marketing a line of t-shirts across country.

[crankin]

Hi, I'm producing a line of t-shirts with a local screenprinter. I am in New Zealand.

I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with this before. I want to get the tshirts in shops across New Zealand, I have created a website, with ordering info etc. but want to get this message across the country.

So if any of you could help please give me suggestions on how to do this. Or if you could point me to some online resources that would be great.

Thanks, Jake

[RKuhle]

Hi Jake,

Sounds like you have some nice plans there, although I don't have any personal experience, I might have an idea or two.

First thing I would do is contact several shops and stores around your city. Although your nationwide plans sound great, starting out with your city will be much easier. Try working out some discounts and deals with them, something lucrative so that they're anxious to sell your product.

Run an advertisement in a local business magazine. Have the advertisement clearly state what you're looking for and be sure to include any extra bonus or incentive you might have.

[billiousness]

Hi Crankin,

To properly answer your question we would need to know alot more than your original post with answers to the type of shirts, the positioning of your product, competitor offerings, your goals, your resources and a variety of other elements. Only then could we really help you develop tactics to sell you shirts.

But to start with you should really sit down and do a marketing/business plan. In the plan after alot of analysis of the market, industry, competition, external factors and internal factors you will then be able to develop strategies for not just promotion but also pricing strategies, distribution strategies and product strategies.

To complete a genuine marketing/business plan it should take you between 4 and 8 weeks because there are so many issues to be considered and analysed. By sitting down and planning how you will go about your business will end up being a much more efficent way than just doing adhoc tactics.

Some ok examples of marketing/business plans are available at http://www.bplans.com

Hope this helps

[crankin]

Hi, thanks for your replies.
It is probably in my best interest not to disclose too much information (I just read the new article).

What you'd probably need to know is that this is a range of t-shirts that will appeal to people with mullet haircuts, people who think mullet haircuts are funny and people who know people with mullets. I am, to a great extent going on the advice of the screenprinter I'm working with. His advice is to start selling locally for a start. I feel there is a great market for these t-shirts around my area, But eventually I would definitly like to have them in shops all over the country, my problem is that I don't know how to go about this task.

As far as competition goes... none. I have not come across any similar type of shirt before. As far as price goes, shops will buy the shirts at $20each and be able to sell them for around $30-$40

My main questions are:
-How do I let shops all over New Zealand know about this product? How do I promote this to shops.

-Do I promote this product or do I leave it up to the shops to promote them?

Does anyone around here have any experience in promotion or marketing of new products?? Any help is very greatly appreciated, any direction to online resources would be greatly appreciated

One other question I'm having trouble with is how do I protect these shirts. The shirts have humourous slogans on them and would like to protect the use of these slogans to the best I can.

Thanks, Jake