Are you looking for an effective form of advertising for your budding business? Research shows that promotional merch yields a higher return on investment (ROI) than other forms of marketing – in fact, customers who receive branded merch are 75% more likely to buy from you again!
At a Glance: The Benefits of Custom Merch
Promotional merchandise is one of the most effective and affordable ways to advertise your brand. But don’t just take our word for it. Here are some studies and statistics that speak to the powers of promotional merch:
- 88% of customers remember the company that gave them promotional clothes or accessories.
- 70% of companies say that selling promotional merch almost always helps them achieve their marketing objectives.
- Compared to online advertising, customers are nearly 2.5x more likely to have a positive opinion of a brand they encounter through promotional merchandise.
- A single promotional item averages 344 impressions a month.
- The promotional products you choose to sell should be useful – it’s crucial to offer wearable items like hats, clothing, or stickers.
- Quality is also paramount. 72% of customers believe that the quality of a promotional product reflects the reputation of the company it advertises.
Just think about it: promotional merch equips customers with fun, functional, and fashionable items that they can take with them wherever they go. Whether they’re sporting a branded snapback on the streets or repping your custom T-shirts in the gym, customers with promotional merch become walking advertisements for your brand.
Luckily, Double Portion Supply has taken the guesswork out of advertising with promotional merch. In this article, we’ve outlined 13 cool merch ideas that can make you money in 2024. Read on to learn more about the best-performing merchandise categories and to understand how and why they’ll empower your brand.
See Related: How To Measure Your Hat Size The Right Way
Why is Branded Merchandise Important?
With the right branded merchandise ideas, you can incorporate your company into customers’ everyday lives while enhancing brand visibility to attract new clients. Studies show that it takes an individual between five and seven impressions to recognize your brand.
What better way to generate those impressions than by offering fun, fashionable items that your customers will love while exposing your logo to everyone they encounter? Every time customers wear your promotional merch, they’re raking in impressions to enhance brand visibility, recognition, and recall.
It’s no secret that selling custom, branded merch is one of the best ways to advertise your brand. But when it comes to logistics, getting started may seem tricky.
You may wonder: What should I look for in a merch supplier? With so many options out there, what types of custom merch are best for maximizing profits?
#1. Custom Snapback Embroidered Hats
Custom hats are one of the most effective types of promotional merch. After all, hats go with everything, and they’re useful for any occasion. Whereas wearables such as hoodies can define an entire outfit, hats are a stylish and convenient addition to any look.
For this reason, hats are worn more frequently than other types of apparel, which translates to more impressions and more opportunities to get your logo in the public eye. With eye-catching designs and stylish silhouettes that blend seamlessly with any outfit, why wouldn’t customers want to don your snapback hats and represent your brand wherever they go?
We’re not the only ones who love this on-trend bestseller. Just last month, Coach Bobby Watson sported a Double Portion Supply Cap during the Superbowl 58 Coin Toss.
#2. Screen Printed T-Shirts
Branded T-shirts are a customer favorite, and they’re also one of the most effective merchandise categories for increasing brand recognition and recall. On average, promotional T-shirts create 3,400 new impressions in their lifetime.
Wearable items such as T-shirts are one of the best ways to generate sales. According to recent stats, 85% of customers with branded apparel not only remember the advertiser but also do business with the company that gave them their swag. And when it comes to apparel, what’s better than a cool, comfortable T-shirt that customers can wear anytime?
With Double Portion Supply’s screen-printed custom T-shirts, you can outfit your customers with an everyday staple they’ll love while ensuring optimal exposure for your brand. With plenty of space to print your logo, it’s easy to align custom tees with your brand vision and values.
The best thing about T-shirts is that they’re worn by everyone, everywhere, all the time, which creates endless opportunities for new impressions and brand recognition.
#3. Low-Profile Dad Hats
Low-profile baseball caps, or “dad hats,” are the epitome of casual comfort. Inspired by baseball players of the 1970s, these hats have been trending for years and show no signs of slowing down. With a relaxed fit, curved bill, and sleek silhouette, dad hats create a vintage look for timeless appeal.
Despite the name, the popularity of dad hats is no joke. They’re the perfect accessory for customers seeking stress-free solutions for casual or athletic wear.
Because they’re casual, durable, and easy to clean, dad hats are more likely to be worn on an everyday basis and to withstand the test of time. This translates to more impressions and more money in your pocket while leaving customers satisfied with a cool, classic accessory that’s easy to pop on before heading out the door.
#4. Reusable Water Bottles
Next to apparel, drinkware is one of the top-performing categories when it comes to promotional merch. And with custom-printed, reusable water bottles from DPS, you can equip customers with an item they’ll use every day and that they’ll take with them wherever they go.
Reusable water bottles are skyrocketing in popularity, and rightfully so. After all, everyone drinks water, and as customers become increasingly eco-conscious, people are looking for sleek, stylish alternatives to make plastic a thing of the past.
By adding this practical, sustainable merch item to your lineup, you can boost sales and impressions while simultaneously enhancing brand reputation. Stats show that nearly half of customers think more favorably of brands that provide eco-friendly promotional products.
#5. Custom Mugs
Like reusable bottles, coffee mugs are a popular, environmentally conscious, and useful form of promotional merchandise that every customer will love. In fact, statistics show that promotional mugs are one of the most cost-effective ways to generate impressions and have one of the highest ROIs of any merchandise category.
Start your customers’ day off right with custom-printed mugs from Double Portion Supply, and ensure that your brand stays top-of-mind with every sip.
#6. Colorful Printed Stickers
Colorful, printed stickers are one of the most effective ways to boost impressions and enhance brand visibility. Promotional stickers allow your logo to travel through high-traffic areas, adorning laptops, car bumpers, phone cases, or virtually any other object.
Even better? Stickers are also one of the most cost-effective types of promotional merch, and they’re the easiest to distribute. Convenient and affordable for brands and customers alike, custom-printed stickers are a hassle-free, tried-and-true promotional merch solution.
Double Portion Supply offers custom-printed stickers in all shapes and sizes, with bright, printed designs to make your logo pop.
#7. Casual Bucket Hats
Bucket hats have been on trend for years, and as their popularity continues to skyrocket, they’re becoming one of the best-loved forms of promotional merch. They’re soft, comfortable, and offer fun, fashionable sun protection. This makes bucket hats a popular choice for outdoor activities while increasing the chances that your logo creates impressions in optimal settings such as concerts, festivals, or the beach.
Branded bucket hats allow you to keep up with the latest fashion trends while fostering a fully developed line of swag and branded apparel.
#8. Reusable Tote Bags
Reusable bags are an ethical, sustainable form of advertising. And as customers seek plastic alternatives, they’re more popular than ever before.
By offering custom, branded tote bags, you can give your customers a fun and fashionable way to reduce pollution. This item will travel to grocery stores and other high-traffic areas, ensuring maximum reach.
Here at Double Portion Supply, we can create promotional totes by customizing any bags you provide.
#9. Printed Socks
Though socks may not seem especially exciting, the business world thinks otherwise. In fact, demand for novelty socks is skyrocketing, with the global market anticipated to reach $67.1 billion by 2027.
With fun prints and colorful designs, printed socks are becoming a must-have in the world of branded merch.
Even better? They create countless customization opportunities. With bold graphics and quirky designs, printed socks showcase your brand’s creative side while boosting impressions with eye-catching designs.
#10. Laptop Cases
Laptop cases are one of the most frequently used types of promotional merch. 85% of customers who receive branded tech accessories use them at least once weekly, making them the perfect way to increase brand visibility.
Putting your logo on a laptop case is one of the best ways to get your brand in the public eye. After all, laptop cases travel wherever your customers do, from the office to the airport and beyond. The possibilities are endless, and so are the potential impressions.
As one of the most useful promotional merch items, laptop cases are sure to keep your customers happy. Everyone needs to protect their computer, so why not help customers out while boosting brand visibility in the process?
Bonus: Trucker Hat Vs. Baseball Hat: What’s The Difference?
#11. Koozies (Custom Can Coolers)
Double Portion Supply also offers can coolers, or “koozies,” with a variety of color and customization options. Koozies are ideal for creating impressions in high-traffic, high-visibility scenarios. Imagine your logo on display at a tailgate or party, creating impressions with hundreds of passersby while satisfying customers with a fun, practical way to sport company swag at their favorite events.
#12. Embroidered Patches
Embroidered patches have made a market comeback in recent years, adding a touch of ‘90s nostalgia to clothing and accessories. Because they can be applied to any accessory or apparel, embroidered patches let your customers’ creative side thrive.
By designing patches that feature your iconic logo or brand imagery, you’ll give customers the option to represent your brand in any way they choose. This amplifies the chances that your logo will accompany customers on the go, adorning whatever they wear and use the most.
Embroidered patches travel as much as your customers do, transforming your clientele into walking advertisements. As soon as consumers attach your logo patch to their favorite accessories, they essentially become brand ambassadors, showcasing your cool design wherever they go.
#13. Beanies & Sweaters
Promotional merch opportunities aren’t warm-weather only. Custom hoodies and beanies create the perfect way to keep customers warm, cozy, and satisfied on chilly days.
Selling branded beanies and sweaters is one of the best ways to promote your brand. Studies show that the average piece of promotional outerwear gets 6,600 impressions in its lifetime.
Final Thoughts
Selling promotional merch is a successful, savvy form of advertising that will always keep customers happy. And with functional, fashionable merch items from Double Portion Supply, the possibilities for promoting your brand are endless. We are Hawaii’s largest custom hat manufacturer, and since 2001, we’ve taken pride in offering quality products, world-class design, and top-notch customization services.
Now’s the time to get your logo out there and promote your brand’s identity. Get started today by submitting a request for custom pricing, or check out some of our staples by browsing our merch line to see what we’ve got in store.
Keep Reading: 5 Best Men’s Summer Hats For 2024
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Double Portion Supply is the largest snapback superstore in Hawaii. Since 2001, we’ve helped clients across the United States make their creative vision a reality. From wholesale hats to ANXD brand apparel, we carry everything you need to keep your own brand stocked. Plus, our custom services extend to T-shirt printing, so you stay fresh from head to toe. Get all the latest information by following us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.