Discuss the fun task of marketing a t-shirt shop. Where to advertise, local marketing tips, word of mouth, press releases, search engine marketing, keyword advertising, magazines, etc.
great article, and great timing for me.I was just arguing with my partners about how important branding is. The part about staying on message fits perfectly for me
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I'm not an artist, but I play one on t-shirts
That was a very good article, best one I have read in a while. Quick & to the point the way more things need to be, seems many are trying to hard to sound intelligent.
Branding is "ESSENTIAL" for all businesses looking to get recognized, period! All of our products have our name/logo on them. Everything from the shirts, belts, shipping boxes and even to the wrapping paper etc..have our name/logo on it. We've even ordered stickers and decals. Of course it get's pricey, but I think it will definitely pay off. I've only seen a few people that actually brand almost everything that goes out from their online storefront, ie: Johnny Cupcakes who comes to mind right now is notorious for doing this. Big props to this guy for understanding how important it is to do something like this. I believe it creates a HUGE impact!!
While I think it's essential to get your logo/name recognizable, it's important to note that this is only a small part of what branding is.
It's not necessarily putting your logo on everything. Branding IS your company.
It's not an afterthought, but rather it's the core value of the company, which encompasses more than putting your logo on everything.
Brand management is more than the name on everything, you must have a brand "promise". Without this, you don't have a brand. You have an empty logo that's seen everywhere.
Think of all the "iconic" brands you can in different industries. In fast food McDonald's golden arches. In fashion Tommy Hilfiger's red, white, and blue flag.
Without a brand promise, each of those don't mean anything. You associate those names and logo's with the kind of experiences you've had with those companies, whether they were positive or negative.
Yes, it's great to put your logo on things. But remember that you must make that logo mean something positive to your customers, because their experience is your branding.
Creating a brand is the one of the most important things that you can do as a business owner/marketer. You don't just want customers, you want fanatics. You want evangilists that will preach the vision of your brand to the masses. You want them to be emersed in your culture, speak your language and "drink your koolaid."
That is what Johnny Cupcakes has done. That is what Ed Hardy has done. And if you want to take it there, that is what Starbucks has done.
Their products aren't that much better than the competition. But thier branding strategy was.
My humble advice... Don't just sell the brand. Be the brand.
Why Branding matters 
Re: Why Branding matters 
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