The need for marketing never lets up. It’s always there, whether your business is new born and taking its first tentative steps on the road to global domination or already rolling along at full speed. There are numerous routes to increased visibility. One of the most effective is branded merchandise. We know because custom clothing is what we do. It’s our area of expertise. So, here are 5 reasons why printing t-shirts is marketing magic.
Back in the day, Fifth Column started out printing t-shirts for punk bands. It was successful on several different levels. At the time, making a profit on the finished article was a bonus. What gave us, and the bands, the biggest buzz was seeing folk actually wearing them. Another bonus was that our work was busily advertising itself. Well after we’d done the printing, it was walking the streets.
That’s the first reason. It works. When we say printing t-shirts is marketing magic, a great way of getting attention, it’s an opinion based on experience. We’ve read the book, seen the movie …and printed the shirt.
Potential
Message
Marketing and Custom T-Shirts.
For some of our customers bespoke t-shirts aren’t primarily about marketing. The item itself is their bread and butter. Sure, marketing plays an important part, but the actual product is the main focus of their business. It’s what they do. Designing and selling shirts which are exclusive and not to be found on the High Street. Stand out garments that speak to a clearly defined sector in the market. We love that approach to the art. But we’re also happy to help those who see the t-shirt as an addition to their main activity.
We know that a piece of customised apparel can represent a new and completely different way to reach the people who support your core business. It can be a somewhat scary aspect of the marketing maelstrom. Take heart. There are more than 5 reasons why printing t-shirts is marketing magic, but here are another 4.
Need help finding the best t-shirts for printing? Get in touch with our friendly team for some expert advice.
Potential. First up, let’s think about the possibilities. Taking things to another level. It’s sometimes easy to overlook new opportunities when you’re already doing well.
You’ve done a string of gigs and stormed it. Have people asked about merchandise? Could you be selling ten or twenty t-shirts at each venue? Any profit is welcome, but that shirt is also an advert for your band. And the availability alone makes you look more professional.
Your brewery is making beer that sells like liquid gold. How do you maximise the impact and spread the word at the same time? Get a great design printed on a tee or hoody, something that echoes the appeal of the beer, and your customers will happily help you out.
You started the charity because you care passionately about the issue and want to make a difference. A printed t-shirt not only raises much needed funds, it raises awareness. Promoting the cause to a wider audience can help turn that personal passion for change into a reality.
Message. Spreading the brand message is crucial. Social media is, quite rightly, recognised as a vital tool in doing that. A follower liking a post on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram is fantastic. Sharing is even better. But sometimes you need more than virtual reality.
Physical endorsement can speak louder than words. That’s where a t-shirt has the edge. It’s a real, tangible demonstration of where someone’s loyalties lie. You can’t beat that. It sends a different type of signal. Something that you can reach out and touch, feel the softness of cotton and the texture of the printers ink against it, is a special thing.
Cost
Longevity
Cost. The cost of any marketing exercise is a massive factor. Will your idea be cost-effective? Do the numbers add up? Can you justify, let alone guarantee, cost against return?
The honest answer is no. There are no absolute guarantees in life. The best you can hope for is to do your homework, look at your market and specific circumstances, and arrive at a considered conclusion. If you’re still unsure, choosing a proven marketing method is often a good place to start. Especially one which can be relatively inexpensive compared to what you get for your money.
It’s not difficult to very quickly run up a bill of thousands on Facebook ads or pay per click campaigns. Spend that kind of cash on printing t-shirts and you get a lot of bang for your buck. That’s if you give the shirts away. Sell them and there’s every chance you recover production costs or end up in profit, depending on mark-up, margin and sales figures.
Longevity. Lots of marketing initiatives have a limited life expectancy. Take digital advertising. The click costs and the click might be all you get. It’s literally an instant in time and then it’s gone, apart from the fact you’ve paid for it. Or perhaps try old school instead. How about taking space in a traditional publication like a newspaper or journal? In some ways, it’s even worse. The paper may have a decent circulation/distribution, but you don’t know if anyone will read your particular section. There’s no computerised counter telling you someone has shown an interest. The lifespan for both of these things can last as long as it takes to hit a button or turn a page.
T-shirts stay with people. Indeed, folk grow to love them. Most of us have at least one tee that’s special to us. A favourite article of clothing, associated with good times or something in which we believe and support. They become a public statement of affection or conviction. The t-shirt that’s worn and washed and worn again. And every time is a new lease of life for what’s printed on it.
Which brings us nicely back round to the first of our 5 reasons why printing t-shirts is marketing magic. That Clash t-shirt we printed so many years ago is loved as much today as it was then.