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 session, “if you have questions, find the folks in the bright red shirts with the association logo on the front.” If you’ve been to any ASAE event, you see this all the time.
Speaking of staff, giving your staff branded association apparel helps generate excitement and loyalty. It doesn’t matter who you are, you enjoy getting a nice, new piece of gear with your company’s logo on it. It can be a cost-effective way to show staff appreciation while helping the promotion of the association at the same time.
When it comes to members, having association branded shirts, hats and other items available, helps you promote the association. As an association, you have the ability to lean on your most loyal members to help you spread the word an grow the association. One of the best ways you can do that is through association branded apparel. With your members wearing your association’s gear at industry events, it provides you another marketing platform at the 1 to 1 level. Just seeing that logo on a polo shirt can start a conversation, which can lead to another member.
If you’re trying to create more of those super loyal members, a simple gift of association branded apparel can sometimes be what the doctor ordered. You’d be surprised just how much goodwill can be generated by the gift of a shirt or hat. You have the ability to give them their next favorite shirt. I’d be willing to guess if I asked you what your favorite shirt was, you could tell me instantly. Now what if that shirt was one your association gave them?
Providing association branded apparel is much easier than you think these days. With the advancements in apparel decorating, there are several ways where true consultative partners like AssociationStores.com can create designs and programs that can be truly print-on-demand. If you have no inventory to manage and shirts are only made when ordered, then your risk goes to zero. Gone are the days of buying 500 shirts and sitting on 50 left over smalls that no one wanted.
Lastly, association branded apparel can be an extra source of non-dues revenue. Every association is looking to diversify its revenue and hopefully contribute more to the bottom line that isn’t dues related. Selling association branded gear can be a nice extra bonus each year in both revenue as well as member goodwill and added awareness. So take a look at how adding in some nice association branded apparel might give your association a boost.