The Big Idea Podcast by InkSoft: Recent Episodes
Marshall Atkinson, InkSoft
The Big Idea is the InkSoft podcast hosted by Marshall Atkinson for garment decorators, promotional product distributors, and team dealers. We're talking to experts across the apparel decorating industry to learn how they're making it happen. Tune in every second and fourth Thursday of the month for new episodes on growing your business, managing your shop, and generating Big Ideas. T-SHIRT SHOP SUCCESS
In this episode you’ll learn:
- The danger of using other people’s price lists
- How focus marketing efforts on the customers who bring you value
- Why technology has made screen printing an “amazing combination of a craft and a science”
- Greg’s method for holding employees accountable
In this episode you'll learn:
- How your shop can "raise the bar" on print technique
- About the most popular specialty inks, and how to use them in your shop
- How mixing colors may seem daunting but can be done in an easy way
- A way to tackle the "printing on polyester" challenge
- How to turn ink into a source of competitive advantage
In this episode you’ll learn:
- About the YourCo. brand and how its products “make the closet, not the drawer”
- Adam’s approach to problem-solving, and the importance of measuring and tracking data
- The “ISO” mentality for shop management and leadership
- Adam’s journey to where he has gotten today.
Episode 006 of InkSoft's The BIG Idea podcast is now live, and believe me when I say it's a must listen for any business looking to grow sales. No matter what industry you're in.
In case you missed any of the previous episodes, not only can you catch up on the InkSoft blog, but you can subscribe, and download on iTunes! Remember to leave a comment and give us a rating.
Back to what is in store for this week... Increasing Sales by Creating Your Value Many decorated apparel businesses still focus on price. I mean why not? When sales aren't going well, it's easy to say, "oh well, we're just too expensive, let's lower the price and the customers will come."
However, competing on price is only a temporary solution, and is not a viable long-term strategy.
One of my favorite quotes I learned from a speaker in grad school is - "You can't survive competing on price; compete on value. Competing on price is entering into a race to bankruptcy. Rather deliver the total consumer solution, not just a piece of the solution."
This applies directly to businesses like your own. Your customers aren't coming to you just for the cheapest product. You are NOT selling a commodity. They are coming to you for something more than decoration, and are willing to pay a premium for that.
Someone who has been on the forefront of this movement to focus on the lifetime value of a customer and not his transactional value is industry veteran and, #MaxProfit 2018 guest, Mark Coudray.
This week, Marshall sits down with Mark to talk about this very subject.
In this episode you'll learn:
How to move away from the lowest price mentality in your shop's pricing Why you should focus on improving your shop's value proposition and not what the guy next door is doing Why your shop needs to "go digital" How InkSoft can help make your shop "sticky" to customers and increase the lifetime value of that customer About Mark's new project, Catalyst Plan, and how it can help your shop operate in the digital economy
Be sure to subscribe and rate The BIG Idea on iTunes.
Want a little more help with your InkSoft? You can always contact the Support Squad directly at support@inksoft.com or 1-800-410-3048 Option #1 for support.
Not part of #TeamInkSoft yet? Looking to improve the way your shop operates?
Let us show you around!
The BIG Idea Podcast is back with Episode 5.
First of all, I want to thank all of you for the support. As of September 13th, the podcast has been downloaded in 20 countries and 48 states.
Wow!
In case you missed any of the previous episodes (looking at you Montana and Wyoming), not only can you catch up on the InkSoft blog, but you can listen, subscribe, and download on iTunes! Remember to leave a comment and give us a rating.
Back to what is in store for this week... Keeping the Shop in the Family Many decorated apparel businesses are owned by families. However, even if the next generation has been involved in the business from the start, the actual transition of power is not as easy as you might think.
Handing over a family business can be challenging for a number of reasons. Not only is there the potential for the current "head-honcho" to be protective of the business, but it can also be a highly emotional and tenuous state for the entire shop.
One shop that has done it right is Northwest Custom Apparel.
This week, Marshall sits down with father and son Jim & Erik Mickelson to discuss how they successfully navigated the "passing of the torch" from one generation to the next, and what they see for the future of their shop.
In this episode you'll learn:
Jim & Erik's top tips for handling the stresses that come with the transitioning of shop leadership How they have been able to leverage each other's expertise to continue to connect and market to all of their customers What unique ideas Erik was able to bring to the business, and the importance of being receptive to change Which Fortune 100 company Northwest Custom Apparel was the first embroiderer for (hint: Michael Jordan)
Be sure to subscribe and rate The BIG Idea on iTunes.
Want a little more help with your InkSoft? You can always contact the Support Squad directly at support@inksoft.com or 1-800-410-3048 Option #1 for support.
Not part of #TeamInkSoft yet? Looking to improve the way your shop operates?
Let us show you around!
The BIG Idea, an InkSoft podcast hosted by Marshall Atkinson, is back in a BIG way this week. Not only do we have the legendary Ryan Moor of Ryonet on the show, but we are now officially on iTunes.
In case you missed any of the previous episodes, not only can you catch up on the InkSoft blog, but you can now listen and subscribe on iTunes!
Back to what is in store for this week... Print Industry Vision Many of us are familiar with Ryan Moor as the founder and CEO of Ryonet, however, were you aware that he started this company all the way back in 2004 after printing shirts in his garage for his punk rock band?
Yup! He has come a long way since.
Now Ryonet has grown to 100 team members and is supporting more than 100,000 screen printing companies ranging from the garage start-up to award winning ROQ automatic shops.
This week, Marshall sits with Ryan to discuss the tools and strategies Ryan used to grow Ryonet, the state of the screen printing industry as a whole, Ryan's all-new garment line, AllMade, and what you can expect in his book "Made to Make It."
In this episode you'll learn:
How to successfully run a business around the concept of screen printing The biggest question you need to ask yourself to market effectively and efficiently Influencer marketing, and how to use it in your shop The method behind Ryonet's infamous "how-to" videos What's next for the screen-printing industry
Be sure to subscribe and rate The BIG Idea on iTunes.
Not part of #TeamInkSoft yet? Looking to improve sales for your business. Check out our Online Stores Platform and set up a personal tour today!
Want to learn some insider lessons on taking your garment decorating business to the next level?
You're in the right spot!
The Big Idea, an InkSoft podcast hosted by Marshall Atkinson, is back with its third episode.
In case you missed either of the first two episodes, you can check them out here! In episode one, Marshall interviews Tom Rauen on creative marketing, and in the second episode he sits down with Alan Howe of SAATI to discuss screen room secrets. Scaling Shop Business Sandlot Sports. Ever hear of them? Well this shop started back in 2008 with a 400 sq. ft. space. Today they operate a shop that's over 4x as large!
How did they do it? Knowing what they know now, would they do anything differently? Who are the people behind this successful shop?
Meet Adam McCauley & Ryan Dost. These two entrepreneurs took an idea, and have grown it into a company that has recently won the Michigan Small Business Development Center Award for the Best Small Business. While initially focusing on the sports market, Sandlot Sports has expanded into new segments, with an emphasis on being a "one stop shop" for customers.
This week, Marshall sits down with Adam & Ryan to discuss how they dealt with the growth of their company, and tools they've used to get where they are today!
In this episode you'll learn:
How making the decision to "ask for help" facilitated the growth of Sandlot Sports The importance of setting company standards and training employees so you don't have to micromanage Tools that your shop can use to better market your products and increase sales How InkSoft's Online Stores made the buying experience easier for Sandlot Sports customers
Not part of #TeamInkSoft yet? Looking to improve sales for your business. Check out our Online Stores Platform and set up a personal tour today!
Interested in taking your apparel decorating business to the next level?
Look no further.
The Big Idea, an InkSoft podcast hosted by Marshall Atkinson, is back with its second episode.
Want to be more profitable? You're in the right spot! Trying to gain that extra knowledge to rise above the competition? We've got you covered! Learn directly from the people who are making it happen. We’re sharing stories from successful shop owners, industry experts, and decorating specialists every 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month.
In case you missed it, don't forget to check out the premiere episode on creative marketing with Tom Rauen.
Screen Room Secrets The only way to truly learn about the inner workings of shops is to be inside of them. And Alan Howe of SAATI has seen a lot of them. Over his 30 years of experience in the industry, Alan has held positions at Jay Products and Easiway Systems, and currently is a Technical Sales Representative at the SAATI Chemical Division of SAATI Americas.
This week, Marshall sits down with Alan to discuss some of the most pressing issues facing shops today, and tools for combating them.
In this episode you'll learn:
Why understanding the fundamentals of screen printing is critical for shop growth How standardizing work flow, no matter the task, can eliminate many major printing problems Why you shouldn't underestimate the need for a well maintained screen room How to continually stay innovative as a shop, along with some of Alan's favorite new technologies
Not part of #TeamInkSoft yet? Looking to improve sales for your business. Check out our Online Stores Platform and set up a personal tour today!
Curious how other apparel decorators are running their businesses?
You’re in the right place.
Welcome to the first episode of The Big Idea, an InkSoft podcast hosted by Marshall Atkinson. Learn to run a better, more profitable business directly from the people who are making it happen. We’re sharing stories from successful shop owners, industry experts, and decorating specialists every 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month.
In this week’s inaugural episode, we’re talking to InkSoft user Tom Rauen of Envision Tees. Tom’s made waves in the industry with out-of-the-box marketing efforts, including breaking the Guinness World Record for wearing the most T-shirts at one time (247 shirts, to be exact).
Everyone wants to do business with people they know, like, and trust. Tom has taken that to the next level by getting hyper-involved and hyper-visible. The result is what Tom calls ‘The Celebrity Effect.’ Most people know Tom’s name before he even introduces himself.
Dig into the episode to learn:
How Tom used out-of-the-box marketing ideas to grow his business The steps he took to double the size of his business through acquiring other shops What to consider when you’re evaluating large purchases like this yourself How to make your business stand out in your community
Not part of #TeamInkSoft yet? Looking to improve sales for your business. Check out our Online Stores Platform and set up a personal tour today!