CHOOSING BRANDED CHRISTMAS GIFTS

For many companies, offering a personalized or branded gift at Christmas has several purposes:

1.    It recognizes customer loyalty.

2.    It creates brand recognition.

3.    It offers a thank you to new customers who may not be fully engaged with the brand yet.

4.    It establishes the company offering the gift as being substantial and caring.

These are great marketing opportunities that shouldn’t be neglected even when marketing budgets are tight. In fact, thinking creatively around the idea of a business to customer gift is a great way to establish some brand features that will encourage your customers to think of the company as one that supports them in tough times.

Branded clothing has practical value, unlike the traditional forms of corporate gift such bottles of wine or spirits, boxes of chocolates or the more modern and less personal approach of giving vouchers.

At the top end of the scale, monogrammed shirts, or hoodies for younger individuals offer a superb, highly-personalized approach to gift giving. It’s not a cheap way to recognize the customer’s value but for the truly valued client, it’s a brilliant approach. Think outside the box though, and see if you can select something that the customer will really value: sports clothing with a monogram that a customer can use for their favourite sport is an ideal way to say thank you.

In the middle of the market, T-shirts offer a chance to give a gift that gets worn, and is fully appreciated without breaking the bank. If your customers are young, find a young designer to style your company logo in a completely new way, that reflects current trends but if they’re more traditional, go for a classic and simple statement, maybe the company logo as a sleeve print or small embroidered detail with neat and unobtrusive contact details below it.

For the masses, if you have lots of customers and/or want to buy something that can be used for both Christmas gift and general promotional purposes, think about branded hats or lightweight bags. Don’t fall for too much novelty though: amusing images like Santa riding on your logo etc are only funny for a very short time and then fall out of favour and have no value to the recipient. It’s better to think about longevity and choose a hat or bag that will be used year round. Practicality is the key to a successful gift and you can double the promotional whammy you get from such items by running a competition that offers to reward the person who takes the best picture of their hat/bag in an unusual place or in a location appropriate to your business. Post the photos on facebook and tweet about them in your twitter account to get the maximum cross-platform marketing boost from your promotional clothing spend.

The Many Benefits Of Embroidered Patches Compared To Direct Embroidery

When deciding to purchase embroidered patches, it is only natural to consider the possibility of direct embroidery. When purchasers do their homework, they inevitably decide upon embroidered patches. Here are six consistent reasons that consumers opt for embroidery patches.

1. Expense - Embroidered patches are far less expensive than direct embroidery. High stitch count designs are only affordable with embroidered patches. New computerized design and sewing technologies have served to reduce manufacturing costs.

2. Versatility - Embroidered patches can be easily applied to pants, shirts, sweaters, sweatshirts, jackets, caps and just about any other form of clothing. Additionally, embroidered patches can be purchase with an iron on backing which is very useful as quick applicable promotional piece.

3. Prominence - With features like glow-in-the-dark and 3 Dimensional options and with today's computerized design process, embroidered patches truly stand out more than directly embroidered images.

4. Puckerless - Directly embroidered images tend to gap and pucker with repeated washing. Embroidered patches can withstand the cleaning and drying cycle without a change in appearance.

5. Collectible - Many embroidered patches have become collectors' items. If your organization is building an image, this is the response you want.

6. Fashion - Patches are in! Look around. PBS did a series on the "Patch Pop Culture." Today's companies, individuals and groups are making fashion statements with embroidered patches. Show your creative personality and design your own embroidered patch.

It is very easy to apply embroidered patches to articles of clothing or caps.

1. Stick on - Simply peel the backing and apply to a piece of clothing. This non-permanent option allows the user to remove the patch and apply to another article of clothing. Pressure adhesive patches can be sewn on after use.

2. Iron on - Heat seal backing allows embroidered patches to be ironed onto clothing and caps for a permanent, secure hold. This application can be accomplished by the individual or by a dry cleaner in juts minutes. Heat seal backing allows for precise positioning of the embroidered patch.

3. Sew on - Despite the other options, sewing on the embroidered patch, sewing the patch on is the most popular form of attachment. Sewing provides permanence, proper positioning and the option of easy removal down the road. Today's sturdy patches can be removed and sewn back on another garment without problems.

4. Rip on - Velcro can be applied to the back of the patch. Velcro provides instant application and easy removal. However, it is the least secure option but is re-usable.

5. Hot Cut - Custom patches also give you the look and feel of direct embroidery without the exorbitant costs associated with it. When you Hot Cut a patch to the shape of the design there is no extra material or merrowed edges.

With the many benefits of embroidered patches compared to direct embroidery and with the flexible application options, individual and business consumers are relying on patches to deliver their message. Make the smart choice and check out which embroidered patch is best for your use.

Five Benefits Of Embroidered Workwear

It’s very important to take care of your employees. If they feel happy and comfortable within their workplace, there is a chance they may work better and bring success to your company. High quality embroidered workwear is one of the most effective incentives employers can give. It’s a great investment that has a lot of benefits. However, when investing in workwear for your employees, take into consideration several important features, such as good quality and durability.

Embroidered workwear has to be of great quality to make employees feel comfortable wherever they work and in whatever weather conditions. Besides, workwear has to be durable. Embroidered jeans, jackets, polo shirts, trousers and footwear have to be made of durable materials that won’t tear or wear out easily. In addition, special materials have to protect employees from the cold in winter, and provide cooling insulation during the hotter times of the year.

Embroidered workwear has a lot of advantages:

1.      Helps identify employees to customers

The workwear of employees can have your company’s logo on it, so workers can become easily identifiable. Embroidered logos of the company are very helpful for the customers, who can easily find specialists they need. It’s a way for your company to stand out from the crowd and become visible to customers.

2.      Helps employees feel part of the team

Embroidered workwear creates the sense of unity for employees. Wearing clothing that displays the company’s logo, employees’ names and their positions may help them feel part of the team.

3.      Encourages employees to work efficiently

Besides the company’s name and logo, workwear can display the employee’s name and position. Some workers wear their clothing with pride knowing that everybody can see his or her name and position. Besides, customers call employees by their names which is always nice to hear and very often contributes to the good mood of company workers. This may help encourage them work more efficiently.

4.      Helps promote your brand

Embroidered workwear is a great marketing technique. Just imagine that your potential customers can see the name of your company not only at the store, but also in a cafe, when your employees are having a lunch break or on the street when they are heading home. It’s free advertisement and a great way to cement your company’s name in the minds of consumers which in turn, can help increase sales.

5.      Makes it easier for customers to contact you

You can also display your company’s details on the workwear to make it easier for your clients or customers to contact you. They don’t have to ask for your business card and wait for someone to give them a reply. The most important information is right in front of the customer, on the polo shirt or jacket of the employee they are talking to.

All things considered, embroidered workwear is very important for every company. When using it, besides taking care of your employees, you promote your brand and make it easier for the customers to view all the necessary information and contact your company.

BENEFITS OF SHOPPING LOCALLY FOR CUSTOM EMBROIDERY

We are a home-based business offering great benefits for our local-area customers over shopping via the Internet, and we wanted to make you aware of them.

No price surprises. Internet shopping often lures customers with initial low prices that sound great until they suddenly increase with all the add-on charges into something much costlier. At Creativity On, you’ll know all the costs up front. No unwelcome surprises. You’ll also be pleased to discover how good our prices are.

See and feel. A great advantage is that we offer you stitch-out samples of embroidery. Check them out before mass production begins. See them, feel them. If need be, tweak the design to perfection. This definitely builds confidence when you’re in charge of ordering a large quantity. Sure, we provide close-up photos for our out-of-town clients, but there’s no substitute for seeing the real deal exactly as it will be embroidered.

Try it on, try it out. When shopping for large garment orders, customers often like to see a sample item. We facilitate that; try on a sample and order with confidence. Ordering online is often a guessing game.

Shipping options. Shopping locally improves on delivery options that make it more of a bargain. Save on shipping costs by picking up finished orders. (We also deliver.) This strategy also avoids unforeseen shipping delays.

Help is near. If you have any problems with anything you purchase from us, you know where we are. Call us. When you deal on the Internet with a provider you don’t know, you can never be sure if and how quickly they’ll honor their guarantees.

Re-orders and fill-ins. When you shop with us, re-ordering is a snap. We keep extensive notes on all orders we produce, so when we’re told “do it like last time,” we can look it up. We’re also just a call away for ordering an extra item not included in your initial order, such as if you get a new team member or need a different size.

Personal service. Besides all that, we simply love doing what we do. When you shine, we shine. You’ll notice by the questions we ask and the procedures we follow that our ultimate goal is to please you.

BRANDING

As we jump into autumn we’ll soon jump into chillier weather, which means it’s a great time to think about logo-branded sweatshirts for your business or personal wear. Are you ready for the change in temperatures?

Branding is especially important for small businesses and entrepreneurial pursuits. It helps establish your credibility, your sense of permanence, and it amplifies your sense of style. It also promotes your business and invites inquiries while you are out and about.

For example, someone might see you wearing the hoodie pictured above and ask, “What is Rocky Mountain?” That would be your entry into a conversation that could lead to one or more new clients.

You might already have embroidered t-shirts or polo shirts to promote your business, but you shouldn’t cover your logo over during colder weather. We have many styles of sweatshirts (hoodies, full, quarter-zip, full-zip) and jackets from which to choose. To see what we offer, visit our Catalogs page, choose a catalog to view, and start shopping.

Custom Embroidered Patches

Custom embroidered patches are a great way to promote your company, school, team, club or organization. Let us manufacture your custom patches and get the high quality look of direct embroidery without the high cost. It is not necessary to submit professional artwork. Send us your sketch, letterhead, business card, picture, or sample embroidered patch. With your confirmed order we will manufacture a sample of your custom patch for approval. Only after you approve your sample pre-production patch will we move forward with your embroidered patch order. We take pride in the quality of our embroidery patches and will use only the highest quality materials and craftsmanship.

WHY USE CUSTOM EMBROIDERY

Promoting a company or cause is not as simple is one would think. Because of the expensive rates in advertisement, both in broadcast and print media, many individuals find it difficult to promote their company within the limitations of their budget. However, the expansion of today’s technology enabled many to successfully promote their businesses without breaking their personal piggy banks. This is possible with the use of custom embroidery. If you want to know more about this method, this article will discuss it in detail. You will also understand why you should seriously consider embroidery as a promotional strategy. But first, you need to understand what customized embroidery is.

Briefly, custom embroidery is a method to print out logos into a piece of clothing. As a result, you will be getting embroidered polo shorts, tradeshow shirts, and customized shirts with your logo. This was possible because of the computer-controlled sewing machine that follows the design of your logo. With the use of different colored threads, your logo will come to life into your business shirts or uniform shirts. Now that you know the gist behind this technology, you should now consider the following reasons why this method can help you promote your product.

• Your brand says and sells it all, which means if no one knows your logo, you will have trouble getting sales. This is actually the main reason why many companies use advertisements. They want their brands to be acknowledged. By using embroidery, you are doing the same thing. Since your company’s logo will be stitched in each set of embroidered apparel that you prefer, you will end up having numerous promotion aids. By simply wearing a fleece with logo, you would already advertise your name.

• This method is also a good way to make the most out of your workers: you can make them your own advertisers. If you will be using embroidered uniforms, everyone will know your company’s brand. If many of your workers travel or commute, the logo in their shirts will surely be seen by a lot of people. In no time, you might need to get your customer service centre because of the volume of your new customers.

• Using custom embroidery is also a good way to cut off some expenses in your giveaways. For example, in your company parties, you can use some embroidered jackets or logo hats as gifts. If you want, you can also use these items as your promotional merchandise for the public. Not only will you be able to control the expenses in such events. You will also be able to make everyone in your workforce your company advertisers.

• The good thing about using customized shirts is this: Everyone can wear them. In that case, you make everyone your own advertisers. Why not limit yourself to your employees? For example, you can use some embroidered hats as freebies whenever a customer bought your product for a particular price. You can also use such promotional items as incentives for those who were using your services for quite some time already. In effect, you are hitting two birds with one stone. While keeping your customers happy, you are also making them promote your product. Who knows? They might even bring in a fresh new wave of customers for your company.

• Using business shirts with your company’s logo will also help create a presence for your company. As you might have noticed, many are buying branded clothes, appliances and gadgets simply because their name. If you want your company’s logo to have the same effect, you should increase the popularity of your logo first. This would be best accomplished by using embroidered clothing pieces. As you get the attention of many through the use of embroidered logos, you will be able to create a curiosity in your target market.

• If you would do a price comparison, the use of embroidery is a much cheaper alternative than the usual advertising methods. As a budding company, allotting a big amount of your budget in promotion might not be a very good idea. Besides, you can use it to improve the quality of your products and services. Choosing embroidered clothing to promote your product would suffice already. If you get an increase of customers because of this technique, you would have saved a lot. By starting your way small, you can end up doing your business in a larger scale – say nationwide. However, right now, using custom embroidery will be enough to satisfy your promotional endeavours

If you want to have further proofs on the effectiveness of logo embroidery, you should research on what other companies has to say. Better yet, why not try it yourself? Buy a bulk set of these promotional items and see how it would affect your business. When a positive growth is observed, make it your own promotional strategy.