Webinars
We’re pleased to announce a series of web-based training sessions in 2012 with a monthly series focused on helping you grow your sublimation business beyond the start-up phase.
No problem if you can’t participate in one of the live webinar events; we’ll archive all content for you to access at your leisure. Each webinar will be streamed and is comprised of a 45 minute presentation followed by 15 minutes answering customer questions. All webinar Q&A compiled for each subject after the live broadcast will be archived separately for easy customer access.
Upcoming Schedule & Registration
May 15, 2012
DYE SUB GRAPHICS: WORKING WITH LOGOS AND VECTOR ART
Logo designs run the gamut from the "Minimalist" varieties which are usually easier to work with (like our own Johnson Plastics logo) to the complicated, gradient-filled, beveled, shadowed varieties. Simple, less-embellished graphics can be redrawn quickly when necessary, seamlessly converted from bitmap to vector for resizing and recoloring purposes and easily manipulated to fit a design scheme. We'll examine techniques for working with customer logos from asking for preferred formats to using trace tools for converting a limited-use bitmap logo (e.g. JPEG, GIF or BMP files) into a fully-customizable vector version. As a last resort (and only when your customer can not provide you with the proper format), we'll examine quick ways to redraw a logo from a low-resolution bitmap. And remember, the better you know your software, the faster and easier it becomes to produce the graphics you need.
STUDENT SKILL LEVEL:
New – Intermediate Sublimators
This presentation assumes you are familiar with the sublimation process either as a novice to intermediate level sublimation user or as someone who has extensively researched the process.
Click Here To Register for the May Webinar
June 12, 2012
THE DYE SUB X FACTOR: COMBINE TECHNOLOGIES FOR UNIQUE PRODUCTS
Sublimation produces a full-color, photo quality final graphic on a variety of polyester-based substrates, and the products can certainly stand on their own. That being said, you can set yourself apart from your competition by using sublimation in conjunction with other decorating technologies to produce one-of-a-kind products. Sublimation's full-color, permanent imaging can turn the ordinary into something dynamic whether improving products with color limitations like engraved plaques or taking a well-known product and turning it on its end (a t-shirt with a sublimated base graphic followed by a generous helping of bling!). Where imprint quality, number of graphic colors or product shapes are a factor for many common embellishment technologies from laser cutting to vinyl lettering, by utilizing these other technologies in combination with sublimation sheet and bulk blank stock, you can create 100% unique products. This presentation is designed to inspire your creative efforts by showcasing ways you can combine sublimation with other product systems to set yourself apart from your competition, develop your own product lines or provide complete customization options for your customers.
STUDENT SKILL LEVEL:
New – Intermediate Sublimators
This presentation assumes you are familiar with the sublimation process either as a novice to intermediate level sublimation user or as someone who has extensively researched the process.
Click Here To Register for the June Webinar
July 24, 2012
BETTER SUBLIMATION GRAPHICS: FREE TOOLS FOR COOL EFFECTS
Have you ever wished for a "magic button" after struggling to get a graphic just right in CorelDRAW or PhotoShop? Do you have trouble with creative expression or designing unique graphics? The graphics community is an open, supportive group, and there are many professionals who have struggled with the same graphic design issues as you. After developing a macro, plug-in or software program to "fix their problem," many of the professionals upload their creation for the betterment of the rest of the graphics community. We'll be looking at numerous free graphics resources available online whether it's a robust standalone piece of software for creating photo mosaics built from tiled smaller photographs or plug-ins for Corel and Adobe products that perform a complicated task at the touch of a button. While Johnson Plastics does not officially endorse any of the claims made by third party web sites featured, most of the tools and resources we'll be showcasing were either recommended by or are used by our customers regularly. After the webinar, you'll be able to visit sites where you can pick and choose from hundreds of both free and low-cost graphics-based applications to help take your sublimation printing to new levels.
STUDENT SKILL LEVEL:
New – Intermediate Sublimators
This presentation assumes you are familiar with the sublimation process either as a novice to intermediate level sublimation user or as someone who has extensively researched the process. In addition, the plug-ins and software tools highlighted still depend on users knowing their graphics software proficiently.
Click Here To Register for the July Webinar
Completed Webinars
February 15, 2011
Getting the Best Color with Sublimation
(Visit our Videos Page to View Webinar)
One of the most difficult areas for many users to perfect, we’ll provide you with a better understanding of how color works in the dye sub world, ways to manipulate graphics and design elements to get the right end colors as well as tricks for taking the guesswork out of the whole process!
March 22, 2011
Packaging Sublimation Products for Profit
(Visit our Videos Page to View Webinar)
One easy way to upsell your customers is by packaging together an assortment of products and offering a discount off the a la carte prices for each item. We’ll talk about smart package offerings for both the individual consumer and the business markets.
April 19, 2011
Streamlining Sublimation with Templates & Jigs
(Webinar has completed and will be put up online for viewing soon)
We’ll provide you with information about understanding color in this world, manipulating graphics and designs to get the right colors and tricks for taking the guesswork out of the whole process!
May 24, 2011
QUALITY GRAPHICS – The Real Secret to Sublimation Success
(Webinar has completed and will be put up online for viewing soon)
Getting a quality, usable graphic from the customer is a sore point for many embellishment companies. With its full-color, photo quality end decoration, sublimation has certain criteria for determining what constitutes a "quality, usable graphic," and the more you're able to identify the right graphics, the easier the process becomes. Whether it's accepting a bitmap digital photograph or a vector-based logo design, knowing which graphics work best for sublimation can save you time, money and frustration. Over the course of 45 minutes or so, we'll discuss the difference between popular image file types, which types work best for sublimation, creating a graphics specs sheet for your customers and what to ask for depending on the job at hand.
June 21, 2011
COSTING & PRICING – Tips for Maximizing Profits from Sublimation
(Webinar has completed and will be put up online for viewing soon)
Under-pricing products is one of the most serious mistakes a new sublimation user can make, and it happens quite often. In addition to looking at costs, it pays to compare apples to apples before pricing your products for market. Sublimation offers many benefits that other decoration technologies do not, and this often relates to a higher price point than the alternatives. Over the course of 45 minutes or so, we'll discuss the costs that go into a final sublimation product (and how to keep them down!), why volume orders can be your best friend (design once, press many times …), how to compare a sublimated product to others on the market and, finally, tips to ensure you'll remain profitable overall.
July 26, 2011
MARKETING SPLASH – Making Sublimation Samples Work for You
(Webinar has completed and will be put up online for viewing soon)
Nothing sells sublimation better than a physical sample showcasing the quality results a customer can expect. There's a reason you see full-color, photo quality images on industry trade show samples and catalog shots – they sell the products. In addition to the colors and graphic quality you choose, selecting the proper graphic for your target market can often make or break a sale. Over the course of 45 minutes or so, we'll discuss ways to produce more effective sample products without breaking the bank, how to choose the right sample graphics for the market, common sample pitfalls to avoid (hint: using trademarked logos without permission is one of them!) and wrap the presentation up with a look at some of the substrates which make for great samples the prospective customer is likely to notice and keep.
August 16, 2011
CREATING A WEB PRESENCE – Practical Solutions for Selling Sublimation Online
(Webinar has completed and will be put up online for viewing soon)
A web site allows you to reach new potential buyers by presenting an online storefront which greatly expands your sales territory, helps you find niches and promotes your business locally. Over the course of 45 minutes, we'll discuss a simple approach to web marketing for anyone selling sublimation products. We'll start by identifying varying web site tiers but focus on the most basic format: the brochure/informational site. We'll show ways to maximize your site and use the information more efficiently by using the same web photos, graphics and marketing copy for other brochure and marketing outlets. Next, we'll discuss warnings, tips and resources for creating a web site whether you're doing it yourself or outsourcing to a professional. Finally, we'll discuss ways to market your business using the web and by taking advantage of many freely available (and free to use) online promotional outlets.
September 13, 2011
GIFT SEASON & SUBLIMATION – Personalized Products for the Holidays
(Webinar has completed and will be put up online for viewing soon)
The webinar will focus on upcoming holiday markets, holiday-friendly products/packaging as well as tried-and-true techniques and tricks for marketing around the holidays (Question: What do you get the person who has everything? Answer: Customized product, of course!)
October 11, 2011
GRAPHIC TECHNIQUES FOR SUBLIMATION – 10 Ways to Enhance Customer Photos
(Webinar has completed and will be put up online for viewing soon)
Over the course of the presentation, we'll discuss ways to better ensure you're able to use customer-supplied photographs and create the best-looking products from these images. If there is one shared "bottleneck" shared by embellishment professionals the world over it's the process where customers supply artworks. We'll discuss ways to get the most from customer files through editing techniques, available software and free online utilities.
November 15, 2011
SELLING SUBLIMATION ON THE ROAD – Three Ways to Explore Public Venues
(Webinar has completed and will be put up online for viewing soon)
Over the course of the presentation, we'll discuss how many sublimation and embellishment businesses sell through public venues and events. Whether loading up a trailer and hitting the road to follow the antique car show market or renting space at a local festival or market, sublimation's on-demand production style works well with custom products made in the field. Additionally, if you have a good group of sample products on hand, it's easy take orders and money from customers but ship the product to them later after you've customized it for them. We'll discuss types of shows, ways to approach different venue styles and how to plan for contingencies (hint: you always need a back-up plan).
December 13, 2011
SUBLIMATION MUGS & DRINKWARE – Five Untapped Markets to Explore
(Webinar has completed and will be put up online for viewing soon)
Over the course of the presentation, we'll discuss new and untapped markets to explore for selling sublimated drinkware. From standard ceramic coffee mugs to stainless steel water bottles to decorative beer steins, there are many sublimation drinkware offerings available. We'll discuss different ways of approaching these markets whether packaging together mugs with complimentary products or exploring ways to direct-market decorated drinkware to restaurants, souvenir, gift shops and other high-volume markets.
January 24, 2012
5 WAYS TO DIAL IN SUBLIMATION COLOR
(Visit our Videos Page to View Webinar)
We'll start the year out with a subject near and dear to every sublimator's heart: color management tips! This presentation will serve as a primer on color management techniques by providing you with five simple ways you can make sure you're getting the best color from your sublimation equipment. Sublimation transfers – like those from other embellishment technologies – will not match exactly the image you see on your computer screen or a physical copy you've scanned (and they never will). Different technologies require alternative techniques for spot color matching, color enhancement and image tweaking so, in addition to providing you with the five color tips, we'll also be discussing the ways color management in sublimation differs from other popular technologies and why. Understanding color fully could require years of training, so we'll focus on getting you up and running by providing a good basis for learning more color technique as your understanding of the technology grows.
STUDENT SKILL LEVEL:
New – Intermediate Sublimators
This presentation assumes you are familiar with the sublimation process either as a novice to intermediate level sublimation user or as someone who has extensively researched the process.
February 21, 2012
SPRING INTO SUBLIMATION! 4 SPECIALTY TARGET MARKETS
(Visit our Videos Page to View Webinar)
As we think of warmer months and what we'll do once the thaw comes, where do your thoughts wander? Enjoying the great outdoors with fewer layers? Starting a new project? To help get those creative product ideas flowing, we'll discuss four potential markets to target this Spring which fall under the following categories: boutique market sports apparel; promotional products for new businesses; a new slant on pet products; and making profits with a non-profit group. We'll go over product offerings, samples, graphic ideas and upsell potentials for each sample market.
STUDENT SKILL LEVEL:
New – Expert Sublimators
This presentation assumes you are familiar with the sublimation process at some level and instead focuses on ideas that will either help you find new markets as potential new customer bases or markets you can focus on as you're just getting started in the business.
March 20, 2012
10 CORELDRAW TRICKS FOR BETTER SUBLIMATION PRINTS
(Visit our Videos Page to View Webinar)
As much as we love discussing CorelDRAW techniques and fixes with our customer base, we're very grateful that there are plenty of excellent educational resources dedicated to this embellishment world software staple. That being said, there are a few software tricks that you learn over the years, tricks that will save you time and frustration, tricks that you wish you'd learned years earlier. While the tips covered are not all related to sublimation alone, they are all extremely useful when designing and modifying graphics for end products! Whether it's taking a look at a couple built-in macros (e.g. palette creator and calendar creator) or examining tools that allow for quick fixes across numerous products (e.g. color style tool and using object manager effectively).
STUDENT SKILL LEVEL:
New – Expert Sublimators. Moderate CorelDRAW user (X3 or above)
This presentation assumes you are familiar with the sublimation process at some level and have user experience with CorelDRAW (e.g. opening and editing files; importing graphics; creating and filling shapes; printing to sublimation equipment; etc.).
April 24, 2012
DYE SUB WOW FACTOR: A NEW LOOK AT THE OLD T-SHIRT
(Visit our Videos Page to View Webinar)
The T-Shirt has come a long way over the past 50 years with dozens of materials (both natural and synthetic) used in their manufacture and dozens of embellishment technologies used in their decoration. We'll discuss how dye sublimation compares to other technologies, some of the unique benefits found in the technology (read: premium pricing benefits), creative ways to decorate garments and how you sell sublimated apparel against the others. Whether you've got a smaller flat press or a Maxi-sized offering, sublimation allows you to target multiple zones with multiple pressings on single garment. Start thinking outside that transfer box, and start looking at creative and profitable ways to exploit this versatile, full-color embellishment technology!
STUDENT SKILL LEVEL:
New – Intermediate Sublimators
This presentation assumes you are familiar with the sublimation process either as a novice to intermediate level sublimation user or as someone who has extensively researched the process.
Sign Up for the Webinar
Option 1:
Click this link to go to register for the April Webinar: Webinar Sign-Up
Click this link to go to register for the May Webinar: Webinar Sign-Up
Click this link to go to register for the June Webinar: Webinar Sign-Up
Click this link to go to register for the July Webinar: Webinar Sign-Up
Option 2:
Email John Barker directly johnb@johnsonplastics.com. Include the information below into your email and we will be sending your registration confirmation as well as all necessary access instructions and a link via e-mail. Be sure to add the Johnson Plastics domain to your trusted senders in your e-mail program. All webinars are delivered live with both video and audio being streamed over the internet. If you miss this or any other webinar, please check back here for archived presentations.
Please include this information in your email for registration information:
- Subject Line: WEBINAR SIGN-UP – (Which webinar you are signing up for)
- Are you currently a Johnson Plastics customer? Yes/No
- Contact Name
- Business Name
- City
- State
- Daytime Phone
- Email Address
- Comments (optional)
