Category: Branded Apparel

When most associations look to have on online store for their members, they assume that the store should be available all the time. If a member wants to buy a shirt, we need the store to be up and running when that desire strikes. There is a lot to be said for that thought process. You can’t make a sale if there isn’t anything there to sell. However, what if that “always there” mentality actually keeps people from purchasing? It’s very easy for someone to just put off the purchase since they know the store is always there. “Eh, I’ll do it tomorrow.” But what, as Garth Brooks once said, “If tomorrow never comes?” The Alternative Deadlines make people act. Have you ever noticed that? The IRS has famously given…

As an association professional, you have to wear many hats. One of those hats might be around selling branded apparel to your members. It’s a great non-dues revenue source that also helps instill loyalty, provides brand recognition and can promote member recruitment and retention. There are several ways you can manage this process depending on your association. Traditional Method This is where you go and buy a bunch of shirts in a variety of sizes in order to maximize quantity discounts. This ensures you get the cheapest price per shirt. You put them in your webstore or have them at your conferences. Members buy them. You package and ship. Pros: Cheapest price per shirt because you bought a bunch at once, meaning solid non-dues revenue Cons: You had to lay…

If you were a small business owner, investing in corporate branded apparel would be a no brainer. It makes you a walking billboard for your small business while also inspiring confidence in your business. People generally just trust someone in a uniform, including a branded polo shirt. But you are an association, so does the same hold true? You bet it does! Let’s start with the easiest example of why you want association branded gear: staff identification. If you are at your annual meeting or other conference, you want your association staff to be easily visible to members. One of the easiest and most effective ways to do this is through branded shirts with consistent colors. It is very easy to say in your marketing materials and at the opening…