| ng T-Shirts has become big business and it's a | | | | designs people are looking for, etc. You also need to |
| growing industry on the Internet where there are | | | | keep up-to-date with your subject/theme as some |
| already thousands of shops and websites where you | | | | change on a regular basis (Example: Politics). Keeping |
| can purchase almost any design or T-Shirt style | | | | informed and up-to-date will give you the leading |
| imaginable. Thanks to the many T-Shirt companies | | | | edge over your competitors, bring back customers |
| that now print and create the T-Shirts for you, with | | | | time after time, and most importantly it will make |
| no risk involved, many people have been able to | | | | sales. |
| start their own T-Shirt business without having to | | | | Third Party shops Vs. Your Own Website |
| invest any money. This however, has turned the | | | | Should I invest in my own website or use a third |
| T-Shirt business online into a fierce, competitive | | | | party website to host my T-Shirt designs? If you are |
| battle against all T-Shirt shop/website owners. | | | | thinking about doing every aspect of the T-Shirt |
| There are now millions of T-Shirt websites online for | | | | business yourself (including making the T-Shirts), then |
| customers to choose from and this is why starting | | | | I suggest you invest in a website (not a free |
| your own online T-Shirt business can be stressful, | | | | website hosting service), but first try out a third |
| disappointing, and very difficult to attract customers | | | | party website that makes the T-Shirts for you (no |
| and make the sales that you are expecting. Now, I'm | | | | risk involved or investment needed) to see if you |
| not saying it's impossible, I'm just saying it's going to | | | | can make your business a success. Once you're |
| take a lot of time, effort, and maybe even some | | | | confident in your business, then you can upgrade to |
| money for you to get started and get customers | | | | making and owning your own website. |
| visiting your shop/website. | | | | There are many online third party websites available |
| There are many things you need to consider when | | | | on the Internet that you can choose from that will |
| starting your own online T-Shirt business. Simply | | | | create and ship the T-Shirts to your customers (risk |
| creating a design, putting it on a blank T-Shirt, and | | | | free with no money invested) and therefore, save |
| expecting it to be a big seller isn't going to do the | | | | you the hassle of actually having to deal with the |
| trick and bring you many sales, unless of course, you | | | | customer aspect of your T-Shirt business. There are |
| are a very lucky person, whom I can assure you, | | | | as many cons as there are pros when using a third |
| there aren't very many of them around. If you want | | | | party service. Some of the cons are: You don't get |
| to start a T-Shirt business just to make easy money | | | | your own website and you are in some way |
| fast like many other schemes on the Internet claim, | | | | connected to them, you don't make as much profit |
| then you're looking at the wrong business. There is | | | | (you have to pay them to do all the work, like |
| no such thing as easily making money fast and you're | | | | printing the T-Shirts and shipping), and they make all |
| always going to have to put in the effort to get the | | | | the rules (Example: not providing you with the E-mail |
| results you are looking for, especially for a T-Shirt | | | | address of your customers or refusing any designs |
| business. | | | | that you create). When you sign up with one of |
| Now, I'm not trying to scare you from owning your | | | | these third party services, you are actually working |
| own T-Shirt business, as there are many successful | | | | for them and that includes promoting their site. The |
| individuals who have started their business in the | | | | customers that purchase your T-Shirts are actually |
| T-Shirt industry and are doing very well. I just want | | | | their customers meaning they have full control and |
| to give you the facts of reality so that you're not | | | | every time you make a sale, they make a profit. In |
| disappointed when your business isn't doing as well as | | | | other words, these third parties depend on your |
| you thought it would. You may succeed at one | | | | success and if your business goes under, theirs |
| aspect of the business, but fail in another, or you | | | | doesn't because there'll always be someone else to |
| just might be that person who is successful at all the | | | | take your place. |
| aspects of the business, which will obviously make | | | | Marketing/Promoting |
| your business a success. Either way, you're still going | | | | This will be your biggest enemy in the T-Shirt |
| to have to spend the time and work very hard to | | | | business and many businesses fail because of this. I |
| achieve success. | | | | suggest you do your research on the web for SEO |
| Below I've listed some of the things you need to | | | | (Search Engine Optimization) and about how the basic |
| consider before you setup or start your own T-Shirt | | | | search engines works, as there is a lot of information |
| business: | | | | about them. Do not just resort to search engines as |
| Business Goals | | | | being your source for traffic as there are many |
| Before you start your own T-Shirt business, you | | | | other websites that can help bring in quality targeted |
| need to think of your business goals. These goals | | | | traffic to your website like T-Shirt ranking sites |
| should be realistic and they should point you in the | | | | (Example: |
| direction you would like your business to go and | | | | The major search engines (Example: Google) are |
| what you hope to accomplish. An example of a goal | | | | complicated in how they work and many people have |
| would be to have 100 visitors visiting your shop | | | | been trying to figure out how they work for years. |
| website a day or to create two new designs a week | | | | The search engines change their algorithms on how |
| and put them up on your website. Whatever the | | | | pages are ranked every once in a while so you're |
| goals may be that you have set for yourself, you | | | | better off not focusing your attention on just getting |
| then need to strive for them and once you have | | | | to the top in the search engines. |
| accomplished your goals, then you know you're on | | | | If you do manage to make it to the top and are |
| the right track. | | | | very successful, then your marketing/promotion |
| Passion | | | | shouldn't stop there. You have to always be |
| You have to have an interest in what you are doing | | | | marketing/promoting your site one way or another |
| or you're not going to enjoy spending the time and | | | | because it won't take long before someone else |
| effort your business requires. Everybody has a | | | | over takes you, simply because links can die and you |
| passion in one thing or another whether it is creating | | | | need incoming links from other websites to get |
| the designs, promoting, or any other aspect of the | | | | traffic. |
| business, but you should have an interest in it. If | | | | T-Shirt Ranking Websites |
| you're not passionate about a certain subject, then | | | | Do ranking sites work? Yes, ranking websites are a |
| you need to think of another theme that you would | | | | great way to market/promote your T-Shirt designs |
| be more interested in doing. Remember, you are | | | | and shops/websites. Many people don't want to |
| going to spend a lot of time on the subject/theme | | | | waste their time searching all over the web trying to |
| that you choose, so if you aren't passionate about it, | | | | locate websites that sell specific designs that they |
| then you're going to get bored very fast and it's not | | | | are looking for. This is where T-Shirt ranking websites |
| going to be enjoyable. | | | | come in handy and allow customers to view |
| Subject/Theme | | | | thousands of different T-Shirt designs and styles |
| This is very important in the T-Shirt industry as some | | | | from many different websites. Ranking sites are a |
| subjects/themes do much better than others and | | | | great way of bringing many unique and different |
| receive more customers, but like all styles, they | | | | T-Shirt websites/designs together and help to bring |
| come and go. It's possible to have a general subject | | | | the buyers to the sellers. is a great example and |
| theme, but it makes it harder for you to market | | | | offers many different categories to choose from |
| promote your shop/website. I suggest choosing just | | | | including: Animal, Artistic, Attitude, Automobile, Biker, |
| one subject/theme to begin with as you can start | | | | Computer, Floral, Funny, Holiday, Kids, Logo, Misc., |
| adding other subjects/themes later when you are | | | | Movie, Music, Novelty, Occupation, Offensive, |
| established. You should by all means choose a subject | | | | Patriotic, Pets, Political, Religious, Sports, Unusual, |
| theme that you are knowledgeable about and have a | | | | Vintage, and Western. |
| passion for, like I mentioned under the passion | | | | Many T-Shirt business owners think that they can |
| paragraph. | | | | just upload their T-Shirt designs to a ranking website |
| Target Audience | | | | and expect to receive sales. This is a myth and it's |
| Who are you targeting? Will you be targeting a | | | | not true. Ranking sites, like bring high quality targeted |
| certain age group, occupation, style, general public, | | | | traffic to your website, but it's your T-Shirt designs |
| etc. Finding out who your primary target audience will | | | | in the end that have to convince the customer to |
| be or is, will help you with marketing/promotion. This | | | | buy/purchase the product. T-Shirt ranking websites |
| will also help you with creating and designing your | | | | only make it easier for you to market/promote your |
| T-Shirts and shop/website to suit your target | | | | site/designs and to get the high quality targeted |
| audience. Once again you can choose to go for a | | | | traffic that every business wants. |
| general audience, but this will only make it harder for | | | | The next article in this two-part series outlines some |
| you to market/promote your shop/website. | | | | advice, problems, and solutions from other T-Shirt |
| Research | | | | businesses that they encountered when they were |
| You need to always do your research and find out | | | | starting their own T-Shirt business. |
| what's new, what's not, what's in style, what kind of | | | | |