The Four Ways Businesses Use T-Shirts - Part 2: Bundle Them!

If your business is doing a unique event, or you have another product that you regularly sell, you can include a t-shirt as part of a package deal. 

#1 United Elite Allstars

United Elite Allstar Cheer in Upland regularly attends and sponsors cheer camps, and as part of the attendance fee each participant receives a t-shirt.  United Elite will buy them wholesale from us, and then include them in the package of goods the participants get when they attend the camp.  The cheerleading camps are about one week long and let the participants focus on their various skills, while socializing and having a generally good time.  They wind up being very memorable events, and there is nothing better than a t-shirt to remind all the participants of what a good time they had.

#2 West Coast OBGYN

The owner of this clinic regularly delivers babies, so he thought what better way to promote his clinic while giving a baby he delivered something cool to wear in those early stages of life.  He had us print his custom designed logo on these onesies, and he gives one to every baby he delivers.  The marketing logic is fairly solid here: If you are at the age where you are getting pregnant and having children, chances are your friends are too.  And you will certainly want to proudly show off the new member of your family, and when you do, there is a message to go along with it.  It would be cynical to say that you are turning a baby into an advertising billboard, so I would rather focus on the pretty incredible things that had to take place for that baby to be in the world, and there is nothing wrong with paying attention to the clinic that helped to make it all possible.

#3 Coach 'Dos' Remedios

Coach Dos is an internationally recognized strength and fitness trainer expert.  He is widely published, and for those he trains he will create a unique event every several months to participate in.  This particular event was a 'mud run' and 'pub crawl' which brings the people he trains to together for a memorable workout, followed by a trip to one of the nicer 'pubs' in Southern California.  He will sell the event as part of a package, and then supply the shirts along with a ticket to participate in the workout event.  The main photo for this blog post features the afterparty at a pub in Long Beach after one of Coach Dos's events.  When you look around the room and you see all the happy faces beaming with a sense of accomplishment, youa re immediately able to identify with each other because of the great event that everyone finished, and to help punctuate that identity, you see a good time had by all, while wearing the official event t-shirt.

#4 The Grind Challenge

The Grind Challenge is a rigorous physical fitness activity designed to challenge the participant to go beyond what they believe is possible regarding their own endurance limitations.  A t-shirt from this event would not just be an artifact of memory, but a trophy all on its own.  One can imagine you would bring it out on those days where you're ready to do big things, and be carried by the aftereffects of what you accomplished on the day you first wore it.

#5 Arena Indoor Sports Complex

This small stadium hosts indoor soccer leagues where the winners of their respective groups get trophies and t-shirts.  You'll notice that each shirt says 'champions' on it and that is for a reason: losers don't get one!  This complex is close to our shop and I have visited it several times, and the competitors are fierce and proud.  Being able to wear this shirt signals dedication, talent, and achievement.  T-shirts can say a lot!

Bottom Line

There is of course the question of whether you should bundle your shirts with an event, or if you should sell them on their own as part of a t-shirt clothing line strategy as mentioned in Part 1 of this series.  But, it doesn't have to be a dilemma - you can do both!  United Elite will print shirts for camps, but they will also have their regular merchandising line which can be purchased separately.  So if you have a strong enough brand, and you are doing events or making products regularly, you can have your ongoing line of regular retail branded shirts, and have your special events shirts.  Afterburn Fitness (check out the case study I did on them) also uses both strategies.  They have numerous special events throughout the year, and each time they sell a t-shirt bundles with the event.  Some of their shirts are labeled 'competitor' to clearly identify the garment is worn in an event.

If you are considering bundling shirts with an event or a product that you sell, let us help you through the process.  You will be surprised at how affordable adding some t-shirts to what you are already doing can be.

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