At first thought, you might not think that it’s a very prudent move to give away free t-shirts to promote your business, but as we shall see in this post, it can actually be a very smart thing to do.
Brand Awareness – It’s More Than Just Advertising
Advertising is but one facet of branding. Advertising is when you promote a certain product or service, special offers etc., while brand promotion is when you promote the general image of your entire business. Both advertising and branding promote awareness of your business, but it is brand promotion that gives you real freedom and opportunity to be creative. This is your chance to impress the customer, and expand the market’s knowledge of your existence in fun and interesting ways.
Give the Customer Something Valuable
Yes, it is true – as a branding tool, t-shirts cost more than other things like flyers, stickers, mouse mats, fridge magnets and tote bags. But in exchange for this extra expense, there are a number of key benefits, and these can translate into a better image of your business and brand, and more effective brand exposure. This in turn translates into higher sales, and when done correctly, these sales will exceed the cost of creating the custom printed t-shirts. And don’t forget – there are plenty of ways to save lots of money on printed t-shirts, without sacrificing quality or creativity.
T-shirts are becoming more and more popular. In fact, they are considered by many in the industry as one of the best promotional items in the world. It is however possible that your particular customers might prefer golf shirts or polo shirts to t-shirts. it all depends on your target audience. Think about your customer. What kind of shirt would they prefer?
The t-shirt design must feature something memorable about your business. Think of how you want to brand your business, and that should be featured in your design. This is the whole point of making promotional items. Once you have established a design that works, you can purchase in bulk and make big savings.
Branding Products That Don’t End Up in the Trash
Consumers love to receive promotional wearables, and as long as you know how to create a great t-shirt printing design, they will happily wear them. When you give customers free t-shirts, you are welcoming them to the club and asking them to be an ambassador for your brand. This makes them feel special and improves their perception of your brand. That particular customer will be much more likely to buy from you again, and just as importantly, wherever they go with your custom printed t-shirt, they are helping to advertise your brand to a potentially huge number of people. Think of them as walking billboards.
Promote Your Business on a Budget
Most start-ups simply cannot afford to invest in major advertising channels. Free t-shirts give you a great way to achieve the same results as commercial or conventional print advertising, but on a smaller scale. Because t-shirts are more personal way to communicate your brand than these other forms of advertising, they can be very effective in building positive brand image in the early stages.
Summary
Hopefully this article will have convinced you why you should give away free printed t-shirts to promote your business. But remember: if you truly want to benefit, then you need to think carefully about the content and the design of your t-shirts. After all, if you’ve ever looked through t-shirts at Goodwill, find many promotional t-shirts that are just boring. Don’t let your design fall onto the boring rack. Today’s customers won’t settle for just any old boring t-shirt, so think outside the box and get creative!