Poised Printing Pointers!
Printing tips from printing pros at
printing united
"Sucking at something is the first step towards being sorta good at something."
Connecting with all of the people at trade shows has got to be one of my favorite parts about work travel. So many of our industry friends are spread out all over this beautiful country of ours so this can be some of the only times we get to spend time with each other. What is equally enjoyable is making all the NEW FRIENDS in our industry, be it our peers exhibiting alongside us or the tradeshow attendees themselves. I am so proud of the work that we do in our department and the content we put out. The recognition we receive from the people our videos help means so much to me and it NEVER gets old when we hear the gratitude for the way we communicate the information and how much it actually HELPS people.
With all of the industry in one place we decided to comb the exhibitors and attendees for Professional Printing Pointers to share with our audience. Before we dive into them, we would like to thank our fellow exhibitors and the attendees who took the time to share with us.
1. What is a printing hack people are NOT talking about?
LEO MARTINEZ, KEY PRINT CO
In regards to printing on black shirts, if you make a mistake by perhaps getting a spot of ink somewhere it is not supposed to be - DO NOT DRY IT! That garment is likely very salvageable in a super quick and easy way if the ink is not cured. Simply apply a little water to a q-tip or maintenance swab or even TAPE! With the water based textile printing ink, you can easily remove that mess up spot and save the garment AND the time/ink involved in reproducing the piece.
GRANT FRENCH, KODAK
Listen to the customer and what their needs are for THEM to be successful in this business and then create solutions that are COST EFFECTIVE. This went hand in hand, Grant went on to say, with supporting THEIR CUSTOMERS. Everyone has a customer. Having a problem solving mindset and applying to making sense money wise is beneficial for everyone and will keep those customers coming back time and time again.
KRISTY SPEARS @CraftsByDoney
Kristy gave a great answer here: start with INSTAGRAM. With the power of social media and the internet we are not limited to our geographical location to provide goods and services to our customers - and it’s FREE! Other popular e-commerce platforms come at a cost so especially for those just starting out IG can be a great launching pad to take your business to the next level. She went even further in her elaboration by advising to find your niche, your target market, your audience. I always tell folks the very same and to not try to be everything to everyone. If your niche market is rooted in something you are passionate about, even better.
ISIDRO SPENCE, PRINTING UNITED ATTENDEE
Isidro communicated the value in doing your homework in regards to what sort of printing is going to be best for your business. There are so many options from desktop paper transfers, sublimation, laser engraving, screen printing - in 2022, there are no shortages of options to fit every volume and every budget and trade shows are a GREAT place to see what’s out there.
MATTHEW RHOME, EPSON
This list would not be complete without checking in with our dear friend, the inventor of the direct to garment printer, Epson’s very own Matt Rhome and his answer did not disappoint or surprise me- PRETREAT. The foundation, the lifeblood of direct to garment printing, this part of the process can make or break your entire print. He summed it up in a simple way: Good pretreat makes a good shirt, bad pretreat makes a bad shirt. PERIOD.
Just like in the video, we couldn’t cram ALL 10 tips into one piece of content so stay tuned for the next set of printing tips from printing pros via Printing United 2022.
Meet our author
Estevan Romero
Brand Marketing Lead
Esteven Romero began making YouTube videos back in 2017 to help new business owners learn how to use their products and grow their operation. He has been featured in many companies content such as Siser North America, Key Print Co and more. He has been featured as a speaker/presenter nationwide across the tradeshow circuit sharing information and insight to the print community audience and brings 13+ years of experience to the table.
You can meet Estevan and more of the friendly All American Print Supply Co team by visiting the company live events calendar and our YouTube channel.
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