Do you have an upcoming promotional campaign that could seriously use some incredible custom T-shirts? You want these shirts to inspire people to learn more about your business, so they must be well made and feature some fantastic artwork. If you don’t want to spend too much money, though, there are a few ways you could cut the costs without jeopardising the success of your campaign. Here are our top 10 tips on staying within your budget (and saving!) when ordering custom tees!
1. Avoid Rush Fees by Planning Ahead
Yes, the campaign may seem months away, but before you know it, you may be frantically ordering T-shirts from whatever supplier you can find — and paying a hefty fee for rushing them. A simple way to avoid that is to just plan ahead. Set a clear deadline for artwork finalisation and order your T-shirts before your favourite supplier runs out of them or their schedule fills up!
2. Go for White Tees If You Can
Don’t believe anyone who tells you that white T-shirts are super-boring. As a classic that still looks cool to this day, white tees are a staple in everyone’s closet. For businesses, there’s another great advantage here. More often than not, white T-shirts are less expensive than coloured ones!
3. Avoid Using More Than One Ink Colour
The more ink colours you use on your T-shirts, the higher the price will be. If there is no need to overdo it with the artwork, you can always opt for just one ink colour. Depending on the shirt colour, choose one that will stand out, such as white ink on black shirts.
Similarly, pick a less expensive printing method, such as screen printing. You may choose from our wide variety of custom screen printed T-shirts if you opt for this printing method.
Though embroidered shirts are rather impressive and full-colour printing is ideal for complex artwork, promotional full-colour printed T-shirts are usually more expensive overall.
4. Print the Design on One Side Only
It may seem like your T-shirts would benefit from having some artwork or design on both the front and the back. Some may say that this could make them even more persuasive — but nobody could claim it would make them more affordable.
If you decide to do a double-sided imprint, know that the T-shirts may take a bigger chunk out of your budget. The alternative, of course, is to stick to the front or the back only.
5. Get Your T-Shirts in Bulk
Shopping in bulk in supermarkets is completely normal today, so why not implement the same strategy in your campaign? You will pay more upfront for wholesale T-shirts. Nevertheless, the price per item should be lower, thus allowing you to cut the costs of your promotional merchandise even more.
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6. Go for Just One Fit
Yes, for some campaigns, it might make more sense to order both personalised men’s T-shirts and custom women’s T-shirts. It could even help you win over a larger crowd. But if your campaign doesn’t depend on impressing one particular sex, you can easily give everyone the same shirt.
If you want to order short- or long-sleeve shirts, pick a style that would work well on both men’s and women’s bodies to save some money. However, know that some other styles may not be suitable for lowering your campaign costs. Polo shirts and tank tops are a type of apparel where the fit matters a lot more.
7. Find a Reliable Supplier
Many companies will try to amaze you with their low prices and fast turnaround, but how do you know if they’re telling the truth? Even in the promotional products industry, there are scammers just waiting for someone desperate enough to believe their ploys.
Your job as a savvy business owner is to avoid them by researching suppliers well and reading reviews. Otherwise, you may end up with botched printing, hidden fees, and no chance of getting a refund!
8. Read the Policies and Disclaimers
Reading all the supplier’s policies may seem tedious, but it may be worth your time if you really need your T-shirts to be as affordable as possible. Who knows? You may just find out that your ideal supplier has some strange fees in place or that the one you didn’t love so much offers great free shipping options!
9. Coupon Your Way to a Lower Price
Even if you’re satisfied with the final price, there’s no harm in looking for coupons online to lower it further. Trim a few pounds off an order then and now, and you may save thousands of pounds every year!
10. Put a Price on Your Custom T-Shirts
Finally, know that your T-shirts don’t have to be given away as freebies. Many businesses display them at their gift shops, or they push them at various events to a swag-loving crowd.
As long as the prices are not astronomical, these T-shirts may make you some extra money AND turn each buyer into a walking billboard. If you use any of the previous tips, too, you can definitely turn this belt-tightening adventure into a rather profitable one!
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Build Up Your Brand with Customised Apparel
Looking for something different? Browse our full range of custom printed clothing including branded polo shirts, custom workwear, and printed hoodies. If for any reason you still can’t find what you are looking for, then simply give us a call on 0800 0148 970 or simply email us today. You may also wish to consider complementing your order of T-shirts with some logo caps or even some branded jackets which are sure to be well received by customers and employees alike!
