Are you looking for a way to start your business that gives you a creative outlet? If so, a fantastic method to unleash your creativity and get money is to sell T-shirts that have your writing, artwork, or anything else printed on them.
T-shirt businesses can help you make a small profit by selling every piece. You can add these to generate a great source of extra income. Did you find it interesting? Learn how to start a T-shirt business. This blog will help you start a new side gig or full-time T-shirt career in just a few steps.
10 steps to start a successful T-shirt business
Those rising entrepreneurs who are looking for ways to start a small business selling t-shirts online or physically must navigate the proper steps to set up a storefront. Read through these steps and optimize high profits.
1. Research the market
Market research is an essential part of directing a business for growth. Search for market trends to reveal which t-shirts are most common among the audience. Social media sites are useful for this. Look for the other t-shirt brands and check out their popular products to let you build a clear picture of the competition.
Once you have collected all these data, look for the market gaps that you can fill with your t-shirt business. For instance, if people are demanding funny-quote t-shirts, but your competitor is not selling them, you have an opportunity to start selling those t-shirts.
2. Nail down a niche and target market
Now, that you have completed the research process, it’s time to nail down the market-specific item and target the audience. If you are still unsure whether you can make for a profitable niche, you can run a few social media polls on different sites. This will help you narrow down the consumer demands. In this way, you can also identify the target market for the niche. Remember to cover the demographics of the target market, such as age, style, and buying habits.
3. Customize your design
When you select your t-shirt niche, the next step is to look for an online digital t-shirt printing service provider. Print-on-demand services are a more cost-effective method used in t-shirt production. Here the owners can avoid purchasing and holding t-shirt inventory and rely on their POD supplier to fulfill, produce, and ship customer orders as needed.
If you are planning to offer the service of custom t-shirts, you must have to remain productive and profitable. But make sure that your final product meets your standards. For this research, various providers assess the quality of their work. Your chosen provider should have experience designing all t-shirts, such as kid’s t-shirts, men’s t-shirts, and women’s t-shirts, in different fabrics, styles, and sizes.
4. Customize your t-shirt type
After you have selected a manufacturer, it is time to choose the t-shirt type you want to print on. There is a wide range you can select from, ranging from the fabric, weight, and fit.
Shirt fabric
Consider how you want your customers to want your shirts when selecting your fabric type. Every common shirt fabric has advantages and disadvantages that might determine which activities are best suited for it. Recall! Choose a fabric that is comfortable and visually appealing in the same place. The fabric should be durable, have moisture-wicking properties that are less prone to wrinkling and shrinking, and be lightweight.
Shirt weight
Each fabric has a different weight. Choose lightweight shirts as they are suitable for warm weather and active situations. On the other hand, heavier-weight shirts are the ideal option to choose in cold weather and casual conditions. For instance, you can look for hoodie printing services in winter when people prefer wearing them and the demand increases.
Shirt fit
Every person prefers different shirt layouts according to their body. For instance, some like wearing loose fits, while others may consider tighter fit according to the activity. There are three shirt fits that people often choose:
- Relaxed fit: These shirts are loose from the chest to the end. Gives a baggier and more comfortable look.
- Regular fit: The cut is straight from the chest and widens from the waist. Although it fits from the shoulders but still comfortable.
- Slim fit: Creating a tighter and more tailored look due to the narrow cut across the chest and tapered from the chest to the waist.
5. Customize your design
When you have made a selection of the type of shirt type, start by drafting the shirt’s designs. With the information collected from the target audience and the trends, try sketching the designs that can perfectly leverage your POD provider.
When you draft designs, pay attention to elements like fonts, colors, and design placements that help produce a few samples. Try to keep your design simple, or the shirt will appear cluttered and overwhelmed. Once you have generated one or two designs and you are happy with them, take the risk. Place an order of some samples to make sure that you are pleased with the final product. Sample t-shirts will help you review the product and the service of t-shirt printing before placing an order for the bulk quantity. If you are happy with the samples, click on some high-resolution pictures so you can upload them to your online store.
6. Authorize your designs
As these shirts are designed for a group of targeted audiences, validate them with feedback. Share your sample with friends and family, and ask them to review it. You can use social media by watermarking the designs and collecting responses from the audience.
Make sure that you have asked for feedback in the comment section or generated a poll where users can approve or disapprove your designs. This step will help you collect general demand and decide whether to sell the product or make changes. If you receive positive responses, go for the pre-order option, which will allow the customers to book their orders.
7. Choose an online selling platform
Now, you should take advantage of the technology. Launch an online store along with a physical store. International clients who are keen to use your product can take advantage of buying them, and those who are near your store can come and choose their shirts physically. For online, you can choose between the following options:
- Custom websites: Design your websites. Customers can visit them and place their orders, but you will require extensive technical skills or professional assistance in doing so if compared with an e-commerce platform.
- E-commerce platforms: Different platforms provide sellers with their storefronts that are within the market. Sellers can access them to link current platform users. Marketplace sellers are subjected to monthly fees, including listing and transaction fees.
- Social media platforms: There are various media platforms that you can use to target a specific audience and build a brand following. There are limitations to storefront customization and general selling capabilities.
8. Set up your online store
No matter if you are operating your business from a marketplace or a platform, it is important that you set up a storefront for your t-shirt company. Initially, to set up a business, you need to create an account, set your preferences, and integrate necessary e-commerce plugins with your chosen sales channels.
9. Market your business
Marketing your online t-shirt business is necessary to boost discoverability and long-term growth. You can choose social media marketing to gain the attention of a target market. Various platforms offer paid ad services to boost followers and great brand awareness.
Another tactic you can choose for clothing brand marketing is using an influencer market. Hire a social media influencer with a high fan following, provide them with samples of your products, and boost your brand exposure.
10. Keep an eye on the sales
Once you have successfully launched your online brand, keep an eye on the sales. You can use tools to monitor your business metrics. Personalized feedback will also be useful for keeping track of your advancement. Stay connected with your clients through different channels and encourage them to give their valuable responses.
The final words
You can now start a t-shirt business with the blank shirts. Follow the steps from conducting market research to creating a storefront for online experience. These steps will help you with running a full-fledged t-shirt empire in no time.
As you move on, keep yourself connected with the market trends and demands of the customers to bring a product that can fill in the gap.