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March 2008 -
Cover Story
Performance Wear Diaries
Four Wearables editors put performance wear to the test for a week and kept journals about how the industry’s best performance polos, button-downs and athletic wear held up in their crazy-busy lives. See what apparel won us over.
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A Delicate Balance
Distributors have a sometimes-sticky decision to make: Does it make sense to buy products from overseas or send decorating abroad? Here’s how some distributors are handling it. More
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Size It Up
These days, plus-size T-shirts, cardigans and just about any apparel item you can think of are offered in the ad specialty market. It’s how you pitch and sell plus-size apparel that makes the difference. More
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Get Eco-Friendlier
You’ve got to know what organic cotton means, and what’s involved in making recycled garments. Also, is there eco-friendly imprinting? Here’s what you need to know to show your clients you’re green. More
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Apparel Trends Webcast; Click Here
Looking for solid strategies to take advantage of the latest apparel trends? We've got just the thing for you. Counselor (Wearables' sister magazine) hosted a recent Web seminar that examined the newest fashion trends in promotional apparel for 2008. The panelists, including Wearables Editor Nicole Rollender and Hanesbrands' Matt Waterman, discussed some sales strategies necessary to take advantage of these trends.
Even though this Webcast has taken place, you can replay it any time. Click here |
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Business of Wearables
Get Wearables Wise
Since the wearables category represents the largest piece of industry pie, there’s a tremendous amount of product. Before it becomes too overwhelming, have a plan.
Say you’re a promotional products distributor who’s had a lot of success selling pens, coffee mugs, flashlights and a whole host of other cool products, but now you want to start selling wearables. Or, say you’re a wearables distributor who mainly sells basic tees or team uniforms or outerwear, and you want to really expand your selling horizons. Your problem is that you feel like you don’t know much about wearables, other than the basic T-shirt or the categories you’re comfortable selling. But the exciting part of the wearables category is that it represents 30% to 35% of ad specialty sales, so if you can learn to master that category, we’re almost halfway home. More
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Want a Massage With That Car?
A distributor who sells to upper-scale car dealerships explains how he helped a client overhaul its used-car salesman image.
Picture this: Your 1995 Town & Country is leaking oil, your kids are in college, and every morning you mutter to yourself, “Please start today. I can’t be late for work. I hope I don’t break down on the highway.” You know it’s time to buy a new car, but you’re not sure what you can afford to pay per month and you’re not sure if you want to get a sedan or an SUV. What you’re most fearful of is the predatory row of salespeople who’ll be lined up against the showroom windows as soon as you pull into your local dealership. More
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February Quick Poll Results
Last month we asked you, “What’s the hardest thing for you to tell a client?”
Here’s what you had to say:
78%: “The supplier is out of inventory that you need tomorrow.”
11%: “I can’t find a high quality polo for the price you want.”
11%: “My decorator won’t be able to screen print 500 shirts by the end of the week.”
0%: “Sorry, that shirt style doesn’t go up to a 5XL (or down to an XS).”
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These polls help us in planning our upcoming issues
of Wearables, so please continue to participate. Please
e-mail nrollender@asicentral.com if there are any topics
you’d like us to address. |
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