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Updating Your Google Business Profiles

6/6/2022

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Update your Google Business Profiles regularly to get listed for local search

I try to update our Google business profiles with new content at least weekly. If you embroidery shop doesn't have a google business profile you need to create one so your company can start getting listed in the google engine. 
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How many Google profiles?

We have 4 business profiles for our other subset businesses connected to Northwest Embroidery. The more local companies you can list the better chance you have becoming ranked with Google.  I update three additional business profiles; Northwest Custom Apparel, Ram Headwear and our retail t-shirt site, 253gear.com. 
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What should I update

They key is consistent posting, not necessarily worrying too much about what you want to say. I suggest starting with an update such as an employee's birthday, new product or a new customer. Remember customers love to have their name shouted out on the internet.
Google Update Your Business Page
I suggest creating weekly updates on your Google Business page to stay relevant for your customers and the google search index

Post lots of photos

Potential customers love to see photos of your embroidery shop. Post photos of your embroidery, machines and employees. Today with mobile phones you should have no problem taking a high resolution photo with good lighting and clarity. 
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When should you start posting?

The worst post ideas is the one that sits in your head and not out into google land. It doesn't matter the quality when you start out, you just have to get one post started. You will get better weekly and in 45 days you will be a posting like a professional.  Get out and start posting and watch your phones start ringing.
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Author: Erik Mickelson

Erik Mickelson is a self taught Google Marketer. Erik uses these marketing techniques to promote his family's business, Northwest Custom Apparel.
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Ram Headwear Making a Comeback in 2022

6/4/2022

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"We sold out of the Ram Caps within 6 months", says owner Jim Mickelson.
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Ram Headwear was our flagship brand back in the 1980s and was very successful in the Pacific Northwest. The Ram style cap was one of the most sought-after caps for the construction and service industries. The Ram name disappeared in the 1990s due to the ease of purchasing caps locally from cap suppliers like Richardson and Port Authority. However, Ram Headwear did make a short reappearance in 2003 when we imported 10,000 caps with the Ram label. 

In what capacity are the Ram caps coming back?

Due to the supply chain disruption, Ram caps are coming back in limited quantities. The turn time to get in a caps container is over six months. We partnered with Caps USA, a local cap importer from Seattle, to manufacture and label our RAM caps.

Northwest Custom Apparel's Operations Manager, Erik Mickelson, poses with his RAM cap while camping at Jedidiah State Forest in the Redwoods. "Camping in the Redwoods, you have changing weather throughout the day. Mornings are damp and cool, and as the sun rises at noon, temperatures are sunny and warm. I appreciate the RAM cap keeping my head warm during the mornings and cooling me off in the midday sun".
Picture"The mesh back keeps your head cool during the basking midday sun of Northern California." - Operations Manager, Erik Mickelson

New Ram Style 112 inspired by Richardson Caps

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Our inspiration for our new style #R112 is from legendary Richardson Headwear, who is the premier cap supplier since 1976. The new R112 is similar to the Richardson 112, but with some new bells and whistles. such as a softer plastic snapback. The R112 plastic was developed by Israeli scientists that helped develop the Kornit ink system.  Using the organic plastic composition used for the ink, we were able to use that technology to create an organic snapback.

Ram Headwear Distributors 

The RAM cap will be available late 2022 or early 2023, pending a patent on the snap back. Once the patent is completed RAM will have an exclusive on this snap back. Soon as inventory is available the following suppliers will be distributing the RAM cap throughout the United States.


Fresh Caps Embroidery Tampa, FL (813) 878-2401
(701) 271-0052
Black Hills Headwear Fargo, ND (701) 271-0053
Bonfire Screen Printing Phoenix Arizona (480) 967-5578
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The name Caps USA is a new brand coming from Yopong Headwear out of Korea. Caps USA warehouse is located in Renton, Washington with many different styles of caps to choose from. Caps USA is private labeling our RAM Headwear and should be available for sale in late 2022 or early 2023. If you need caps sooner we have stock without the RAM label in the style R112. It's our flagship cap with the snapback.  Colors Available
R112​
- Mossy Green
- Metallic Pea
- Coldwater Blue
- Maverick Navy
- Jet Black



Cap Embroidery Available 

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Northwest Custom Apparel is the source for all the CAPS USA embroidery. Caps USA is a warehousing and fulfillment company in Seattle, Washington located at 6050 E Marginal Way South, Seattle, Washington (206-626-4443)




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4th of July Shirts

6/1/2022

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Wow, time is flying, and it’s already June 1, 2022. It's already six months into the year, where did the time go by so quickly?

Order Your Fourth of July Shirts Early
Some marketing ideas I was going over my head last night for the month of June are that we need to start getting on the July 4 T-shirts marketing program. If your embroidery shop wants to sell T-shirts for the Fourth of July holiday, you need to be reaching out to your customers like now and book those orders, so you have a long enough production time to get those Fourth of July orders out.

We are marketing our Fourth of July T-shirts using Mailchimp email software, where we upload our customer list and send a mass email out with a photograph of a T-shirt.

​We take orders via telephone using our excellent sales reps in our front office. They will write down the size and color of the T-shirt and pass the artwork onto our artist, who will develop the Fourth of July T-shirt custom artwork.

Recommended 4th of July T-Shirts
I recommend using a 100% combed cotton t-shirt that has a smooth hand to it. The printing and embroidery will be crisp and sharp. Our number selling t-shirt is the Sanmar Port Authority PC61 (100% t-shirt). I reviewed this earlier in 2022 and rated it 8 out of 10 starts. 



State of Washington with Fourth of July colors. Red white and blue. The Texas Binford metals
Our design inspiration comes from the patriotic members of the great state of Washington. This design will be printed using our Kornit Direct-To-Garment Printers.
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The Northwest Custom Production grew enjoying the 4th of July.

4th of July Shirts, Order Form

Author

Erik Mickelson is a 2nd generation embroider. He is the Operations manager at Northwest Custom Apparel. 

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Roxy Rockin 20 T-Shirts at a Time

4/1/2022

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Another Fun Friday at Northwest Custom Apparel. Roxy attempts to wear 20 t-shirts at one time. Sit back and enjoy this short video.  The shirts are available for purchase at www.253gear.com
A big Shout out to the local fire departments and companies t-shirts
  • East Pierce Fire Department
  • Central Pierce Fire Department
  • Johnson Candy Shop: Tacoma, WA
  • West Pierce Fire Department
  • Bob's Java Jive: Tacoma, WA
  • Tacoma Dome
  • Puyallup High School Alumni T-Shirt
  • Bonney Lake Police Department
  • The Chalet Tavern: Puyallup, WA
  • Graham Fire
  • www.253gear.com 
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New Services for 2022

2/18/2022

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T-Shirt of the Quarter Club

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Burt opening his Bark Box

It's 2022 and we have some new services we are adding by requests from our customers.  The two services are a new T-Shirt of the Quarter and improved online store web platform.  I am excited to launch these by March 2022 and get them going for everybody. 

T-Shirt of the Quarter Club

As you know, pets are almost as important as human beings. I have a 6.6 pound Yorkipoo, and I would do almost anything to keep Burt happy. Yes, his name is Burt, after my favorite movie of all time, "Smokey and the Bandit" starring Burt Reynolds. ​
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Getting back to how I thought of the T-Shirt of the Quarter Club. I ordered a monthly subscription to a Bark Box, treats, toys, and a monthly theme. Burt goes nuts when I run through the door with the box. I set it down, and he nearly rips through the cardboard box, busting out the squeaky toys and treats. Luckily, he is tiny and can't chew his way through the cardboard. I then crack open the box, and he starts with the squeaky toys and then moves onto the little treats. I will post videos and photos of Burt going nuts over the "Bark Box."

​I figured if Burt goes nuts over a Bark Box, a human will go nuts over a box of custom t-shirts. So, I decided to make a box with 12 t-shirts and some funny little inserts with jokes that will put smiles on people's faces. The t-shirt club gets you a quarterly subscription of 12 t-shirts with your company's logo. Each quarter our artist, Steve, will develop a new rendition of your logo and will work with you to make sure you love it. An example would be taking your logo and placing it in front of Mt. Rainier or a Northwest Icon. We can even print your equipment on the front of the t-shirt alongside your logo. It will be fully customizable. The company employees will anticipate the t-shirt box and go nuts like my 6.6-pound Yorkipoo. Stay tuned for more details on the shirts of the quarter club. ​
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    Author

    Erik Mickelson ,the Operations Manager since 1996  is a 2nd generation embroider. Erik started fulltime in his family's company after is graduation from Washington State University in 1996.

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Northwest Custom Apparel Main Page
Northwest Embroidery
1-800-851-3671
2025 Freeman Rd. East
​Milton, WA 98354
​Email   
  • Home
  • July Specials
    • 6 Trucker Caps $99.00
  • Embroidery
  • Catalog
  • Ordering Info
    • How to Order
    • Forms
  • Contact Us
  • Services
    • Direct-to-Garment Printing
    • Artwork
    • Alaska Shirts and Caps
    • Coffee Mugs
    • T-Shirt Club
    • Online Company Stores
  • Contract
    • Contract Application
    • QDigitizing.com
    • Contract Embroidery 2022
  • Upload Art
  • About
    • History
    • Staff Photos
  • Blog
  • Pet of the Month