Custom business shirts don’t have to break the bank or make you go over your marketing budget. When t-shirts are fun and stylish, and tailored to a specific demographic, your advertising dollars will go further. It is important that you get a good idea of the people who are most likely to wear your custom t-shirts. No business owner wants to waste money on business shirts that no one will wear because the shirts are ugly or don’t fit right. Make sure you know your target audience before investing your marketing funds into this type of promotional product.

The first step in getting your money’s worth of advertising using custom t-shirts is deciding on the type of t-shirts you want to stock. Consider these ideas when making your decision:

1. Use promo t-shirts that are larger and roomier to get the guys’ attention.

2. Woo the women with pretty promotional shirts in the sizes and colors they want.

3. Entertain the youngest company members with custom kid’s t-shirts in fun styles.

Action Steps for Choosing Custom Shirts and Promotional Shirts
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Give the gift of comfort with roomy men's promotional t-shirts

There are many reasons why getting custom t-shirts with your company name and logo on them will be a hit with your employees and customers. Give your employees a great reason to show their team spirit by handing out promotional t-shirts at your next company meeting or party. T-shirts made specifically for men are roomier. Get these men's t-shirts and the guys won't complain that they don't like the style or that they don't fit right. The few dollars you will spend per piece for these business shirts will stretch your advertising and marketing budget further.

I recommend: The BrokenArrowWear website offers up a great selection of custom t-shirts such as this ultra cotton t-shirt that is around $3.50 for 500 up to about $18.00 for the minimum of 6 shirts. These price ranges are for white t-shirts. 4PromoProducts.com is your one-stop-shop for all of your personalized t-shirt needs. Prices here range from around $6.00 for 72 color t-shirts down to about $3.00 for 1000 or more neutral color t-shirts.

Cater to the feminine crowd with women's custom t-shirts

Women's and men's bodies are shaped differently. Because of this, women tend to prefer the more feminine styles of promotional t-shirts. Stock up on imprinted t-shirts that all of your female customers and employees will love. These shirts tend to cost a little bit more because of the number of styles and the different kinds of fabrics that are available. To keep your costs down, consider getting only one or two styles.

I recommend: Check out SonicShack for promotional t-shirts that range in price from around $16.00 to $20.00 depending on size. The minimum quantity requirement is 12 and the quantity discount applies with an order of more than one size. Empire Promotional Products will make you look great in these 100% cotton t-shirts that cost between around $5.00 for 72 down to $4.00 for 576.

Get the little ones involved with corporate tees made especially for them

Kids love wearing fun promotional t-shirts. These business t-shirts are among the lowest cost shirts available and will be a hit at any employee party. Give them away as prizes or hide them in a scavenger hunt. The kids will be proud to wear their new shirts in public, making this a great way to advertise your goods and services.

I recommend: The kids will love these Comfortsoft Tees from the 4imprint website. Prices for each piece are from $2.50 to $6.50. Any one of these stylish t-shirts on the MerchPress website will be a hit with the kids. Prices range from $5.50 to $26.50 and up, depending on the style.

Tips & Tactics for Buying Custom Shirts and Promotional Shirts

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When looking into the pricing and costs of custom t-shirts, gather some information for other kinds of t-shirts such as long-sleeved t-shirts as well. These items are great to have on hand as promotional t-shirt products during the winter months.

It’s nearly impossible to walk down any street in any town or city without spotting passers-by wearing company logo shirts of one kind or another. According to the Professional Products Association, emblazoning company names and logos on custom shirts is a multi-billion dollar business, and it just keeps getting bigger.

There’s a reason for this: using promotional shirts is an easy and generally affordable way to pump up recognition for your company name, products and services — and it works. That repetitive exposure you’ll get when your staff and best customers wear your corporate shirts again and again continually builds top-of-mind awareness for your unique logo, selling message, and company colors.

To maximize the effectiveness of a promotional shirt, it’s important to first identify your goals in designing and purchasing the shirts in the first place. Ideally they should be part of an overall marketing campaign.

You’ll want to:

1. Evaluate your marketing and promotional goals.
2. Shop for shirt types that best reflect your company image.
3. Check out fabric wear factors, weights and colors.
4. Make use of online design tools.
5. Review ALL the costs, including reorders.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Get help selecting your customized shirts

Do you need company logo shirts for everyday on-the-job wear? Are you promoting a company-sponsored community event, like a walk/run? Have you revamped company colors and launched a new look? Will the shirts be used for a one-time-only company event like a summer picnic? Do you need something dressier, like a long-sleeve button-down made of quality fabric for your outside sales staff?

I recommend: Ask a member of the Promotional Products Association International near you for recommendations and help structuring your promotional goals. For a large selection of companies that can help you design and create your corporate golf shirts, check out the suppliers listed on Business.com.

Promotional shirt style matters

If you want to portray a casual image for, say, a company picnic or fund-raising event, then a logo T-shirt (or even sweatshirts, depending on the time of year) can get the job done. If your outside sales staff will be meeting face-to-face with clients, or your inside staff will be dealing with the public, try logo golf shirts or long-sleeve custom shirts.

I recommend: Find a wide variety of business and leisure-style logo shirts available from Custom Ink, Berda, Superior Promos, L.L. Bean and Uber Prints.

Choose the right fabric, color and artwork for corporate shirts

While your budget might dictate the choice of fabric, single-or multiple colors, screen printing or embroidered logos, aim for quality whenever possible. If the logo shirts will serve as company uniforms, then durability and quality construction is important. Look for top-stitched seams, a heavier weight and a blended fabric for better color retention and easier care. If you’ll be giving away the promotional shirts at a single event, consider purchasing value-priced shirts in a lighter-weight fabric and limit your logo and selling message to one color in one location on the shirt.

I recommend: Review this glossary of fabric terms for custom apparel. Make sure the sizes you order will fit the people who will wear them. If you require specific colors for your logo, be sure you know the correct Pantone (or PMS) color when ordering. If you don’t have your own artwork, consider using ready-made art. If you decide to go with embroidered logos, check out a directory of polo shirt suppliers at Business.com.

Design your company logo shirts online

You can select, custom-design, order and pay for your promotional shirts all on the Internet. Most Web sites retain your design and previous order information for easy reordering. Be sure to pay special attention to set-up charges, minimum order requirements, return policies and shipping charges before you click the “Buy It!” button.

I recommend: Check out Shirt Magic, DesignAShirt, SpreadShirt, LogoSoftWear (you can upload your own logo), and Cafe Press. You’ll see an online proof of your design before you make a final purchase decision.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Consider the time of year that the promotional shirts will be worn. Short sleeve versus long sleeve, light-weight and breathable fabrics versus tighter weave for warmth, special sizes for taller or larger staff or clients---all are important considerations.
• •  Think twice about buying shirts made of lower-grade fabrics, especially if durability and long-term use is important.
• •  Screen printing or embroidery in more than one location on the shirt will cost more too.
• •  For embroidered logos, stitch count can add to the cost of both design setup and application.

Customized shirts that have your company name and logo on them are a great way to show your “team spirit” as well as to advertise your goods and services. They also make memorable gifts to current clients and nice giveaways to prospective ones. There are many types of logo shirts to choose from, though. The first step to finding the right promotional shirts for your team is to figure out the type of shirt that you think your employees will wear the most.

Deciding on the type of shirt you want to order is the most important step. Keep these ideas in mind when making your decision:

1. Dress to impress with button-down business shirts.

2. Negotiate new deals on the green in custom golf shirts.

3. Please everyone’s tastes with a turtleneck custom logo shirt.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Put your best foot forward while wearing button-down company logo shirts

Show everyone your company has style with button-down business logo shirts. Wearing these at client visits and at trade shows and conferences will show the world that your company has even the smallest details covered.

I recommend: IdentityLinks has a huge selection of today’s latest styles of dressy promotional shirts. Check out the Click 4 Promos website to find your next customizable business shirt.

Score a few deals while wearing your custom golf shirts

Sometimes casual is the way to go. If that's the case, at least look good while doing it. Wearing golf logo shirts on and off the course will show your current and prospective clients that you know how to kick back, relax and have fun while getting the job done.

I recommend: You are sure to find the right golf shirts for your company at Leaderpromos.com. AceLogoWear.com has the latest men’s and women’s custom shirts.

Look great and stay warm with turtleneck promo shirts

If you're looking for a casual shirt to wear when the weather cools, then turtleneck company logo shirts are the answer. These long-sleeved shirts are one of the very few business logo items that look good on everyone. The best part is that these shirts come in the regular turtleneck style as well as the mock turtleneck style, so there will always be something for everyone's tastes.

I recommend: LogoSportswear.com has a great selection of turtleneck promotional shirts. Bryson Business Ventures will have the perfect customizable turtleneck for your company.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Ensure you are making the most of custom shirts by purchasing more than one type of shirt. For example, if your sales team is the only group of golfers in the office, then it is a good idea to get the rest of the employees other customized shirts such as turtlenecks to make sure everyone has one they will wear.

Custom shirt key terms can help you determine the best process and product for your company needs. While you can customize virtually any type of shirt so it has your corporate logo or advertising slogan on it, there are certain types that are more common than others. Most custom shirt manufacturers will use screen printing or embroidery to customize the shirt. You can use customized shirts with a company logo for uniforms to give a professional air to employees,as corporate gifts or as a way to market your company to employees and clients.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

1x1 rib or 2x2 rib

Also called rib knit, this is a type of knitted fabric that is more elastic than traditional t-shirt fabric because of the knit. 1x1 or 2x2 refers to the width between each rib in the knitted fabric. Manufacturers use this type of fabric for tight-fitting shirts, such as tank tops.

I recommend: Find a list of promotional clothing fabric types and a glossary of other related terms at AceLogoWear.

Types of shirts

You can imprint or embroider many different kinds of shirts. In addition to short-sleeved t-shirts, you can order sweatshirts, jerseys or polo shirts. Each type of shirt has a different fashion appeal.

I recommend: View the different styles of shirts that you can customize at Creative Advertising USA.

Broadcloth, Oxford, twill, chambray

Manufacturers use fabrics such as broadcloth, Oxford, twill and chambray to make dress shirts. Broadcloth is fine, soft and breathable. Oxford is sporty and durable, while twill with has a diagonal rib of alternating colors. Chambray provides an interesting texture.

I recommend: Find a list of the many types of fabric used to make dress shirts at Clothes For Success.com.

Work wear, uniform apparel

Usually work wear, or uniform apparel, costs less than dress shirts and makes a good option for clothing that you provide to your employees. This type of custom shirt makes a good choice for workers in industrial occupations who require durable clothing.

I recommend: View several examples of work wear that you can customize for various industries at LogoSportswear.com.

Ladie's-cut shirts

While women can wear shirts designed for men, many women prefer a cut that is more flattering to their figures. Shirts designed specifically for ladies are not only a smaller size but have a more tapered cut in both the trunk section and the sleeve.

I recommend: Check out examples of Ladie's-cut t-shirts with specific features listed (and photos) at Fishead.net.

Organic shirts

Manufacturers use organically grown materials such as cotton or hemp to make organic shirts, which many vendors sell for customizing. In order to manufacture an organic shirt, the manufacturer must meet U.S. guidelines for organic certification.

I recommend: Find a description of the features and benefits of organic shirts at Sun Embroidery Screen Printing.