Issue link: https://nbm.uberflip.com/i/1425980
graphics-pro.com 87 S T A R T H E R E 2 0 2 1 apparel. Reach out to your apparel suppliers to learn more about their sustainable garments and start stocking those items. Then, communicate with your clients to let them know you carry the product and care about what they want. Another example: If your customers are looking for a decoration option that you don't offer, subcontract this out to keep the customer. Then you can explore whether it makes more sense to add this imprinting technique in the future or keep subbing it out. Create and Develop a Strong Brand The next step in market domination is creating and then devel- oping your brand. Whether you're a local shop or have an online website with orders from all over the country (or world), you want people to hear your shop's name and know what to expect. Your brand can center around top-notch customer service and problem-solving, creative or witty designs, or top-of-the-line products. But whatever your main selling point is, it should be synonymous with your brand in your customers' minds. This is what sets you apart from the pack. Maybe you're really good at fast turnarounds, an expert at printing mixed media, or a pro at print-on-demand and fulfill- ment. These are examples of just some of the things that some really successful shops have focused on. Centering your brand around a cause is another route you can take as well. Athleta, known for being affordable and creating time- less sportswear, is a good retail example of this. The brand creates educational content centered around making the world better by If you want to be the go-to decorator in your chosen market, you need to know the buyer better than they know themselves. (Image courtesy S&S Activewear) Image courtesy S&S Activewear