Sourcey M Online Merch Store

THINKING OF SETTING UP AN ONLINE MERCH STORE? Here are 6 things you need to consider

HEY THERE! Have you noticed how branded merch is taking over the world? It’s like a merch frenzy out there! Smart brands are getting creative and turning a simple cost into a fabulous profit. From hip breweries to cool sports clubs, and even boutique distilleries, everyone’s hopping on the merch bandwagon and setting up their very own online merchandise store.

And you know what? It’s not just a flashy marketing move (though it totally boosts brand awareness!). It’s also a clever way to add some incomings outside their regular offerings.

Plus, top-notch merch creates the kind of customer loyalty that makes other brands green with envy.

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BUT WAIT, THAT’S NOT ALL! Selling custom merchandise isn’t just about making dough.

It’s about forging an emotional bond with your awesome customers. And hey, at sourcey.m, we’re all about those heartwarming connections! You know what they say, right?

People might forget what you say, but they’ll never forget how you make them feel. And that’s our golden rule for every client we work with!

So, now that we’ve spilled the beans on why an online merch store is a no-brainer, let’s dive into the juicy bits the what and the how.

WHAT IS AN ONLINE MERCH STORE, YOU ASK? Well, it’s pretty simple, actually. Picture this: your top notch biz selling branded swag directly through your website, all managed by yours truly - the merch experts! It’s like an online shop, but instead of dealing with the nitty-gritty, we take care of the photography, ordering, stock levels, packing, and sending. Smooth as butter!

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And when you carefully pick the right merch and set up your branded swag store strategically, here’s the magic that happens:

It drives customer loyalty like crazy.

Creates an unbreakable emotional connection between your brand and your fans.

Sends your brand message out into the world like a superhero.

Gets people talking and spreads the word about your brand (cue curiosity!).

Puts some extra cha-ching into your pockets with a brand-new revenue stream.

A CASE IN POINT

The legendary Frank’s RedHot is one smart and savvy brand that is being talked about (for all the awesome reasons)! As a forwardthinking brand, Frank’s recognised the potential in expanding beyond their core products and engaging with their loyal customer base in a new and exciting way.

Our mission, which we excitedly accepted, was to create a range of Hot Summer Merch that Frank’s loyal fans would love! And it has taken off in a BIG way! Through the launch of their new online Merch Store, they are kicking hot sauce and market domination goals!

AT-A GLANCE The Objective: To create an enhanced brand experience through the launch of their own online merch store. We aimed to help Frank’s RedHot transform their branded merchandise into an engaging, direct-to-consumer experience.

The marketing team identified the target audience for Frank’s RedHot merchandise had a strong following among millennials and food enthusiasts who were passionate about spicy flavour. With this knowledge, we developed a strategy to design and launch an online merch store catering to their preferences.

The Strategy: We collaborated with Frank’s RedHot to curate a range of merchandise that reflected their brand values and resonated with their audience. We selected items that were practical, covetable, and aligned with the brand’s identity. This ensured that customers would not only enjoy the products but also proudly showcase their support for Frank’s RedHot. We then built an online merch store unique to Frank’s RedHot (FranksRedHot.Store). This allowed customers to conveniently browse and purchase branded swag directly from the brand’s official platform. Our team managed the entire backend operations, including product photography, inventory management, order fulfilment, and shipping.

To maximise the success of the online merch store, we implemented strategic marketing initiatives.

Additionally, we leveraged Frank’s RedHot existing marketing channels, such as social media, email marketing, and events, to promote the merchandise range. By treating the merch as an integral part of their overall marketing plan, we ensured consistent brand messaging and increased sales momentum.

Happy Frank’s The Results: The launch of Frank’s RedHot online merch store was a smashing success, exceeding expectations in terms of customer engagement. The branded merch resonated strongly with their passionate fan base, creating a sense of loyalty and connection.

Customers embraced the opportunity to own exclusive Frank’s RedHot merchandise, and the demand surpassed initial projections. The merch items became coveted collectibles, with customers proudly displaying their swag and spreading brand awareness organically.

Whether you’re a sporting club, a fan brand like Franks Red Hot, or a not-for-profit, an online store can create customer loyalty, turn a cost into a profit, and elevate your brand!

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We couldn’t be happier with the collaboration with sourcey.m to launch our online merch store. They understood our brand vision and seamlessly translated it into a range of high-quality merchandise that our customers love. The results have been outstanding, with this new brand experience an exciting way to connect with our dedicated Frank’s RedHot fans.

Megan Brabant, Consumer Sales & Marketing Director, McCormick Foods Australia

6 THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE SETTING UP AN ONLINE MERCH STORE

1.

Conduct Market Research to Define Your Brand For a small biz, this is the first step. If you’re a bigger brand, then you’d have your brand weld defined as part of your marketing strategy. Refer to it and refine your goals before moving on to step 2.

For newbies to the promotional products game, we suggest defining: What makes your brand unique?

What’s your Value Proposition?

What brings your audience back to your brand? If you have a custom hashtag, what are they doing in these posts?

The feedback your customers leave for you—what’s on their wish what are their pain points?

Is there one defining brand characteristic that gives you a competitive edge? (i.e. are you an eco-friendly brand, women-led, or do you use a specific ingredient in your retail product?)

These points should get the creative juices flowing and help you plan some next-level, high quality merch that your customers will be scrambling to own.

2.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT MERCH FOR YOUR OFFERING Before you hit confirm on your promotional product order, ask yourself: Does it relate back to my product or service? In other words, does it make sense? If it’s a “yeah, nah,” it’s probably a no. You need it to be a ‘heck, yes.”

For example, a branded makeup brush set for a luxe beauty brand makes sense, but a brightly-coloured beach ball with an employment law firm printed onto it, not so much.

At least you know with the makeup brushes, your clients have a need for them and will be reminded of you for all the right reasons.

YOUR MERCH SHOULD BE MEMORABLE Anyone can slap their logo on a generic mug, mouse pad or t-shirt, but what makes you and your brand unique (refer to step 1)? This is what you need to ensure you and your newly selected merch stand out.

Put yourself in your customer’s shoes. What are THEY drawn to? What t-shirts, mugs or even better, incredibly useful on-trend lifestyle products would they simply DIE to have? Get busy on socials and connect with your audience’s accounts, trends, and aesthetics, including social causes, quotes that resonate, and groups they are a part of.

This will all feed your product sourcing and design strategy for the ultimate in eye-catching branded swag that may even become iconic themselves.

3.

BE STRATEGIC IN YOUR ONLINE STORE SETUP

4.

Don’t hide your online store away—think about how you can be found, both on your page and Google. Bring your SEO strategy into the mix, or engage a digital marketing expert if you need some guidance.

5.

MARKET YOUR MERCH Whatever you do, don’t forget it’s there! To encourage sales momentum, promote your range on your socials, send an EDM to your mailing list and consider contacting onbrand influencers to gift them your logoemblazoned swag. Giveaways are also an excellent idea upon launch. A good rule of thumb is to treat the marketing of this new revenue stream the same as the marketing for your core products and services. If you send weekly EDMs, post three times a week on Insta, and have a quarterly giveaway, include your merch in the mix!

BRING IN THE EXPERTS Selling custom merchandise is a project that can have a high return, but only if you invest the time and resources into making it THRIVE. To truly leverage the revenue-generating capabilities of custom merchandise, it’s best to hire a pro with expertise in this area to do the heavy lifting.

And, well, if you Google “Who are the Merch Experts”, you’re guaranteed to find your way to us, but hey, you already did.

Gold star for you!

6.

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