Blog

Dec16

Why You Need a Long Island Business Card Printer

- posted by Mr. Shirt on

Having business cards printed used to be the first step when setting up a new business. Viking Solutions, a Long Island business card printer, could quickly and inexpensively deliver what could be the initial form of contact between two business people, or between a company owner and a prospective client. In this technological age, your first contact with many of your clients is more likely to be by phone or email, but that doesn’t mean the days of the business card are over.

A Long Island print shop can create business cards that hold a wealth of information. Front and back printing lets portray your logo and slogan on one side, with all of your pertinent contact information on the other. Advanced printing methods give you access to a wide variety of colors and fonts, and you can choose from a range of card stock and inks including metallics.

Your business cards should include the following information: 

  • Your company name 
  • Your name 
  • Your business phone number 
  • Your cell number (optional) 
  • Your fax number (if needed) 
  • Your website address (if applicable) 
  • Your email address 
  • Your Twitter & Facebook web address (if applicable) 

A Long Island printer can help you arrange all information on your business card so that the most important components are the easiest to find, make suggestions for your loo, card stock used, colors and fonts, and in general offer guidance on creating the most effective business card for your company.

Are business cards really necessary, though? As a matter of fact, they are - many business owners report that although the main mode of communication with clients is in the virtual medium, they still hand out business cards singly to potential clients and in small batches to colleagues in their field, knowing they will be passed on. Likewise, they reciprocate by handing out cards for colleagues they work on projects with regularly - networking these days is as much about knowing whose expertise to call on for help as selling just one’s own skills.

Even if only one or two cards out of a hundred find their way into the hands of a lead that subsequently turns into a client, the ROI of having a Long Island printing company create business cards can be incredibly high. The business card has evolved with the times to bridge the gap between in person networking and virtual connections - recipients are as likely to scan the cards into their online database or manually enter the information into their contacts as to file the card in a Roladex, and the information on your card can be accessed later at will.

While online platforms such as LinkedIn may have become the ‘online business card’, never underestimate the power of a tiny, professionally printed piece of card stock. Sometimes a tangible reminder of yourself can do more to land a new client than the slickest online resume, so check with a Long Island business card printer and make a tiny investment that could turn into big business for your company!

Dec14

Putting your Company Logo on a Golf Shirt - Gimmick or Good Advertising?

- posted by Mr. Shirt on

Using your company logo on a golf shirt allows to you positively boost your brand in the public eye in a classy way. A custom logo tastefully embroidered on a high quality golf shirt lends an air of professionalism to your employees, provides a great way to say “Thank you” to loyal customers, creates opportunities to sponsor charities, teams and other causes, and allows your business to make connections with hundreds of people during the lifetime of every shirt. This ‘low cost per impression’ can be obtained by using an embroiderer in Nassau County to customize shirts.

Golf has become the sport of choice for working professionals looking to blow off a little steam in a positive way, and the relaxed, comfortable yet snappy attire of the golf course has made its way into the mainstream. An embroidered polo shirt or golf shirt can be worn in almost any setting, from the relaxed business lunch to the backyard barbeque. The range of colors and material weight, placement of logo and / or company name as well as the many options for sizing and fitting for men and women make the golf shirt an easy to distribute form of walking advertising.

Getting your logo on a golf shirt is a fairly simple process. Decide on a color (or variety of colors) for your golf shirt, and ensure any logo you use will be well portrayed through embroidery. Nassau County businesses should stick to simple logos that use only one or two colors so their logo will be easy to read by people in the community. Determine how many shirts to order - most Nassau County embroiderers give a nice discount for bulk buys - and reflect on what sizes you should stock up on. Decide on the placement of the logo - it can go on the left breast, the sleeve band, or even the back of the collar.

You can order embroidered polo shirts and encourage virtually anyone to wear your logo by dint of giving it to them as a freebie or a promotion. You can sell the shirts at your place of business, and get people to wear your shirts by offering a discount if they come in to shop at your store wearing one (This works particularly well for restaurants; a free drink or 10% off the bill is a great motivator for someone to wear a customized polo shirt.)

Your company can also gain brand exposure by acting as a sponsor. Golf tournaments are a natural choice in many communities, especially when held to benefit a charity. Printing your company's logo on golf shirt sleeves can bring visibility to your brand as spectators and participants can readily identify companies that have become actively involved. If the tournament draws a large crowd, or gains the attention of the community press, this branding strategy can prove even more far reaching and effective.

Dec09

Using a Fire Uniform Embroiderer - Exploring Your Options

- posted by Mr. Shirt on

A fire uniform embroiderer can help create customized versions of the uniforms and other clothing and gear firefighters use on a daily basis. From custom shirts and duffels to fire patches, specialized gear can give each member of the team pride in their appearance and unify the group.

Whether you want to customize by the house or truck, embroidered fire patches are easy to have created and to apply to caps, bags, shirts and other gear. While some fire groups offer custom firefighter t-shirts and firefighter apparel incentives to their crews, others may not be able to foot the bill for freebies. In such cases, men and women themselves can band together to decide on a group purchase of fire patches or shirts from a reputable fire uniform embroiderer, and still get a great discount.

A unified appearance has always been a great way to encourage teamwork in any sort of work setting, and the firehouse is no exception. Customized firefighter themed t-shirts, embroidered fire patches and other clothing can be used by firefighters themselves as well as worn by spouses, family members, friends and other supporters. This shows show solidarity and respect for the job these brave men and women do each day as part of the firefighting departments that keep communities safe!

Volunteer fire departments can particularly benefit from the services of a fire uniform embroiderer - in many rural areas, funds are tight, and being able to adapt clothing into uniforms with the addition of embroidered fire patches and other insignia is a great help. Most embroiderers can also handle orders for similar public safety organizations, including uniform customization for emergency medical services and hired security forces.

The following options can be evaluated to figure out what items will be of most use to your group before taking your order to a fire uniform embroiderer:
  • ŸFirefighter custom printed t-shirts 
  • Fire department custom embroidered polo shirts 
  • ŸFire uniform shirts with embroidery 
  • ŸFire patches for use on shirts, duffels, caps or jackets 

Fire department gear such as outerwear, rainwear or any other type of work related gear can also be customized, either with direct embroidery or embroidered fire patches. You can deliver a custom design for use n the embroidery process, or ask your fire uniform embroiderer for suggestions on an appropriate and original design.

Ensure that all clothing items are high quality. Firefighting men and women typically lead active lives even off duty, and spending money on custom items is wasted if the foundation isn’t able to stand up to repeated wearing and washing! Likewise, any item an embroidered fire patch is affixed to should be high quality, although in the case of items becoming worn, sew-on fire patches can often be removed and resewn to a new piece of gear.

Firefighters should always have quality uniforms and a fire uniform embroiderer can ensure that they always look professional with custom clothing, caps, bags and other items.

Dec07

Giving Away Custom Printed Shirts - A Smart Move?

- posted by Mr. Shirt on

Giving away business promotional products such as custom printed shirts can be a leap of faith. Is the expense incurred by having custom printing done balanced by the advertising power o0f the printed materials? How do you measure the impact of your promotional products? A survey done by Advertising Specialty Institute shows that this form of advertising is extremely effective when you look at the cost per impression (how much you pay for every time someone sees your brand.)

The survey looked at which promotional products were most owned by the average person, and impressions (how many times that product was likely to be viewed by themselves or others). Custom printed shirts were third on the list, right behind other printed clothing (such as jackets, hoodies, sweatshirts or fleece vests) and writing instruments. According to the survey, shirts were also in the top five insofar as usage and impressions, with the average shirt reaching approximately 2208 impressions in its lifetime (remember, this includes the number of times the shirt is seen by the owner themselves).

The cost per impression was only five thousandths of a cent ($0.005) when an average up front cost of $11 per shirt was used for calculation. Compared to other forms of advertising, this is so ridiculously inexpensive that you should pick up your phone and call a Lindenhurst screenprinter to order a few dozen shirts immediately!

The prestigious Nielsen Company reinforces these numbers, and compares them to other more traditional advertising methods, concluding that no other marketing method has a lower per impression cost. For example, a television ad aired during prime time would run at least $0.018 per impression, and spot radio costs even more at $0.058/impression. A screenprinter in Nassau County seems like a great alternative when compared with the outrageous cost of media advertising.

It’s not just the cost that counts, however - it’s the effectiveness of the promotional product at making your brand recognizable to consumers. 83% of survey participants in the US claimed they could identify the advertiser on a business promotional product they owned, with mugs and custom printed shirts running an average of 86-87% for consumer recall of the brand being promoted. Up to 64% of people surveyed said that they think better of a business that gives away promotional material, and 60% said they have done business with a company that gave them a promotional product. The survey didn’t narrow down how many people did business with a company after only viewing a promotional product, but there is no doubt that custom printed shirts can distinctly increase awareness of a specific brand, making this a smart move for any company.

With that in mind, investing in custom printing as an advertising strategy is definitely worth any business’ time and money, with a high return for very low costs. A Lindehurst screenprinter can help you create the perfect shirt that will bring you repeat customers and new ones for years to come!