Branded custom apparel and accessories are affordable, powerful marketing tools. What makes them unique in the world of marketing is their desirability…. embroidered or screen printed with your logo, tagline or mark, they are something you do not have to work to put into someone’s hand. Like all promotional products, custom branded items are useful and appreciated by your customers. What other type of advertising media could you seriously put a pricetag on and sell as merchandise?
3 Ways to Promote Your Brand with Custom Apparel
- Reward staff for a job well done or customers for their loyalty. It will both express your gratitude and serve as a highly visible reminder of your quality and generosity.
- Provide staff and employees with branded “uniforms” or work attire, regardless of the type of business. Screen printing and embroidery offer a stylish, crafted finish to almost any garment you could need. You recognize the UPS drivers immediately – do your customers recognize your employees? Even if you feel your business is not suitable for a uniformed workforce, an embroidered shirt in your brand’s color for employees who deal with the public is attractive.
- Consider offering branded clothing and accessories in a sort of “gift shop” for the public as well. For instance, if you are in the restaurant or food business, why not offer customized aprons, chefs hats, oven mitts and kitchen towels for sale? When customers wear your brand or use these items in public, there is no better form of effective advertising… and best of all, that’s FREE brand exposure!
You’ll have no trouble finding a huge array of clothing and items to choose from when investing in custom apparel. All types of quality merchandise in current styles are available: t-shirts, polos, oxfords, fleece, sports gear, caps, scrubs, gloves, blankets, linens, tote bags, accessories and more. Use your imagination to decide what works best with your brand in terms of color, style and usage.
Once you choose the items you want to customize, put some thought into what will work best for both your budget and the look of the finished pieces. The type of item will usually determine whether screenprintng or embroidery should be used. Use the tips below to help you decide:
Screen printing
- Best for T-shirts, shopping bags and other comodity items
- Pricing is based on quantity, as well as number of colors and sides printed
- Group multiple products into one order for quantity breaks. Best quantity breaks are at 25, 50, 75, and 100 pieces.
Embroidery
- Best for higher-quality items like button-down shirts, polos, jackets and caps
- Pricing is based on number of stitches and number of locations on item to be embroidered
- Quantity price breaks are not as significant as with screen printing, but great for small orders. Can do as few as ONE!
- One-time set up fee to digitize logo – can be used on multiple product
Rely on your printer for advice and direction in deciding between what options are out there for creative ideas that fit your marketing budget. They should be able to provide you with the latest information and innovative ideas in print, signage, apparel and integrated marketing. If they can’t, you have the wrong printer! The best advice, always, is to ASK YOUR PRINTER!
Shop our full ImageSmith catalog online here. We can work with you to find the best option to suit your needs. Please note, prices in online catalog do not include decoration, but call us for a quote at 828.684.4512. ImageSmith is a full-service print and marketing provider located in Arden, North Carolina. Contact us at ImageSmith for quotes on all your marketing projects, and more useful tips on how to create custom, effective, high impact marketing solutions.
