How to Go About Starting a T-shirt Business
When economic times are rough, sometimes people turn to their own personal interests and abilities for money.
There are four basic steps to accomplish in order to start a t-shirt business:
- Create a t-shirt that is better than what is currently on the market
- Start building a customer base
- Establish a legal entity
- Develop a production plan
T-shirt Designs
- Create something special. People can go to practically any store and pick up a few t-shirts. You need to think about what is going to make your t-shirts stand out and why people will choose to buy yours over another company's.
- They'll need to be affordable and well made.
- You may seriously want to consider coming up with a theme or a series of witty slogans for your t-shirts, so that way they are set apart from others.
Client Base
- Consider starting off by giving your t-shirts as gifts to family members and friends. People will see your excellent work in the field of t-shirt making.
- After that, you can use copies of those t-shirts as samples and perhaps even have your family and friends act as references if people want to know how your t-shirts hold up.
- Expand the client base a little more to more distant friends, acquaintances, and neighbors.
- Consider holding a garage sale and have your t-shirts be one of the items on display. You can create little business cards to go along with them. If you are crafty enough, you will think about doing customized t-shirts, so that people can order whatever they want.
- See if you can post signs in local businesses, particularly clothing shops. Be sure to ask permission first. Try setting up an Internet site or a Facebook fan page.
Establish a Business
- Decide what kind of business you want. Do you want to have an LLC or an Inc. attached to your name? If so, you will have to go through some legal work in order to make that happen. If you plan to have a large business, you will absolutely want to do this step. If you just want to stick with family and friends, obtaining these types of titles is not necessary. However, you will have trouble making your business bloom beyond your immediate circle.
- Another important step in establishing business is making sure that you can keep up with demand. If you are getting a lot of orders or think that you might in the future, you are going to need to have people who can help you out. Be certain that your coworkers are just as talented as you are and can produce the same type of work. Otherwise, you are going to get complaints.
Starting a t-shirt business, or any type of business, is not a piece of cake, even if the steps make it look like it is. Be prepared to devote time, patience, energy, and money to your endeavor.