Where to Publisise my Embroidered Uniform Company

[EDS]

Hi Guys

Just wondered where you would recommend publising my Embroidred Uniform Company. My customer base has mainly been Restaurants, Cleaners,Landscape Gardeners, and business private hire companies. The majority of sales has been through word of mouth and a few people through yell pages(but not many) and I am just about to seal a small job for a local council.
I want to be able to promote my company further, but I am not sure on where to publise to get the greatest value for money, I am starting to feel yell.com was a waste of time and money, and my money would have been better spent else where.
My main target audience are other businesses and as I have been servicing companies in the above areas I figure it would be good to reach others in the similar areas but I am not afraid to venture into new ground if you have any ideas. So how can I get other companies, and more importantly the right people in them, to hear of my company and the work we can do? I don't have huge amounts of money at the moment to invest in advertising at the moment so want to make the most of what I do invest.

Any help or thoughts greatly appreciated.

Kind Regards
Michael Turner
EDS
http://www.elegantds.co.uk

[creospace]

I sent you a private message offering free publicity in a client area for one of my clients in the construction industry, I hadn’t heard for you so assumed you weren’t interested, am I right?

After reading above I’m wondering if you got the message or not as it seems what i was offering (with no catch or cost) is exactly what your asking about here.

Let me know.

Gary

[EDS]

Hi Gary

Yes of course free advertising sounds interesting to me, I am not sure what exactly I would be able to offer those particlar people though, I have already decided not to charge for my digitising services(however we do remain the owner of the files) to all my customers as an incentitive and are already very competitive on price. Any Ideas?

I didn't get your message unfortunatly an email came through to say I had one but when I visited nothing was there just tried again and there it was, purhaps it was just me;-)

Let me know your thoughts Gary.

Kind Regards
Michael Turner
EDS
http://www.elegantds.co.uk

[Bizgifts]

Gary,

We are in the same line of business, I would suggest you find your nearest networking group such as BNI (www.bni-europe.com) and go as a visitor. We get a lot of business this way which is ongoing and leads to even more referred business.

By the way if someone orders 6 FOTL 65/35 polos with a 5000 stitch your profit will be virtually zero if you offer free digitising, however if you charged the going rate you would probably at least double your profit.
My point is, free digitising is fine if its for a bigger orders but for small stuff you will regret it down the line. I've not had one customer quibble about digitising because I explain the benefits of doing it correctly to produce a quality job, and for that there is a cost. If your customers are quibbling over it they are not the type of customer that will help grow your business long term.

Mark

[EDS]

Hi Mark

Thank you for your input.

Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions?

Kind Regards
Michael Turner
EDS
http://www.elegantds.co.uk

[Bizgifts]

Michael,

I should have added, which is totally free and very effective -

When you have completed an order, speak to the client and ask them if you met their expectations, is there anything you could improve on etc. This no doubt will receive a positive response, then just ask 'Who do you know who would also have a requirement for embroidered clothing?'
Under no circumstances ask 'Do you know anyone else who requires embroidered clothing?'.
Its a slower process sometimes in generating instant business but a good long term business builder.
We have just supplied 60 rugby shirts to the equine dept of a local college because I asked the buyer in another dept the very same question, I didn't even know there was an equine dept.
Try it!

Mark

[Ryuumeiko]

I'm not a business person (I read this forum out of interest and because it's a nice place!) but I may well be interested in getting a bag or something with my own design on, and a christmas present or two from you. Embroidery looks a lot nicer than t-shirt printing can. Maybe market your goods as an upmarket version of custom items to the general public too?

[Jayne]

Hi Michael,

Ask if you can advertise in the Bakers area one, bakers magazine, they are the biggest suppliers of bakery and catering raw materials in the uk.

Also, British Baker mag.

Viking Direct sell work wear, maybe you could offer them your services.

If you ask at the newsagents, they will have a copy of menser (list of mags), do some research where to put your ads.

If I think of any more, i'll post them later :D

Jayne

[properhost]

I think best and cheapest way for business advertisment is creating a website and let as many people to get familiar with your services.

[LindseyMHC]

Hi Michael,

I do not believe advertising is the way forward for you (from your posting I get the impression that you are working this out yourself), but suggest direct mail would be worth a shot.

It is very often a company's public relations department which sources branded items. As custodian of the company's image PR people would be an ideal target for you.

Events / exhibitions companies would also be a brilliant target as they often purchase items of clothing branded with the event's or organiser's name/logo to identify their staff during the build-up and breakdown. I used to work for the organiser of the Farnborough Airshow and all exhibitions staff were given t-shirts, sweatshirts/fleeces and trousers to wear so exhibitors could easily identify them. We were also given uniforms to wear during the show itself (with subtle branding) ... my ex-employer is not unusual amongst exhibition-organisers in this regard.

I also worked for a company who had a team of sales guys on the road and as the PR person I was tasked with finding suppliers of branded clothing, such as polo shirts and short-sleeved shirts.

From my 16 years experience in marketing and pr I strongly suggest you go down the route of contacting in-house PR &/or Event departments, plus exhibition organisers.

I hope this helps and points you away from the trap many people fall in to ... that of thinking you have to advertise in order to get your company noticed. There are a lot of marketing techniques you can employ each with its own advantages and disadvantages, depending on your desired outcome.

All the best,

Lindsey.

[EDS]

Thank you all for your replies.

You have given more some more ideas for avenues to explore thank you.

Kind Regards
Michael Turner
EDS
http://www.elegantds.co.uk

[aaastitchs]

Hello everyone!
Is there anybody who knows the embroidery and digitizing?
I need the help!
Waiting for reply!
Thanks,
Helen

[Paramount Embroidery]

Hi aaastitches

I sell and train people on Wilcom software. I also digitise for a number of happy customers. Contact me at info@embroider.co.uk

Regards
Dean

http://www.embroider.co.uk/images/stories/embroidery_lightbox.jpg

[AboveParr]

Do you go to networking events to promote your business? If you do, what do you wear? Do you wear your product? If not, you should!!!

You have a great opportunity to show exactly what you do and how good at it you are - in your position, I would design something really eye catching, wear it with pride and become known for it wherever you go...

[ukbizbook]

Hi,

We have just gone live with ukbizbook.com and have some really cheap keyword packages that may be of help.

Regards
ukbizbook

[candicezhang]

hi , guys

i'm from China , we 're also a clothes manufacturer ,i'm really want to know how i can find my foreign customers ? who can give me some good idears ?

[candicezhang]

do you often buy products from China ? how do you feel about China products ?

[LowcostPR]

This might seem like a silly question, but do you wear your own embroidered shirt out?

No doubt it will raise a few questions about "who are they?"