|
Wednesday
December 9, 2009 Tip of the Day - Expand Into EmbroideryFiled under: Tip of the Day It’s a fairly common story among distributors who decided to become embroiderers: Either they couldn’t find a decorator they were satisfied with or they decided it would be more profitable to do the embellishment work themselves. However, the decision to be a distributor-turned-decorator is a big one, especially since a commercial singlehead embroidery machine can run you at least $5,000. Here are three steps to take before you make the tough decision to become a decorator: Decide whether you can decorate. Not everyone is going to have a flair for running an embroidery machine or turning clients’ logos into good-quality stitch files. And, you may not have the time to do this if you’re also trying to land new clients. If you have the manpower to add embroidery services to your business, first attend basic embroidery and digitizing classes at trade shows or at local decorator shops to see if you have the skills to do better work than decorators you’ve used. Evaluate multiple vendors and types of machines before you buy. You’ll need to determine whether you should purchase a singlehead or multihead machine, based on the order volumes you anticipate. Plus, you’ll need to see if the machine and supplies you need (thread, hoops, trimmers and blanks) will fit in the space you’ve allotted for them. Most manufacturers will give you in-depth demos of their machines before you buy, and will offer training when you purchase a new machine or digitizing software. This kind of education is extremely helpful, as is attending trade shows to talk to suppliers and decorators. Get ready for the learning curve. Most decorators and digitizers will tell you it takes about six months to really become proficient at running your machine and software. Deanna Duncan, president of Olympic Embroidery (asi/287459), says a beginning decorator “kind of just does it. You end up making a lot of stuff for yourself, your kids and neighbors” because of trial and error. Decide whether your business can handle that profit lag before you sign on. – Nicole Rollender From the 2009 Counselor State of the Industry 0 CommentsLeave a Comment |
