Started own business - How to get online presence

fitzparker

So I have been supporting a new online business along with a friend of mine

The business is a printing website for sports teams, music etc onto apparel

So I have 2 queries

1. im looking for advise on how to get an online presence? I hate the "social media influencer" stuff but after starting this, realise its probably what I need to, content creation needs to be better etc

Does anyone recommend any free online courses for marketing? also flyer creation, is Canva good for beginners?

2. I sort of shot myself in the foot, when starting the page I blanked messaged/emailed local companies to get a bit of interest in the local town/county, feedback was great and for the past 5 months we have been doing really well printing workwear, id then post it to the social media page

Now the issue is the site has gone live, and I feel im causing a clash between posting sporting tees/hoodies and workwear… so when I post i'm paranoid that why would a hardcore soccer group want to see a top from a coffee shop (is it taking away from my reputation for them not to work with me) equally, why would a coffee shop want to be associated with getting their merch done from a sport/music site ( or am I overthinking it)

As the site is gone live, now more eyes are on socials (particularly from sports fans and groups), my target audience is worldwide sportsfans, rather than local businesses but I want both options open

I have started to pullback posting workwear (especially insta) as I want the socials .. sports mainly.

What I am also doing is getting flyers printed to be given to each local business in the nearest town.

Im trying to find a medium ground to have a place for new businesses to find us and see what we have done, but mainly for sport/music teams to see.

my idea is to stop posting workwear and maybe just post to stories? then create highlights for it all to go?

For Facebook I don't mind it being a free for all as you can only see post by post really, rather than instagram which when you click in yuo can see everything from a quick swipe.

Maybe I am thinking to deep into it :)

Gloomtastic!

Kinda of a good problem to have. Well done for putting yourself out there.

Are you worrying about something that doesn't matter? Printed apparel is printed apparel. Doesn't matter whether it's for sports or workwear. You say 'you feel' but nobody has told you this is a problem.

I'd concentrate on getting orders, delivering a great service and develop your website to deliver an all in one - quote, order, proof, deliver so the customer has peace of mind at all times.

Good luck to you!

fitzparker

Yes maybe I am, more so from a corporate side im worried the site isnt "corporate" enough, but from "sport/street" it isn't fully dedicated to that cause so why would they come to me. But thank you, feedback has been great so far, we opened the website properly on Friday and all orders made have been dispatched even as far as Italy!.

I will keep plugging away, corporate has worked offline so far (DM/word of mouth) so flyers have been made to drop into each business which will be done next week, I need social media to get the sports part off the ground so getting a few orders from a corporate side monthly keeps us going until the other side takes off.

Gloomtastic!

The sports side will be a tough chestnut to crack. You’re up against the clothing manufacturers then. They provide printing to teams as part of the package.

But once you get one team in a club, you should get them all. It’s all about contacts in that game. Who do you know?

fitzparker

When I say sport, its illustrations of players, teams etc "fan made ideas" that the average Joe would buy of his favourite team/player/sport. There are many sites out that do it but not an irish one like us and not at our prices (I actually have a contact onto a league of Ireland team for us to be an official designer for an aspect of their merch, its going well and we should know next month.

Yes as you said sport teams are hard to crack but we are working with a few already, not necessarily as their "main supplier" we sell the aspect to stay with them for their jerseys/tracksuits etc (although this takes 8 weeks) if they need tees,hats in a week or 2 they then come to us.

Eventually it is the dream to be like a Ballon/Joma/O'neills but my pet hate is this 8 week turn around. My daughters case for example we ordered her school tracksuit in May for September (meant to get it in July) from a major supplier the school use, and didn't get it until October, as everything comes from China and they just embroid/print onto it.