T-shirts, backpacks, even custom Airpods cases – there’s no shortage of personalizable products available on the market today. And lucky for you, any brand with a small army of fans, customers, and consumer advocates can turn this into a cash-driving revenue stream that provides free advertising along the way.
Tap into your customer base’s likes and interests and create a sense of community through branded merchandise designed exclusively for your company or brand and learn how you can merchandise and how to increase sales today.
With so many unique product offerings offered by print on demand services, it can be tricky to figure out where to start when you begin learning how to merchandise. Do you keep things simple with an easy logo t-shirt, or go against the grain with a custom bottle opener for your small brewery? There’s no limit to items that can serve as merch – whatever you dream up, you can likely design.
To get an idea of what might sell and how to increase sales, ask your customers. Send out polls on your social media channels, ask questions in your next newsletter, or speak with store regulars to help you determine which merchandise products to choose. Once you have an idea of what you want to sell, determine which print-on-demand service to use as you learn how to merchandise. Choose one that sells in small quantities so you can test out different items with an on-demand strategy. We’re partial to ourselves – our printing facility has the ability to create one-off items as well as wholesale orders at scale!
Create Your Merch Designs
Now that you’ve decided what items you want to merchandise, it’s time to bring your idea to life. Think beyond your company logo – to create unique and memorable merch that your customer base will use in their everyday life, try designing it around a concept or story that aligns with your brand and its products.
Most print-on-demand services offer a custom mock-up so you can see your artwork or design on the product you chose. You can also lean on specialized design teams to help you create a customized product designed to increase sales. Don’t be afraid to reach out to them to help – they’re knowledgeable in the biz, and have tons of expertise that they’d be happy to share.
Market Your Merch
Now that you’ve brought your product to life and it’s arrived at your office, it’s time to start selling! You want to let your customers know that you’ve designed new swag just for them. You can start by announcing your new products on your social media pages or to your email list (have fun with this!) or get creative by bundling your merch items with some of your best-selling products. If you’re working with a brick and mortar storefront, strategically place your items by the register where your customers are most likely to see them and add them to their purchase.
Once you’ve started your merchandising strategy and learned how to merchandise, make sure to keep track of your new products’ sales performance. Use these insights to reinvest in merchandise items that work the best, or rework existing products to increase sales. Get excited – this is just the beginning!
