Want to ensure you’re offering branded apparel that gets noticed and creates plenty of impressions for your clients? Try following some of these tips to increase the perceived value of a garment.

Instead of doing an expected full-chest screen print, elevate a hoodie with a cotton appliqué patch and color-coordinated hood drawstring. Photo courtesy of Vantage Apparel.

1. Find out what your client really wants. Spend time talking to your clients at the beginning of the order process to get an understanding of their business goals and how merchandise fits in with that, says Jeremy Picker, co-founder and CEO of Lakewood, CO-based AMB3R (asi/590243). “So many distributors just give their clients a catalog and let the customer pick what they want,” he adds. “Be more than an order-taker. Guide them to be diligent with their promotional budget by getting them the right branded products, not just any branded product.”

2. Stay current with trends. Show your clients how the garments you’re using are comparable to recognizable retail brands. “Giving buyers confidence that the item is in style takes some of the pressure off their selection and makes a good case for getting more brand impressions,” says Gina Barreca, director of marketing at Top 40 supplier Vantage Apparel (asi/93390).

3. Choose high-end embellishments. Barreca recommends laser embellishment techniques, including appliqué lettering and patches, to elevate a garment and produce a high rate of return. “Instead of the expected full-chest screen print on a hoodie fleece, a cotton appliqué patch will look richer, as it adds texture and dimension,” she says. Take it a step further, she adds, by coordinating the color of the hood’s drawstring with the logo.

4. Add finishing touches. Custom tag printing on the neck of a T-shirt adds a branding boost. Folding and polybagging give the garment a professional look. Even a sticker noting that the shirt was inspected for quality will boost the perceived value. Woven clamp tags and hangtags that highlight the story behind a product are also key, Picker says. For example, “If it’s an acid-washed shirt and the print is vintage, showcase that on a hangtag explaining how each garment is unique and will look more worn-in over time,” he adds.

5. Create an “unboxing” experience. Everyone loves the feeling of opening a present. Capture that excitement by creating attractive, retail-style packaging for garments. Rush Order Tees, an apparel decorator based in Philadelphia, for example, redesigned its boxes with “little messages on the inside flaps, and added little thank-you cards, stickers, coupons and tissue paper,” says Imri Merritt, who works in art, design and marketing for the company.

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