What Brands Can Learn from Influencers Using Branded Merchandise
Influencer marketing is an ever-evolving industry that grows more and more lucrative every year. While influencers excel in promoting other brands’ products, they have quietly mastered the art of creating and selling their own merchandise. After all, influence is all about nurturing a community, and branded merchandise stands as a linchpin in forging and sustaining those connections. In this blog, we’ll explore what your brand could learn from influencers.
Branded merchandise isn’t just a way for influencers to monetise their personal brand and engage their audience; it’s a powerful strategy that brands can adopt to redefine their marketing and business approaches.
Diversify Your Revenue Streams
Influencers effortlessly monetise multiple income streams, whether promoting a new strand of their personal brand, launching a podcast or simply as a way to build their community. Brands can draw inspiration from this strategy by diversifying their own income streams through the creation and selling of merchandise related to their products, services and brands. This approach is especially valuable for small businesses such as coffee shops and independent bookstores looking to turn their branding into wearable art on tote bags and t-shirts. In fact, according to a report by eMarketer, 61% of influencers consider merchandise sales as one of their top sources of income.
Strengthen Your Brand Identity
Similar to influencers, brands can effectively employ company-branded merchandise as a potent tool for cultivating a robust brand identity. By crafting merchandise that mirrors your fundamental values and distinctive brand persona, you solidify your brand identity in the consciousness of your customers.
Studies conducted by PPAI reveal that an impressive 88% of consumers can recall the name of the advertiser when they receive promotional items. Whenever your audience dons your branded clothing or sips from a branded water bottle, they transform into living billboards for your brand. This not only helps in brand recognition but also establishes a sense of loyalty as customers become emotionally connected to a brand that aligns with their values.
Embrace the Power of Exclusivity
Influencers have perfected the art of releasing limited-edition merchandise to create a sense of exclusivity and urgency among their followers. Brands can also do this to generate a sense of excitement and new sales. It imparts a feeling of belonging to your audience, making them a part of an exclusive group that possesses your coveted branded merchandise. Whether you have an impending event or are gearing up for the launch of a new product, utilising exclusive and limited-edition branded merchandise can significantly amplify interest in your upcoming initiative or offering.
Harness the use of User-Generated Content.
User-generated content is rapidly emerging as a cutting-edge approach to brand promotion, and influencers have already tapped into this avenue by motivating their followers to craft content spotlighting their merchandise. Influencers often inspire their audience to generate content like product unboxing, product reviews, and tutorials featuring their merchandise.
This user-generated content serves as a trust-building mechanism and stirs interest among potential buyers. Brands can harness the power of user-generated content to extend their reach and connect with new customers by encouraging their existing fan base to create content showcasing their branded products. This not only increases brand exposure but also builds a sense of community and authenticity as customers become active participants in promoting your brand.
Reflect Your Brand Values
For influencers, it’s all about how their brand is perceived, so creating high-quality merchandise that aligns with their brand values is vital. The same goes for brands; ensuring your branded merchandise is of high quality and visually appealing to your customers will mean they are more likely to invest in your merchandise and support your brand.
As branded merchandise suppliers, we see the value of what brands can learn from influencers on how best to leverage branded merchandise—helping to increase their brand identity and build customer loyalty. To take the first steps in curating bespoke branded merchandise for your brand, chat with a member of our dedicated team today.