Spreadu-what? Spreaducation is a new area on our site where we have gathered information for shop partners about setting up shop, creating products and marketing your shop. Some of you might recognize parts of the texts from our marketing special last December, but we’ve refined, revamped, renovated and relocated it all.

Where might I find this fantastic stuff? It has moved out of the user area and can be found under the tab “Sell”, open to all. You will also find our new edition “Shop Partner Stories” with testimonials from some of our shop partners.

What’s in it for me? We think there is something for everyone in these pages. Beginners can find tips on how to set-up your shop and find your target group. Those who already have a shop and some ideas but are stuck at the designing phase can pick up some info on creating products. Experienced users can take a look at our marketing tips or see what other partners have done by reading the Shop Partner Stories.

Enjoy and happy learning!

But wait, dear Shop Partners, that’s not all …
There is also a brand new addition to our webinar series – Spreadshirt Vectors 101! If you have participated in our Bootcamp Webinar series, this would be your next logical step towards your doctorate in Spreadshirt. Vectors 101 will provide you with live and interactive instruction on how to create and use vector designs for a Spreadshirt shop. Sign up for one of the webinars and brush up on your vector skills!

Check out this great video from a CNN ireporter - it is an interview with Gary Vanerchuck - who is a popular blogger and top Twitter user - about using twitter.  We are using twitter more and more every day here at Spreadshirt - you can follow us @Spreadshirtcom.  

Have you used Twitter to sell t-shirts? Please share your success stories!

Are you using Twitter? Leave a comment with your twitter name so we can follow you!

Problogger has a post today that lists 10 ways to find readers for your blog.  The list the basics, like adding a link to your email signature.  I think that these ideas would also be helpful for promoting your shop.

I especailly like the idea of adding a background image on Twitter.  What have you found has been helpful in finding new customers for your shop? continue reading ‘Finding New Customers for Your Shop’

Image by Marco Wessel via Flickr

Over the weekend ProBlogger ran a little experiment where for 48 hours anyone who wanted to was allowed to post a 140 character elevator pitch about their blog in the comments section of the post.  I think this is a really cool idea and that we should try it for t-shirts - so leave a comment and tell us about your shirt shop in 140 characters or less.  You don’t have to be a Spreadshirt shop partner - I think this will be a neat way to check out some other shirt shops.

ProBlogger just posted a follow up about the whole experiment - check out some of Darren’s picks for best elevator pick - I think they are pretty clever.

• Are your beans for the birds? Learn about eco-friendly, sustainable coffee, and how your morning cup can change the world. - Coffee and Conversation
• Mom-101. I don’t know what I’m doing either - Mom 101
• I’m in a band called Linkin Park. For insight into the business and culture of music, plus updates on my band and art, visit me - Mike Shinoda
• We are the TOP shed blog! Good Looking Sheds - Built To Last. Almost everyone needs a shed! We happen to think so - Idaho Wood Sheds Blog
• You’ve just been sued for statements made on your blog. What do you do? How do you prevent it? Read the California Defamation Law Blog - California Defamation Law Blog
• About a lioness travelling with a big kangaroo round the world. Right now, we are feeding at a watering hole called Tokyo - Lioness in Japan
• My readers have called me both a hero and a straight laced prude. You decide - Maw Books
• A budget fashionista’s hints, tips, tricks and trends for effortless style; because most of us could look better for less. - The Style PA
• Some chubby math: A Fat man + various meats x bacon - vegetarianism = one funny and entertaining food blog - Eating Cleveland
• Does this triathlon make my a** look fat? Running, swimming and biking at 51. Why couldn’t I take up knitting, like normal old people?! - Run Mom Run

continue reading ‘Tell us about your shirts in 140 Characters or Less’

This weeks issue of T-magazine has a feature on t-shirts with maps on the shirts. I really like the one with the New York subway map on it. I recently saw a man wearing this shirt in a small town that was far far away from New York City.

This gives me the perfect opportunity you about or t-shirt shop map! I have been working on a big bad google map of Spreadshirt shops that sell t-shirts about a place. If your shirts are local - I want to put you on the map! More info about the t-shirt map here.

T-Magazine even has a YouTube clip of a map tank top. I thought I would share a favorite map video - this is from the episode of Friends where Joey says he needs to get into his map. When I open a map I often think of Joey saying this.

Even better - I found 2 other blog posts that reference this scene from Friends here and here! Glad to know I am not the only one who thinks of getting into maps.

I love blogging - for me blogging has been an incredible way to share stories, promote causes and sell t-shirts.

T-shirt Magazine has a great post from Anthony Marsh of  http://www.popularthreadz.com and  http://www.teebiz.com about getting started with a blog for your t-shirt shop.  Check out his post -  Get your designs seen by creating a blog for some great tips on getting started.

I also wanted to point out this great video that Glenda Watson Hyatt put together.  I think I first found this video from a tweet on twitter.  But lots of other people have blogged about it in the past week too.   The video is less than 3 minutes long and does a great job showing the power of blogging.

I have posted about some of the past ThisNext contests before. ThisNext is a social network centered around shopping - you can easily submit things you would like to buy - including shirts from your Spreadshirt shop to the ThisNext site and you can keep track of things you would like to buy. It is a pretty easy way to share you t-shirts with a new audience.

Since Halloween is near - less than 2 months away - they have launched a Halloween contest - just submit your favorite Halloween items and add the tag “TN Halloween” the more items you submit - the more chances you have to win. The prize is a $300 gift certificate to Spirit Halloween stores.

I just submitted my favorite Zombie design to the ThisNext site, check out my recommendation here.

More Halloween blog posts…

• You Still Have Time To Get Your Halloween Flowers
• Halloween Time is Here!
• 3D Screaming Skull Cover: Dress Your PS3 Up for Halloween [PS3]
• Brando USB Pumpkin Lights are Actually Cubicle-Worthy

We found this tutorial on t-shirt forums from a Spreadshirt shop partner Exittheory posted on T-shirt Forums. He has put together a step-by-step guide for creating a Favicon for your website, Spreadshirt shop or blog. I have always wondered how you get your own little graphic up there in the URL bar so I am so happy to discover this tip.

Favicon Tutorial from T-shirt Forums

Check out the Exittheory shop here. I really like this little red riding hood hoodie. Exittheory has some other great designs in their shop.

Since my interview with Jeremy Kalgreen I have been thinking alot about how to promote your shop. I will say I was surprised to learn that Jeremy didn’t use a lot of social media to promote his shop. What I thought was a helpful tip from Jeremy was the idea of designing shirts around something you like and then finding people who like the same things.

There is a post this week on ProBlogger called How to Get Noticed [The Art of Positioning] which I think is a good way to think about positioning your Spreadshirt shop. Problogger links to this post on Web Strategy By Jeremiah which has some great steps for getting noticed. Here are a few that I think are helpful if you have a Spreadshirt shop:

Have a goal
Before you do anything, think about what your objectives are. In particular for brands or personal brands, identify the keywords that you’d most want to be associated with. Try to think of keywords that people would search for, are long-term, and aren’t some made up name that no one would seek. Your goal may be association with these keywords which you’ll be gunning for. Or, if your goal is to network with others and to grow your reach, focus on how many quality relationships (perhaps defined by people that would help you and you’d help back) that you can grow. Or if your goal is to learn about a new topic and eventually master the subject material, focus on how you’ll learn by reading, then eventually writing on that topic.

Develop a unique brand
I really don’t think URLs are as important as they used to be, often folks will Google your name to find you, and the fact that we disperse to so many websites (Facebook/Twitter/Friendfeed/What’s next) is an indicator of the distributed web ruling the destination website. There are millions of blogs/companies out there, and if you’re trying to get noticed, you’re going to have to compete to stand out. Having a default blog template to your website isn’t going to be enough, you’re automatically segmenting yourself with others. Develop a unique look and feel by designing it yourself or finding someone who can help. If that’s too difficult, at least create a custom masthead image that will brand your site.

Get personal
If you want to stand out, you should add your picture to your blog, and develop a visual icon that demonstrates who you are. While not everyone shows their picture (Louis Gray comes to mind) he did develop an icon “LG” that represents his personal brand. Use this icon on all your other social media properties in a consistent manner. Also, register the same handle on other social media sites, and cross link them from your blog. Take for example Jive Software, who in a crowded space (80-100 vendors) has encouraged Sam Lawrence to develop a unique voice that he inserts –and leads– in the conversation about enterprise social software.

What has helped you get your shop noticed?

Problogger also talks about Gary Vaynerchuk as a good example of someone who gets noticed. Gary is the guy behind Wine Library TV. I know NOTHING about wine so I am definitly going to go back and check out his podcasts. I also like his Wine Library TV t-shirts - they would look great in flex. Gary’s blog - garyvaynerchuk.com - looks good too he has some good information about branding.

Image via Wikipedia Sorry - I couldn’t resist the cheesy summer joke. I am so not ready for summer to be over and I need to spend a few more afternoons by a pool - for now I will just blog about pools. This is a different kind of pool - the Spreadshirt Photo Pool on Flickr. If you are on Flickr - please share you pictures with us in the Spreadshirt photo pool - we really want to see what you look like in your shirts. Include a link to your shop - it is a great easy way to promote your shop too.