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Feb23

It's Leap Year – Consider Custom Printing Some Celebratory Giveaways!

- posted by Mr. Shirt on

Custom printing promotional items is an effective way to bring your business some visibility, especially when you incorporate holidays or other special days into the celebration. February 29th could be considered one of the most rare of special events – because it only takes place once every four years! This leap year, take advantage of your “extra” day and stage some celebratory giveaways with a leap year theme. It's as simple as custom printing some promotional items with a frog motif or other leap year imagery and your business logo.

One of the most common symbols used to represent the “leap” year is a leaping frog. Not only are frogs cute and appealing, but they are easy to incorporate into designs for custom printed t-shirts, hats and other custom printed items for the leap year. Try a design with a frog leaping over your business logo with a message that says “Happy February 29th!” Because of the frog association and its proximity to St. Patrick's Day, green is an ideal color for leap year clothing and merchandise. Green is also a perfect color for promotional giveaway items because of its neutrality and popularity with people of both genders.

When you're planning your leap year celebratory giveaways, try to come up with something unique and creative that will grab the attention of both new and loyal customers. You could give away goodie bags between certain hours on February 29th including custom printed shirts, pens and mugs, or you could keep it simple and include a small gift like a ball cap or bottle opener with each purchase all day long. A bigger, extra special gift for anyone who can prove they have a February 29th birthday is a nice touch to bring even more attention to your leap year giveaway.

Choosing the shop that is going to be custom printing your leap year merchandise is almost as important as planning the giveaway itself. Choose a company that will offer you the best price on the goods you need without sacrificing quality and reliability. Check around and go with a print shop that can offer you discounts on high volume orders. You can even save money by picking up your order instead of having it shipped, as long as you go with a Long Island print shop instead of an online or far away store. Getting the best deal on your custom printed promotional goods means that your returns on the advertising they provide you will be even better!

Celebrating leap year with custom printed shirts and other giveaway items is a unique way to promote your business while inspiring customer loyalty. Recipients of your promotional items will find themselves telling friends and family all about the free gift they received at your place of business and creating some valuable word of mouth. Have fun with your customized, creative leap year celebration and watch as it creates more visibility for your small or large business this February 29th.

Feb21

Fire Dept Fundraisers – Turn up the Heat With Fire Patches!

- posted by Mr. Shirt on

If you're looking for a way to raise some funds and morale for your local fire department, custom embroidered fire patches might be just the solution for you. These custom, collectable patches help members of the local community display their pride for the brave men and women who put their lives on the line for them daily, in addition to serving as an effective fund raising tool. Choose from specialty logos, 9-11 memorial designs and other important symbols to raise money at your next fire department fundraiser.

A barbecue, pot luck dinner or other casual event can serve as the perfect backdrop for a fire patch fundraiser. Choose something that will bring everyone together without costing a fortune to set up, and make sure to set up some simple games and activities for the children. After eating and spending time together, members of the community can choose to purchase custom fire patches that can be placed on shirts, hats or bags. Pick patch designs that will be meaningful to your local fire department, perhaps even honoring fallen heroes, EMS or specific local trucks.

If you want even more of a variety of items to sell at your fire department fundraiser, you can choose sweatshirts, bags, caps and more with fire patches already pre-applied. This makes the process of showing your fire department pride even easier, with garments and accessories that are instantly wearable. You can even supply custom printed t-shirts that family and friends can purchase to support a certain truck at the firehouse! Top it all off with some goodies for the kids such as bracelets, crayons and stickers displaying fire safety information, and you have everything you need for your fire department fundraiser.

When choosing a print shop to buy your custom fire patches from, it is important to take a few factors into consideration. You will want to choose a shop that offers a well-made product, but without breaking the bank. If saving money is your goal, you might want to consider choosing a local Long Island embroiderer. This can save you a bundle on shipping by allowing you to pick up your patches in person. Meanwhile, local shops can often offer you discounts that you won't be able to find at stores located online or across the country. Take the money you save on buying your patches and use it towards making a better fundraiser for your fire department and your community.

Fire departments depend on community support for the morale that makes them the local heroes that they are. Show your appreciation for your local fire fighters by holding a community fundraiser with fire patches, apparel and other products to raise money and support for your local fire department. Whether you want to cheer on your favorite truck in the firehouse, commemorate 9-11 or honor a fallen hero, embroidered fire patches are an effective way to pay homage to those who work hard in order to make the world a safer place for the rest of us.

Feb15

Target Customers with Custom Printed T-shirts

- posted by Mr. Shirt on

A custom printed t-shirt has the ability to immediately draw the attention of people who pass by. This is why shirts have become one of the most popular ways businesses choose to draw attention to their brands. If you want to bring your business more visibility through the use of custom t-shirts, you might feel overwhelmed at the number of options available. There's no need to worry, however – as long as you choose your print shop and your designs wisely, you should quickly be able to reap the benefits of using custom printed t-shirts in your small or large business.

First, decide what you want to do with your custom shirts. Some businesses choose to sell them in their stores, while others use the t-shirts as a promotional giveaway and a way to thank their customers. You may also want to give a handful to your employees that they can choose to wear either at work or outside of work. In each scenario, you probably want slightly different designs and styles of shirts. Shirts that are meant to be sold in stores should hold some appeal to customers outside of a simple logo.

An eye-catching design, witty saying or attractive artwork will make customers more likely to want to buy a t-shirt off the racks, if that is the intended purpose. Meanwhile, t-shirts meant to give away as a promotion don't need to be as flashy. After all, everyone likes a free gift! If a custom printed t-shirt is meant to be worn by employees, you will want it to be appropriate enough for work. No matter what the purpose of a t-shirt is, you want the logo or business name to be the centerpiece – so that even a casual glance will allow the average person to know what brand the t-shirt is representing. You will also want the t-shirts, not to mention any employee who is wearing them, to represent your business in a universally positive light.

When you're looking to target customers using custom printed t-shirts, who you choose to print them is just as important as the designs that you choose. Look for screen printers that offer a well-made, reliable product at a price that suits your budget and needs. Instead of going to a large national chain or an online store, you might want to choose a local Long Island print shop. This can save you the high cost of shipping on larger orders by allowing you to pick up your t-shirts in person, and a local shop might also might be able to offer you volume-based discounts and other savings that you won't be able to get from retailers from across the country or on the internet.

Custom printed t-shirts are just one of many ways to promote your business and attract customers with logo branded items. Custom shirts for your business can serve a wide variety of purposes, but you should carefully consider both the designs of the t-shirts and the shop that is going to print them before making any final decisions.

Feb09

Wholesale Embroidery Options for Small Businesses

- posted by Mr. Shirt on

Companies of all types can find a variety of benefits in wholesale embroidery purchases. From custom employee uniforms to promotional t-shirts and hats, having items embroidered with your logo improves the visibility of your business and creates an image of professionalism. If you are looking to purchase wholesale embroidery, you might find there are more than a few options to choose from. Keep your image and your bottom line in mind when choosing a company to do your custom printing and embroidery.

There are almost as many uses for custom embroidered products in business as there are businesses themselves. Many embroider golf or polo shirts with the company logo as a relaxed but clean-cut looking uniform shirt. Some companies sell hats or shirts with the company name and logo, and some choose to give them away as promotions. These are all cost-effective solutions that result in better company image, more visibility and more word-of-mouth. In fact, even the act of giving away free promotional merchandise can pay for itself by attracting more customers! To reap these benefits, it is important to find the right wholesale embroidery company.

More than a handful of large websites online offer options for custom wholesale embroidery. Ordering online from across the country or the world might be tempting because of low rates and the ease of simply ordering from your home or work computer. These online mega-stores might not be the great option they seem to be, however. They fill thousands of orders each day and can't replicate the personal touch of a local business. Plus, you might find you're spending a small fortune in shipping. If you use a Long Island print shop, however, you may be able to save the cost of shipping by picking up your order instead.

For your wholesale embroidery needs, you will want a company that will work with you on creating the design you want, and one that puts care into the quality of each garment. After all, you are choosing someone to make products that represent you and your company. You will also want to be able to buy as many custom embroidered products as possible without breaking the bank. The solution should be a perfect balance between well-made, reliable product and reasonable prices. The best Long Island shops should be able to offer you a well-made product in addition to offering volume-based discounts and other savings you are not likely to find anywhere else.

If you're looking to supply your small business with logo branded shirts, hats or uniform pieces, then it is important to try to find the right wholesale embroidery shop for your needs. When you find the embroiderer you want to work with, then it's as simple as choosing designs that suit the image and style of your business. Stick with flattering colors and make sure your logo is recognizable and sticks out. If you're buying uniforms, then make sure you have the right sizes to fit everyone on your team. Embroidered uniforms and promotional items are key to improving the visibility of your small business, so make sure you choose wisely to display your brand in the best possible light.

Feb06

Valentines Day Custom Printed Promotions

- posted by Mr. Shirt on

Whether your company is big or small, custom printing promotional items for giveaways can make a memorable impression. Turn Valentine's Day into a chance to increase the visibility of your brand and increase customer loyalty, through the use of promotional materials like custom printed bags and mugs, incorporating your business logo and Valentine-themed designs. Low cost per impression and high visibility make custom Valentine's Day gifts an effective way to encourage conversation and word of mouth surrounding your company. Hand them out as free gifts with purchase or come up with a creative giveaway, and before you know it you'll be exposing your logo to more people than ever before.

Throwing in a promotional item with purchase might seem like an excessive cost at first, but custom printed promotions serve as conversation pieces that will display your logo for all to see. Something as simple as a pink bag or cap with a Valentine's Day message from your company will make your customers feel appreciated, and they will enjoy telling their family and friends about the custom printed gifts they received and how valued they feel as customers of your business.

If you are considering taking advantage of the benefits custom printed promotions can provide to your company, then be sure to search around for the best deals on custom printing for this Valentine's Day. Viking, your local Long Island printer can provide you with discounts and a close relationship that may be lacking from printers across the country or abroad. Choosing a Long Island shop also means that you might be able to save a bundle in shipping costs by picking up your order in person – making a smart idea even smarter!

Come up with creative giveaways for your Valentine's Day custom printed promotions. Do you want to give out matching pink logo mugs to each couple that comes into the store, or maybe some bottle openers for that Valentine's Day bottle of wine? How about a special gift for the first ten customers of the day? Almost any item you can think of can display your logo. Even something as simple as a red and pink pen wishing your customers a happy Valentine's Day from your company – salespeople can give them away by the dozens, and any time a customer uses it they will notice whose logo is on the side.

Custom printing promotions should be a part of the advertising budget of any business, especially ones dependent on customer satisfaction and service. For just the nominal price of these items, you are exposing your brand and logo to those who would otherwise have never seen it, while showing your current clients how appreciated they are. Think of how many people your customer will pass on the street while wearing your pink Valentine's Day cap, or how your pens will be passed around and borrowed in your clients' offices. This kind of exposure makes the cost of custom printing more than worth the returns you will see for your business!

Jan25

Custom Printing - Hundreds of Options for Your Small Business

- posted by Mr. Shirt on

Giving your clients items which have been embellished with custom printing bodes well for a continued business relationship. The choices are almost endless - anything that can be printed can be turned into a showcase for your company name and / or logo. Figuring out what your clients would appreciate the most is a good idea, but almost anything free is welcomed with appreciation.

Your sales team is the natural starting point. Make sure anytime the meet with a client, a promotional item is offered that has been enhance with custom printing. Distribute pens, coffee mugs, mouse pads, and other items with a free hand - every time one of these items is picked up by anyone associated with your client, they will be reminded of the name of your company. You can include contact information such as phone and fax numbers, to make your company instantly reachable just by checking the number on any promotional item you may have given a specific client, This is a great way to increase repeat business!

Custom printing can give you a wide array of items to give away at your place of business, company parties, job fairs, trade shows, and quarterly sales meetings. Equip your staff with free custom printed shirts - and if they have kids, load their munchkins up with smaller sizes. Hats are another favorite custom printed item, as are book bags and totes. In fact, a custom printed tote filled with other items that have been subject to custom printing is a great giveaway to an important client and will make them feel valued.

Bumper stickers, flash drives, drink cozies, water bottle labels and even luxury items like mp3 players or wine bottle openers can benefit from custom printing. The more times your logo and / or company name is seen, the more chances it has to make an impression. Make sure all of your employees know they can have promos as well - this is one case where taking home a handful of custom pointed pens or the stray coffee mug can be written off as advertising!

Keeping custom printed items in stock regularly should be a given for small businesses, especially those in industries where one on one customer services is key to acquiring and keeping accounts. Almost anything that can be custom ordered can have your company logo on it, and custom printing companies will often give discounts for buying your items in bulk. Your employees, customers, and many other people may see or use one of your items before it has outlived its usefulness, so the investment is well worth the possible exposure. Custom printing can be your company’s best friend. Earmark a little of your advertising funds for a custom printing / promotional items budget, and see returns you never expected! The investment could pay dividends for years after the initial purchase.

Jan17

How to Make Wholesale Embroidery Purchases Work for Your Company

- posted by Mr. Shirt on

Wholesale embroidery purchases can be leveraged in many ways for a small, midsized or large company. They can be used as promotional items in order to increase consumer loyalty, or worn by employees to increase brand visibility and encourage word of mouth about the company. While some business owners may be hesitant to invest in Long Island wholesale embroidery products, the cost can usually be written into an advertising budget. Embroidered shirts and other items have great visibility and an incredibly low cost per impression, making them a solid investment.

When used as promotional materials, wholesale embroidery items should be provided to clients and consumers in a cost effective and beneficial manner that will increase interest and appreciation for your particular company. Being aware of the benefits of promotional and brand oriented products can increase your chances of success, and help you manage your expectations surrounding items that are being considered as offerings to clients and consumers - whether as freebies for your business, uniforms for your employees, or sales items that have the added value of promoting your brand.

If you or your company are considering a wholesale embroidery purchase, take the time to research different companies to ensure you find the most cost effective embroidered products wholesaler. Products should be well made and reliable, without being overly expensive. Choosing a local Long Island embroiderer will help keep costs down and allow you to take advantage of discounts that might not be available from vendors out of the state or country.

Wholesale embroidery is most often used on shirts, either for employee wear, as a promotion giveaway, or in some cases for saleable product. Embroidery on shirts is usually confined to the left breast, the sleeve cuff, the point of the collar, or the center back of the collar. The most common things to be embroidered are the company name, logo, motto, or employee name or title. Well made and finely embroidered polo shirts make an excellent uniform for causal workplaces, especially in businesses where a clean cut appearance is required for contact with the public, but a suit is too formal. Embroidered golf shirts are also an excellent choice for industries that service consumers in their homes; an embroidered company shirt can make homeowners feel at ease and also makes your employees present a uniform, professional appearance.

When placing a wholesale embroidery order, ask about discounts for volume. If you use a Long Island embroiderer, you can pick up your order and save on shipping costs as well. If you are buying for employees, do go to the extra trouble of sizing everyone correctly and investing in extra shirts for future employees or if something happens to an employees shirt or they forget theirs. Try to choose a color that reflects your company brand but doesn’t make your staff look or feel stupid - a horrid mustard color will not go down well even if it is the primary tone on your business sign! Finally, insist that those wearing the wholesale embroidered shirts remember that when wearing the shirt they represent your company, and that their behavior should reflect that.

Jan11

Custom Embroidery for Suffolk County Youth Can Help Build a Team!

- posted by Mr. Shirt on

Trying to build team spirit? Custom embroidery in Suffolk County can help your youth team become stronger and more united! While part of building a cohesive, strong team is celebrating each individual’s strengths and differences from the other team members, another even larger part is finding out how to take those different individuals and mold numerous personalities into a strong, trusting unit.

One way to do this is by introducing uniformity to the group in the most basic way possible - through an actual uniform. Teams that turn to custom embroidery for Suffolk County youth groups can help create a team ‘uniform’ out of a plain colored polo or golf shirt. When team members identify with the group, they feel part of something bigger and stronger than they can be alone, and are inspired to work harder towards the common goal.

There are several steps to creating great youth team chemistry. The first is communication. A uniform can help at a most basic level, reminding team members what side they are on and making it easy to identify other team members in the middle of action! Another important step is to ensure that everyone is treated equally. This doesn’t mean ensuring everyone has a turn being the quarterback; it’s about acknowledging that without the guards the linebackers can take him out - so they are just as important. The quarterback doesn’t get a special colored jersey, his is just like everyone else!

Custom embroidery for Suffolk County youth can also be used on other types of team uniforms including those that are less about competitive contact sports and more about cooperation, such as choir, band or orchestra. These groups of young people can take pride in their clean-cut, uniform appearance and will be more inclined to synch up.

When building team spirit, attitudes are as important as uniforms. If everyone on the team is pulling hard for every other member, the unit as a whole will be unstoppable. Watch for any sign of discord among team members and nip it in the bud - everyone doesn’t have to be best friends, but respect between all members, from the weakest to the strongest, is imperative. This goes for parents as well!

A great way to help a youth team work together towards a common goal is to have them collectively earn the money needed to have custom embroidery in Suffolk County done for all the shirts needed. This avoids any issues if there are children who don’t have the means to come up with the cost of a custom shirt, and makes the whole team take even more pride in their uniform since they raised the funding themselves.

Coaches should also teach the philosophy of the team as a single organism, with many parts each doing their job to make the team a success. The team wins and loses as a group, without cliques being formed or developing into an “us and them” mentality within the group! Cultivate team spirit and team pride, let natural leaders blossom, and praise the supporting members of the team so everyone gets equal recognition.

Custom embroidery by a Suffolk County expert can create uniforms that kids will be proud to wear. Proper encouragement and instruction will create a team they are proud to be part of. Don’t ever let a chance to build team spirit pass you by!



Jan05

Screenprinting vs Direct Digital Printing

- posted by Mr. Shirt on

Screenprinting and direct digital printing (also known as direct to garment printing, or DTG) are the two most popular methods of printing artwork / designs / logos onto t-shirts. Both result in a durable, long-lasting product, but there are distinct advantages to each method that will factor into a decision of which to choose for any given project, including cost, time required for order completion, style and quality of artwork, and color of shirts to be printed.

With traditional screenprinting, artwork is first broken down into separate layers, with each layer consisting of one color. Each layer is then transferred onto and “burned” into a screen, creating tiny holes in the mesh of the screen. When ink is pulled across the screen, it gets pushed through the mesh and onto the shirt being printed. Each layer has its own screen, and the colors are added in a specific order so that the final result appears like the original artwork.

Screenprinting on shirts is high quality, will last a long time, and once the original set of screens is created, can allow for mass production of screenprinted shirts at a low cost. This is perfect for great for larger orders of shirts (for bands, sports teams, company shirts, etc), as the larger up-front setup cost can be absorbed easily. However, it is a fairly complex procedure, designs and artwork take more time, and the number of colors that can be implemented is limited.

In contrast, direct digital printing allows artwork to be printed directly on to the shirt in one step. All of the colors are printed at the same time, and the number of colors which can be used is nearly unlimited. The up-front cost is less, as there are no screens to make, which can be a pro for smaller orders; DTG printing can also be faster for delivery on small orders. The cons include the facts that direct digital printing is lower quality than traditional screenprinting, dark colored shirts require extra work, and there is no real cost benefit on larger orders.

Deciding on screenprinting vs. direct digital printing will hinge on a few basic factors.

Screenprinting is better for:

  • Large custom printed shirt orders
  • Artwork with six or fewer colors
  • Shirts that will be washed often or in hot water

Direct digital printing may be acceptable when:

  • Only a few shirts are needed, and fast delivery is a must
  • Multi-colored or heavily shaded artwork is being used
  • Color matching is not a huge issue

The differences between screenprinting vs. digital direct printing or DTG printing may make it easy to choose an option for your company, team or family reunion. The size of your order, quality desired, type of artwork and time frame will all be things you need to consider before making your final choice.

Jan02

Choose Viking Solutions in Lindenhurst NY for New Stationery in the New Year

- posted by Mr. Shirt on

Launch your business into the new year with a splash - with brand new stationery for all your company's needs. New printed stationery can have a huge impact on the way your business is perceived, from helping redefine your brand to inspiring confidence with a sharp professional look.

Your new stationery should be more than a box of paper impressed with your logo at the top, although that is a first step. Stationery is a term which can be used to describe all printed materials in your office including letterheads, personalized envelopes, business cards, labels, folders, Fax cover pages and even rubber or metal stamps. Notepads, post-its and calendars can all be custom printed and used to promote your brand.

Take care of your business stationery for the new year by hiring an experienced printer to streamline all the above materials with your logo, company name, and / or motto to give your company ongoing brand visibility and the professional edge so lacking in many businesses these days, How many times have you visited an establishment and needed to make a note - and been handed a piece of plain paper or - worse yet - a page torn from a notepad bearing another company's logo? The business you were contracting with just lost an opportunity to impress you.

Printed stationery type notepads are just one way to keep your company image in front of your current and prospective customers every day. Personalized envelopes and a professional letterhead make simple correspondence memorable. Unfortunately, stationery is often an afterthought when it comes to small businesses and companies, an expense to be taken care of "someday" when the company has grown enough to "merit" it. These companies are missing the point.

Part of what makes a large-scale marketing venture a success is proper brand visibility and advertising that lasts. While a website, online and offline advertising, direct mail and other venues may seem to be cutting edge, there is still no replacement for actual tactile reminders that your business is real and there to help. A business card slipped in a bag with a receipt or a thank you letter handwritten on a corporate looking letterhead and sent in a personalized envelope can leave a lasting impression. Every little reminder helps when you are dealing with a fickle public and fierce competition.

Don't neglect the power of professionally printed stationery items to the long-term success of your business. Viking can deliver a full line of business stationery and other printed items which will help you present your business to the public as successful, polished and capable. Consider your needs and order professional business cards, letterheads, envelopes, business forms, folders, labels, note pads and stamps emblazoned with your logo and start making a better impression this year!