When it comes to promotional products there are certain staples in the industry that have been tried and tested over time.
The first thing that usually comes to mind when thinking of great promotional products are custom printed t-shirts.
These custom garments work so well in terms of increasing brand awareness that almost every company you can think of has at one point used them.
So why is it that custom t-shirt printing is so popular?
When it comes down to it, the purpose of any promotional product is to be exactly that: promotional! The idea is to get your name out there in front of as many people as possible, in an almost guerilla fashion. And custom t-shirts and other garments do this very well – in some cases even better than other types of promotional products. Have you ever noticed yourself walking down the street, intensely staring at someone’s t-shirt to see what is says or what exactly the logo/design on it is? It happens to all of us. And this is the power of custom promotional t-shirts.
People’s bodies can be considered prime real estate in advertising terms. It’s low-cost (often only the one-time printing cost of the custom t-shirt) and can be long term with a lot of viewing potential. Generally speaking, people tend to look at other people and gauge the type of person they are. The clothing one wears, for some people, is an important factor in this consideration. Thus it’s natural to look at one’s clothing when they pass by you. The clothing one wears also often speaks to one’s personality. Thus examining one’s garments is a natural reflex when interacting with them.
If your company logo/design/artwork is tastefully plastered across a custom t-shirt then it is in a prime place to be noticed not only by the people interacting with that person, but by random people that pass by as well. That’s also why artwork and design is so important when it comes to custom t-shirt printing. Most promotional t-shirts simply have an image of the company logo on it. And although this still has value, it’s multiplied if the design of the artwork is well-thought out and trendy/fashionable. This does require more effort and money but can be well worth it. For people who don’t like wearing promotional t-shirts with simple logos on them (yes, there are some out there), a well-designed custom promotional t-shirt can break through that barrier.
Custom promotional t-shirts also hold more value in the minds of many people than things like pens, bags, cups and other items. Clothing is a necessity of life, along with food and shelter. Thus the weight it holds in terms of useful items is astounding. Custom t-shirts provide a great deal of value to customers and prospect that other items can rarely match. Whether as a prize/giveaway, a gift or even a value-added item, custom printed t-shirts can garner a large amount of good-will towards your brand, product or business. And it is a long-term item that is often worn again and again.
Now it would be best to mention some best-practices when getting any custom t-shirt printing done. Always be clear about what the purpose of the promotional product is. Is it being used to describe your brand, product or service, or something else? Is your artwork/design clever, humorous or trendy? Is there a particular message you’re hoping to get out there with the custom t-shirt? Is there mention of a way people can learn more on their own if you peak their interest (website, etc.)? Where and how are these t-shirts going to be used? All these are important questions to answer when designing your artwork. It will help multiply the effect of your promotional product and overall promotional strategy.
All in all, custom t-shirt printing is an extremely effective, low-cost way of advertising your product, service or business/brand. With the proper forethought and planning you can gain an extraordinary amount of good-will, brand equity and brand awareness with custom t-shirts and promotional products. It is an essential tool in any business’s arsenal.
BYLINE:
Pierce Boylin is an author, marketing consultant and custom t-shirt printing specialist. He often speaks and writes on effective promotional strategies for small and medium businesses. You can read his other articles across the Internet on a variety of business topics. Visit www.PrintedShirts.ca to design your own custom promotional t-shirts.