Create Uniforms & Merchandise For Your Brand
- in 3 Simple Steps -
Step 3. Customise with Branding
Why you need to do it:
We know that the first aim of branding is: to make people familiar enough with your brand to remember it.
The sad reality is that when people have a need for a product or service, they will go with the easiest option which is:
- A brand they have previously used, or if that's not available then...
- Previously seen multiple times, or if that's not available then...
- One that seems vaguely familiar from somewhere (which is why there are knock-off brands).
Basically, people don't think too hard about it.
As we will discuss below, adding branding is a proven strategy for securing future business.
How do you make that sure you're the brand they go with?
While you can't guarantee that customers will always think of you when they need your stuff, you can improve your chances through one simple tactic. That tactic is repetition. If you repeatedly expose them to your branding (ie. name, colours, logo) at some point your brand will seep into their memory.
This is why you need to take the opportunity to put branding on all of your products (uniforms, promo products, etc).
But, if we say the exact same thing in the exact same way, people will start to tune out. (Just like you did with your parents.)
You need variety to spice up the exposure repetitions.
This can be done in a few ways:
- You can vary the branding,
- You can vary the product it goes on,
- You can vary the situation or the environment in which your branding occurs.
The more elements to your branding the better.
Which is why it's good to have a few different things (aka devices) in your branding arsenal:
- Brand name,
- logo,
- symbol,
- colour theme,
- mascot,
- motifs, patterns, etc.
With these sorts of devices available, your designs can be more interesting & it will give you more flexibility with product options.
Keep in mind that although artistic style does play a part in how your brand is perceived, most of the result is achieved through repetition of exposure.
What should & shouldn't you do:
While the main aim of branding is to achieve familiarity, you still want to make sure it is mostly positive - after all everyone's familiar with asbestos.
Getting customers to think of your brand fondly is not as straightforward as it may seem. While it may be relatively easy to expose customers to your brand, you must be mindful of accidentally creating negative perceptions.
This unfortunate situation is made worse by the fact that you've paid good money for something that has actually damaged your brands image & is keeping customers away.
This can easily happen if your branding is not thought through or used strategically. Which is why we covered the basics of marketing & memory back in Step 1.
If you haven't done so already, we highly recommend reading through the Step 1. Strategic Version section on the branding explained page.
How should you do it:
What branding method should you use:
There are many different methods available for branding. They include:
- Embroidery
- Screen Printing
- Digital Transfers
- Dye Sublimation
- Supacolour
- Alterations
- SupaEtch
- Personal Name Embroideries
- Engraving & more
Each of these branding methods has their own strengths & weaknesses. Some are more suited to particular fabrics & artworks than others.
Click on the links to learn more about each method & see what it looks like.
Where do you put it?
Once you have settled on the right branding method(s), it’s all about branding placement.
After all, you could have the best branding in the world but if nobody sees it, it’s going to be pretty much useless.
Below are the most popular branding placements for garments:
Left Hand Side Chest
Centre Front Chest
Centre Back
Sleeve Hems
Centre Back Neck
There are many more options, depending on the specific product, such as:
- Sleeve length of arms
- Collar Tips
- Back Hem line
- Pants: back hips above the pockets
- Pants: front hips below the waistband
Obviously you can combine these into various combinations.
All the placements & much more are addressed in our Branding Bible. They can also be discussed with any of our team members - simply get in touch.
Next Steps :
Congratulations! You've now finished step 3 in our 3 step journey to create uniforms & merchandise that attracts customers.
You have a basic understanding of how & why you should 'Customise Products with Your Brand'. Well done you!
We recommend reading...
Uniform & Merchandise Branding Bible
It quickly & easily steps you through the above points & quite a few more.
It also addresses common mistakes & pitfalls as well as scenarios & things that can save or cost you a lot of money.
If you haven't already done so, now is the time to start by familiarising yourself with what's available.
Our curated online uniforms & merchandise store, is the easiest & fastest way to do this.
If you can't find what you are looking for there, you can browse the catalogues brand by brand at our Brand Catalogue Library
Keep in mind that we have access to over 40 suppliers, meaning there are a plethora of products to choose from! In fact our internal system manages over 140,000 sku’s relating to our most commonly purchased items. Plus we have access to less common items which we can draw from.
If you need some help making choices, or if the prospect of flicking through catalogues unguided is intimidating, our team is happy to put together a selection of styles they think fit your preferences & requirements. As always, contact us & we'll point in you in the right direction.
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