S&S Activewear business advice

Turn Your Product Images Into DOLLAR Signs

One of the best ways for distributors to reach their target audiences and increase sales is through the use of shoppable ads. In recent months, Google added shoppable ads to its capabilities and Instagram is also promoting ways to monetize consumer searches for advertisers.

Erich Campbell, program manager of Albuquerque, NM-based BriTon Leap’s Commercial Division, believes these shoppable ads do, in fact, reach customers.

“Decorators and apparel sellers often expect customers to know what they want before they contact us,” Campbell says. “In truth, they often need a creative target. Shoppable ads allow us to give customers a vision. You can create something remarkable to get people in the door and discussing the possibilities.”

Let’s look at the benefits of these ads and how you can implement them into your decorated-apparel business.

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SSActivewear 90s color style
S&S Activewear Fashion

90’s Colors Are Still in Style

The 90s are back, baby! From skate shoes and baggy jeans to butterfly clips and tie-dye, the 90s are alive and well in 2020. The 90s trend has taken over the fashion world for a couple of years now, but that doesn’t mean that it’s slowing down anytime soon. If you thought your company could get away with ignoring it as a fad, it’s time to re-think your next product selection! 

One way to easily add a little 90s flair to your inventory, even if the 90s trend doesn’t really fit with your brand, is to incorporate more trendy 90s colors. So what should you look out for?

Neon

The 90s were a colorful decade. Between bright geometric prints and Lisa Frank, some styles in the 90s looked like they were straight out of an acid trip. Now, that doesn’t mean your inventory needs to be seen from space, but by adding some bright colors and prints to best selling silhouettes you can start adding in that 90s vibe. Think about adding in bike shorts or fanny packs, both still on-trend, in bright colors and fun prints.

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facebook ads
S&S Activewear business advice

A Quick Intro to Facebook Ads

Whether you’re wholesaler or selling directly to consumers, marketing and advertising are an inseparable part of running any business. However, it can seem like a huge investment for small businesses with tight margins. Luckily, social media has made advertising easily accessible to companies of any size. Facebook is especially a great place to invest some of your advertising dollars and see a return on that investment.

If you’re just starting to think about Facebook ads, you’re in the right place. We’ll walk you through the basics, so you feel even more confident getting started! 

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SSActivewear psychology of pricing
S&S Activewear business advice

Unlock the Psychology of Pricing

Why do so many prices end in .99 cents? Why does it seem like most businesses that offer levels offer 3 options? As a business owner, you know that these pricing trends are no accident. They are a marketing strategy that uses the psychology of pricing to help entice people to buy.

What is the psychology of pricing? According to Wikipedia, it is “a pricing and marketing strategy based on the theory that certain prices have a psychological impact.” In simple terms, this means it’s a pricing strategy that encourages the customer’s brain to think they are getting a deal or a great price. 

Examples of Psychological Pricing

Left-Digit Effect

Let’s use .99 cents as an example. Doesn’t it seem silly to price something at $5.99 instead of $6? What are you really gaining with a one-cent difference? We can tell you that one-cent difference has nothing to do with increasing margins and everything to do with the customer’s perception of the product. 

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S&S Activewear Fashion

Individuality is Key: The Story Behind NYC Streetwear Brand Kith

We’re taught at an early age to say yes to all opportunities that come our way. But, sometimes there’s more power in saying no. Pinpointing a path to selective yes’s in life is what has made Kith founder, Ronnie Fieg, so successful, with individuality, being the key to his success. 

Fieg’s Background to Success

Fieg’s journey to his multimillion-dollar streetwear brand began as a 13-year-old, working as a stock boy for David Z., a New York City-based footwear store founded by his second cousin. 

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S&S Activewear Fashion

SOCCO and What You Didn’t Know About Socks

Wool socks. Dress socks. Ankle socks. Invisible socks. Socks with pizza embroidered on them. Like Forrest Gump’s Benjamin Buford “Bubba” Blue, we could go on and on. The gift every kid hated getting for Christmas is now the one all adults covet—but how much do you actually know about socks, other than they keep your feet warm? Let’s find out.

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S&S Activewear business advice

Tips On Planning Your Goals For The New Year

2020 is right around the corner and with it comes, a new year, a new decade, and the perfect opportunity to set goals for yourself, your business, and your future. However, while many of us are ambitious in setting goals, we, unfortunately, aren’t always great at keeping them. A study by U.S. News showed 80% of New Year’s resolutions are abandoned by the first week of February. We know, this statistic isn’t exactly encouraging, but we’re going to help you out with some tips for planning, and keeping your 2020 goals and resolutions.

Tips for Setting Your Goals

image3.jpg

Whether you are planning personal or professional goals it can be hard to know where to start. Having a set of guidelines to apply to each goal will help you choose ones that are doable. Start SMART and set goals that are:

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S&S Activewear business advice

Looking For More Revenue? Start Building Web Stores For Your Clients.

Should web stores be in your company’s future? All signs point to yes.

“Everyone’s so used to Amazon: simply clicking to make their purchase,” says Tom Rauen, CEO of Dubuque, IA-based Envision Tees. “A web store takes a lot of friction out of a regular transaction. You show the customer what you can offer them—and they can buy 24/7.” They’re a one-stop-shop for your clients—and their employees, team members or supporters. This personalized shopping experience can turn your business into a selling machine, generating profits round the clock. Distributors and decorators like Rauen are capitalizing on web stores, to bring in more frequent and even higher-volume purchases.

Let’s look at exactly how adding a web store service to your lineup can increase your bottom line. Plus: We’ll explain how easy it is to set up a web store, and why you should pitch them to your existing and potential clients.

Continue reading “Looking For More Revenue? Start Building Web Stores For Your Clients.” →
S&S Activewear Fashion

Russell Athletic Is Back and On The Streetwear Scene

Crewneck sweatshirts — you know them, you love them, you break them out the moment a brisk wind hits your cheek and a leaf falls to the ground. They’re a classic, All-American comfort staple that will never go out of style, and we have Russell Athletic to thank for that. 

While there have been many variations over the years, the first crewneck was invented and put into production in 1930 by Benjamin Russell’s son and former Crimson Tide football player: Benjamin Russell Jr. The iconic new sweatshirt swapped the uncomfortable, itchy wool of practice football jerseys of the time for durable cotton, and featured the iconic “Eagle R” logo. In the decades since the first prototype, the brand has become a well-known and trusted name in sportswear and athleisure. 

Though, even with such an iconic contribution to apparel, the Russell name eventually fell out of the front pages — until recently. 

The once popular logo and brand has traveled from the field to the streets, and we’re all in. 

The Ultimate ‘90s Resurgence

After decades as the go-to for uniforming needs (from local sports teams to the U.S. Navy), Russell Athletic solidified their spot as a sportswear giant when they were tapped by both the NFL and MLB as the favorite to outfit teams in the 1990s. With the nation’s biggest sports stars rocking the brand, business was booming. Little did they know the classic athletic aesthetic they were producing in the ‘90s would set them up to Continue reading “Russell Athletic Is Back and On The Streetwear Scene” →

S&S Activewear business advice

5 Reasons Vacation is a Must for You and Your Employees

In the United States, we often labor under the notion that time is money. Sometimes it feels as though the American way is all work and no play, and the statistics back it up. 

To start, the U.S. is the only advanced economy that doesn’t guarantee its workers paid vacation. According to a recently revised report by the Center for Economic and Policy Research, that means 23% of workers have no paid vacation and 22% of workers have no paid holidays. In comparison, the European Union’s Working Time Directive requires its member countries to provide European workers at least 20 paid vacation days a year — something many U.S. workers will never receive. 

Of those Americans who do have paid time off (PTO), more than half leave the time unused. The U.S. Travel Association reported that just last year, 768 million paid vacation days were left behind by employees. Maybe it’s because Continue reading “5 Reasons Vacation is a Must for You and Your Employees” →