So you’re convinced that promotional apparel or merchandise will have a huge impact on your next event or trade show. It’s your boss that can’t see the vision – and they won’t approve the budget! Try these tips to help them see the value in this powerful marketing tactic, and ensure they sign off on your promotional apparel budget with minimal fuss.
1. Explain the long-term benefits
It’s common for management to look at any additional expenses surrounding an event in a somewhat shortsighted way. Events can be a costly commitment, and additional expenses such as branded apparel and merchandise is often overlooked, or thought of as a “nice to have”. Take a more long-term view with these items, and consider the perspective of a potential customer at a trade show, open day, charity event or sponsorship event. First impressions count, and if your staff present as professional, consistent and memorable, this can have a positive effect.
2. Use a multi-purpose design
Money doesn’t grow on trees, so we are big advocates for designing promotional apparel and merchandise that can be repurposed in different ways across the business. Here are a few tips to ensure your items are truly multi-purpose.
- Where possible, don’t include dates or any other logos or graphics that could limit the occasions the promotional items can be used. Of course, in the case of some events having a reminder of the event’s success can be favourable to staff.
- Avoid unusual colour schemes that are particular to an event, and when used in another context would be seen as strange.
- Order the best quality you can afford. This will ensure the apparel or merchandise item will withstand long-term use, without negatively detracting from your brand image.
Think about other opportunities to use the apparel or merchandise in your business after the event. In addition to being used at future events, they could be used as giveaway prize items, as prospect or new client gifts, staff gifts, incentives for customers or thank you gifts. Our article 10 Ways to Grow Your Business with Promo Tees has loads of ideas on repurposing promotional t-shirts to benefit the business.
3. Choose products that will be used again (and again)
Choose clothing that your staff would be comfortable wearing outside of work. This will encourage them to keep wearing the garment long after the events have passed. It’s also a great tactic to encourage brand loyalty, as staff will be more likely to wear and use the promotional items after work, to the gym, or on weekends to show off their allegiance and putting your brand in front of more people.
4. Demonstrate the branding benefits
Done right, a well designed event that is complemented by well-designed event apparel or merchandise can have a significant impact on the perception of the event. The overall event will instantly be perceived as more professional, more organised, and more sophisticated. Staff will also take it more seriously, as they see their leaders taking the event seriously through the investment of quality apparel and merchandise. The merchandise can also be given to event staff and volunteers as a way of saying thank you, and giving them a memento they can take home with them.
5. Explain how impact lasts beyond the event
Branded apparel and merchandise are a great way to increase the impact and memorability of an event. Sometimes it’s experienced at a subconscious level, but it’s effective nonetheless. When your staff have meaningful interactions with event-goers, and are presented in a professional, well designed, branded garment they build and reinforce positive associations about your brand.
6. Show how it can boost staff morale and loyalty
If your event is a launch event, milestone celebration, charity event or other such event where your staff are your event-goers, the gifting component can pay dividends. People LOVE getting free stuff, and when you give them items that they perceive as valuable, cool or useful this can increase feelings of loyalty, obligation and gratitude towards the business. This strategy is also useful at events where your objective is to endear people to like and trust your brand. The power of reciprocity comes into play beautifully here!
7. View them as conversation starters
Have you ever struck up a conversation with someone in a branded t-shirt you thought was cool? Have you ever intentionally sought out a booth at a trade show because you desperately wanted the “thing” they were giving away? Conversations can open doors. And because of the enduring branding on the items, they are fantastic for jogging someone’s memory after an event – especially if the item has made a useful way into someone’s lives.
8. Consider bulk savings
Always consider bulk savings when buying apparel or merchandise. By thinking about how the items can be used in other ways in the business, you may find the quantities you need will increase. When you buy in bulk, you can often reduce the unit price for the item, save on freight costs and sometimes negotiate further discounts than if you broke the volume of items into smaller orders. It always pays to think about the return on your investment. Check out our article on Calculating ROI on Promotional Items to learn more about how this works!
So now you know a bit more about streamlining the approval process for merchandise. Want to learn more? We’ve developed a range of articles below that you might be interested in. Dive in and check them out!
Total Uniform Solutions can help you turn tangible promotional items into hard-working marketing assets for your business. To learn more about custom merchandise or other customised apparel items, visit Total Uniform Solutions at www.uniform.com.au or call 1300UNIFORM to speak to an Account Manager.
