for Success in Marketing and
Selling Decorated Apparel, released in March 2011, is available from Stahls' Canada and from the author.
Venit is engaged extensively as an expert witness, qualifi ed in all U.S. and Canadian jurisdictions in the areas of trademark and copyright applications, business conventions and trade practices in the apparel graphics industry. A former professor of advertising and marketing, Venit earned his bachelors and masters degrees at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Mark Venit can be reached at: [email protected], 410.641.7300.
COSTS AND BOOTH SELECTIONYou should always try to determine if the travel, booth
and lodging costs are worth your while.
I know of some people that attend more than 25 events per
year, and they are on the road from May to October. Another
experienced event decorator won’t go back to events where
she doesn’t gross 10 times the cost of the booth.
Keep in mind, there will always be things you can’t control
such as weather or the number of people that actually attend
each event. Rain and mud can wreak havoc on your tent,
inventory and equipment - all of which could also aff ect sales.
Booth location is a big factor in your success; if you are
a fi rst-timer, you probably won’t get the best booth space,
but hopefully you will receive better spaces year aft er year.
Make sure you ask the organizer for as much information
as possible and request a map of the venue when
choosing your spot. You should also ask how many
other garment decorators are already at the event
and where they are located, as you don’t want to be
right next to another garment booth.
If you do go to an event that is already saturated
with garment sellers, as someone off ering custom,
on-the-spot personalization, you should have an
edge over the competition. You could even off er to
personalize garments purchased at other vendors’
booths (for a fee of course)!
THINK BEYOND THE TYPICAL T-SHIRTIf there are other vendors selling T-shirts, con-
sider off ering MORE than just T-shirts. You should
have some T-shirt options, but you can also off er
jackets, cinch-sacks, hats, shorts and fl annel pants
with matching hoodies. If it’s hot out, make sure
you have a great tank top for women, teens and preteens. If
it’s cooler, have several sweatshirt options; with a heat press
you can decorate just about anything.
Seriously ponder off ering custom caps. You will have to
bring a cap press, but the sales from custom caps, especially
if you are the only one off ering such a unique service, could
make it worth the investment. You can also use a cap press
to print on infant-sized onesies, umbrellas, sleeves and
other small areas.
PLUGGING IN You will have to check with the show organizer as to the
availability and cost of electricity at the event.
Th e heat press you plan to bring will depend on what
you are going to print, but most event marketers are fi ne
with an 11” x 15” or 16” x 16” Clam-style press. Read your
instruction manual, but such a press will usually require a
20-amp service at each outlet being used.
Larger machines will require 20-amps but a cap press
and a 11”x 15” machine can usually share a 20-amp circuit.
You also need to watch out for extension cords or surge
protectors that can’t carry the power needed. Electricians
at the events should be able to help out but the main thing
is making sure you have a “dedicated circuit.”
You want to avoid trade shows or banquet halls in which
all the plugs on one wall are on one circuit. Plugging in a
heat press in such a scenario can blow out the whole event.
Believe me, we’ve been there and done that.
HEAT PRINTING GRAPHICS YOU CAN OFFERTh e easiest booth set up in a 10' x 10' booth would just be a
heat press, T-shirts and custom transfers that give customers
several choices. (Don’t forget to hang a banner in the back
of the booth with your store name, logo, web address and
the words “Personalize Any Item Now!”)
Make sure you have event-related choices in both black
and white and you’ll be ready to print on any colour shirt. A
full colour option is also always a good idea. Prepare several
diff erent sizes of the same logo, so you can off er placement
on the front chest and a larger design on the back.
Customers love the thrill of designing their own shirt
on the spot. You can also bring kits of 1" or 2" lettering in a
basic style (Pro Block or Cooper) that will allow you to add
custom names to any preprinted shirt or to use in combina-
tion with custom transfers applied on site.
If you are very experienced with using a cutter and heat
transfer materials, you can bring along your computer and
cutter. Th is will enable you to create just about any type of
custom lettering your customers request.
It is usually easier if you provide sample ideas or only
provide a few choices as some folks have a hard time mak-
ing decisions when they have too many options. You don’t
want to lose sales because the buyer couldn’t decide what to
buy; trust me, this does happen! Keeping things simple will
make your life easier, and
as you gain experience you
can expand your product
off ering.
You can consider tak-
ing precut embellishments
such as glitter hearts, fl ag
transfers, rhinestone
hearts, or whatever would
complement your design,
and off er them at an addi-
tional fee. Don’t forget to
ask if customers want to
upgrade as you’ll be sur-
prised at how easy it is to
upsell.
At one track and fi eld event, the shirt seller had separate
transfers with the names of each discipline, such as shot-put,
hurdles, pole-vault. Th e kids went crazy adding their per-
sonal events to each shirt, all for an additional fee of course.
Anything you can off er to help people make the shirt more
special will be appreciated. You can also bring items that
are already pre-embroidered or preprinted with an event-
related design and allow customers to further personalize
them at the event.
Here’s another important tip: Don’t stitch or print a date
on preprints. Encourage customers to add dates with heat
print graphics. Th at way if the garments don’t sell, you can
bring them back next year.
PHOTO TRANSFERSAt some events, it is popular to sell full colour photo shirts.
I was once at a very upscale classic car event and of
course had to purchase a T-shirt. Was I surprised
that it was decorated with an inkjet paper? Not
really. I know that millions and millions of sheets
of ink jet paper are sold everyday…they are being
used by screen printers and decorators around the
world who have recognized this as one solution
for printing full colour graphics in extremely low
quantities, in a hurry.
I know some people have a predisposition against
the quality of inkjet paper prints, but it has its place
in the world of heat printing, and defi nitely a place
at events.
Concerned about washability? Guess what? Some
shirts don’t need to be washed 50 times and still look
good. If someone wants a photo of their car, boat,
tractor or prize-winning goat on their cap, inkjet
transfers are the ideal way to do this.
LEARNING BY DOINGEven if your fi rst attempt at event marketing isn’t as suc-
cessful as you envisioned, you will probably have learned a
lot about what to improve upon next time.
Being organized is key. Keep notes and make lists of what
you forgot to bring and what you should leave at home next
time. You can’t bring your whole shop with you, but make
sure you have scissors, cover sheets and other crucial heat
printing accessories.
And don’t forget to bring water and snacks for those work-
ing the booth. Sometimes it is hard to get away and you can
never leave the booth unattended.
You should also arrange to for credit card purchases as
well as keeping a cash box on hand. And don’t forget your
business cards either as you never know who you are going to
run into at an event. It could just be your next big customer!
Good luck and have fun out there. Event marketing is
a great way to indulge your favorite hobbies and interests
or support your kids at their sports events while you make
money.
Ted Stahl is the Executive Chairman of the Board of GroupeSTAHL, an international group of com-panies specializing in heat printing methods.
Stahl is a well-known industry veteran with more than 40 years’ experience in all aspects of apparel graphics, from manufacturing and marketing, to product design and retail operations. Stahl has played a major role in bringing sportswear graph-ics into the computer era, with the introduction
of high-tech digital imprinting products, including Stahls’ CAD-CUT® materials, Drawmate™ software and CADWorxlive.com, a free online art creation website.
In 2010, Stahl was inducted into the National Sporting Goods Association Hall of Fame. You can follow Ted on his blog: www.tedstahl.com
For most of us, time is a fi nite resource which cannot be easily wasted. Taking the time
to attend a trade show is never a bad idea, provided you maximize your eff orts before, dur-
ing and aft er the show to generate ROI for the time, travel and money spent on attending.
So how do you go about maximizing your trade show experience?
Pre-Show: Before you or your employees even step foot onto
the show fl oor, you'll want to develop a clear strategy
of what you want to accomplish. Some of the ques-
tions you may want to ask yourself include:
Why are we attending this show? Which vendors are a must-see? Which new product lines are my customers going to want us to carry? Are we attending for the purpose of purchasing equipment or supplies? Are there educational seminars that we should take part in?
In making a checklist list of the goals you want to achieve before visiting the show,
you are essentially establishing a road map to follow, which - in and of itself - will
prove to be a huge time saver.
It's very easy to lose track of your objectives in midst of the energetic hustle and
bustle of the show; by craft ing a strategy, you'll be able to stay on track and accom-
plish your objectives in a shorter time frame.
Study all the trade show materials you receive, and go online to see who is exhib-
iting. If this is your fi rst show you are attending, you will want to spend some extra
time in advance researching the vendors that will be in attendance in order help you
develop a list of "must see" companies and "want-to-see" companies; having a clear
idea of who you need to see, and what you'd like to take away from visiting each
booth is a big time saving technique. Doing this will allow you to better develop
useful questions to ask and will help you stay focused on getting the information
you require.
Another important aspect of your pre-show planning is to decide how much
actual time you will want to spend at the show. Th is will of course vary greatly
depending on the location and size of the event, and as such travel time and over-
night accommodations may need to be allotted for. By determining how much time
you will spend at the show, you can then better allot an approximate time frame to
spend at each booth.
By visiting the "must see" booths fi rst, you are helping yourself in two ways: 1. If
your day is unexpectedly cut short, you will have still probably accomplished a good
chunk of what you had outlined; 2. If you have time left over, you can then approach
exhibitors that catch your eye on the fl oor that you hadn't initially planned
on visiting.
If your pre-show strategy involves placing purchase orders during the
show, be sure to have a detailed breakdown of inventory levels prior to
attending in order to facilitate more effi cient purchasing decisions with
for your budget.
If you plan to attend the show with colleagues, you may want to consid-
er the divide-and-conquer approach and break your strategy into sections.
Once you've decided who you need to see, get a map of the show fl oor and
prioritize your route. Likewise, if your team plans to attend seminars, you
can have diff erent members sitting in on various workshops to help better
maximize the amount of information gathered for your team.
Out-of-Towners:If the show you are attending requires an overnight stay, a smart move is
to book a hotel well in advance as available rooms will fi ll up very quickly
as the show date approaches.
Many shows will off er preferred hotels to attendees that will allow you
to enjoy discounted room rates. Also, it's better to fi nd accommodations
that are as close to the show as possible as this will require less travel time
back and forth from your hotel.
Upon arriving in the convention city, obtain a local map as it will make
getting around much faster and easier.
When deciding what to pack, keep in mind that comfort and profes-
sionalism are paramount. Dress as if you were going to an important
meeting and wear a comfortable pair of walking shoes.
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Layering your outfi t is also a good idea as temperature at the show can fl uctuate quite a bit depending on fl oor traffi c.
It's a moot point to bring plenty of business cards, but a good idea is also to bring some-thing to collect catalogues, as well as a notepad to jot down important points, products or vendor names that you'll want to subsequently follow-up on aft er the show.
Show Time: Th e fi rst thing you and/or team should do is consult the latest version of the trade show
directory and revise your carefully made plans if management has made any changes from the pre-show material you have received. A lot can happen over a short period time such as new exhibitors signing up, companies dropping out, new seminars added, et cetera. Th e show guide will give you the most up to date picture of the event you are attending.
If the show is taking place during the colder months, you will want to check your coat and luggage (if you are heading straight to the airport aft erwards) as lugging them around will become very cumbersome quite quickly. How can you take notes, shake hands, pass out business cards, and touch samples when your hands are tied up? You can't!
When walking the fl oor, brochures may be off ered to you every which way you turn, but that doesn't mean you need to accept. Don't feel obliged to pay attention to booths that do not interest you. Th e exhibitors won't mind as they want to devote as much of their atten-tion to real potential customers.
If you stick to your pre-show strategy, you'll have a road map of where to go and what companies you need to see fi rst and foremost, and best of all you won't be stuck carrying printed material that is not essential. If you fi nd that your collected brochures and cata-
logues are getting too heavy to carry, you can always ask exhibitors to mail litera-ture and samples directly to your offi ce. Th is will relieve yet more stuff you'll have to carry around the show fl oor and subse-quently back home with you.
If you are on a tight schedule, don't be afraid to let exhibitors know about it as they want to make the best use of their time with you as well. If you have a specifi c reason for visiting a booth, be sure to explain that to them so you can get right down to it. Sometimes the staff at the booth won't have the answers to your specifi c questions; if this is the case, take note of the appropriate company contact and follow up with him or her when you have time.
Even if you are pressed for time, tak-ing a couple of breaks to fuel up and make notes is wise move. Giving yourself a brief reprieve to hydrate will also give you a
chance to take important notes on ideas that spring to mind while you're on the fl oor.
Creating an on-site show report with detailed notes will go a long way weeks aft er the show has ended when you are struggling to recall all those great ideas you had.
While walking the show fl oor, also stay aware of what your competitors - or fellow attendees - are doing. If your attentive, you will probably get a good glimpse of fresh new marketing initiatives and ideas that could spark some ideas of your own.
Another good idea would be to take note of the offi cial sponsors at each event and stop by their booths. Event sponsors are usually the one that give away great prizes or even samples of their newest off erings that you wouldn't have otherwise been aware of. Plus, who doesn't like receiving free stuff ?
After the show: Once you have left the show and the buzz has dissipated, take some time to
organize all the information you've gathered. Making further notes to jog your memory when you go back to review everything will be a big time saver as well.
Lastly, when all is said and done, it is important to follow up with newly made contacts and vendors aft er the show. Don't wait too long either; as the cliché goes you will want to strike while the iron's hot.
Having a clear plan of action will make sure that the time and money you spent at the show will be a worthwhile investment. Keeping these tips in mind will go a long way in maximizing your resources and eff orts at your next show.
Good luck and happy planning!
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What is the diff erence between polyester thread and rayon thread? Polyester thread is made from 100% polyester fi bre and the advantages are that it is very strong and it's temperature and chemical-fast, meaning that it can withstand high heat and bleach.
This is critical when doing embroideries for hotels, restaurants, construc-tion companies, hospitals, swimwear, et cetera - where bleach and heavy detergents are used in the laundry process or articles are exposed to salt water, sun and wide fl uctuations in temperature.
The disadvantages of Polyester fi bre are primarily its elasticity. For example, when you embroider using a narrow satin stitch, the thread will "bounce back" after a certain number of stitches have been laid. The result being is that you can get those little "bloops" in your short stitch satin rows and thus polyester thread requires more tension to get the thread to lie fl at.
Polyester's tensile strength can also be a negative in that operators often have the tension too tight because the thread doesn't break. This runs the risk of more puckering, thus requiring heavier backing (stabilizer) which creates more stress on the machine parts.
Rayon a.k.a. "Viscose" on the other hand, is made from wood fi bre. It's advantages are that natural fi bre produces beautiful silk-like lustrous colours. Rayon also requires much less tension and all stitch lengths sew fl at and even, producing a much more natural and "stressless" fi nished embroidery.
The disadvantages of Rayon thread is that - while it is temperature fast - it cannot withstand exposure to chemicals. Because rayon is a natural fi bre, bleach will compromise the thread and optical brighteners may alter the colour. Rayon also requires more skill and diligence with regards to tension and it appreciates a well-maintained machine.
Here are some tips to help you use each thread accordingly:• Use Rayon on leather and vinyl; Polyester's elasticity tends to get sticky in these fabrics, whereas rayon sews happily along.• Try Poly 60 weight for those tiny lettering jobs.• Neither of these threads gets old per se, but remember to store properly in a dry, dust-free environment.• As long as you purchase quality-made thread, both polyester and rayon threads are excellent choices.
How would you embroider velour or cashmere fabrics?The most important thing to remember with these fabrics is that you need to stabilize them properly as both are very delicate and they mark easily.
I would use only light to medium density designs and/or a zig-zag underlay with any lettering. I would choose either a tearaway adhesive stabilizer or a soft and sheer cutaway with adhesive spray to hold the fabrics in their own natural lie. I would also use a water soluble topping.
Is there transparent backing as opposed to white or black? Yes, there is a backing called Thermofi lm which looks like bubbly plastic. It is thin, strong and is excellent for smooth fabrics with no high pile. It is easily removed and any remaining fi lm can be treated with a hot iron. The remaining Thermofi lm will gather into tiny balls and brush away.
What is the best backing to use when working with stretch materials?I would recommend a cutaway backing for stretch materials. This will help retain your embroidery design after the stretch garment has been washed.
Don't forget to stabilize the stretch fabrics in their own natural lie with the aid of an adhesive. Depending on the design density, a sticky back tearaway can work well also. Use water soluble stabilizer on top to create an embroidery "sandwich".
In my experience, success has also been achieved using a sticky-back tearaway stabilizer to stabilize the stretch along with a second layer of a thin cut away such as soft and sheer. A water soluble stabilize applied on top then completes the package.
What is the best density to use when embroidering polar fl eece?The secret here is not to change the top density or cover stitch. Polar fl eece will require a good double underlay of stitching to lay a foundation for the cover stitch.
Underlay will help fl atten the fabric, stabilize the stretch - if any - and provide colour coverage as well. Even with double underlay, try using a water soluble topping such as Solvy.
If you don't want to deal with the removal, stop the machine after the fi ll stitches are done, remove the topping, and then continue with the embroidery. The water soluble topping will have created a level platform to lay all your stitches down evenly and the diff erence is remarkable.
What needle should I use when working with poly microfi bre fabrics?Go with the KISS method here (or - KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID). A good old reliable 75/11 SES ballpoint will work just fi ne. Once again, make sure you stabilize the poly microfi ber in its own natural lie using a spray adhesive and a water soluble topping.
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