When you know you need company-branded swag printed, you know you want it done well. Whether it’s a hat, a shirt, or tumblers, your company deserves quality that makes you stand apart from the pack. When you first talk with your local printer, it is a little overwhelming. After all, you may get asked about fabric blends, fashion styles, logo placement, colors, types of files and more.
A little preparation, however, can help make the entire process far more seamless and hassle-free for you. So if you need to order company-branded swag but aren’t sure what your next step is, below is an easy checklist. It shows you the in’s and out’s of kickstarting the process and getting your business swag ready to go.
1. What Company Branded Swag Do You Want
You don’t need to know exactly every detail of what you want. Having a general idea helps ensure you’re ordering the right products and using the right designs. Plus, it helps the printer ensure you’re on the same page. For example, you might want company shirts with your logo, event name…and in short-sleeve style.
2. Identify the Graphics You Have/What You Need
If your company has graphics you’d like to use, make sure you have those available in a printer-friendly format. For example, a PDF or Adobe Illustrator file will work great. But if you don’t have that readily available, the designer who created your logo usually will have a copy.
Do you need artwork created? Logo Depot excels at creating custom and eye-catching graphics for our customers. We want to create artwork that our customers will love. First, know what you want the artwork to say, then make sure it looks the way you’d like it to. To make sure you’re on the same page with your printer, bring visual examples of artwork with you.
3. Understand the Type of Event/Business You Need Company Branded Swag for
Different types of events and companies need different types of signage and apparel. What do you need? Have an idea of what you’d like before you speak with your printer.
If you’re ordering shirts for people who spend a lot of time outside, you’ll want more of a durable short-sleeved shirt. On the other hand, if you’re ordering shirts for the office world, a lighter fabric in a polo style will be the best choice.
4. How Much Do You Need and Are There Different Sizes
Unfortunately, you can’t just order 300 one-size-fits-all shirts and call it a day (although that would be nice!). Different strokes for different folks and people wear many different sizes. To make sure nobody feels left out or goes home empty-handed, you need to have a general idea of how many shirts you’ll be ordering and how many of each size.
To determine sizing for your employees, you could try sending out an anonymous survey to get an idea, or just an email thread and ask people to reply to it If you are ordering garments for people you don’t know, you can look at past events and past orders for them (as well as what you had leftover after). We are also happy to advise based on our years of experience with a variety of businesses and events.
5. What Type of Company Branded Swag Do You Need
Choosing the right merchandise for your needs isn’t as simple as just ordering a hat. After all, different fabric blends and fashion styles meet different needs. Before you walk into see your vendor, you should do a little legwork and have an idea of what kind of items you prefer. To get an idea, you can browse our website and look at options such as brands, fabric blends, style (baseball vs. v-neck, for example), and even the SKUs so that you can really see, touch, and feel specific examples in person. If you let the printer know in advance which SKUs you’d like to see, they can get them ready for your meeting.
6. Recognize When You (Really) Need Your Order Ready
When do you really need your promotional items? Not just the day you’ll be handing them out but when does it make the most sense for you to have them in your possession?
For example, your event may be on December 15th….but, if you are leaving for a trade show on December 12th, you’ll probably need to have them by December 9th or earlier to ensure you can properly pack everything. Set a realistic deadline so you’re not left scrambling at the last minute.
7. What is Your Budget
Before you contact your local print vendor, you should know what your budget will be. If, for example, your budget is on the smaller side, knowing your budget beforehand will help you save time and ensure you get the most for your money. You don’t want to waste time talking about a shirt with multiple colors and placements when your budget limits your options.
8. Know the Artwork You Want to Place on Your Company Branded Swag
The artwork is as the artwork does: where will you want to see your company’s artwork on the garments or sign you are ordering? Knowing the location (such as the front of a shirt or the back of a hat) of your artwork — as well as the approximate size of your artwork (i.e: large, small, and so on) helps you better communicate your needs to your local printer.
9. Identify Your Color Preferences and Specifications
Do you have specific colors you need for your company-branded swag, such as Pantone Colors? Planning on using more than one or two colors? By knowing ahead of time what kind of color you’d like to see on your promotional details, you can better map out the project with your local printer.
The above checklist isn’t written in stone. It’s meant to serve as a helpful checklist so that you can get the most out of your time meeting with printers. Your local printer is your guide in helping you get the company branded swag that will help your business get noticed. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or ask for help along the way.