These days, branding is everything. Everyone has a personal brand that shows facets of who they are, from their style choices to personal beliefs. In its more traditional marketing definition, businesses use branding to establish their identities and communicate their ethos to current and future customers. Through a strong marketing strategy, businesses can imprint their brands upon customers’ consciousness until they associate the brand with ideal traits and characteristics.
In today’s marketing landscape, businesses must proactively identify avenues to promote their brands. These avenues include social media, traditional print and broadcast media, and digital advertising. But even with the increasing number of ways to do promotions, businesses tend to forget another method that has worked effectively through the years—brand merchandise.
Some companies, especially small businesses, believe that investing in promotional merchandise should not prioritize budget allocation. This article will discuss why investing in branded merchandise is essential and can deliver surprising results for your business.
Simple and cost-effective marketing
Putting out a TV ad or renting billboard space takes time, money, and planning to execute. In contrast, producing merchandise such as personalized lanyards and shirts is a much cheaper and easier way to promote your brand. Well-designed merchandise can also double as a business card, especially if these are items that people are more likely to use and unwilling to throw away. Brand merchandise should use the correct visual elements and high-quality materials to be effective and attract potential customers.
You can opt to give away merchandise for free at events as promotional material, especially if your business is just starting. However, you can also sell these items to provide an additional revenue stream. Using your brand merchandise as an extra source of income will be more beneficial as your business grows.
Promotes brand recognition
It’s common knowledge in marketing that people are more likely to keep buying a brand if they can easily recognize it. A good strategy is to produce merchandise that people use daily such as coffee mugs or pens. Other items that would work for brand recognition are transportable items such as shirts, hats, bags, and umbrellas. People are more likely to remember something they use and see daily.
Improves perception of your brand
The overarching goal is to induce a positive brand association that will translate to sales. Producing high-quality brand merchandise instills the idea that your products are up to standard. Customers are more likely to cater to a business that puts time and effort into something as menial as promotional pens and mugs.
Brands are also a way of communicating a unifying message about what your company stands for to your employees. Distributing merchandise that revolves around positive brand perception and a strong company ethos can help boost morale while encouraging word-of-mouth promotion through your employees. It also gives them a sense of pride to be associated with a business that customers view positively, especially if your business has gained a solid reputation in your chosen industry.
Helps you stand out from the competition
Standing out in a competitive landscape with many avenues for promotion is tough, so you must devise a clever strategy to cut through the noise. An easy way to do this is by producing engaging, interesting, and unique brand merchandise that is highly likely to be shared around.
If your merchandise makes enough of an impact on consumers, they will likely take pictures or videos of it for their social media pages. Word of mouth has always been a powerful marketing tactic and a sure way to outshine your competitors.
Establishes emotional bridges with your customers
Maintaining a loyal customer base is the key to ensuring the survival of your brand. The goal is to make your customers feel special. For example, handing out brand merchandise as gifts can make your customers believe they are seen, appreciated, and valued.
To help you win more customers, consider handing out brand merchandise across a broad spectrum of product categories to gain the attention of as many people as possible. Given time, brand loyalty may stem from customers who feel satisfied with all that your business has to offer, from your merchandise to your actual products.
Brand merch will never go out of style
Branded merchandise is a form of tangible advertising. It allows your customers to fully experience your brand through something they can see, feel, and touch. Don’t miss a chance to make a good impression by investing in well-designed, thoughtful, and helpful brand merchandise that your customers will associate with all the good things you can offer.
