Just walking down the street you’re likely to encounter a variety of branded T-shirts, polos, hats, bags and other worn items that consumers choose to buy on their own. Since they’re already interested in representing the brands they love on a regular basis, giving away promotional apparel is a sure way to increase your market saturation.
From the top down
The best thing about wearable logos for business is that they create instantaneous recognition in viewers. As soon as customers see a certain image or phrase, they will think of the company and services it represents.
A study by the Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI) found that more than 80 percent of consumers immediately commit to these connections, recalling brands just by seeing a promotional product with an image or phrase they associate with that company. One benefit for small businesses here is multi-tasking with these promos. Not only can you gift them to customers and increase outside visibility, you can institute them as part of your employees’ wardrobe, making the product visible and increasingly desirable for those who come into your location.
More than half of those who got such an item, be it a shirt, hat, pen, notepad or other branded token were likely to do business with the company afterward, showing that customer loyalty can be fostered just by extending a promotional gift. The best part for a company investing in these giveaways is that most recipients will hang on to them. More than 80 percent find use in the items they are given, and the best part is they’re also shown to think more favorably of the company from that point on.
Dress for impression
Shirts faired the best among an array of potential items according to the ASI survey. They’re kept a long time, used frequently and seen by a large number of other consumers on a regular basis. These items are popular and desired by consumers when asked about the kind of promotional items they want to get, according to a PPAI research study, and more than 85 percent of those who encounter them have immediate recognition of the company.
If you want a product that’s affordable and highly visible, investing in promotional items that your customers can wear should be a marketing move to consider.