Standing out from the crowd is important at trade shows, and one of the easiest and most effective ways to do this is by using personalised clothing. This article will examine the need for personalised clothing at trades shows and how it can be used to attract trade show attendees, promote brand awareness and show unity amongst employees.
Standing out from the crowd
Humans have evolved to notice things that stand out in their surroundings. Bright colours, catchy designs and snazzy logos all catch the eye and draw in the viewer. Printed t-shirts, if designed correctly, can be used to stand out from the crowd.
It’s important to use designs that catch the eye, but aren’t garish and off putting. The goal of personalised clothing is to attract trade show attendees, not drive them away. One of the most effective styles of printed t shirt is the plain white tee (or any other sort of plain, understated like grey, black or light pastels) combined with a simple logo, mascot or design on the front.
Different styles of t shirts can also be worn to promote different ideas. A regular cut t shirt promotes a more relaxed style, while a polo shirt is more upmarket and business-like, while still being relatively informal. Dress shirts and sports coats with logos or mascots can also be used by businesses that require a more formal image at their trade show booth.
Personalised clothing as a uniform
Personalised clothing also acts as a uniform while at trade shows. It signifies unity amongst the employees that are running the trade show booth and the uniform helps make it easy for trade show attendees to recognise who they can approach for more information about a particular booth.
Personalised clothing can also help to cement a particular design or piece of branding in the mind of a trade show attendee. Research has found that repeated exposure to a logo, mascot or piece of marketing helps solidify its place in the mind of the viewer; personalised clothing allows for a great deal of repeat exposure to a brand or marketing message in a trade show environment.
Personalised Clothing as Corporate Gifts
Certain types of clothing, such as printed t-shirts, can be given away cheaply at trade shows as gifts to attendees. This act has two main benefits;
Firstly, it can help to draw in attendees to the booth as they have to visit the booth to get their gift. The attendees will also act as an advertisement for the brand/marketing message while they’re wearing the t-shirt, thus increasing brand awareness.
Secondly, the act of receiving a gift triggers feelings of reciprocity in an individual. Research has found that, when a person receives a gift, they wish to repay the gift giver in some manner. For a business, this may mean that the attended may wish to make a purchase, arrange a meeting or carry out some other sort of business deal.
Conclusion
Using personalised clothing, such as printed t-shirts, can be an inexpensive way to stand out at a trade show and show unity amongst the employees staffing the trade show booth while helping to promote brand awareness. Make sure to take advantage of it at your next trade show.
photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kk/4331546498/