Excited to spread the word about your new business?
Branded tools are a great way to do that. But to avoid spending hundreds of dollars on ineffective merchandise, it’s important to know which branded tools will prove most useful for you.
After all, a branded planner might be fun to use, but will potential clients actually see it? Most likely not.
When it comes to branded tools, it’s important to remember why you use them—for potential clients to see them regularly, keeping you top of mind.
So which branded merchandise is most effective?
We’ve compiled a list of what we think are the top 7 branded tools that will immediately make you look more professional.
7 Branded Tools to Use in Your Business
We’ll start with the most important tool on our list.
1. Your website
You’d be surprised at how many business owners don’t have a website. And yet having a website is more important now than ever.
With the pandemic keeping people shut up in their homes, the need to shop and browse online surged in 2020. And that hike in online shopping is showing no signs of stopping.
In fact, big stores with a strong online shopping presence like Walmart, Amazon, and Target did incredibly well as shoppers shifted to online.
And now that millions of Americans know how easy it is to shop online (even for groceries!), they’ll likely keep doing it.
What does that mean for you? It means that, even if you don’t sell products online, you need to have a strong online presence, starting with your website.
Make sure your information on your website is up to date and that the design is clean and professional-looking.
2. Business cards
The next most important branded tool is your business card. Yes, in-person networking meetings have slowed down considerably, but there are still opportunities to hand out your business card to interested friends, family members, and even people you meet at the grocery store.
Keep a handful of branded business cards on you wherever you go. You never know when they might come in handy!
3. Proposals, estimates, and invoices
If you want your clients to take your business seriously, then it’s important that the paperwork you send them looks professional.
Do your proposals, estimates, and invoices all look like you typed them up yourself in Word? Then it’s time for a branded upgraded.
Consider using an online accounting tool like QuickBooks, FreshBooks, Xero, or Wave. Each of these platforms have professional-looking invoice and estimate templates—and you can add your logo to them.
If you need something more substantial for your proposals, consider using a tool like Better Proposals, PandaDoc, or Canva.
4. Logo stamp
Your logo is one of the most important parts of your brand. Don’t let it sit unused on your computer!
You can put your logo on your website, business cards, and paperwork, but there’s one more great way to use your logo … with stamps!
The right self-inking rubber stamp can make your logo look fresh and professional every time you send it on a letter, card, or proposal.
Purchase one of our rubber stamps and start getting your logo in front of potential clients. Simply choose the size you want, upload your logo, choose the color ink you want, and you’re ready to go!
5. Thank-you cards
You can use your logo stamp on personalized thank-you cards that you send to leads and current clients.
Has your dentist ever sent you a personalized “Happy Birthday” card with a friendly reminder that you’re due for a cleaning? If so, you know the power of personalized, handwritten notes.
These cards are a powerful marketing tool, so make sure they showcase your logo.
Even if clients don’t follow up with you right away, getting your logo in front of them reminds them of your brand and how you can help them. Why do marketers keep using these tactics? Because they work.
6. Shirts
Shirts are a fun and easy talking point, even with strangers. This makes them a great marketing opportunity for your business.
Wearing branded T-shirts, or giving them away as gifts, can get your brand in front of even more people.
There are numerous companies where you can buy T-shirts with your brand on them. But to get you started in your search, here are a few:
- Pinnacle Promotions
- 4imprint
- Brand X Custom T-Shirts
- Sellers on Etsy
7. Tumblers
I saved this one for last, but that doesn’t make it the least important. A branded mug or tumbler is one of the best ways to get your brand in front of a lot of people.
Why?
Because almost everyone uses water bottles, tumblers, or travel mugs. Plus, tumblers aren’t as flashy or bold as a T-shirt. Their subtlety makes people even more likely to use them!
And when someone gets a branded tumbler from you, they’re not the only ones who see it. Their family members, friends, and co-workers will all see your brand as that person uses the mug.