Ever wondered why your favorite brands go the extra mile to create those drool-worthy custom shirts? Sure, we all love to rock a unique piece that screams "individuality" louder than anything, but there's more to it than just looking fly.
Part of the reason custom corporate shirts are just as popular today as they ever were is that they make excellent marketing and branding tools. As soon as you see red shirts with a small logo on the chest, you know it's KFC. The colors are embedded somewhere at the back of your mind. Similarly, the green aprons with the Starbucks logo are almost as iconic as the company's name itself.
Custom shirts give brand recognition. The recognition ultimately leads to familiarity, which is imperative for brand recall. After all, you want the customers to remember your brand, don't you? The more they remember, the more likely they are to interact with it. The end result? A possible sale.
Having said that, let's dive into some reasons why companies opt for custom corporate shirts.
5 Reasons Companies Make Custom Corporate Shirts
Have you ever wondered how much businesses spend on marketing? If we do a cumulative calculation, the answer might shock you. It's up to hundreds of billions of dollars!
Some marketing verticals include content, influencer, digital, social media, print, and media ads. While these are fantastic ways to get your brand out there, they can cost a fortune.
If you'd rather choose a method that you don't have to invest in constantly, custom corporate shirts can be a great option. Yes, they're a high up-front cost, but you only pay it once. Most of these shirts last for a long time, so you won't need to reorder frequently.
Here's why companies make these shirts.
- Evergreen Marketing, Branding, and Advertising
Small and medium-sized businesses often don't have the funds to curate comprehensive marketing strategies every year. They have to make do with a limited budget.
In such cases, custom corporate shirts can be a one-time investment that keeps giving. They do the marketing, branding, and advertising for you. Think about it — your employees wear these shirts and bring your brand attention.
Let's look at it both ways. In-store employees wear custom shirts. Every time a customer walks in, they get exposed to your brand.
In another scenario, your employees work outside of the office, such as on construction sites or as delivery persons. It's not just the employees and the custom shirts that they're wearing that are going out and about in the city, but also your brand's name and logo. That's the ultimate advertising.
- Special Events and Business Retreats
In modern businesses, team-building activities, company events, and training programs are becoming more frequent occurrences. These retreat-like events are eagerly awaited as they offer a refreshing break from the everyday work grind.
You can easily add a touch of fun to these occasions by having everyone sport the same shirt and cap. Taking it a step further, put a "punny" quote or inside joke on the shirt, and you have a team-building activity that no one will forget.
But it's not just about the fun factor; custom corporate shirts can also be great for your online image. The pictures of the retreat will obviously go up on your website and social media pages.
They can serve as your employer branding tool. Potential employees will see how much your company values its employees and promotes a team-oriented culture. It may even help you find new talent.
- Team Spirit and Pride
At Custom Corporate Shirts (CCS), we get a lot of orders from companies that want to maintain a sense of unity in their workforce. They do that through custom shirts.
When everyone in the workforce is wearing the same shirt, it makes every employee feel like they're equal to their peers. No one is left out or feels inferior. It creates a stronger sense of team spirit and camaraderie, which can boost morale and overall productivity.
Also, the team logo and branding on the shirt remind the employees what they represent. They become more engaged in their work and take pride in being a part of the team.
- Rewards for Customers
If you're the kind of business that often holds giveaways or contests, you can give away custom shirts as prizes. It does two things.
One, it rewards your customers. That's an added incentive for them to engage more with your company.
Two, the custom shirt promotes your brand. If the customer posts about their win online or, even better, wears the shirt in public, it becomes free advertising for your business.
Sports teams can benefit largely from this approach. You can create custom shirts showcasing your team and give them away during games or meet-and-greet events. Similarly, beauty brands can also distribute custom shirts with their logo and slogan, creating a sense of exclusivity and loyalty among customers.
- Building Relationships
Why limit the potential of custom shirts to marketing alone? You can also use them to build relationships with partners or clients.
Suppose you're a SaaS business. You get a new client on board and want to make them feel welcome. Send them a custom shirt with your company logo as a gesture of appreciation. It shows them that they're on board now.
Similarly, if you're hiring a third-party vendor to provide services for your company, you can create custom shirts for them, too. It will make them feel like they're also a part of your team, fostering a stronger working relationship.
What to Keep In Mind When Designing Custom Shirts
Let's look at a few prerequisites to ensure your custom shirts do their job well.
Intellectual Property (IP) Protection
The design you create for your custom shirt should only use images or slogans that your company has the rights to. Otherwise, you could potentially face copyright infringement issues. That's a blow to your marketing efforts.
Also, make sure you're not plagiarizing anyone else's designs. Come up with your own.
High-Quality Material
Again, keep in mind that the shirt will be representing your brand. Low-quality material can damage the impression and affect the shirt's longevity, which defeats the purpose of it being free advertising.
At Custom Corporate Shirts, we use the highest quality shirts and printing techniques. So, you don't have to worry about brand impression.
Brand-Aligned Design
Another important consideration is for your design to be brand-aligned. For example, if your brand has a humorous or quirky tone, your custom shirt design should reflect that.
Similarly, corporations with a more formal and professional brand image should stick to a clean, minimalistic design. The same rule applies to the text on your shirt, whether it's a slogan or tagline.
Conclusion
To sum up, custom shirts can market and advertise your brand. Plus, they can improve workforce productivity by boosting employee morale and cultivating team spirit. The key to perfecting your custom shirts is to create brand-aligned designs that are your intellectual property.
If you're not sure how to go about shirt designing, get in touch with us at Custom Corporate Shirts. We'll be at your side, from material selection to design concept and help you create the perfect custom shirt for your company.
