For the Business of Apparel Decorating
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86 | Printwear N ov e m b e r 20 1 4 T here's so much you can do with a printer/cutter that it's hard to communicate the possibilities to a customer, es- pecially when you're not in your shop or office with handy samples of previous jobs. For those situations, create a media sample book that showcases your different types of items and projects. SHOW AND TELL This inexpensive sales tool quickly and eas- ily shows customers how products look on various substrates and the differences be- tween printer/cutter materials at higher and lower price points. A sample media book even opens the door for generating interest in additional products that the customer sees in passing—all in a compact, take-any- where format. Your book should highlight the different media you use to show how the product is geared toward specific end uses, such as the application on inside or outside windows or to best complement a particular type of artwork. Create samples with graphics and patterns from past jobs, modify them, or make new ones specifically for this purpose. For instance, you could print scaled-down artwork from a full-size banner on the same media and make a miniature version that fits in your book. Downloadable and cus- tomizable sample sheets designed for print- ing on various media may even be available from your supplier. By including examples of the same medi- um applied to different materials, you can show customers their various options. Con- versely, you can show different media—say, an economy and a higher-end decal with sun-sensitive adhesive—applied to the same material, so the customer can compare the look and feel of the two. Another option is to print and cut the media but leave it on the backing. This shows customers what types of designs and materials can be combined. It's all about displaying the customer's op- tions, both in terms of a project he or she already has in mind and additional prod- ucts. Often, a sample book is a good way to upsell customers on another product Steven Jackson is a technician and trainer for Stahls' Equipment, St. Clair Shores, Mich. As an 11-year veteran in the decorated apparel industry, Jackson has in-depth knowl- edge of heat-applied graphics and trends. He conducts a monthly Roland VersaCAMM hands-on workshop and is the site administrator for MyVersaCAMM.com, an educational industry website and forum. Visit his YouTube channel at StevenJacksonIW. Email him at steven.jackson@stahls.com. Create a Media Sample Book Spark ideas and sales with an easy-to-make portfolio b y S t e v e n J a c k S o n For larger companies, create books for the entire sales and front of- fice staff with extras on hand. once all the display sheets are prepared, spread them out on a single table for quick assembly. (All images cour- tesy the author) one of the best aspects of creating a media sample book is it easily fits in a briefcase or portfolio. Keep it handy for planned and unplanned op- portunities to show what your shop can do.