Let's face it, there is nothing quite like capturing a special moment and pictures do tell a thousand words. With the surging popularity and ease of use of digital cameras, digital decoration is the ticket for Christmas sales this year. Turning images and memories of special people, places and times into lifetime keepsakes is now easy with the vibrant results achievable with sublimation printing technology - and the market for customised photo-gifts is booming.

Using sublimation printing to create personalised photo gifts carries mass appeal. In a word, customised products have the ‘wow' factor that sells. They're personal, vivid and, because of their full-colour photographic capabilities, can impress even the pickiest customers.

And it's easier than you think to bring these capabilities into your promotional products business.

The basics

Sublimation, defined, is the transition of a substance from a solid directly to a vapor without passing through the liquid phase. In the case of sublimation printing, sublimation inks react with polyester coatings under heat and pressure to forge a near-permanent bond of detailed, photographic-quality images on hundreds of substrates, including bookmarks, T-shirts, bag tags, mugs, clocks, frames and plaques.

Many promotional products businesses outsource the sublimation business for their custom photo-gift needs and have found that the business model works just fine. However, taking the technology in-house is easy, requires minimal space (a system can easily fit into small office or home office), and has a definite potential for higher profit margins and hundreds of creative, on-demand sales opportunities.

There are three basic steps in the sublimation process:

• Create - Using a desktop computer and off-theshelf graphic software, such as Adobe Photoshop or CorelDraw, create an image that combines photos, art and custom type.
• Print - Print your image using sublimation inks (hint: bulk ink systems provide the greatest bang for the buck), a standard printer and highquality sublimation paper.
• Press - Using a standard flatbed or mug-heat press, transfer images onto a wide variety of substrates.

The good news for businesses looking to adopt this technology is that there are a number of affordable sublimation packages with low start-up costs. For example, a top-of-the-line, 17-inch printer, bulk sublimation inks, a 100-pack of tabloid paper, a 16-inch by 20-inch commercial quality heat press and CorelDRAW X4 will cost a business less than £3,500. And entry-level printer packages can cost considerably less. While there are systems that fit a wide range of budgets, the final cost is normally dictated by the targeted end products you are looking to produce and your anticipated volume.

Do your research

Rarely do businesses dive into a new technology without significant research, and sublimation printing is no exception. Trade shows are great places to learn more about the sublimation business. Not only do they offer seminars, but by visiting the various distributors that carry sublimation products, you can gain a good sense of the vast array of products available and identify which are right for you. You can get an overview of all of the latest and greatest systems and substrates, see a demonstration of the products in action and take home samples. There are also a host of magazines and online resources that offer tips and tricks, buying guides and even videos that help get your sublimation business up and running.

Market appeal

The wide appeal for digital products is growing, and sublimated products offer a uniqueness and quality that appeals to people of all ages and backgrounds. Products that feature full-colour photos on products that won't fade or wear have a higher value, and even short runs are profitable.

The opportunities in sublimation printing are endless. Because of the multitude of substrates available for printing, there are many products to choose from that fit your customers' needs and desires. Photo gifts capture the milestones - whether for an individual or for a company - and are an abundant source of potential revenue for your business. Additionally, with sublimation, you can offer just-in-time production capabilities for last-minute shoppers (yes, I am one of them so this is a big plus in my book!).

A few examples of the venues for selling sublimation products include:

• School functions (eg. dances)
• Fundraising
• Sporting events
• Baby milestones
• Parties
• Holidays
• Birthdays
• Company functions

The bottom line in targeting sublimated products this Christmas season is that you are limited only by your creativity and imagination. The flexibility, low start-up costs and photo-quality output make it a winner this Christmas season.

Web: http://www.sawgrassink.com/