Maximize Profits with Rhinestones and Vinyl:
Lisa Potts, The Rhinestone World
Course Objective: This seminar will explore tips and business best practices to increase profits with your
vinyl and rhinestone business. Attendees will be able to utilize vinyl and rhinestones and help with their
business. Multiple visuals will be shown around in class to demonstrate easy ways to increase your
profits.
Where should I start?
There is a huge market for custom apparel and decals using vinyl and rhinestones. Knowing your specific
market will increase your likelihood for higher profits. Some great markets to get into are schools, sports
and dance teams, organizations, and special events. Find areas that you can make small customizations
that can increase your costs.
Setup Fees
Don’t forget that your time is money! For first time customers, time will be spent creating the artwork
for their items. While this will not be a recurring cost, it does need to be charged up front. Remember,
you are charging for your time, your electricity to power your computer, and your internet if you are
using other web-based design programs.
What should I price my items at?
Remember that creating items with your Silhouette take time. Your pricing should not only include your
cost of materials, but the time it takes to create it, as well as basic wear and tear on your equipment.
Customize! Customers love having items that are specific to them. What they don’t love is a high price.
A lot of times a customer can go through a design process to only back out due to sticker shock. Let your
customers be in control of what they pay. This means creating a base design that is standard like a local
team logo. By offering add-ons, a customer will raise their price all on their own! This is done by adding
one name here using your scrap vinyl for $10. Or adding a number on the sleeve in rhinestones. The cost
of the stones can be less than a dollar, but the customization can add $15 to the overall price.
Examples:
Some examples will be shown in class that will show attendees the ways they can be successful at
maximizing their profits. A powerpoint will be uploaded after the class with calculations on profitability.