From Coldplay to Taylor Swift, the world’s biggest music acts understand how important it is to connect with their fans. One way to leave a lasting impression is to sell custom band merchandise.
For up-and-coming bands, offering a range of promotional clothing adds a professional touch to your gigs, as well as helping to spread your band’s name far and wide. Here at Promotional Clothing, we specialise in personalised band merch that makes a big impact to help you stand out in the thriving music scene.
Why should you offer custom band merchandise?
While ordering branded merchandise might seem like a significant investment, it is a fantastic way to promote your band while also opening a channel to generate revenue.
According to published research by MIDiA, demand for music merchandise is growing including both digital (e.g. downloads, videos and artwork) and physical products (e.g. t-shirts, baseball caps). In fact, the global merchandise market is predicted to be worth around $16 billion by the year 2030. However, as the market matures, annual revenue growth is expected to reduce to 1.6%.
Here are the main benefits of custom band merchandise:
• Brand awareness: your loyal fanbase will become walking billboards when they wear your band’s t-shirts, hoodies, or caps.
• Fan engagement: a well-designed item of merch gives your fans a sense of belonging and strengthens their connection with your band and your music.
• Additional revenue: selling branded clothing at gigs or online can become a steady stream of income to support your band’s journey.
• Lasting memories: fans love to keep souvenirs from their favourite concerts, and custom clothing makes the perfect keepsake.
Key considerations when ordering promotional clothing
Creating and selling your own clothing products is a powerful tool for music bands looking to increase their visibility and connect with fans. However, choosing the right type of merch involves more than just picking a cool design. To ensure your band’s apparel is a hit, here are some key factors to consider when buying promotional clothing.
- Choose the right product: It is essential that your custom band merchandise reflects your band’s individual style so that it appeals to your fans. For example, t-shirts always sell well at gigs and online, while hoodies and beanies are great for colder weather providing visibility all-year round. As a trusted name in the industry, Promotional Clothing offers a variety of products that can be designed to match your band’s unique look and style. Some of our most popular options include:
- T-shirts: a gig essential – fans love grabbing a tee to commemorate a show and display their love for your music.
- Hoodies: unisex hoodies are another fan-favourite, ideal for all seasons and outdoor gigs, they ensure your band’s name is seen everywhere.
- Headwear: baseball caps and beanies are a stylish and practical everyday option that helps spread your brand effortlessly.
- More options: from tote bags to jackets, we offer multiple products that can be tailored to your band’s image.
- Quality really matters: If you have ever bought merchandise at a live gig, you have probably come across low-quality products that have faded, shrunk or become uncomfortable after a few washes. This can leave a negative impression with fans, so it’s important to spend a little more and invest in high-quality fabric to ensure that fans keep wearing your merch for years, providing long-term promotion.
- Select the right printing method: There are many different printing techniques that can impact the durability and appearance of your designs. Here are the main printing options:
• Screen printing: traditionally a cost-effective choice for bulk orders, ideal for simple, bold designs.
• Digital printing: using the latest technology, this method is ideal for intricate, colourful artwork.
• Embroidery: while expensive, this adds a premium touch to your hats and jackets.
- Design with your audience in mind: While there are many options to choose from, your design and printing method should capture the essence of your band while appealing to your target audience. Elements to consider include the band logo and name placement; tour dates and venue listings; and custom artwork that generates interest from fans.
- Order in bulk for cost savings: When it comes to placing an order for your custom band merchandise, you will find that buying in bulk lowers the overall cost per item. The economies of scale allow you to offer affordable pricing, while increasing profit margins. At Promotional Clothing, we provide discounts based on order volume to help bands maximise their merchandise revenue.
- Distribution methods: Next, you need to think about how you will sell and distribute your new merchandise. At live gigs, ask a friend or family member to organise a merch stand for fans. Set up early to attract people arriving before the start of the show, and be ready to sell more when they leave after the gig finishes.
Both new and established bands now have their own online stores using platforms like Bandcamp or Shopify. It is simple to set up a website so fans can buy merchandise direct, boosting sales 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Once you create a web store, you will need to order your merchandise in bulk to ensure you can deliver promptly.
To advertise your online store, you can run social media promotions or email campaigns to stay connected with fans, offering limited-edition releases and special discounts.
Get started with Promotional Clothing
As the promotional clothing professionals, here at Promotional Clothing we make it easy for you to create high-quality, custom band merchandise. Browse our website to explore our full range of products and request a quote today.
Do you need some guidance? No problem, feel free to email us at sales@promoclothinguk.co.uk or call 020 7199 8552 – we would love to help you design the perfect products to promote your band!
