We’ve got spirit, yes we do! But how do we show it? Custom logo sweatshirts showcasing a team or organization are a great way to build spirit, promote the team, and have a keepsake for the future.

The Role of Team Spirit in Organizations

Any team or organization that has spirit is better off than one without. That spirit boosts morale, fosters creativity, enhances performance, increases productivity, and much more. Whether you have spirit for an organization you are part of, or a team you cheer on, it matters. The New York Times says that many people show team spirit through praise. What better way to praise a team or organization than by wearing gear with their logos on it in support?

 Why Branded Sweatshirts?

There are tons of promotional material options on the market, but branded sweatshirts make a great choice for a variety of reasons. Here are a few to consider:

• Visibility

Your brand is visible to anyone who sees someone wearing the sweatshirt. That automatically gives your brand exposure along with higher levels of recognition.

• Team Spirit

If one person wears a logo shirt, that’s fine. If a group wears shirts with the same logo, they suddenly have team spirit and unity among them. That can help boost motivation and morale among any team.

• Cost-Effective Marketing

You don’t have to pay for ads on TV. All you need is for people to wear your sweatshirts, and your brand marketing is effective and costs much less than other options.

• Promotional Tool

Customized sweatshirts are a great promotional tool, whether you give them to employees, customers, or as gifts.

• Loyalty

Personalized items can make people feel valued. Anytime a company or team makes someone feel valued, it leads to increased loyalty.

Design Considerations

If you decide to get customized sweatshirts, there are many questions to ask when it comes to design. What color do you want to feature on the sweatshirt?? Make sure it goes along with your team or organization’s brand. What logo or design should the sweatshirt have? Then you have to consider basic questions, such as what type of sweatshirt or hoodie it should be.

All of those things will, in part, be determined by your price point. You need to determine what your budget is for the branded sweatshirts and how many you wish to buy. When you buy in bulk, you will generally get a better price per item.

Roll-Out Strategy

Once the branded sweatshirts are in-house, how are you going to get them to your fan base to begin spreading that spirit? For teams, it’s easy to take them to a game and pass them out to the first 100 fans. For organizations, you can also do a free promotion and make them a hot ticket item. After that, they could be sold at events, given away, used as gifts, placed on your website, and so on.

Engagement Activities

The more people who know about a brand, the better, right? The Washington Post states that brands should be easy to recognize. Personalized sweatshirts with a team or organization’s logo keep things simple and straightforward. You might want to put together contests where only people wearing the branded sweatshirt are entered. You can also have a gathering where you request the sweatshirts be worn.

Measuring Impact

The exact impact of a branded sweatshirt is hard to measure as you can’t control when or where it is worn or by whom. Check your website traffic after the sweatshirts are distributed. Do you see an uptick? Monitor social media and hashtags and see if the sweatshirts appear in posts. It’s smart to collect feedback from customers who have the sweatshirt. How often do they wear it?

Best Practices and Pitfalls to Avoid

As is true with any branded material, there’s a way to do it and a way not to do it. Save Your Ink can help you understand the difference between them.

Best Practices:

• Have a target audience in mind

• Know your brand

• Invest in high-quality materials/printing

• Consider the design with care

• Stay consistent and on-brand

• Plan the distribution

• Consider testing/feedback

Pitfalls:

• Going around quality

• Making designs too complicated/small

• Forgetting about research

• Failing to verify/proofread designs

• Starting too large/overdoing the budget

• Not considering packaging/delivery

In conclusion

Custom sweatshirts can be a great way to build and bolster team spirit when they are done right. Any time you have people walking around with your logo on their shirt, it’s a good thing for your brand. Advertising is inexpensive and easy, and promotes loyalty at the same time when you have a logo on a sweatshirt. Take care with the colors, design, and quality, and ensure you get the branded sweatshirts into the right hands, and they can work for you harder than some of your best marketing team members!