tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83297219737761081082024-03-05T09:56:30.360-05:00Professor TH ReadProfessor T.H. Readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18332557589404722595noreply@blogger.comBlogger58125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329721973776108108.post-28947154514352391272017-08-29T13:51:00.002-04:002017-08-29T13:55:49.611-04:00Office Cleaning<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Are
you a pack rat or a thrower outer? The two terms, though they are as
undignified as they come, must certainly be indicative of two basic
personality types. Willing to let go of the past? Not so much? During
a recent slow summer day that demanded more mobility than creativity,
I was moved to clean out my office bookcase. Now, even though I’ll
admit I err more on the side of pack rat (who knows, we might need to
know who purchased what in 2012!), I kept stopping the piling up of
papers, categorizing, shredding, sorting to do some actual, well,
thinking. And I have to say, the concept of stopping, even for a day,
to look over past records might just be worth the time. </span></span></span>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">You
don’t necessarily need to physically move notebooks, papers and
3-ring binders. In fact, most of you probably maintain your records
electronically. But you still can accomplish the same stroll down
memory lane. And it’s amazing what you can learn from the past! In
fact, I guarantee, if you commit to an office “clean up” going
back at least five years, that you will end the process with at least
one great, new idea.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Look
at the projects you did in the past. What worked </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, serif;">and what didn’t?
Which were heavy on margin, and which barely squeaked by? Was there a
market sector that seemed to bring recurring business? Any customers
who were so enthusiastic that they deserve a hey-how-are-you phone
call? It’s never too late to look at what you have accomplished, in
terms of what you can learn from it and affect the future. Open some
files, if you physically don’t have the printed versions, and start
analyzing. Here are some bullet points to help you take aim:</span></div>
<ul>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">What
sector or customer category seems to pop up the most?</span></span></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Which
jobs brought you the most satisfaction and/or revenue?</span></span></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Was
there an advertising program that you tried? What worked and what
didn’t?</span></span></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Is
there any follow-up needed in order to insure the best results
possible?</span></span></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Where
might you find some repeat business?</span></span></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Did
any customers present specific challenges that you couldn’t solve
then, but are able to now?</span></span></span></div>
</li>
</ul>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, serif;">Sure,
the past is the past, and storage space, whether it is bookshelf or
hard drive, is at a premium. But utilize the time spent cleaning to
analyze, learn and increase or improve your business.</span></span></div>
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Professor T.H. Readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18332557589404722595noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329721973776108108.post-8718998866502021582017-07-17T09:36:00.000-04:002017-07-17T09:55:01.145-04:00Industry Writer Shares Winning Ways for Successful Emails<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdyqB01k_98zBjQmp-qHlnEN9D-PDc48Pxe1gG9Ic1UV_-Zic0Ta1Jnken9tp61nUAqhyphenhyphenyHk7tw8cNISxp_K4BblGGTHGl-K7e7loYPd29pdrLYyTF3_9XQsJSZUc29FlNXOsygbdhj3aE/s1600/email+blog+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdyqB01k_98zBjQmp-qHlnEN9D-PDc48Pxe1gG9Ic1UV_-Zic0Ta1Jnken9tp61nUAqhyphenhyphenyHk7tw8cNISxp_K4BblGGTHGl-K7e7loYPd29pdrLYyTF3_9XQsJSZUc29FlNXOsygbdhj3aE/s400/email+blog+.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , serif;">I’m
going to go out on a limb here, and assume that every embroidery
company who can hear my voice maintains an active database. It should
be electronic. It should be backed up. And it should not consist of
random index cards stuffed inside a shoe box! Your database is very
possibly your business’s greatest asset. You have spent
(presumably) years and years to create a master list of those
customers who keep your machines running and support your multiple
trips to the bank. You should be able to reach out to customers
easily and quickly – but not too often! – in order to share news,
offers, business updates, etc. via email.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , serif;">In
the July 2017 issue of </span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , serif;"><i>Advantages</i></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , serif;">
magazine, senior editor Sara Lavenduski writes about “How to Boost
Email Open Rates.” Great advice! If you build it (the database)
they may not necessarily come (unless you are clever in your
presentation of the information you are trying to share). </span>
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<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , serif;">Here,
in shortened form, is what Sara points out:</span></div>
<ul>
<li><div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , serif;">Clean
up your list – Your open rate will improve if you cull those email
addresses that continually bounce or are out of date.</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , serif;">Grab
their attention – Your subject line is way too important to merely
guess. It needs to stand out from the crowd. Do you know what A/B
testing is? A great device offered by many email software companies
to see which of two subject lines is going to garner the most
attention.</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , serif;">Provide
quality content – Don’t waste your customer’s time – or
yours – with emails that don’t carry a relevant message or
offer. You don’t want to become the email that is automatically
deleted, without being read!</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , serif;">Test
delivery times – You can do your own testing, but Sara’s
research revealed that highest open rates are on Tuesdays and
Fridays.</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , serif;">Avoid
spam filters – If you operate a website, get your customers to opt
in, so there is less likelihood of your email going to spam. Also,
avoid overly sales-oriented subject lines. Offering FREE anything is
bound to get you thrown into the junk pile!</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , serif;">Get
mobile-optimized – Social media is here to stay. The growing
percentage of those who will open your email message on their smart
phones is staggering. Make certain that the email, and your website,
is optimized for mobile reading.</span></div>
</li>
</ul>
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<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , serif;">And
so, don’t be surprised to hear from me on a Tuesday or a Friday!
While the first is approaching Hump Day, the latter is leading right
into the weekend, great days for sorting through emails. Remember to
keep your database up-to-date and accurate and follow Sara’s
suggestions for increasing the attention your business emails will
receive. It’s all about the communication and thinking things
through.</span></div>
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Professor T.H. Readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18332557589404722595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329721973776108108.post-25697620691993820432017-06-29T12:27:00.000-04:002017-06-29T12:27:18.786-04:00How Will Fabrics Impervious to Mosquitos Hold up to Your Embroidery Needle?<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
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According to an article in a recent <i>Textile World </i>magazine, North Carolina State University (NC State) is dedicating research dollars to the study of creating a pest-free fabric that will keep consumers safe from disease-carrying mosquitoes. The article reports that NC State is committed “to develop a highly engineered, comfortable fabric that is mosquito bite resistant to a very high level, but also free of unwanted pesticides.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Why target mosquitoes? The World Health Organization (WHO) states that mosquito bites cause more deaths (725,000 per year) than any other organism on the planet, primarily due to malaria. With cases of the Zika virus infiltrating the U.S. through our southern states, clothing manufacturers will hopefully pick up on this new capability, and one day you very well may be called upon to embellish a mosquito-repellant garment.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In fact, a start-up company called Vector Textiles, an off-shoot of the NC State researches, funded by an online Indigogo crowd funding campaign, is about to launch a line of maternity clothing called Pro-Tex. Equally important to keeping mosquitoes at bay for pregnant women and children, is to accomplish this without the use of chemical-imbedded fabrics used for their clothing.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Through their studies, “the textile and garment products have been stringently tested in NC State’s entomology labs and proven better than 98% effective under extreme worst-case scenario mosquito exposure.” Three methods of bite-resistance are being tested, using knits, wovens and non-wovens: in Strategy A, the pores of the fabric are so small that the proboscis of the mosquito cannot penetrate; in Strategy B, a tortuous path through the fibers causes the proboscis to fail to penetrate; and in Strategy C, a spacer fabric is of a thickness that prevents the proboscis from reaching the skin.<o:p></o:p></div>
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High up on the researcher’s list of “musts” is the ability to design fabrics that are porous enough to allow air circulation and moisture management. Perhaps the difficulties once brought by athleisure to the embroidery market will soon be surpassed by the need to embellish on mosquito-repellent garments.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Professor T.H. Readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18332557589404722595noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329721973776108108.post-69250588060882798412017-04-10T15:07:00.000-04:002017-04-10T15:09:44.728-04:00Preparing for the Summer Season with Frosted Matt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtdYkplVZyp0LVIUJM2jg2SMh9-euea_5c1-aqkx26nqShePeNOfTI6yAXLfHP0iZR820AU8WjnPzSLUWHkrHwGgCV6oQugOMABNGNsNO9s7NPPDbzP8ZhzKYTwZUwKKPxS17Ybi1xcnM-/s1600/Frosted+Matt+Blog+Banner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="82" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtdYkplVZyp0LVIUJM2jg2SMh9-euea_5c1-aqkx26nqShePeNOfTI6yAXLfHP0iZR820AU8WjnPzSLUWHkrHwGgCV6oQugOMABNGNsNO9s7NPPDbzP8ZhzKYTwZUwKKPxS17Ybi1xcnM-/s400/Frosted+Matt+Blog+Banner.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="" style="color: #262626; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">The longer daylight hours of summer can be harsh on embroidery that's exposed - unless you're running Madeira's Frosted Matt!</span></div>
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<span class="" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><span class="" style="font-size: small;"><span class="" style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><span class="" style="font-size: small;"><span class="" style="color: black;">If you didn't already know about our Frosted Matt 40 weight thread, it's the only truly matte finish polyester embroidery thread on the market. It contains a ceramic ingredient that provides extreme color fastness, making it extremely resistant to fading from sunlight. It is also </span><span class="" style="color: #262626;">Oeko-Tex® certified. So go ahead and try it out on items such as umbrellas, outdoor furniture, and nautical!</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><span class="" style="font-size: small;"><span class="" style="color: #262626;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="" style="color: #262626;"><span class="" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><span class="" style="font-size: small;">Its matte finish gives embroidery enhanced clarity, making it great for fine lettering and details, shading, and tone on tone effects. Being a polyester thread, it can withstand commercial laundering and is bleachable when well diluted.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="" style="color: #262626;"><span class="" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><span class="" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="" style="color: #262626;"><span class="" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><span class="" style="font-size: small;">Frosted Matt is a general use 40 weight thread and runs similar to our other 40 weight threads, however you should keep in mind the following:</span></span></span></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="color: #262626; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;">Frosted Matt is a #40 weight thread, but slightly thinner than a rayon or polyester #40 weight so it is recommended when filling in large areas that you adjust the density</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #262626; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;">For best results digitizing for Frosted Matt, set the punch parameter to 3.5 or .35 to maximum 4.0 or .40 stitch density</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #262626; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;">A #65/9 or #75/11 needle is recommended</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.5in;">So, stand out from the crowd with this unique embroidery thread and to the summer sun, we say Bring It! </span><br />
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Professor T.H. Readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18332557589404722595noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329721973776108108.post-17629573344811115372017-03-20T12:22:00.001-04:002017-03-20T12:22:31.959-04:00Madeira Webinar Features Two Techs Talking Machine Maintenance<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Laconia, NH</i> – On Wednesday,
March 29, Madeira USA will host a webinar for embroiderers that will
feature certified machine techs, Brian Chase and Marcia Chabot. With
combined embroidery experience of over 50 years, each will be sharing
information with listeners on the topic: <b>Basic Machine
Maintenance: Little Things Make a Big Difference…and May Save Big
Bucks! </b>Both technicians currently offer <span style="font-family: "calibri" , serif;">installation,
service, maintenance of and training on embroidery machines.</span>
The webinar will include information on:</div>
<ul>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Establishing a maintenance
schedule</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Single head vs. multi head
concerns</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
What tools and cleaning supplies
to have on hand</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Where to apply oil and grease</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Cleaning the bobbin case</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Proper thread tensioning</div>
</li>
</ul>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Madeira USA is much honored to have
these two knowledgeable technicians make room in their busy schedules
to share the basics of maintaining an embroidery machine with our
customers. According to Brian Chase, “Very often, it’s the little
things that can make a big difference. And by big difference, I’m
talking about expensive repairs. Once an investment of dollars is
made in a machine, the investment of time to keep that machine
running smoothly is well worth it to your business.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
And bringing perspective – and
appreciation – to the years of knowledge that will be shared in
this webinar, Marcia Chabot points out, “Back in 1983 when I first
began as a multi-head machine operator, there were no computers …
automatic cutters and trimmers were unheard of … and machines were
programmed with hole-punched paper tapes!”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The webinar will be held on Wednesday,
March 29 at 2:30 EST. Our webinar classroom holds 500, so please <a href="https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1777540147919553537" target="_blank">click here</a> to register soon and sign in five to 10 minutes early on the day of the
webinar. You will have the opportunity to type in your questions and
have them answered by these experts. As with each of our webinars,
all questions will be collected, answered and emailed out to those
who register.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>For reader/customer
contact regarding the webinar, please use </i></span><a href="mailto:contactus@madeirausa.com"><span style="font-size: x-small;">contactus@madeirausa.com</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>.
</i></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Editors, please note,
for additional information about Madeira USA, please contact Alice
Wolf, manager of education & publications, at 800 225-3001, ext.
107 or </i></span><a href="mailto:awolf@madeirausa.com"><span style="font-size: x-small;">awolf@madeirausa.com</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>.
</i></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">About
Madeira: </span>
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Founded in
Freiburg, Germany, in 1919, Madeira is a global leader in the
production of high quality embroidery threads for the decorated
apparel and home fashion markets. The Madeira product line includes
the industry’s largest selection of specialty threads, E-Zee
Backing & Topping™ products, plus a complete line of bobbins
and accessories. Today, Madeira services its clients from operations
in the USA, Europe, Africa, and key Asian markets. Madeira USA ships
from 14 Customer Service Centers in the U.S., more locations than any
other embroidery supplier nationwide. For more information, visit
<a href="http://www.madeirausa.com/">www.madeirausa.com</a></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><u>.</u></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
Professor T.H. Readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18332557589404722595noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329721973776108108.post-53073699332851176122017-02-22T15:41:00.000-05:002017-02-22T15:47:17.493-05:00Play Ball! Tips for Embroidering on Caps<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s one of the first signs of spring you’ll hear, along
with chirping birds and lawn mowers…<i>Play
Ball!</i> And what accompanies playing ball? Baseball caps! One of the staples
of the embroidery business, embroidered ball caps are customizable,
collectible, and clearly revenue producers. As your cap business scales up,
here are some tips to keep in mind…</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Avoid Distortion<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In preparing
to embroider on a paneled cap with a seam running down the middle of the front,
apply heat or steam to the seam in order to break down the sizing in the fabric
and soften the seam. It will be easier for the needle to penetrate the layers
of fabric. In designs that fill in over the center seam, an underlay of zig zag
stitches secures the cap to its stabilizer and makes for a more even surface
for stitches to fill.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Digitizing<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Cap designs
need special planning at the digitizing stage. Digitize from the center…out,
and from the bottom…to the top. This will allow less movement during stitching.
Keep your design in registration by stitching each individual element to
completion rather than completing all fill, then satin, then outline stitches. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Hooping<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The profile
of your cap will determine the size of the design you are able to apply. Hoop
the cap frame as tightly as possible. A 270 degree cap frame can be used when
the sides, as well as the front, of the cap are to be embroidered.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Needles<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
A Titanium
needle will add extra strength. Or a Teflon® or other non-stick coated needle
will cut down on the friction between needle and cap fabric. Or, you can apply
a light coating of silicon spray to enhance stitching. A #75/11 sharp is a good
choice for caps. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Thread<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
For
prolonged exposure to sunlight, a 100% polyester embroidery thread is your best
bet. For complex designs without the fear of fading from sunlight, rayon would
be a good choice. A sturdy 50 or 40 weight metallic thread can be used for
highlighting or special effect.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Stabilizers</b></div>
Cap backing
is available in both pre-cuts and rolls. Pre-cuts are usually 7” wide to
accommodate just the front of the cap, or 12” to stabilize the sides as well.
Stabilizers are usually 2.5 or 3.0 ounces in weight. For embroidering the back
strap of a cap, use Stick-On stabilizer. For best embroidery results, always
use a stabilizer on caps!Professor T.H. Readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18332557589404722595noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329721973776108108.post-52936823829288684352016-12-13T14:16:00.005-05:002016-12-13T15:15:41.036-05:00The 3 Enemies of Time Management, or, Where Did I Leave My Keys?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLb3eR33Ez93gOQFhtdOeo2cQ88VTVKg9W98NQMhZ30C2Xz2dGSxE5tj9mXhIRu3-2uLCz0UycucB1WPM14oAoE92D22moeBHNFMYCGM60kp5k0pvdP-96LIFwXyODZlIQAcq2b767rcvB/s1600/blog+%252328+time+management.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLb3eR33Ez93gOQFhtdOeo2cQ88VTVKg9W98NQMhZ30C2Xz2dGSxE5tj9mXhIRu3-2uLCz0UycucB1WPM14oAoE92D22moeBHNFMYCGM60kp5k0pvdP-96LIFwXyODZlIQAcq2b767rcvB/s400/blog+%252328+time+management.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Whenever I see the term, “Time Management,” I laugh, ha ha,
because to me, Time Management is every bit the same type of oxymoron as “Jumbo
Shrimp,” “Deafening Silence,” and “Open Secret,” to name a few. (Someone
suggested “Happily Married” but that one didn’t make sense to me – isn’t that
right, Dear?). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">There's no such thing as time management! So why should you read
the rest of this blog? Because there is such a thing as <u>self-management</u> and
that's the key to <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a>making time your ally rather than your
enemy. Time really can't be managed. You can't slow it down or speed it up or
manufacture it. It just IS. Time management is MANAGING YOURSELF when following
some basic time management principles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Here are all the things you need to do to become Master/Mistress
of your time!<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">1. Find out where you're
wasting time.</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Many of us are victim to
time-wasters that steal it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">2. Create time management goals.</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">For example, you're not
going to take phone calls from people you don’t recognize on caller ID between 8:00
AM and 12:00 noon. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">3. Implement a time
management plan.</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Yeah! Right!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">4. Use time management
tools.</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">A software program such as
Outlook, for instance, lets you schedule tasks easily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">5. Prioritize mercilessly.</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">You should start each day
prioritizing the tasks for that day; if you have 20 things to do for a given
day, analyze how many of them you really need to do. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">6. Learn to delegate. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Share the load. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">7. Establish routines and
stick to them as much as possible.</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">While crises do come up,
you'll be more productive if you follow routines.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">8. Set time limits for
tasks.</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">For instance, reading and
answering email can eat up your whole day if you let it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">9. Be sure your systems
are organized.</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Are you wasting a lot of
time looking for files on your computer? Take the time to organize a file
management system. (Let me know when you get this done and I’ll let you do
mine.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Ok, we both know you’re not
going to do any of this stuff! So here’s what you can do: Work on controlling
the following three things and you’ll be more productive and less frustrated.<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b><br />
<b><u><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></u></b>
<b><u><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Procrastination:<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Alexis de Tocqueville wrote in “Democracy in America” in 1835, “Procrastination
is the thief of time.” Then marketers at Nike came along and said, “Quit making
excuses, putting it off, complaining about it, worrying about it. Suck it up.
Hold on tight, say a prayer, make a Plan and JUST DO IT!<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<b><u><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></u></b>
<b><u><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Interruption:<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">One study shows it takes about 25 minutes to get back into the
swing of things after you’ve been interrupted. Try to manage interruptions. For
instance, before 12:00 noon, determine that you’ll take phone calls from Mom,
your daughter (900 miles away in college) and 3 important business contacts AND
NO ONE ELSE!<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<b><u><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></u></b>
<b><u><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Distraction:<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">This is best illustrated thusly:<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Recently, on a day off, I decide to go out and water my garden. As
I turn on the hose, I look over at my car and think it needs to be washed. As I
start toward the garage, I notice mail on the table that I collected from the mailbox
earlier. I decide to look through the mail before I wash the car. I lay my car
keys on the table, put the junk mail in the trash bin under the table, and
notice that it is full. So, I decide to put the bills back on the table and
take out the rubbish first. But then I think, since I’m going to be near the
post-box when I take out the rubbish anyway, I may as well pay the bills first.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">I take my check book off the table, and see that there is only
one check left. My extra checks are in the desk in my office, so I go inside
the house to my desk where I find the bottle of Diet Coke I’d been drinking. I’m
going to look for my checks, but first I need to push the Coke aside so that I
don’t accidentally knock it over. The Coke is getting warm, and I decide to put
it in the fridge to keep it cold.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">As I head toward the kitchen with the Coke, a vase of flowers on
the counter catches my eye – they need water. I put the Coke on the counter and
find the reading glasses that I’ve been looking for all morning. I decide I
better put them back on my desk, but first I’m going to water the flowers. I
set the glasses back down on the counter, fill a container with water and spot
the TV remote control. Someone left it on the kitchen table and I realize that
tonight I’ll be looking for the remote control, but I won’t remember that it’s
on the kitchen table, so I decide to put it back in the front room where it
belongs, but first I’ll water the flowers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">I pour some water in the flowers, but some of it spills on the
floor. So, I set the remote control back on the table, get some paper towels
and wipe up the spill. Then, I head down the hall trying to remember what I was
planning to do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">At the end of the day: the car isn’t washed; the bills aren’t
paid; there is a warm bottle of Coke sitting on the counter; the flowers don’t
have enough water; there is still only one check in my check book; I can’t find
the remote control; I can’t find my glasses and I don’t remember what I did
with the car keys. Then, when I try to figure out why nothing got done today,
I’m really confused because I know I was busy all day, and I’m really tired.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><b>I realize this is a
serious problem, and I’ll try to get some help for it, but first I’ll </b></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><b>check
my e-mail.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
Professor T.H. Readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18332557589404722595noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329721973776108108.post-15606583743350669442016-11-22T16:16:00.002-05:002016-11-22T16:17:38.909-05:00Spend an Hour on November 30th with Lee Caroselli and Madeira USA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDQEG9fogTik27xIRZKbN1eVnsNLgZjJGoQjwY2BLvprvem7YMOmXkxbW6PSIyAOlft27FLDZ0GYQD9imHXY2EZqJzAf_zWWnDr7hNNXnDiilOGzcy8ZbVmPs0wRPuYs2oODN89JwQrkm6/s1600/Placemat+with+Bells.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDQEG9fogTik27xIRZKbN1eVnsNLgZjJGoQjwY2BLvprvem7YMOmXkxbW6PSIyAOlft27FLDZ0GYQD9imHXY2EZqJzAf_zWWnDr7hNNXnDiilOGzcy8ZbVmPs0wRPuYs2oODN89JwQrkm6/s320/Placemat+with+Bells.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
If the holidays tend
to increase your sales, inspire your creativity or simply push your buttons,
you may want to sit in on a webinar on November 30<sup>th</sup>. Embroidery
industry icon Lee Caroselli-Barnes, whose digitizing has won her not just
awards, but the adulation of the industry, will be joining Madeira USA to talk
about “Threads of the Season.” Since ‘tis the season to be thinking of snowmen,
stars and random sparkles everywhere, Madeira USA and Lee will team up to talk
about which threads you should be thinking about these days.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Since the
temperatures head south, but not all of us can, using the heavier, 12 weight
threads that contain natural wool or cotton fibers, are a nice way to go for
holiday designs or for customizing gifts. Madeira offers a wool blend
(Burmilana) and a cotton blend (BurmilanaCo), both 12 weight threads, that are
ideal for this time of year. The webinar will include how to alter a stock
design, or one you may already have, to accommodate these heavier threads.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Using shading and
color blending, Lee’s specialty, will also be covered. With the ability to
personalize or customize gifts, the images of the season on scarves, hats,
gloves, make for very appropriate gifts. Doing up some samples and making them
visible to your walk-in customers might do wonders to stir the imagination.
Whether its color blending, or accomplishing shading through the use of
combining matte finish with lustrous thread, it’s all about increasing your
knowledge and what you have to offer your customers. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ultimately, making
an ordinary design extraordinary is the ultimate goal of this upcoming webinar.
The link below will make it easy for you to register. Grab a cup of the warm
beverage of your choice…turn the machine off…put your feet up…relax and see what
Lee and Madeira USA have to share. Increase your embroidery know-how by adding
to your arsenal of threads that you are aware of, can run with ease, and even
up your price by up to 20% for the added value.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To reserve your seat for the webinar, <a href="https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4985094839530326788" target="_blank">click here.</a><br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Professor T.H. Readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18332557589404722595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329721973776108108.post-46077492438560795112016-10-28T13:45:00.000-04:002016-10-28T14:04:10.341-04:00You’re Going to Have Lunch Anyway, Why Not Take a Customer?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE2fE7QSBhaMth_nksegaP2ZQZbbX-7W_DbQKW_xIZi734EellU7L8Y2FphNGDSLb_0wQC3wo2_KJBV5URH6nZS_ewX9ot_0UYEuL4mC0rqWAr00yhTkf91-PZWSJANRYWTelx_aRlIKdE/s1600/Olivia+Blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE2fE7QSBhaMth_nksegaP2ZQZbbX-7W_DbQKW_xIZi734EellU7L8Y2FphNGDSLb_0wQC3wo2_KJBV5URH6nZS_ewX9ot_0UYEuL4mC0rqWAr00yhTkf91-PZWSJANRYWTelx_aRlIKdE/s320/Olivia+Blog.jpg" width="297" /></a></div>
<b><br /></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<b>The Law of the Lunch</b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There are very few things in business that are as important
as the business lunch, about which absolutely nothing can be found in
textbooks, MBA programs, seminars or conferences. The business lunch is a respected
institution, virtually mandatory, and universally conducted according to a
fixed ritual. </div>
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<br /></div>
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He or she who does the inviting does the paying!
Conversation starts and for a long while remains in the area of seemingly idle
chatter (also known as “jibber – jabber” or “chit – chat”) about personal
interests in recreational pursuits, entertainment media<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a>,
family matters, and mutual acquaintances. And don’t forget children and
grandchildren, the Super Bowl and March Madness, the weather (but stay clear of
politics and religion). Business is finally and gradually crept up upon while
carefully avoiding any implications that the lunch exists specifically to
enhance the lunchee’s opinions about the lunchor and the lunchor’s assessment
of the lunchee (do we like each other?).</div>
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<br /></div>
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The business lunch and its rituals are based on the
established fact that important buying decisions are rarely made on price alone
or only on technical support, customer service, delivery, technical specifications
or vendor competence and reputation. The lunch exists to learn about things
that aren’t said, <u>to help to establish and strengthen relationships of
personal trust and understanding</u>, to create commercial friendships and compromises,
to facilitate favors hoped for and favors given, to go beyond technicalities
and legalities in getting and supporting some sort of sale.</div>
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<br /></div>
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So don’t disparage it or miss the opportunities they can
present.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Professor T.H. Readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18332557589404722595noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329721973776108108.post-78913849154339065002016-10-18T12:04:00.002-04:002016-10-19T12:00:28.102-04:00A Thriving Industry by Any Other Name… Apparel, Apparel, Wait, What?!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3qFtUhoZw0KT1E5J-FwsZBDadTMXlF-z-7BU2XqVCZ7RnFb_Ig-jz7Cpo26vPyPvQKA9DUZd1r1AdCDk0ewGrCawLsvswBBk1jEo5sy8kPIa5gOAHDdpjlKr8dPE-XrGcfk7TXCfywo0n/s1600/Made+in+USA.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3qFtUhoZw0KT1E5J-FwsZBDadTMXlF-z-7BU2XqVCZ7RnFb_Ig-jz7Cpo26vPyPvQKA9DUZd1r1AdCDk0ewGrCawLsvswBBk1jEo5sy8kPIa5gOAHDdpjlKr8dPE-XrGcfk7TXCfywo0n/s400/Made+in+USA.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Don’t look now, but the apparel
industry is slowly, quietly but distinctly making its way back to the U.S., and
some of our apparel friends in the Decorated Apparel Market are doing their
best to move things right along. An article in the September/October issue of <i>Textile World</i> magazine highlights the
findings of the National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO). As countries
outside the U.S. began to be hit with rising labor costs, shipping costs and
energy bills, textile production began to find its way home. In numbers large
enough to export to other countries!</div>
</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Last year, American-made textiles
generated $56.7 billion, a five-year increase of 13.4%. Big Box giant Wal-Mart,
a former leader in off-shore strategy to lower prices, committed to increase its
spending with American suppliers by $50 billion over the next 10 years. Why?
Fast turn-around, high quality, low risk and <i>cost</i> <i>saving</i>! And as
textiles become more available here at home, apparel manufacturers are
re-thinking their strategy. Take well known Gildan, for example: <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Peter Iliopoulos, Gildan’s senior
VP of Public & Corporate Affairs points out, “We have invested $350 million
in the U.S. in the past three years. Gildan has leveraged the great quality and
superior value of USA cotton with a strong base of skilled labor, low energy
costs and a stable investment climate.” Drawing their line in the sand, the
Gildan official goes on to state, “We believe that U.S. consumers will
increasingly position their support behind brands and companies that are
investing in the USA.”</div>
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<br /></div>
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And don’t look now, but jobs at
Gildan have grown by 60% since 2010, not including the 700 that were added in
2016. And sales? Since 2010, net sales have increased 96%. Kind of reminds me
of the good old days. And if this is a trend – and certainly the growth noted
in this article that is documented through the last 10 years – what a great
bellwether for the embellishment side of the industry!</div>
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<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
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<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i>To read this article in its entirety, <a href="http://www.textileworld.com/textile-world/2016/09/by-the-numbers-examining-the-resurgence-of-the-textile-industry/" target="_blank">click here</a>.</i></b></div>
<b><i>To
learn more about the NCTO, <a href="http://www.ncto.org/" target="_blank">click here</a>.</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>Professor T.H. Readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18332557589404722595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329721973776108108.post-83241387426991836142016-09-29T12:23:00.000-04:002016-09-29T12:28:44.952-04:00An Open Letter to My Next Waiter/Waitress, or, Good Customer Service is about Anticipating your Customers’ Needs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDKdSsyOirlJSoRihZyV1Bc2ZpR8PSh64n7HSS-XKncsFqFf1m-HLpXFP8YHRClZ5BQF70awE2qraAIcG8-OGTY5CrFlbGl4p2TSSxlO2NXXTcrzJX4jelqZrV7CShJe5a_KIrtUPjkSBx/s1600/september+blog+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDKdSsyOirlJSoRihZyV1Bc2ZpR8PSh64n7HSS-XKncsFqFf1m-HLpXFP8YHRClZ5BQF70awE2qraAIcG8-OGTY5CrFlbGl4p2TSSxlO2NXXTcrzJX4jelqZrV7CShJe5a_KIrtUPjkSBx/s400/september+blog+2.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /><!--[endif]--></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<u>An Open Letter to My Next Waiter/Waitress, or,</u></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<u>Good Customer Service is about Anticipating your Customers’ Needs<o:p></o:p></u></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<u><br /></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With 50 years of experience providing service to customers
in the business consulting field and decorated apparel industry, I thought a
blog on the subject of customer service would be a good idea. The initial step
to writing this blog would be to define, just what is <i>Good Customer Service</i> anyway? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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In my mind, I differentiate between “Can you match color
number X1234 to Madeira Polyneon,”… “Are there any specials,”… “What’s the
difference between polyester and rayon,”…“What size needle should I use,”… “I
just bought a machine, what do I do now?” etc. These, to me, are examples of <i>marketing</i> Customer Service situations. </div>
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<br /></div>
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“What is the tracking number,”… “I ordered white rayon and
got black,” … “One of my cones arrived broken,” etc. to me are <i>problem-solving</i> Customer Service situations. If they can’t be avoided, they
need to be handled. The former circumstances are critical to growing your customer
business, while the latter situations are critical to keeping those customers.
Both situations require that answers be delivered in a <i>timely</i>, accurate, <i>timely</i>,
friendly, <i>timely</i>, professional and <i>timely</i> manner. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Here’s what I mean. I don’t travel as much as I used to, but
I still eat in restaurants around 5 or 6 times a week. (When I was <i>your</i> age I ate 15 or more meals in
restaurants each week). I don’t like to wait to be seated while the host is watching
one of the TV screens. I don’t care what my server’s name is. He or she is a 17
year old high school student who won’t be there the next time I drop in, nor do
I care what her 17 year old taste buds find appealing on the menu. </div>
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<br /></div>
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I do want my server to quickly scan the table top to ensure that
everything is there that needs to be and that all items are unsoiled. I am
interested in what specials they may have but my server ought to know how they
are prepared and what they cost without going to check. I do mind when they
have to return to the kitchen to find out what green vegetables they have. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Stick a bottle of ketchup in your apron! <i>Anticipate</i> my need! I, for one, put
ketchup on everything except corn flakes and I hate to have to wait (while my
food gets cold) for the ketchup while my server stops to take an order from
that table for six (I know, the ketchup thing is crazy, but my father swore he
once saw a guy putting mustard on a banana). I want my food while it’s still
hot; if the plate is as hot as my food, it’s probably been sitting under the
heat lamp. </div>
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<br /></div>
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I appreciate being asked to cut into my meat or fish to,
“Ensure it’s prepared the way I want it.” Don’t ask me if I want more water,
just fill the glass! But DO ask if I want more coffee because what’s left in
the cup may be at the exact temperature I like it. Don’t hover, but please keep
an eye on me in case a need arises. Before you set down the check, make sure
it’s the right one and don’t get lost.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I’m going to pay my
check quickly and then leave. If the service is good, you get a 20 to 25% tip
and a positive comment to the manager on the way out. If the service has been
bad, you get a 20% tip (I don’t want to be responsible for you not getting a
needed textbook) and a negative comment to the manager on the way out. And I’ll
probably think twice before going back, at least in the short term. (I may
sound like a <i>Grumpy Old Man</i>, but like
I said, I eat out a lot).</div>
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<br /></div>
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So let’s relate my example to your business: Your customer
is not calling or stopping by to “shop;” they have specific needs to complete a
project, so just attend to their needs <u>quickly</u> and <u>accurately </u>and
let them get back to work. If time and opportunity allow, then highlight the
specials and do some cross-selling. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Research shows that customers’ impulse to punish bad service
plays out dramatically in both phone-based and internet interactions, which are
most companies’ largest customer service channels. In those situations, customer
loyalty has a lot more to do with how well companies deliver on their basic promise,
to deliver quality products, quickly and accurately, rather than how impressive
the service experience might be to fix a problem. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There is an observation called The Bad-Service Ripple Effect,
which indicates that service failures not only drive existing customers to
defect—they also can repel prospective ones. Research shows:<br />
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span></div>
<ul>
<li>23% of customers who had a positive service
interaction told 10 or more people about it, while</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">48% of customers who had negative experiences
told 10 or more others.</span></li>
</ul>
<!--[if !supportLists]--><br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, you need to define for yourself what constitutes Good
Customer Service for you and your customers. It might be answering the phone on
the first ring, a super-duper website, very knowledgeable order entry people,
etc. You should periodically survey your customers to ask them what the key
items might be and how you measure up.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the end; get it right the first time! Know your
customers’ needs! And the results will be:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li>Return
business – the next time your customer is in need of a solution that matches your
products and services, your company will be the one that they call.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>More
business – more than just customer retention, deeper penetration within your
existing customers’ organizations is a powerful motivator to provide excellent
customer service</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>New business
– the reputation of your customer service, combined with excellent products
and/or services, creates new customer opportunities.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thank you to <i><a href="https://hbr.org/2010/07/stop-trying-to-delight-your-customers" target="_blank">Harvard Business Review</a></i> for inspiring these thoughts.</div>
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<ul type="disc">
</ul>
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<br /></div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
Professor T.H. Readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18332557589404722595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329721973776108108.post-14814389751497739662016-09-08T13:22:00.000-04:002016-09-12T16:58:22.040-04:00Don’t Miss an Opportunity to Shine…in the Eyes of Your Customers! Master Embroidery Techniques for Increasing Visibility<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0QwxsNTTHLBxTdUJ7lgs92-nHZILuL0zIjFSdFKWNCMcUtHsOE7R2Wbb_wV63GsLh0WpsBSaCTO_vyfFlqmEabpzK_fHKBVia5t57YvNw0Xej0-wRBOs40GEFMMTySuhAZi2iDsQwvTt1/s1600/Reflective_Dreieck.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0QwxsNTTHLBxTdUJ7lgs92-nHZILuL0zIjFSdFKWNCMcUtHsOE7R2Wbb_wV63GsLh0WpsBSaCTO_vyfFlqmEabpzK_fHKBVia5t57YvNw0Xej0-wRBOs40GEFMMTySuhAZi2iDsQwvTt1/s320/Reflective_Dreieck.jpg" width="259" /></a> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="Default">
<b>Don’t Miss an
Opportunity to Shine…in the Eyes of Your Customers!<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="Default">
<b>Master Embroidery Techniques for Increasing Visibility</b></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: left;">
On Wednesday, September 28<sup>th</sup>, Madeira USA will be
presenting a webinar at 2:30pm EST (11:30am PCT). Titled “Master Embroidery
Techniques for Increasing Visibility: Safety & Special Effects,” this
particular webinar promises to cover a lot of ground. Madeira looked through
their product portfolio, pulling out anything that shines, sparkles, glitters, and
reflects light in any way. They are intent on finding ways to make your
customers find more and more reasons to walk in and be intrigued by all that
embroidery can do. </div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: left;">
With the topic in hand, they then went in search of an
appropriate “co-host” who would be able to discuss this topic with experience,
lots of knowledge…a fearless embroiderer who could come up with ideas, sell
them, and then actually translate to fabric what they say in their imagination.
After reading the following description of her work in Jane Swanzy’s bio, they
knew they struck gold: “Taking stock embroidery designs, combining them,
changing thread colors, and placing them in unusual spots to create unique
items for her customers is what she loves to do.”</div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: left;">
Calling upon their newest BFF, Madeira USA currently is
preparing a webinar that should surely be a breath of (creative) fresh air at a
perfect time of year. The webinar will take a look at both extremes of sewing for
safety and special effects: creating maximum visibility for situations that are
dangerous and require as much visibility as possible; and special effects that
will brighten, shine and otherwise call attention to an embroidered product or
garment. On the safety side, 3M™ Scotchlite Silver Reflective Appliqué Fabric
will be discussed and demonstrated. This is what you want to look at for the
serious side of embroidery. Then there is the fun side, and for this the
webinar will cover working with reflectra® Stitchfoil Appliqué Material, Luna
glow-in-the-dark embroidery thread, Supertwist #30 Metallic embroidery thread
and the polyester threads that glow under black light.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: left;">
Going back to Jane
Swanzy, she has graciously agreed to work with all of these materials, creating
fresh, illustrative examples of how to work with these items to produce special
effects that will blow away your customers – not all of them, only those who
are looking to do something totally unique and never-before-seen! <span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">Jane is an award winning decorator who specializes in
embroidery and is the owner of Swan Marketing, dba Swan Threads, located in
Houston, Texas. She started the business in 2001 as a part time venture that
became full time in 2004. She works from home with a single head embroidery
machine, a heat press, a vinyl cutter and lots of software. She is assisted by
three cats, Samantha, Abby and Sally Ann and occasionally by her husband, Tim
Bautsch, who is good at picking thread colors. Her husband, not the cats. Jane
also sits on the Advisory Board of <i>Wearables</i>
magazine.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">To register for the webinar and learn more about mastering visibility with Madeira USA and Jane Swanzy, please <a href="https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4418151458261935108" target="_blank">click here</a>.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">To learn more of Jane Swanzy, please </span><a href="http://www.swanthreads.com/" style="font-size: 11pt;" target="_blank">click here</a><span style="font-size: 11pt;">. And to read more
about the industry in </span><i style="font-size: 11pt;">Wearables</i><span style="font-size: 11pt;">
magazine, </span><a href="https://www.asicentral.com/news/magazines/wearables" style="font-size: 11pt;" target="_blank">click here</a><span style="font-size: 11pt;">!</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Professor T.H. Readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18332557589404722595noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329721973776108108.post-65132829538539718612016-08-18T16:36:00.000-04:002016-08-18T16:38:45.322-04:00Increase Sales by Upselling Your Stitch Count through Customization<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3XkIGmnJ3zTEWn0I44R5HEHDtY_zT8lhiXlWRO-TfHrnuibDrd6HRIfVyFEqY_QoKHSzJEmZfun46YpJV0Azru352n7ESSFmCaM_9UsGQrWk5SUq1vxiRoIKmxZwBRgMU6R_EnThevTRI/s1600/blog+upsell+customization+banner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3XkIGmnJ3zTEWn0I44R5HEHDtY_zT8lhiXlWRO-TfHrnuibDrd6HRIfVyFEqY_QoKHSzJEmZfun46YpJV0Azru352n7ESSFmCaM_9UsGQrWk5SUq1vxiRoIKmxZwBRgMU6R_EnThevTRI/s400/blog+upsell+customization+banner.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>Increase Sales by Upselling Your Stitch Count through
Customization</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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Upsell: To work creatively with a customer in order to
suggest additional embroidery that adds customization to their design and a
unique quality to their embroidered items – enough, perhaps, to evoke
compliments and comments. And dare I say it: WOW!</div>
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<br /></div>
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And when it comes to embroidery, where stitch count is your
price provider, the more stitches you can talk your customer into paying you
for, the better. And so, you’ll want to pay a lot of attention to the person
(customer) who stands before you. What kind of car did they drive? Any bumper
stickers? Do they have a pet on a leash? Regardless of what they are looking
for to be embellished, further customization is nearly always possible. </div>
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With your larger customers, who may be having shirts or caps
embroidered with a logo, are they celebrating a special event? An anniversary?
Do they support a particular charity or local organization? Are they aware that
there are more than just left chest or cap fronts to brand? While you are not
looking to make a simple job overly complex, it never hurts to suggest a little
creative placement of slogans or dates. </div>
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<br /></div>
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And personalization is so “in” right now! To call it a trend
may be too bold, but most folks love to see their name or initials permanently
added to a favorite article of clothing. Think of suggesting it to the next
person who comes in looking for branded items for their company picnic. By
providing something unique and creative to their boss, you make them look like
a hero, which almost guarantees their coming back to you the next time a
project is on the table. </div>
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Personally, I think the promotion of personal branding is
the most fun. You just have to find a happy medium between being thought of as
A.) a helpful, inquisitive sales professional; B.) a clever individual who is
looking for ways for the person standing before you to stand out from the
crowd; and C.) a creepy stalker. You’ll want to avoid “C” at all costs. But by
noticing personal aspects about the person, suggesting customization in a
uniquely personal way can be done in good taste – with very clever results. I
work with a fellow who loves golf. Suggesting he add a stock design of clubs or
a green or a ball on a tee to shirts that he is having branded might be very
appealing. Even winning you a, “hey, I didn’t know I could do that!”</div>
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Music to your ears: you have just educated your customer,
upped your price and have encouraged the customer’s friends and relatives to
remark, “oh, cool, where’d you get that done?!”</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>To read more on this subject, see Impressions magazine,
August issue, page 48. Or<b> <a href="http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201608/#/54" target="_blank">click here.</a></b></i></div>
Professor T.H. Readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18332557589404722595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329721973776108108.post-45769326471223305102016-08-05T15:37:00.003-04:002016-08-11T11:43:44.814-04:00Know Your Caps and Keep A-Head of the Competition!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMUTwA3dYYJLz7g599VmcupyE7encUDLBVRc4-bru-s45zaqBNMROBVZsXzaj3I1aKTpYplHEQQHzqQifOteX4UIDmEoUTBXjxstkAE3xxhuqhBLZuQQMC-n-6LHcAmSKOwEsHONDtNLAn/s1600/Blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMUTwA3dYYJLz7g599VmcupyE7encUDLBVRc4-bru-s45zaqBNMROBVZsXzaj3I1aKTpYplHEQQHzqQifOteX4UIDmEoUTBXjxstkAE3xxhuqhBLZuQQMC-n-6LHcAmSKOwEsHONDtNLAn/s400/Blog.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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So, your customer comes into your shop and says, “I need
about 150 caps to give out to customers.” And you say, “What kind of caps?” and
you get a blank stare. Yikes! You need to give the customer a quick cap
tutorial and then steer them in the right direction. </div>
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<br /></div>
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There are four basic types of caps:</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u>FIVE PANEL CAPS:</u> The most distinctive feature of this cap,
besides the very wide front panel, is the relationship of the front panel to
the visor. View the cap from the side and you can see that there’s almost a
90-degree angle where the front panel and visor meet.</div>
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<u>PRO STYLE SIX PANEL CAPS:</u> The unique features of these caps are the
front middle seam (which makes it a little more challenging to embroider).
Viewed from the side, the angle of the front panel to the visor is almost 90
degrees.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<u>UNSTRUCTURED CAPS:</u> Sometimes called easy riders or skullcaps, they
fit close to the head so the angle of the front panels to the visor slopes back
towards the head and is greater than 90 degrees.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<u>SLOPE CAPS</u>: These caps are six panels with a seam in the
front and when viewed from the side the front panels, slant back towards the
head, creating an angle to the visor greater than 90 degrees.</div>
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So now that they understand the 4 basic shapes of caps (of
course, you are showing them embroidered examples), briefly explain to them
(with your examples) how the caps are constructed.</div>
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<u>CROWN</u> this is the top of the cap that consists of 5
or 6 panels, which are sewn together and then the seams are taped over to
prevent the material from unraveling. There is usually a “button” on top to finish
and protect it.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<u>VISOR</u> is the piece that sticks out on the front of
the cap and shades the eyes, unless the cap is worn backwards (which in my
opinion looks adorable on children, cute on teenagers and stupid on adults; but
that’s just MY OPINION).</div>
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<br /></div>
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Once the customer has made a choice about the type of cap they
want, you will need to point them in the direction of the best quality cap for
them to distribute (and into which you have sewn your label). Many customers
will gravitate toward cheaper caps. This is where you need to (gently) inquire
about their budget for this project. Here are some observations about caps
(cheap and otherwise), which, if nothing else, will provide some interesting
cocktail party chatter:</div>
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<br /></div>
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There are at least 100 million caps sold annually in the US.
The population of the US is about 320 million, but not everyone wears caps. The
total number of people in the US who wear caps could be about 40 to 50 million.
That means for every person who would wear a cap there will be a couple of caps
sold each year for every person who wears caps; and this is cumulative, meaning
that they collect caps every year. So here is the money question: if each cap
wearer has a choice of wearing any of 9 or 10 caps (whether given to them or
purchased) WHY would they want to wear the cheapest cap that you or your
customer can find?</div>
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Most cap wearers have a favorite cap. Suppose your customer buys
a cheap give- away cap for $3.95 and has their company's name embroidered on
the front and the person they give it to wears it just one time. Their advertising
cost per exposure is $3.95. Now suppose they pay $15.00 for a better cap. The recipient
likes its looks and when he puts it on, it does not dig into his forehead and rests
comfortably and feels good. The recipient likes the cap and wears it maybe 100
times. He gets some compliments – Hey! Nice cap; where’d you get it? This isn’t
unusual; if a <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a>person likes a cap they wear it non-stop. So
the cost per advertising exposure is $.15. The conclusion your customer will
come to is pretty apparent: it’s better to pay $.15 for advertising than $3.00.
(Even if the numbers and arithmetic are a little shaky – you get the point).</div>
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Here’s an idea that may work for you if the budget just
isn’t there. Get your customer to split their order between inexpensive (cheap)
and higher priced caps. If they want 150 cheap caps you can suggest they get
120 cheap give-a-ways and then 30 custom caps for their best customers or
personal friends. Make sure your name is in all the caps but especially in those
special caps because they may end up in the hands of decision makers in other
companies. By having your customer buy a few custom caps you have them showcase
to other people that you can supply something other than a plain giveaway
(throw away?) product. This is what can set you apart from the crowd.<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>Madeira USA and master/digitizer embroiderer Erich Campbell recently produced an hour-long webinar about embroidering on caps. You can see a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNnF-OJvp-8" target="_blank">recorded version here</a></i><span style="background-color: white; color: #006621; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; white-space: nowrap;"> </span><i>or download a <a href="http://cdn.trustedpartner.com/docs/library/MadeiraMart2011/Embroidering%20on%20Caps%20Webinar(1).pdf" target="_blank">printable version of the slide presentation</a>. </i></div>
Professor T.H. Readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18332557589404722595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329721973776108108.post-54727781787725656442016-07-15T12:06:00.000-04:002016-07-19T11:19:53.280-04:00Achieving a Hand-Embroidered Look on a Commercial Machine, Or, How to Give the Impression You Spent Days on a Single Design<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVZHY5eYTEskWHdfghiawgM5hXd8z1gbx3Z5pLXI6RQOLL4ZXwSTnBGwqyXUQBZ0z_O8HexTqarQ2V1-0rEvF9NlGMbDVJwnzxhGdhyHBr_zlA1tDEx93Ew46OdDpbthw_IN7_41md4pW1/s1600/3+Flowers+Blog+Header.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVZHY5eYTEskWHdfghiawgM5hXd8z1gbx3Z5pLXI6RQOLL4ZXwSTnBGwqyXUQBZ0z_O8HexTqarQ2V1-0rEvF9NlGMbDVJwnzxhGdhyHBr_zlA1tDEx93Ew46OdDpbthw_IN7_41md4pW1/s400/3+Flowers+Blog+Header.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> Call me old fashioned, but when it comes to a special
effect, that effect does not have to shine, sparkle, glow, beep or move in any
way. In fact, for me, a special effect can be as simple as creating a
hand-embroidered look on a commercial embroidery machine. In the July issue of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Printwear</i> magazine, on page 54<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> (<a href="http://read.uberflip.com/i/694596-july-16">http://read.uberflip.com/i/694596-july-16</a>), </b>there is an article that
describes and illustrates using many of Madeira’s thicker weight threads in
order to achieve a hand embroidered look. One of the illustrations is of a
design with three flowers, loopy petals, and you’d swear some doting grandma
hand stitched it onto their darling’s overalls. The thread used is a heavy 12
weight wool blend thread that sews like a dream and looks like a million – hand
stitches!</span></div>
</div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Remember that the process of creating a hand embroidered
look by machine begins at the digitizing stage. If you don’t do your own, make
sure you mention the fact to your digitizer that you are going to use a 12
weight thread. Another thread that gives a very family-friendly look is a
cotton blend called BurmilanaCo, which was used to create an angel fish that is
just swimming with personality. For a more sophisticated application, there are
floral designs and borders that can be sewn onto curtains, bed or table linens
for a look that will impress even the {most exacting} pickiest family member.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Now for the faint of heart, you are going to have to change
your needle! These thicker, 12 weight threads require a larger eye #100/16
needle in order to perform properly. The stitches you choose should be based on
their resemblance to hand stitches: satin, running, cross-hatching. A chain
stitch, as illustrated in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Printwear</i>
article by the snowboard badge, is also a very good choice. Without looking at
the neat appearance of the reverse side of these designs, I defy any expert to
tell whether a very accomplished home seamstress – or a racing machine that can
hit 1500 SPM – produced these designs. And as an added benefit, you’ll use far
fewer stitches than with #40 weight thread.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So click on over to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://read.uberflip.com/i/694596-july-16">http://read.uberflip.com/i/694596-july-16</a></b> and see what I’m writing about. Master the use of thicker threads, and consider
them one more arrow in your creative quiver of ideas.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Professor T.H. Readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18332557589404722595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329721973776108108.post-33098776431662778482016-07-01T09:56:00.000-04:002016-07-01T09:56:12.728-04:00How to Treat Your Major Customers<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWMcd4Xpse1LOoX3LuhDbuuxvLJfWFxZqDzz4yoPn6JSncpEzxz54FwXytryCSRDrqSqVb1U8NThJRCNE4a93FbKH-Ew16kq07akstnxKA7dCDCCF0bF28OL0TunmnaMpVcobyp-iuGfM9/s1600/Untitled-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWMcd4Xpse1LOoX3LuhDbuuxvLJfWFxZqDzz4yoPn6JSncpEzxz54FwXytryCSRDrqSqVb1U8NThJRCNE4a93FbKH-Ew16kq07akstnxKA7dCDCCF0bF28OL0TunmnaMpVcobyp-iuGfM9/s400/Untitled-1.png" width="400" /></a><br />
<h2>
<u style="text-underline: double;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #000066;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></span></span></u></h2>
<h2>
<u style="text-underline: double;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #000066;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: x-large;">How to Treat Your Major Customers</span></span></span></span></u></h2>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: #000066; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;">All companies have major
customers – they are the life blood of your business. Major customers represent
20% or less of the customer base, but about 80% of your revenue (*see below).
Some companies haven’t formally identified these treasured customers and that’s
a mistake, since the health of all businesses depends on them.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: #000066; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;">Major customers have a higher
retention rate; they are more loyal, less price sensitive, and buy more
products, more often. Once you know who they are, how should your marketing
strategy deal with them? One school of thought says, “Market to them like mad.
Get them to buy more.” That might work, but, in most cases, it is probably a
mistake. Big mistake! The better option is to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>work to retain them</u></b>. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: #000066; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;">How did these customers become major
customers, anyway? They reached that point as a result of your getting most or
all of their decorating spending. They are “maxed out” on your embroidery
and/or screenprinting. A good example of what we mean is when a large bank
found that they couldn’t <u>profitably</u> market to their major customers.
Those depositors maintaining high savings balances would shift to CDs or other
savings instruments, but the overall amount of their balances wouldn’t change. An
analysis showed that <u>five percent</u> of their customers provided 80% of
their profits. Getting these five percent to put more savings in their bank
would have been useless; they already had it. So what should you do with major
customers? <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Work <em>very</em> hard to retain
them</u></b>. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: #000066; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;">Think up, invent and provide them
with special services that you couldn’t afford to provide to all your other
customers. </span></div>
<br />
<ul>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #000066;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Airlines provide first class travel upgrades and bonus miles to their frequent<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>business flyers.</span></span></span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #000066;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Some companies create a “Diamond Club” or “Platinum Posse” and send their major customers a suitably framed membership award (I like this idea -- very affordable!).</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #000066; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;">Banks provide them with a personal banker (Chase Bank's “Private Client”).</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #000066;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>UPS and FedEx park trucks at their loading docks.</span></span></span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #000066;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nieman Marcus provides special gifts and benefits.</span></span></span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #000066;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some companies send discontinued items free to major customers as a “thank you for your business.” </span></span></span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: #000066; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;">Whatever you can do, let them
know that they are very important to you, and show it by special services and
gifts. So if you haven’t developed a special program for your major customers, get
busy. It may be the single most important customer relationship program in your
company. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="color: #000066; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: #000066; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;">*The Pareto Principle (commonly known
as the 80/20 rule) states that, for many events, roughly 80% of the effects
come from 20% of the causes. Management consultant Joseph M. Juran suggested
the principle and named it after Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto (instead of naming
it </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a><span style="color: #000066; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;">for me, and I was so close!). It’s a common rule of
thumb in business. For example:</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #000066;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>80% of a company's profits come from 20% of
its customers</span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #000066;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>80% of a company's complaints come from 20%
of its customers</span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #000066;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>80% of a company's sales come from 20% of
its products</span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #000066;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>80% of a company's sales are made by 20% of
its sales staff</span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: #000066; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;">Hence, many businesses have easy
access to dramatic improvements in profitability by focusing on the most
effective areas and eliminating, ignoring, automating, delegating or retraining
the rest, as appropriate.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: #000066; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;">The bottom line is, take care to
maintain your major customers and work to move some of the 80 percenters up into the 20 percent realm.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
</div>
Professor T.H. Readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18332557589404722595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329721973776108108.post-7645488560437217542016-06-03T10:46:00.000-04:002016-06-03T10:46:09.907-04:00Think Light!
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<b style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What are slippery, hard to pin down, and everybody wants
them?</b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">If you answered Customers, you are only part right. I was
thinking of performance wear fabrics. You know, the slippery, stretchy, skinny
fabrics that are used in the ubiquitous sports apparel you see everywhere from
the grocery store to the golf course to gymnasiums across the U.S. and beyond.
The growth of this category of apparel has outpaced every other in terms of
retail growth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />And so, on <b>Wednesday, June 22, at 2:30 EST</b> (11:30 PCT.),
Madeira USA will offer the industry a free webinar that will review the best
way to approach this embroidery challenge in order to produce winning results.
From thread
choices to digitizing decisions, to
best backing, to finished product, the hour-long webinar will cover all aspects
of embroidering on performance wear. Madeira product spokesperson Nancy Mini
will be joined by master digitizer and embroidery artist Rich Medcraft, who
operates StitchWise Embroidery Design in Eagle Point, Oregon. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">According to my colleague, Nancy Mini,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“How to get the best results on a fabric
that seems to fight back is a prevalent question these days. We decided to
collect many of the questions we hear from customers in our Customer Sales
& Support department, and address them in a single webinar. We feel that by
sharing the ‘best practice’ embroidery techniques that we advise our customers
to try, with the industry at large, should help many who are struggling. The
very concept of performance wear should not instill fear! (Nobody likes a fraidy-cat!)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cotton pique
golf shirts that embroiderers have embellished for years are one example,
followed by stretchy running gear, light weight warm up jackets, yoga and exercise
outfits, and slippery tank tops.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />As with all webinars that are offered by Madeira USA,
questions are taken during the presentation, and all questions are answered and
sent out to registrants so that everyone has a chance to have a solution to
their embroidery challenge. Remember, if a customer wanting you to embroider on
performance wear has not yet entered your establishment, they will soon. Be
ready! Attend this informative webinar. <br /><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><a href="https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8452522401817684227" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Click here to register!</span></a></b><o:p></o:p></div>
Professor T.H. Readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18332557589404722595noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329721973776108108.post-40840168131356704272016-05-05T15:56:00.000-04:002016-05-05T15:56:13.896-04:00<h2>
Unsure of Which Backing to Use?</h2>
<h3>
There is a webinar coming up on May 25 that is a must-see!</h3>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you struggle sometimes (don't we all?) with choosing which backing is correct for a particular design project, you are in for a real treat. A treat that will not only be fun to attend, but you'll come out of it even more knowledgeable than you were going in to it. Madeira USA's E-Zee Backing & Topping division is hosting a webinar, <strong><em>Your Backing Choice Can Make or Break Your Next Embroidery Project: Backing Basics. </em></strong>It's a long title, but there is a lot of material to cover.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It will take place on </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Wednesday, May 25, at 2:30 pm EST (11:30 am PT). What makes it so special, beyond a topic that can be as confusing as the Long Island Expressway on a summer's afternoon, are the two ladies who will be sharing their wealth of knowledge with you. Nancy Mini, a product specialist from the E-Zee Backing & Topping side, and Joyce Jagger, an industry guru who has amassed a following of embroiderers who call upon her skills to see how she thinks they might improve their business. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Nancy Mini shares her thoughts:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“We are constantly updating our own sales and support staff
with internal trainings,so it makes perfect sense to make certain that our customers also
know what’s out there. We often get calls from customers asking what went wrong
with their embroidery, and so many times it turns out to be the backing.” Included in what you will learn are:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What backings there are from which to choose</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Which products are new to the market</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What effect the wrong choice of
backing has on finished embroidery</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri;">How to avoid common errors. </span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> This is the link
to register: <span style="color: #010101; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 9pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8981749233480787202"><span style="color: #309ddc; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8981749233480787202</span></a></span></span><br />
<br />
Professor T.H. Readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18332557589404722595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329721973776108108.post-47296958973284348112016-02-05T09:30:00.000-05:002016-02-05T09:35:30.931-05:00Some Thoughts on Frosted Matt<div class="mcntMsoPlainText" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; padding: 0px;">
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Recently I had the opportunity to speak with many embroiderers at the ISS in Long Beach, California. Not a bad assignment in January! I've had a presence at this large show for a very long time, and this year I realized something that I thought was noteworthy.</div>
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<b><i>8 years ago,</i></b> Madeira introduced the first true matte finish embroidery thread to the industry at this show. I welcomed many show attendees to our booth with the question, "Do you have any need for a matte finish thread?" Well, you'd think I asked them if they had any need for ill-fitting shoes: No!...What? ... Why would I want that?! <b><i>And why are you spelling it Frosted Matt? Where’s the “e”?</i></b><br /><br /><b><i>Seven/ eight years later,</i></b> embroiderers have either a) matured; b) become more open-minded, c) grown to realize the benefits of this high definition, color-fast, subtle, high end thread, d) all of the above!</div>
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I'm guessing that embroiderers are clever folk who keep up with trends, when they are not setting them. And they saw Frosted Matt, Madeira's matte finish embroidery thread, as a problem solver.</div>
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This year, hearing the same question, the answers I received from visitors were not so negative, but instead, “I haven't heard of it”, “tell me more”, “what is it used for”? And, “May I have a sample”?<br /><br /><br />Frosted Matt should come to mind for these applications:<br /> · Tone on tone<div>
· Extreme exposure to sunlight<br /> · Vivid color<br /> · Small lettering and fine detail<br /> · Fluorescent colors<br /> · Shading<br /><br />So keep an open mind, ask for a sample, and see how this problem solver can add to the list of possibilities you offer your clients. I personally guarantee some oooooooh's and ahhhhhhhhhh's.</div>
Professor T.H. Readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18332557589404722595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329721973776108108.post-8833339243243771792015-09-14T08:29:00.002-04:002015-09-14T08:30:47.881-04:00Add Sparkle to Your Embroidery to Stay on Trend<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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While some may point out that I don’t qualify as a <i>fashionista</i> (who has all that time to shop?), when you are in the embroidery field, a sense of fashion and fashion trends is second nature. Embellishment is what we are all about. Specialty threads are designed to offer customers something different and designers a rich palette with which to experiment and shine. And shine is exactly where I am going with this blog! A recent perusal of top fashion magazines (purely in the name of research) crystallized for me the trend toward shine and sparkle: </div>
<br />
From <i><a href="http://www.fashionmagazine.com/" target="_blank">Fashion</a></i> magazine, “Somewhere between the sky-high shoulder pads and bedazzled skirt suits of the eighties, metallics got a bad rap. Today, however, shiny clothing and accessories mean one thing: glamour. On the spring 2014 runways (the introduction of 2015 trends), everyday outfits were injected with a shot of glitz thanks to some flashy, not trashy, twists on the metallic trend.” <i><a href="http://www.fashionmagazine.com/" target="_blank">Fashion</a></i> goes on to name “sparkle and shine” (in my humble opinion, the fashion equivalent of “shock and awe”) as “one of the top 6 trends for 2015.”<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.harpersbazaar.com/" target="_blank"><i>Harper’s Bazaar</i></a> concurs in its “10 Style Risks to Take in 2015:” “Once relegated to cocktail dresses on New Year’s Eve and cocktail waitresses in Las Vegas, sparkles are starting to see the light of day…”.<br />
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As does <i><a href="http://www.elle.com/" target="_blank">Elle</a></i> magazine: “Trend Alert: Precious Metals. Whether they come in the form of cool silvers or rich golds – we can’t get enough of these metallic colored dresses, sweaters, heels and beauty must-haves. Shine on (straight into fall!)” As well as <i><a href="http://www.glamour.com/" target="_blank">Glamour</a></i>: “Don’t wait for that evening party to pull out your metallics! This season, try metallics for day, too.”<br />
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I could go on and on (<i><a href="http://www.instyle.com/" target="_blank">InStyle</a></i> magazine lists Metallic Shimmer as “one of the 10 Top Fashion Trends seen on the red carpet”)…and <i><a href="http://www.marieclaire.com/" target="_blank">Marie Claire</a></i>, noting “over-the- top metallics at Europe Fashion Week,” clearly states, “…there’s no better way to make a look stand out than to incorporate a huge amount of metallic sheen.” You probably read that Beyoncé recently paid $300,000 for diamond-encrusted heels. You don’t need to go that far! </div>
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You would have to be crazy not to take advantage of the trend that is pushing fashion -- and embroidery -- towards the metallic, considering the vast choice of metallic threads ( smooth, shiny, sparkly) that you have at your disposal. And if you’re timid, your ability to charge around 20% more for a design that incorporates metallic thread should toughen you up real fast!<br />
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For the purpose of this blog, I’d like to shine a little light on Madeira’s popular Supertwist #30 thread. Unlike the smooth metallics on the market, Supertwist is the result of a three-twist process that gives the thread a unique sparkle with texture. It offers a strong nylon core that is wrapped with metallic foil in order to provide the most reflection. And while you wouldn’t want to set any speed records on your machine, it is designed to run smoothly and efficiently on commercial embroidery machines.<br />
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<b><u>Running Tips </u></b><br />
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A special effect thread, Supertwist #30 does demand some special considerations when running. Make sure you begin with a fresh #90/14 needle. A large eye variety will make it easier to thread. A thicker thread, Supertwist is best behaved when chosen for a design highlight, using longer stitches like running stitches or as an overlay for special effect. To incorporate Supertwist into a design, you may need to reduce the density by about 20%, from a 4.0 to a 6.0. As an alternative, try increasing the <br />
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size of the design by 10%. My final tip would be to lighten up your top tension for this twisted thread, since it is more pliable. Madeira recently produced a webinar on working with its metallic threads, including Supertwist. You can <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmkSmAbkcUY" target="_blank">click here</a> to view it and see for yourself how to run this fashion-friendly, season-stopping specialty thread. And did I mention your ability to charge more for designs that include it? Ah-hah!<br />
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Finally, if the fashion scene is of absolutely no interest to you whatsoever (have I not convinced you?), look at the calendar. We are fast approaching that time of year when snowflakes, pine cones, evergreens – wishes of the season and more -- can all be enhanced by some genuine shine and sparkle.</div>
Professor T.H. Readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18332557589404722595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329721973776108108.post-34048350251756182232015-08-10T14:47:00.003-04:002015-08-10T15:00:55.847-04:00It Just Kills Me to Throw Anything Out. How Long Will My Thread Last?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We are asked all the time about the shelf life of thread. Well, not every day, but often enough that we’ve put some info together.<br />
<br />
<b><u style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Thread Shelf Life</span></u></b><br />
Rayon thread will last on the shelf at least five years under normal conditions. If the work area is comfortable for you to work in, it's fine for the thread. Some moisture in the air is a plus. Polyester thread will last much longer. The thread is a petroleum byproduct, basically plastic. In time, the worst that will happen is that the finish will dry out on the outer layer of thread. Putting the thread in the refrigerator overnight will help to restore it. Neither should be stored in direct sunlight lest they fade. With any kind of volume you’ll use up your thread long before it dies on the shelf.<br />
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The way to economize on thread, plus eliminate the shelf life question, is to buy full 5,500 yard cones only for your staple colors (black, white, red, etc.) and popular colors (the colors for the customers for whom you do a lot of work) and buy 1,100 yard Mini Snap Cones (MSCs) for fashion colors you may never use again. You should get 1,000,000 stitches from the full sized cones and 250,000 stitches from the MSCs. What value!<br />
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<b><u><span style="color: #0b5394;">Operating Guidelines</span></u></b><br />
As a guide-line, humidity levels ranging between 40% and 60% and temperatures ranging between 50 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit are comfortable for employees and safe for thread storage and usage. It has been our experience that, as the relative humidity increases beyond 60%, the tensile strength of rayon increases, while there has been no significant change observed in the tensile strength of Polyneon thread.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8329721973776108108" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8329721973776108108" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8329721973776108108" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>Madeira threads are sold and warehoused in all the states in the U.S., plus countries in Africa, Asia, South America and the Middle East and the tens of thousands of customers served have not reported any difficulty resulting from very extreme variations in temperature and humidity.<br />
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8329721973776108108" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8329721973776108108" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8329721973776108108" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>Thread tends to be somewhat tender. Dropping it will cause “bruising” where the thread contacts the floor. This actually creates a weak spot that can cause thread breaks during embroidering, so handle with care. And no, on the dropping!<br />
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<b><u><span style="color: #0b5394;">Thread Storage</span></u></b><br />
If you have unused thread sitting on machines or shelves and not covered, your thread may get dusty and after a while the dust can eat away at the finish (the “finish” contains lubricant that’s applied to protect the thread from needle heat). Storing threads that won’t be used right away in their original containers will significantly increase usability, as will keeping them out of direct sunlight. Thread can also be stored in clear plastic stacking units, like those found at The Container Store, so that you can see which thread is inside without having to open the box.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSqyfgY3YhWqTHaWDFFv72EZYNITB4SZI-Rxr51k5C0OKSQkwBx07Qyt_4ngPwBCVzYQ9WtYt6CKF35DPxSJvEKTOJkqNdzViKt-EDQLuBPFCbRrFbw-TKfH5FZF7W4tJUxodhPx59-PDS/s1600/B15-pic1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSqyfgY3YhWqTHaWDFFv72EZYNITB4SZI-Rxr51k5C0OKSQkwBx07Qyt_4ngPwBCVzYQ9WtYt6CKF35DPxSJvEKTOJkqNdzViKt-EDQLuBPFCbRrFbw-TKfH5FZF7W4tJUxodhPx59-PDS/s400/B15-pic1.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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Only semi-protected, in boxes without covers allows dust and humidity in. The next to pictures illustrate cones kept in clear boxes that protect, and have the added bonus of allowing you to see the color of the thread before opening. The only disadvantage here is that thread is happiest when it is standing up, rather than lying down.<br />
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<b><u><span style="color: #0b5394;">Storage Location</span></u></b><br />
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Threads should be stored in a clean and dust-free atmosphere. Ideally, they should be stored in a warehouse or storage room that is as close to the shop floor as possible. This makes the stored thread easily accessible. And storage areas for rayon, polyester or specialty threads should be situated in areas where atmospheric pollution (such as smoke, fumes and gases) is at a minimum.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0W3uaxEE3Dl_XZr7JJp4CiJZH_4adaqt5Tt5cLniFpmrmGLt7_yhDcgZtEJOrsinTYBAZqHGJw0v6qtCaxnzAsha3DverT8sfl1mnVAxQbG3KTF0o50RL0uDi-ku75l45QLXz9y9hrxFk/s1600/B15-pic3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0W3uaxEE3Dl_XZr7JJp4CiJZH_4adaqt5Tt5cLniFpmrmGLt7_yhDcgZtEJOrsinTYBAZqHGJw0v6qtCaxnzAsha3DverT8sfl1mnVAxQbG3KTF0o50RL0uDi-ku75l45QLXz9y9hrxFk/s320/B15-pic3.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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Professor T.H. Readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18332557589404722595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329721973776108108.post-50936863052309270642015-06-22T11:29:00.002-04:002015-06-22T11:34:18.089-04:00Size Matters: Thinny-thin Thread<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvrbc5mVSIqtCFZZRK_EO8nXNyHeAB7RqHrxusKj7W8NGMVU9oH-FmqR1s3Hj1Icvs5B0uLnPiYF0HqbqkgoG_p0SXShttapvjrF9wahcKrzlhOPOlcQgin_9wK8s9fA0tC5kCJgqTDj0k/s1600/thread-stitch2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvrbc5mVSIqtCFZZRK_EO8nXNyHeAB7RqHrxusKj7W8NGMVU9oH-FmqR1s3Hj1Icvs5B0uLnPiYF0HqbqkgoG_p0SXShttapvjrF9wahcKrzlhOPOlcQgin_9wK8s9fA0tC5kCJgqTDj0k/s400/thread-stitch2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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So your embroidery looks pretty good. You have a goodly amount of repeat work and your customers compliment your efforts. But you’re more critical; the detail looks a little blurred and the small lettering, well, the smaller it is, the more difficult it is to read. An obvious answer is to just soldier on. A better answer is to go smaller!<br />
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The smallest lettering you can do with your regular 40 weight thread and still be able to read it easily, is about 6 mm; but many customers are requiring lettering that’s smaller. So you consider using 60 weight threads which will achieve readable lettering down to 3 mm. And the fine detail!! Of course, for best results, you will need to downsize your needle to a size #65/9 (oh, stop your moaning!) You have a commercial machine (or machines) with 13 or more needles on it (or on each head), more than you need for most designs, so simply designate one needle position for your thin thread, install the #65/9 needle and get on with it. And if you have a home-style machine, with a single needle, it’s not that big a deal.<br />
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But now your customers -- never satisfied -- are pushing you to achieve even smaller lettering and with even greater detail in their logos (the ingrates!) My company, Madeira USA, has created 75 weight polyester thread as part of our Polyneon thread product line. This is the thinnest thread on the market and will enable you to embroider lettering below 3 mm. Wow! And you will need a size #60/8 needle to get the best results. Sorry! But this tiny needle punches a smaller hole in the fabric relative to the minuscule detail and lettering that is accomplished by the thin thread. C’mon! Needles are the cheapest investment in your business; a tray of 10 needles costs bubkis and will last a while.<br />
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The new 75 weight is available in 40 solid colors on yellow plastic Mini Snap Cones of 2,734 yards, while black and white are available on 10,936-yard cones. And since black and white are the main colors you will use for your teeny-tiny lettering, a cone will last quite a while.<br />
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So, in conclusion, contrary to what you may have heard, size matters, but don’t hesitate to get smaller. You’ll like it and so will your customers.Professor T.H. Readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18332557589404722595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329721973776108108.post-76750371728219959302015-05-13T09:22:00.003-04:002015-05-13T09:23:05.874-04:00Pricing: How Much Should I Charge?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkWsja2rcKWh_CeGj936edXUmrso9B2yIgwhDbv_Cz83WjILyG8EIAei5b2Uz4N2X15xKCrqqmmBDtMHNWv__QekLqO08H85Aokj1jZo1fzWXrTpXEakYt1YiFo-Mhwau-ERAxHt9aGJYS/s1600/coin-cone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkWsja2rcKWh_CeGj936edXUmrso9B2yIgwhDbv_Cz83WjILyG8EIAei5b2Uz4N2X15xKCrqqmmBDtMHNWv__QekLqO08H85Aokj1jZo1fzWXrTpXEakYt1YiFo-Mhwau-ERAxHt9aGJYS/s320/coin-cone.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A while ago, a young embroiderer called me, and very excitedly told me about a job she had just taken on. “It’s for 78 motorcycle jackets for a local club. With the design on the back, the rockers and a left chest, it’s over 135,000 stitches per jacket. And I’m supplying the jackets!”</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><br />“That’s great”, I said. “Are you going to make any money?”<br /><br />The loud silence coming from the other end told me that she didn’t have a clue!<br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And I think a lot of small embroiderers have a real problem with pricing. Charge too little and you won’t be able to cover your expenses. Quote too much and you won’t get the job. Remember, the objective is to charge as much as you can and still get the work. But if you can’t make a profit, let the embroiderer down the street take the job and lose their money. Of course, if this is a hobby, none of this is important and you can stop reading and do something for fun. But if it’s your business, you need to know how to arrive at a “fair” price.<br /><br />In order to do this, you will need to know two things. First, what is the average cost to operate your business on an hourly basis, your “fixed costs” (these are the costs you have whether there is any work to do or not). Second, what is your estimation of what it will take, in time and effort, plus the cost of any special materials, to complete the job? <br /><br /><u>Hourly Rate X Hours Required + Special Materials = Price $. </u><br /><br />To make money you have to pass ALL your costs along to the customer, plus add a profit margin. To do this reasonably, you need to do a little book work. <br /><br />This is what I advised that embroiderer:<br /><br />Take out your checkbook register and go back six months. List every check amount for business-related costs. <i>For instance:</i><br /><br />· Machine payments (consult your accountant about depreciation, whatever that is)</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">· Rent (easy if you have a separate facility; if you operate out of your house use the </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> amount you are claiming on your tax return -- very carefully)</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">· Utilities (see Rent, above)</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">· Labor cost (what you pay yourself + any employees)</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">· Health insurance (if you pay it on your business)</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">· Bank charges and business insurance</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">· Office supplies + equipment + business cards + flyers</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">· Embroidery supplies (top thread, bobbins, stabilizer, etc. all of which you </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> can get from Madeira USA)</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">· Phone + mobile phone</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">· Advertising (Yellow pages + print ads)</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">· Internet (Web site host + Web maintenance)</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">· Other overhead: waste removal, cleaning (even the occasional pizza)</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><br />So you add that all up and it comes to $40,000 (for 6 months of operation)<br /><br />In six months of operation there are 26 weeks; each week X 40 hours = 1,040 hours which is reduced by 40 hours to account for holidays. Therefore, dividing the Operating Costs of $40,000 by the Hours of Operation, 1000 hours = $40 cost per operating hour. <br /><br />So if you average $40 per hour for the 2000 hours per year that you operate your business, you will break even. Now if you want to take a vacation between Christmas and New Year’s, possibly to Aruba, now that you’re the President of a Company, you’ll have to add about $2 per hour under overhead (a little more if you’re taking me with you). And you should add some for savings to buy the next piece of equipment and the rainy day when you don’t have enough work for the full day.<br /><br />And don't forget setup times, machine maintenance, giving out samples, tweaking the digitizing your customer brought you, running stitch-outs, etc.<br /><br />Put together everything you spend to produce an item -- any item. Make sure that what you charge the customer covers everything, and then add your profit. If you don't do it in a way similar to this, then you don't have a business, you have a hobby. <br /><br />You must learn to estimate run times closely. If you’re new to this, you will need to set up some basic guidelines. Try not to guess on something as important as price! If you need your machine to make $25 an hour to pay for itself and you pay yourself $15 and hour, and your other costs (electricity, rent, office supplies, coffee, accountant, etc., etc., etc.) amount to $5 an hour, then you have to charge $50 an hour for your work. If the embroidery job takes 30 minutes to run, then your estimate should be $25 plus your markup and any cost for goods. Don't forget the markup on goods! The standard markup is called "keystone," and is double the price of the goods.<br /><br />As you will see, each job has its own particular set of problems to solve. That's what customers are hiring you for. <br /><br />Usually industry trade publications, like Stitches, Impressions and Printwear, have articles on pricing, and so does the library. Check out some other methods which may be more scientific.</span></div>
Professor T.H. Readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18332557589404722595noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329721973776108108.post-71812152151598166222015-04-03T08:07:00.000-04:002015-04-03T08:09:15.763-04:00Where to Look for Business: Leave No Stone Left Unturned!<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: inherit;">Where to Look for Business: Leave No Stone Left Unturned!</span></i></b></h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Being an embroiderer and having your own business is a fulfilling and demanding enterprise. There are a number of activities which will fill your every waking moment (and possibly your dreams and nightmares) which have little to do with the creative act of embroidering: <br /><br /> 1. Marketing – what market should I serve; pricing, competition, etc.<br /> 2. Finance and Accounting – collecting money, paying bills, insurance, etc.<br /> 3. Maintenance – keeping your facility operating and machines running.<br /> 4. Advertising – letting prospects know you exist and where to find you.<br /> 5. $ales – getting new business.<br /><br />Clearly, none of these responsibilities are the reasons you got into the embroidery business, but they all have to be accomplished in order to stay in business. In my view, the most important is Sales; if you don’t bring in any business, the others are irrelevant. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><b>So, here are a few suggestions for where to look for business: </b></i><br />• Start by always wearing a denim shirt or polo shirt with your logo and your company name </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> EMBROIDERED on it. Then, when people ask what you do, you can point at it. Be a walking, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> talking billboard! And have at least 50 business cards in your pocket at all times. You can never tell!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />• Check out Community Sports teams: soccer, for names on warm up suits; softball leagues, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> for uniforms and caps; wrestling singlets; T-Ball, etc.<br /><br />• Visit bowling alleys and ask the owner/manager if you can post a small flyer on his bulletin board. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Lots of teams need their shirts embroidered.<br /><br />• Try local Car Dealerships. You'll need to digitize their logos and be certain you get an </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> authorization in writing before you reproduce the car brand.<br /><br />• Make a trip to Doctor's Offices to offer embroidery on employee shirts and scrubs. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> And don't forget Dentists, Medical Labs, Veterinarians, and Chiropractors.<br /><br />• Barber shops, Beauty shops, Bath shops, Christmas shops, Spas, etc. all require embroidery.<br /><br />• Any place where there is a Bridal Registry - Monogramming special items for the </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Bride & Groom or the bride’s hankie and the Ring Bearer's Pillow, etc.<br /><br />• Funeral homes and mortuaries –lots of embroidery opportunities here.<br /><br />• Real Estate Offices. Florists. Furriers. Gift shops.<br /><br />• Alteration shops and Dry Cleaners – show samples of your work and leave cards.<br /><br />• Social organizations – community centers, scouts, motorcycle clubs (they love their embroidery </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> on leathers and denim), civic organizations (bear in mind that all manner of social organizations</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> may expect a donation, but you will emphasize your ability to help them in fund-raising), </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> political clubs, etc.<br /><br />• Sewing Machine Dealer's and Fabric shops. Uniform stores – they may not have their </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> own embroidery machine for personalization.<br /><br />• Churches and synagogues. The choir, sisterhood, annual picnics and fund raisers are all possibilities.<br /><br />• When you get gas, sell the manager/owner; and get gas at a different station each time; </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> and fixit shops.<br /><br />• If you have repair men or contractors come in to your shop or home to work, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> check out their uniforms or shirts and tell them about your business.<br /><br />• Most Supermarkets have a bulletin/corkboard in the entranceway; put your flyer (5” x 7” is a </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> good size; colorful and eye-catching) up (bring thumb tacks) and make the circuit every</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> week because, hopefully, a potential customer will have taken it down to call you.<br /><br />• You will probably not be able to get any school accounts, at least not right off the bat, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> but there are things going on in the school with which the school’s embroiderer may not bother. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> For instance, a towel set a teacher may want or some shirts that need to be monogrammed. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Additionally, many teachers have side businesses (hard to live on teacher’s wages, in most places) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> like trades (plumbing, carpentry, painting) or summer camps. See if they’ll let you leave samples </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> of your work and business cards in the Teacher’s Lounge. If you can find a couple of hours a week </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> to volunteer at a school, hospital or senior citizen’s home, you’ll find it a great way to get your </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> foot in the door (I know. Where do you find a couple of hours a week to volunteer? Stop whining! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Figure it out!).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />• Avoid the temptation to go after your competitor’s customers; you don’t need enemies. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> But you can use allies, to wit, a larger embroiderer to whom you can subcontract large jobs </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> that would tie up your machine for days and in return they will give you the small jobs </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> they don’t want to run.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>Think of everybody as a prospect – </i></b></span></div>
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<b><i>either they need something embroidered or they know someone who does.</i></b></div>
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Professor T.H. Readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18332557589404722595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329721973776108108.post-51988099845656111652015-02-19T09:41:00.000-05:002015-02-19T09:41:04.902-05:00Madeira Introduces Cotton/Acrylic Blend BurmilanaCo Embroidery Thread to the Market<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7kmahOaS8D2HKxYz5oM41IbEG0KOP81r929En1-XImBZD6xEC3yUx7kgS3zHS8J7DB9yE5cXHwnir_H4RRcdsJWChkIQ5z3IUreReiVTWFDt3yTQOnxKwfgMMrhqxWRiPg9CEFUVhI1DN/s1600/burm-stitch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7kmahOaS8D2HKxYz5oM41IbEG0KOP81r929En1-XImBZD6xEC3yUx7kgS3zHS8J7DB9yE5cXHwnir_H4RRcdsJWChkIQ5z3IUreReiVTWFDt3yTQOnxKwfgMMrhqxWRiPg9CEFUVhI1DN/s1600/burm-stitch.jpg" height="235" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i style="color: purple;">Madeira Introduces Cotton/Acrylic Blend </i><span style="color: #0b5394;">BurmilanaCo</span> <i style="color: purple;">Embroidery Thread to the Market</i></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext;">So
what’s new? A new thread product added by Madeira, to the most diverse product
line in the Decorated Apparel industry (in the interest of full disclosure, I
work for Madeira USA on the days I’m not watching my wife shovel the snow off
of our sidewalk). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: windowtext;">AND
NOW…introducing… <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">BurmilanaCo</b>! Ta
Dah!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext;">Many
of you will remember when Madeira introduced Burmilana, the thick, 12 weight wool
blend thread with a terrific mix of fall and winter colors resulting in a
distinct embroidery look. (As a matter of fact, a popular mall store wrote
their name on sweatshirts with the wooly Burmilana and sold a bazillion shirts).
The thickness of Burmilana allows for the creation of crazy beautiful designs
with around half as many stitches as with regular 40 weight thread, resulting
in an appealing three dimensional look. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext;"><br /></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: windowtext;">BurmilanaCo</span></b><span style="color: windowtext;"> is also a 12 weight blend, but in a cotton-acrylic version.
The <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">BurmilanaCo</b> colors are fresh,
bright and cheerful, making it a terrific complement for the Spring/Summer
fashions. A much different look, a hand-embroidered effect, more designs with
fewer stitches, a voluminous thread like <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">BurmilanaCo</b>
can be beautifully combined with other thread types; imagine shiny threads like
Classic Rayon, Polyneon, or Metallics combined with the matte aspect of the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">BurmilanaCo</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext;">And
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">BurmilanaCo</b> is certified Oekotex
Standard – Class 1 (baby standard) and is therefore a safe choice for
children’s wear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext;">So,
when you place your next order, whether by phone (800-225-3001) or on our
website, at www.madeiramart.com, please request a free sample and try it out
for yourself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Professor T.H. Readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18332557589404722595noreply@blogger.com0