How to Make the Most of Branded Merch for Your Business
How do you show love for your favorite brewery, band, burger joint or nonprofit? With a T-shirt, of course!
Businesses, organizations, and even online influencers know the power of branded merch. And that’s because it works. Need proof? Open your drawer of $50 concert tees! [Guilty!]
And research supports the effectiveness of branded merchandise. One report revealed people are 2.5 times more likely to have a positive opinion about a tangible product versus a digital advertisement. That means your business needs to add merch to the mix!
How do you get started with merch? And how do you ensure the items sell? No one wants to be stuck with boxes of T-shirts or coffee mugs.
Keep these four things in mind as you incorporate branded merchandise into your business.
1. Pick items that fit with your brand. You can’t go wrong with wearable items – T-shirts, hoodies, hats – as those are the most popular among consumers.
So, start with the basics and then expand into items that align with your brand. Pint glasses and koozies are a natural fit for a brewery. A local pet store could easily sell branded dog bandanas or travel water bowls, for example.
2. Don’t go overboard at the beginning. If you’re a new business or you’re just getting started with branded merchandise, don’t order all the things.
Start with a few T-shirts or hats to test the waters. See how those sell. Listen to customer requests. You can always add more items or try something new once you’ve seen what works.
3. Create customer demand. Nothing gets people to pull out their wallets like a limited offer. A business anniversary, seasonal celebration or other special event is a great opportunity to order a limited number of items and sell them quickly.
You could also partner with a local nonprofit organization to sell a special item for a short period of time. Customers love purchasing something unique that also supports a great cause.
Carry your regular run of hats, hoodies and T-shirts. But add some fun, special items to the mix to keep your merchandise offerings fresh and entice your regulars to buy something new.
4. Don’t neglect your display! We’ve all seen that one dusty T-shirt hanging behind the cash register. Not exactly how you tempt customers to buy one, right?
Design an engaging, easily accessible display of your organization’s branded products.
Even if you don’t have a lot of space, you can get creative and develop an eye-catching display.
We’re showcasing three of our clients to give you some ideas and inspiration for how you can display your own merchandise.
Low Tide Brewing on Johns Island shows off T-shirt designs in frames hanging on the wall. It’s a great way for customers to see the different designs without having to dig through bins of shirts. The T-shirts are then rolled up, organized by size, and stored in cubbies.
Smaller products like koozies are easily stored in baskets with a separate shelf to showcase hats. A few long-sleeved shirts and sweatshirts are placed on hangers.
All the items are easy to see and accessible to customers. And, a big plus is that things stay neat and organized.
Smashley’s Burger Bar in North Charleston is short on floor space so they made great use of wall space for a merch display.
Slatwall panels are perfect. They work with hangers. And you can easily attach shelves or baskets to the panels for displaying small items like hats, koozies or mugs.
And what about when you need to take your merch show on the road? For a great example of a pop-up shop or booth, check out Lowcountry Highrollers. They have a really fun merch display at their games.
Hang shirts (front and back!), prints, posters or tote bags behind the booth. The height makes it easy for people to see and it’s eye-catching from across the room.
Save your table space for smaller items like stickers, cups, hats, buttons or pens.
An enticing merchandise display ensures your items will sell quickly. This means a faster return on your investment and money to spend on additional products. Plus, more people are walking around town advertising your brand and they aren’t even on your payroll!
Put branded merch to work for your business or organization. Request a quote or stop by our showroom (1758 Ashley River Road in Charleston) where you can chat with our garment gurus about which items would be best for your brand.