Promotional Marketing Blog by HALO Branded Solutions |
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Posted: 27 Apr 2016 12:23 PM PDT
 The
sun is shining, and with warmer weather comes more fundraiser walks, runs and
rides. Annual walks and runs are huge sources of revenue for many nonprofits,
but they’re also a lot of work and can be expensive to pull off. One of the
biggest expenses is promotional apparel. It’s a must-have for any of
these types of events, and your exposure through the promo apparel can last
for months (or years!) past event day if done right. Whether you’re in the
midst of planning a run or doing some preliminary research for one in the
future, these run/walk apparel tips should help.
Who Needs Promo Apparel? Primarily, volunteers and anyone else associated directly with
your organization should receive promotional apparel. This gives your
organization a cohesive look and makes it easy for participants and attendees
to find staff when needing help. Consider giving volunteers their apparel
with a thank you card to show your appreciation for their help.
Apparel for participants is a
great way to increase brand awareness before, after and during the event.
This should be different than the apparel for volunteers so there is no
confusion. If you use the same type of apparel, designate a specific color
for volunteers and one for participants. Another option is to add “STAFF” or
“Volunteer” to the back of the volunteers’ shirts.
Participants will look like
they’re all part of the same team—Your Brand. If you are giving the
shirt as a gift and not a requirement to wear during the run, make sure your
logo is prominent on the runner’s number so that you still get recognition in
every photo of the race.
What Type of Apparel Works
for Walks, Runs and Rides? T-shirts are
popular for all sorts of runs, walks and rides, but they’re not the only
option. Hats are nice and help runners keep sun out of their eyes during
the event. Armbands are another subtle, inexpensive option that people
may be willing to wear on event day. If your event is in the fall, consider a
light jacket or hoodie instead of a t-shirt, if your budget allows for it.
Click to
see the full sized diagram.
What Should the Promotional
Apparel Look Like? You’ll want your apparel to
incorporate an attractive design that not only represents your brand and
event but also is something people will want to wear after the big day has
passed. Check out HALO’s Three Parts of the Perfect Branded T-Shirt
for tips on creating promotional apparel that your audience will add to its
regular wardrobe. Your event name and brand message should be large and
clear. Sponsors’ logos can typically be smaller and are often located on the
back of the shirt.
How Do You Manage Sponsor
Artwork? Your sponsorship packages probably
include details on what’s included with each level of sponsorship. Some
levels likely included acknowledgement on the event apparel. Acknowledgement
could be as simple as a text-based list on the back of the shirt, but for
bigger sponsors (or everyone if you have enough room) it’s nice to include a
logo.
Request sponsor logos as soon as
possible to guarantee that you receive all the necessary artwork files in
time for t-shirt production. The typical file type for screen printing is an
.eps vector art file created by Adobe Illustrator or Corel Draw. Keep this in
mind for your own artwork, too. Files created in desktop publishing programs
such as Microsoft Word or raster images such as .jpeg or
.png files are not vector files and may be subject to additional
charges. Your HALO Account Executive is available to facilitate all
your decoration needs and take the guesswork out of which files types are
acceptable or not.
What to know about ordering? Order promotional apparel at least 4 weeks before your event
date to guarantee that your apparel is shipped on time and you like the final
product. This will help you avoid rush shipping charges, too. To help you get
a jump on ordering, collect apparel money with attendee registration. Even if
you allow registration up to just before the event, you’ll have some funds to
pay for the bulk apparel order so you don’t have to wait too long.
Give your sponsors a hard deadline
so you have all the necessary artwork to include their logos and/or names on
your apparel. If they miss the deadline, they miss their chance at brand
exposure. If you are really in a pinch, you may be able to order on shorter
notice. Always explain your situation to your Account Executive, and they’ll
help you find a solution.
Click to
see enlarged version.
When ordering apparel in bulk,
sizing can be a little tricky, but if you want people to have their apparel
before the event, then you can’t wait to order.
Consider past events and your
audience demographics, then use HALO’s sizing guidelines to help place your
order. They’re not guaranteed, but they will help with mass ordering. If you
run out of a specific size on event day, offer to mail the recipient their
correct size after the event.
Have you ordered run/walk apparel
in the past? What lessons would you share with others organizing a
similar event? Leave a comment below.
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