Images Magazine Digital Edition October 2018

KB BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT www.images-magazine.com 38 images OCTOBER 2018 M ost modern embroidery machines from the major brands will be capable of producing quality embroidery on the type of garments that make up the majority of any shop’s commercial orders. However, not all embroidery machines will provide an equally good ‘fit’ for your particular business. So selecting the right machine – one that will deliver long-term profits – will require more than simply identifying a machine that is capable of stitching out a standard left-chest logo on your most popular polo shirt. Racing directly to the nearest trade show and purchasing a new machine is always tempting, but rarely advisable – the market is flooded with the used machines of those who did precisely that rather than thinking carefully before placing their order. So before you even consider purchasing a new machine you need to have fully considered and understood your business and your plans for its future: your current workflow, your core products and customers, and the return on investment you need from your proposed purchase. By addressing these questions upfront you can determine the make and model of machine that provides the best ‘fit’ for your shop; you’ll understand the true cost of owning and equipping your shop with, and for, the new machine; and even whether you should be purchasing a new machine at all. Whether you are new to the industry, adding embroidery capability to an existing decoration shop, or even adding capacity to your current embroidery department, the purchase should start with planning. How to buy the right embroidery machine Read Erich Campbell‘s sage advice in this two- part article before splashing the cash on your next embroidery machine The time to buy So how do you know that the time is right to invest in new embroidery machinery? To start with you should have a well defined idea of how you will profit from the new machine – where and how you will be making the sales that will fill the new production capacity provided by the new machine. The same goes for an investment in any item of new equipment for your shop. If you’re an individual who is already embroidering, you will likely have an established niche that you are sure is ready to buy. You’ll have done your research, hopefully even apprenticed or had training so you can run your equipment with confidence, and you’ll also have the capital for not only the machine, but supplies and pre-purchasing of garments if you are going to mark up and resell. If your businesses is looking to add an embroidery machine for the first time you may already be outsourcing embroidery orders and acting as a distributor, and will be aware of your market and its sales potential. As an existing embroiderer you may have a machine that can no longer be maintained, or maybe your order book exceeds your current production capacity, or perhaps you have identified a type of decoration that your existing customers already want (or can be convinced to buy) that just can’t be done with your current machines. As tempting as it may be to expand because you love the craft of embroidery, any and every purchase of this magnitude must start with an eye toward production and, ultimately, to getting paid for it. However tempting, avoid rushing to your nearest trade show to buy a new machine until you have a solid business plan in place Any embroiderer would love to have the option of a mounted laser on their machine, however the cost doesn’t make sense for just any shop. Features are fun to have, but they are only worth paying for if they demonstrably increase the efficiency of your operation and help you to increase your profits