Promotional t-shirts - Comments needed!

[justinbaker]

All - I have a hobby business that is slowly growing. It's manufacturing wheeling machines. These machines make compound curves in sheet metal, and are mainly used for hand made bodywork in automotive/aviation sector. Although this is not always the case.

I sometimes attend shows and promote the wheels with demonstrations, handing out business cards, and some printed material. Recently I thought about giving away ladies T-shirts, with the following.



What are your thoughts?
I am inviting quotes on small numbers of these now.

Edited by justinbaker on Friday 20th February 09:34

[seaninog]

My thoughts: I'm not sure it's money well spent.

In America, people seem much more inclined to wear T-shirts that endorse a product. I think it's less so in the UK. Can I realistically see a lady wearing one of thes shirts and walking about passively advertising your business. No, not really.

Even if they did, you have to ask if she is your target market (didn't sound like it for such a specialised industry) and are the people who see her in the street your target market (again I say No because your product isn't mass market). If I understand correctly, your target market is relatively small and you should focus ad spend on where they are and what they do.

It is a clever idea and the slogan is quite witty but I just don't think it's the best use of your advertising pound.

Let us know what you decide.

[andy-xr]

You'd be better off with planners/calendars if you're selling to office types. Or if you're trying to put your product into the eyesight of a production line manager, something like pens are cheap and fairly effective.

We used to do well from USB sticks, up until companies were taking more interest in what was going onto them. Thats when we sold them protection against content over USB

[ginettag27]

I guess it's not for office types, but more hands on types...

I must admit I had to look up what a wheeling machine is!

What about a URL at least or phone number or something?

Consider other garments, such as long sleeve t-shirts, fleeces, polo shirts, etc...

Fleeces always seem popular... Although mostly in winter...

What do you want to achieve with the t-shirts?

[Shrimper]

My other halfs Dad has about 200 t-shirts made up every year with his logo, website and phone number on. He has a small business in a relatively niche market. He gives the shirts out to people in the industry that hes in, or are associated with it. For example he works in a lot of dockyards around the world, and often stays in the nearest hotel. He will give the reception ladies in the hotel a t-shirt each, as well as the porter and the barman. I wouldnt have thought he gains much business from it, but its a nice little touch to the business and people always seem to like you more after you have given them a freebie!