Promotional products are a great way to market your business. It’s a win-win: customers love repping their favorite brands, and the brands get more exposure. Custom apparel is the most popular category of promotional products, accounting for about 35% of all sales. Here are five reasons why you should consider using custom apparel to promote your brand.

Brand Awareness

Perhaps the most obvious benefit of custom apparel is increasing recognition of your brand. A study by PPAI shows that nine out of ten consumers can recall the advertiser who provided promotional products they have received, compared to three out of ten for broadcast media and only two out of ten for online, print, and mobile advertising. In fact, the highest recall tends to be for apparel items. The Advertising Specialty Institute says 85% of consumers remembered a company that gave them branded apparel.

Customer Loyalty

Custom apparel also helps to build brand loyalty and build relationships with customers. People are more likely to choose brands they recognize to do business with. Custom apparel is a much more personal way to connect with consumers and creates a simple way to turn your customers into ambassadors for your brand. It’s effective, too - consumers are almost 2.5 times as likely to have a favorable opinion of promotional products like custom apparel compared to internet advertising.

Cost-Effective Marketing

Promotional products are a great way to advertise your brand. Custom apparel is very long-lasting compared to most other forms of advertising. Many people will keep and wear the same clothing item for a long time. 6 out of 10 people keep promotional products like apparel for up to two years, and every person they encounter while wearing your brand’s apparel is a potential lead. According to Inkwell Global Marketing, promotional products are the least expensive form of media, with an average CPI of just $0.004 per impression.

Stand Out from Competition

It can be tough to find a way to stand out from the crowd, but custom apparel is a great way to set yourself apart from the competition. Having high quality, unique apparel items makes your brand more memorable and gives it personality.

Generate Leads and Increase Sales

Using custom apparel can help drive more business. Aside from the exposure it brings on its own, you can use branded gear in creative ways like giveaways, referral incentives, client or employee recognition, and other promotions to create interest in your brand. 85% of consumers report doing business with a company after receiving a promotional product from them. Custom apparel is an affordable, effective way to get your brand’s name out to more potential customers and strengthen relationships with existing ones.