Editor's Note
"You've got to sew what you can sell." Over and over in 2009, this is the refrain I hear from Stitches' editorial advisory board. Across the U.S., we're hearing from decorators that their clients are slashing marketing budgets – and among the first items to be cut are decorated apparel and other logoed promotional goods. However, we've got some ideas for you to turn that trend around.
First, arm yourself with some powerful statistics you can use when talking to clients. Recently, ASI conducted its exclusive Advertising Specialties Impressions Study, which revealed that advertising specialties and decorated apparel and accessories beat out all forms of TV, radio and print advertising as the most cost-effective advertising medium available. For example, 94% of end-users remember the name of the advertiser on wearable items that they receive, with bags, caps and shirts at the top of the list. The study also shows that end-users keep an imprinted item for an average of seven months, and respectively, 91% and 89% of survey respondents say that they keep bags and other wearables the longest, since they're useful products. And, bags (1,038), caps (476) and shirts (365) deliver the highest number of impressions per month. Finally, advertising specialties and decorated apparel offer more bang for your client's buck, at only $.0004 per impression. You can download your own copy of this ground-breaking survey at www.asicentral.com/study.
Second, embroider and digitize designs that will sell – and can be used in multiple applications. In this issue, our huge cover story starting on page 38 includes all the winners of the second annual Stitches Golden Needle Awards, which honors embroiderers and digitizers for their technical and artistic work. This year, our three embroidery judges (all members of Stitches' editorial advisory board), Ginny Fineberg, owner of Sandpiper Embroidery; Jimmy Lamb of Sawgrass Technologies; and Ed Levy, owner of Digitize4U, visited ASI at the end of June to judge the embroidery entries and choose the winners. Since the entries were blind, all the judges had to go on was the item itself and the information the entrant provided, such as what the client wanted, stitch count, sewing time and other details. We talked a lot about marketability of the entries – something that all three judges stressed.
For example, "Price is paramount now," Fineberg says. "We have to get better and better at using fewer stitches, but still create designs that make an impact. Combine embroidery with appliqué, heat press, or screen or garment printing." And, as many of you who know Lamb have probably heard him say, "Uniqueness sells. You've got to create an advertising piece that will do the job the client wants it to do." In our cover story, you'll get to see some awe-inspiring work, plus read the judges' comments about what makes each winner so marketable.
What shows are you going to attend in 2010? If you don't want to travel too far, plan to attend one of the Stitches Roadshows. Visiting three key markets, Atlanta (January 27), St. Louis (March 5) and Denver (May 12), the Stitches Roadshow is geared to help decorators become more successful, find new suppliers and grow their businesses. Along with walking an exhibit hall, decorators have the opportunity to attend a special Lunch-and-Learn program at each show. In Atlanta and St. Louis, Jimmy Lamb of Sawgrass Technologies will present "The Bottom Line: How to Promote and Price Your Decorated Products," and in Denver, Jay Busselle of Digital Art Solutions will present "Introduction to Corel DRAW: The Essential Skill Set." Visit www.stitchesroadshow.com or call (800) 546-3000 for more information or to register.
Nicole Rollender