Hey Steve,
Here’s a t-shirt from my Jennifer Juniper cart. My husband and I were going to invest big $ to buy a mobile pizza oven. We chickened out and bought hotdog carts instead. I am so glad we did!
You may have noticed, there’s no contact info on the shirt. I plan to add it but am unsure of exactly which media to use. Phone number for sure, but website? Facebook? I don’t want to waste a lot of time. What do you recommend?
Mucho Thanks,
Jennah Foster
*********************
Nice shirt Jennah! I love the little owl sitting in the juniper tree.
I recommend putting your phone number and website on the shirt. You can link to your Facebook from your website.
Thanks for the t-shirt. I’ll wear it proudly!
-Steve
P.S. If you have shirts for your hot dog business, send me one and I’ll wear it on the next Free Shirt Friday. You can send shirts to:
Red Arrow Publishing LLC
PO Box 118
Union MO 63084
am beginning my plan for my hot dog cart empire..part of that plan is to have tshirts for sale. When I get some printed Ill send one your way, Steve. Take care.
What size?
XL
ALSO PUT YOUR TWITTER ACCT! You can tweet your followers every morning, making them want your hotdogs!
FWIW I was a custom t-shirt rep before buying my cart. Ask yourself this. When was the last time you stopped and took a phone number down after seeing it on a shirt. I’m 64-and the answer is ZERO!!! I sell T’s and because I live in a heavy tourist area in Wisconsin I just have the name of my business and underneat small, “Door County, Wi.” Believe it or not it’s a selling point. Good luck.
Dont waste your money.Hot dogs and t-shirts dont mix. you won’t sell very many on a cart.
how many use Face Book? If so, Search for Hot Dog Cart Owners, it is just a place to bounce ideas,,
I would say give them out for free on grand opening day, besides it’s great advertisement for you.
It’s all about branding
I agree with wanda any marketing should be branded with vital contact info…especially one that can help your loyals find you often. I also tend to agree with gray the t-shirt idea may be so dated that the roi is minuscule at best. What about loyalty cards…..inexpensive, customizable, bonus incentives for return business with branding…..just saying….its adog eat dog kinda world.
T shirts are a good idea but I would only have them to wear while working my cart and to advertize my business, not to sell to the public. Although, I would let my family and friends have one to parade around town to help me advertize and of course give one to Steve.
I sold 54 last year
Thanks Jim!
Good idea Wanda!
Fred and Gray,
Interesting. Opinion seems to be evenly divided on this one…
Great opening day idea Robert! And yes Cecil, it is all about branding.
Chucky,
It’s not a huge profit center but it has marketing ROI.
Right on Scott! (especially the part about giving one to me, LOL)
54? Super, Super Dogs!!!
Aloha,
I found that offering shirts at cost encourages them being bought..the purpose of the shirts is so that someone who likes your service/product is willing to “pay” for the privilege of becoming a walking billboard. The best use of the shirt though is getting it with a reward card…this way they “earned it” which means every time that shirt is out in public you have not only a billboard but an “ambassador” as well.
I agree that the shirt should be clean and simple…remember if you wouldn’t wear it, why will they. If budget is an issue for great artwork/logo design, check the local high school/college art departments…there are art students who would will love to do this for free food and the fact their artistic efforts are out in the general public (ask for the head of the department or the art teacher for recommendations). If you want to deal with the website,address,facebook,twitter etc go with a small QR code ( that postage stamp size box of dots) that when scanned by a smart phone will take them where ever you want…good luck
I’m laughing out loud (I know, lol).
Gray being helpful states, “T-shirts and hot dogs don’t mix”. Super dogs, “I sold 54 last year”!
There is no constant, no rhyme or reason. You’ll go crazy trying to make any sense of what sells one place and dies on the vine elsewhere. A clever graphic with the right word choice and colors? Bam, 54 sold and promoting your biz.
A while back I started seeing “Spam” t-shirts all over. Somehow the “meat in a can” folks made it work. People started wearing them because it was cool or……ironic? I still don’t know if it was brilliant marketing, timely or the stars aligned.
The obvious point is, give it a try. Now days you can get a small run of shirts for a test and if they work buy a boatload next time. Just use the same smarts that got you in to the cart biz and be creative. Most importantly, if your not having fun-your customers probably aren’t either.
At this time I would like to add the disclaimer that I am in no way connected with the T-shirt industry, in fact I have lost my shirt on several occasions!
We offer tee shirts now. We have set up a web store to purchase them & we do stock some on the boat. The profit is not big, but the marketing value is more important.
We have been open since 1985 . If I were a start up I would wait until I was better established. Shirts are NOT cheap, not to mention the shipping cost.
I have been considering bringing back the wooden nickel. A free hot dog on your next visit.
It’s perfect for start ups & grand openings, ect.
Robin when do you open for the season?
1st mate Jim.
I buy my shirts for $10.00. I sell for $15.00. One guy wanted one 5 XL I order it cost me $25.00 I gave it to him FREE. Thats like a walking billboard. Friends & family get them at cost or I give them to them. I have at least 75 – 80 shirts out. In my first year. If you wear my shirt an come to my cart an buy something your drink is FREE.
Thanks everyone for the feedback! I’ve sold about 10 shirts so far this season.
Hi,
My husband and I are newbies. My question is the first time out any tips to pack a wallop to the public.
I have my t shirts with name of business and signs on cart in vibrant colors to stick out. My canopy when I’ll be using instead of umbrella is in red flames (so is my name logo, with red, orange and black lettering)
I was thinking to hand out flyers before my first event and have discount on dogs with the flyer in hand or something like that. (I’ll have my name and number printed on all signage and shirts to see. Any other suggestions.
Where in Michigan and live on the St. Clair River and hope to do a busy thriving business there, but I’ll tell ya it’s pretty hard getting your foot in the door around here–Very Strict on where you can set up. I had a lot of No’s thrown my way. But where not giving up!!
I’ve been reading this site for the last year and doing my homework. All you guys have GREAT ideas and tips. Thank you. Nancy
Alot of great comments! I totally agree with Super Dogs-free advertising. Hey, by the way- my brother is interested in selling t-shirts and magnetic bumper stickers, anyone have any leads where to start??? Appreciated !
Great post as always Thanks Steve.