One of the hardest jobs in the music industry is the task of coming up with a band name. Perhaps incongruously, the advice given to many an aspiring rock star is to come up with a name that looks good on a t-shirt. While you might not be starting any bands or embarking on a musical career anytime soon, the music industry does have one thing locked down, and that’s the incomparable value of effective merchandising.
Of course, the band t-shirt is a staple of every level of the music industry, and artists playing anywhere, from arena shows to your local pub, are almost guaranteed to have a t-shirt or something advertising their creative project. There’s no reason why your business can’t take a leaf out of their book and invest in some high-quality wearable advertising.
DIY or Printing Company?
It is possible to print shirts yourself, but it’s time and labor-intensive and requires an initial investment in blank shirts and the machinery required to print your design or logo onto the shirts themselves. It’s a rare business owner who has the time or the energy to spend hours on their knees printing shirts by hand. That’s why t-shirt printing companies exist, and many of them provide excellent service for a reasonable price.
The advantage of hiring a printing business to make your t-shirts is that the professionals will have years of printing experience to draw on and will know how to provide you with the shirts best suited for your needs. For example, you might want to outfit your employees in snappy, matching uniforms. A printing company could make you embroidered polo shirts emblazoned with the name of your business and your logo that will be of excellent quality. Usually, you should be looking at paying £12.00 per shirt, with a discount applied should you be ordering the shirts in bulk. High-quality, 100% cotton uniforms are a great way to signal to your customers that your business means business, takes care of its employees and is serious about professional presentation.
Value for your Money
You can tell the good printing companies from the bad by their web presence and the range of services they offer. For example, a good printing business will offer a range of shirts and designs, with logo placement and colour all variable to suit your needs. For example, for t-shirts, you might want to use a large, centre-placed logo or a smaller logo over the left breast. You might choose to opt for a polo shirt with a collar rather than the classic raglan tee, and your printing company should be able to cater to this. You want a variety of fits available, from the tailored-feeling “Euro fit” to the more traditional, baggier shirt popular among young men in their late teens and early twenties.
The site should be easily navigable with all pricing and customisation options clearly displayed, and you want the shirts printed with direct-to-garment technology. The weight and material of the shirts should be made clear (cotton is the best material for t-shirts) on the site, and if you’re a British business you want your shirts printed in Britain to ensure they pass quality control measures.
