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Up to 25 percent of a T-shirt airbrush artist's
income will come from low-cost custom designs. These are
categorized by designs that take from 10-25 minutes to paint
and range in price from $13 to $25. West Coast Airbrush's
sales strategy is to always offer customers a choice in
how we create a design and the price we charge for it.
Why, you may ask? It's very simple: PEOPLE LIKE CHOICES.
You will be very surprised to see how many of your customers
will spend far more money on designs than you would ever
expect if given choices and a chance to make up their own
minds. Granted, giving customers choices does take a little
extra time but, if planned right, the trade off is the higher
prices you'll charge for the artwork, or the multiple shirt
orders you'll get from groups and business people.
Here's how we sell a customer on a low-cost custom design
at our stores. A customer comes to our booth with that,
"I-know-he's-going-to- buy-something-look." He starts off
by saying, "I'm Joe and I own a pizzeria. I need some staff
shirts for my employees; you know delivery people, waitresses,
and maybe one for my wife and 1. We went to a silk- screen
shop and they said we had to order at least two dozen shirts
and even if I did do that, the cost for one or two colors
was just too much. Then, I went to a place that did embroidery
and while I knew that the prices would be high, I didn't
know they would be that high. Anyway, Ithought of your shop
and now I'm here. What can you do for me?"
I start by saying, "Your situation sounds familiar and
I bet the silk- screen and the embroidery people didn't
even give you much of a choice of what they could do for
that high price, did they?" Joe replies, "Nope they didn't!
They just shoved it in my face as though they were saying,
'Take it or leave it. We don't have time for such a small
order.'"
"Imagine that," I continue. "Well, I'm going to give you
plenty of choices. I've got a shirt for every person on
your staff and a great idea for a special shirt for you
and your wife."
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Fig.1-
The least expensive design in this series retails for $6.
One stroke print with a drop shadow. |
I invite Joe to look at my low-end custom example
photo album featuring samples of lettering, designs from simple
to complex, and clip-art that I have collected. First, I show
him example photos of designs that are made up of lettering
only. I explain that this type of design would be well suited
for delivery people; something inexpensive so he could afford
five or six of them. The price on this type of design would
range from $6 to $10, depending on how elaborate he wants
the design to be. I show Joe three examples of lettering designs
(Figures 1, 2 & 3). I also explain that with a multiple-shirt
order, he will receive a discount of a least $1 off the price
of each blank shirt. |
Fig.2-
Better letters in two different fonts. Adding a color background
adds size to the design. Finish off with simple white highlights.
Retail price: $8 |
Fig.3- The
most expensive "lettering-only" design. Adding attractive
black lettering with a great chrome effect brings out the
style. Nicely done for $10. |
Fig.4- Starting
off with an example of a true low-end custom design, the picture
says a thousand words and adds a great deal to the design.
Toned dwn with simple lettering and a small scale drawing
with low detail make this design retail at $13 to $15. |
Fig.5- A mid-range
low-end custom design. Our second example combines a larger
picture with greater detail and more colorful lettering. This
design sells for $16 to $20.
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From experience, I know that Joe is most likely going to
choose a low-cost design for this category of employee,
but he's not finished yet, and I don't want him to feel
pressured into something he's not comfortable with. Joe
makes his first order of six shirts with the $6 low-cost
lettering design. The total cost so far is six shirts at
$6.95 each totaling $41.70, plus 6 designs at $6.00 each
totaling $36.
Next, we look at the type of design that might be suited
for his counter help and waitresses. I still suggest he
might prefer to stay with lettering-only designs, but note
that many designs include pictures. Joe remarks, "Pictures!
That sounds good, what can you do?" At this point I go for
my file of restaurant and food service clip-art. I pull
up all of the drawings of pizza shop stuff and let Joe (with
my help) pick out his favorites.
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We settle on a design of a pizza chef holding a steaming
hot pie. I bring Joe's attention back to my low-end, custom
photo album example book and show him how I can customize
the design for him. I begin by showing him how, for between
$13 and $15 (figure #4), I can include a drawing along with
some simple lettering. I then move to another example in
my album that shows a design with a larger, more detailed
drawing and more premium lettering for around $15 to $20
(figure #6). Finally, I move to my best example which includes
a large, detailed drawing with color vignette background
and elaborate lettering for $20 to $25 (figure #6).
Bringing Joe back to the discussion of the shirts for
his counter help and waitresses, I tell him he has a lot
of choices to choose from. He ponders over his choices and,
knowing that he's not spending too much on the delivery
shirts, he" decides to go ahead with the $13 design for
his other employees. Six more shirts at $6.95 totaling $41.70,
and six more designs at $13 totaling $78. |
Fig.6- The
last example in your line-up should be a maked-out low-end
custom design using all of the best aspects aspects shown
in the other designs in the series of examples. The larger,
high-detailed drawing with a nice stenciled color background
and chromed lettering make this design a $21 to $25 offering. |
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Onto the special shirts for Joe and his wife. When he goes
for the first class $25 design, it doesn't surprise me a
bit. At this point, Joe feels totally in control of what
he is spending. He's had plenty of input and lots of choices.
Two more shirts at $6.95 total $13.90, and two designs at
$25 each equal $50. The grand total so far is $261.30. Doing
great! I then tell Joe that if he decides to put these designs
on the back of the shirt, I would put a small pocket name
design on the front of all the shirts for free.
Without pressuring, I inquire if he has ever given any
thought to his staff wearing visors. A lot of fast food
restaurant employees wear them and I could make him a good
deal on a few of them. "How much?" he asks. "Only $3.95
each plus $2 for "Joe's Pizza" written on them in colors
to match the shirts", I reply. You never know what some
people will spend when they feel comfortable and in control.
All you have to do is ask or make a simple suggestion. Twelve
visors at $3.95 each total $47.40 and twelve designs at
$2 total $24.
The grand total of $332.70 makes the average price per
shirt $17.42. This is much cheaper than embroidery and he
could never have gotten a small order of only 15 shirts
silk screened with designs of up to 6 colors and personalized
with names at that price. Joe feels good about his purchase
and he will be back as a return customer, and that is what
really counts for the future of your business.
The bottom line remains, give your customers choices,
give the value for the money they spend, and be a friend
to your customers. It will always pay off. So, get started
and just do it! WCA |
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