Press Releases

InkSoft Web Stores Employed To Fundraise for Local Businesses

Published

4 years ago

April 2, 2020

If you have the capability of creating a web store, you can use that service to help others and yourself. The concept is simple. Create branded T-shirts for businesses in the community to be sold online.

When Andy Holst, Inksoft customer, and owner of Embroidery & Screen Works (EASW), Yankton, S.D., was faced with the prospect of closing his shop due to COVID-19 and jeopardizing the income of his 14 employees, he came up with an idea.

Why not offer to create fund-raising shirts for small businesses in his community where $10 goes to the local business, and the other $10 goes to EASW, also a local business. And the Here For Good 605 (https://hereforgood605.easw.com/here_for_good_605/shop/home ) web store was born.

What started as a place to exhibit a couple of branded T-shirts turned into a full-fledged, state-wide showing of support that has, as of now, grown to include T-shirts from 60 businesses up for sale. To find out more about how this was accomplished, and how you might replicate this money-generating idea, go to https://www.inksoft.com/inksoft-online-fundraising-store-spotlight/.

InkSoft is a software company focusing on the next generation of sales and production software for decorators. It brings together sales, marketing, ordering and production management into one platform. For more information, contact InkSoft at (800) 410-3048; email: info@inksoft.com or visit the website at inksoft.com.

But decorated apparel and promo products sold through online stores won’t just diversify your offerings — it’ll do so much more.

Spread your brand in your community

As decorated apparel suppliers, this is the message you need to be giving small businesses.

It’s not just about creating t-shirts with company logos — it’s about increasing brand awareness while giving communities a chance to show their love.

A brick oven pizza restaurant. A dance costume store. A neighborhood salon.

These are the local businesses that are hurting — and if they hear about the opportunity they have to create an online presence where their customers, where their communities, can buy in and show their support, don’t you think they’d take action?

All it takes is a few branded t-shirts, designed and released from the comfort of their own home.

With your help, they’ll be diversifying their revenue while spreading brand awareness. All while getting a good look at how much their business means to their community.

The more you can do

It might just be reaching out to small businesses in your community and letting them know this is an option. Giving them the information they need, answering their questions, and showcasing how it might look.

Or maybe you want to go further. Maybe you want to give back more.

Offering discounts and new client packages is a great way to start.

Take We Talk Shirty, for example. The decorated apparel supplier based in Blakely, Pennsylvania extended an offer to local businesses — all affected by the shut-down this week.

The offer? Creating custom online stores for businesses, free of charge, allowing them to sell their own branded merchandise.

“It’s a 30-day store and our goal is to sell 50 t-shirts for them. The profit is really profitable for the businesses signing up for this. And it’s open to anyone who owns a business,” We Talk Shirty owner Ron Augelli explained.

Take action

The truth is, if you have the capabilities and the man-power, you should be doing what you can to help. From our niche area of expertise, creating online stores for local businesses is a great option.

InkSoft has the features needed to create virtual stores beautifully, quickly, and painlessly — but the point of this blog isn’t to sell you on our platform.

The point is to sell you on the idea — on the need for taking action.

But, if you are interested in learning more about InkSoft Stores, including our Designer and Fundraising features, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Anything our team can do to help yours function through this tricky time, we’d be glad to do. Because, like you, we’re still working. And we’re here to help.

You can reach us at 800-410-3048.

Stay safe,

The InkSoft Team

Let’s Talk About It

Creating a More Diverse and Inclusive Screen Printing Industry

LET’S TALK About It: Part 3 discusses how four screen printers have employed people with disabilities, why you should consider doing the same, the resources that are available, and more. Watch the live webinar, held August 16, moderated by Adrienne Palmer, editor-in-chief, Screen Printing magazine, with panelists Ali Banholzer, Amber Massey, Ryan Moor, and Jed Seifert. The multi-part series is hosted exclusively by ROQ.US and U.N.I.T.E Together. Let’s Talk About It: Part 1 focused on Black, female screen printers and can be watched here; Part 2 focused on the LGBTQ+ community and can be watched here.