The Low-Tech Way to Promote Your High-Tech Startup

As a member of the technology community and a leader in a promising startup, you've probably seen a branded T-shirt or two in your travels.

Whether at trade show booths, roaming around South by Southwest, or on the backs of the veteran developers in your office, promotional T-shirts are everywhere...and have become the de facto uniform of technology professionals.

What does this mean? For starters, there's probably some good reasons for this. Secondly, if you're not outfitting your team and potential customers with branded t-shirts too, you're selling your startup short.

Cost Effective Advertising

Cameron Herold, the former CEO of 1-800-GOT-JUNK? wrote an article, calls T-shirts "walking billboards" that are "...cheap, effective and create a tribe of devoted fans and employees who become brand ambassadors everywhere they go in the community.."

Herold added that having his staff wear branded shirts not only at work but in public was vital to building his various businesses. This was because the shirts started conversations, and not only attracted customers, but attracted prospective employees as well. Shirts, jackets, and hats were so effective, he said that he'd also leave them draped over chairs and visible in overhead compartments on planes.

Team Building

Your employees want to feel like they are a part of something, and T-shirts offer a great way to accomplish that.

Former LinkedIn executive Adam Nash says "...t-shirts can provide many of the same benefits of camaraderie and tribal cohesion that uniforms did, without the top-down oppression." Nash adds that T-shirts also offer a sense of empowerment for employees because they demonstrates you value them for their abilities and experience, and not for adhering to corporate dress codes.

Brand Visibility

According to Built In, a resource for startups, having your team wear matching T-shirts at trade shows and conferences attracts more attention to your brand. It shows favorably on your brand too, in that it exudes the image of a strong, organized, and committed team.

Fostering Brand Ambassadors

By giving out promotional T-shirts, hats, hoodies, tote bags, and more to your current and prospective customers, you get essentially free advertising in return. Everywhere they roam, your brand and message will be shared with hundreds, and even thousands of people, for far less than the cost of traditional advertising methods.

Wearing your shirt equates to an endorsement from that person, something far more valuable than any TV commercial provides. Customers love it too.

According to studies cited by Brand Watch, 66% of participants claimed they could recall the brand on the promotional product received within the past 12 months and 56% said their impression of the company improved after receiving a branded promotional gift.

To make the most of your investment in branded material, make sure to order in bulk numbers to save on setup and per unit costs. If you want to enjoy fast turnaround and perfect orders, every time, look no further than TorontoTees!