A brand is the perception that a customer has of a company. It can range from a feel-good factor about the company and its policies or culture to the perception of quality associated with the company's products or services. Brand merchandising boosts the brand equity of a company and its offerings by making the company logo more visible and, in many ways, closer to the customer. For instance, although most people cannot afford a Ferrari, they feel "connected" to the brand through the various jackets, t-shirts and souvenirs that are commonly available with the distinct logo of this automobile company.

Benefits of Branded Merchandising

Brand merchandising is a great way for both young and experienced companies to make their logos seen, gain recognition and boost their overall sales in the long term. Here are a few benefits of this form of marketing your brand:

• Longevity: Research shows that a significant number of people generally keep high-quality branded merchandise received from their vendors or company for at least a year. This is provided that the gifts have a long shelf life. For instance, a good quality t-shirt would find a way to most people's wardrobes, while gourmet food packets and plastic bottles will soon be in a trash can. If your branded merchandise is being used for over a year, you can estimate the number of times your client would see your logo.
• Goodwill: Don't we all just love free stuff? If you give away useful and attractive gifts, you can be sure of generating a great deal of goodwill.
• Reach: Once you have grabbed the attention of the receiver of your corporate gift, the visibility of your brand will spread much beyond those people. For instance, when an employee wears a jersey with the logo of your company on it and travels to work, the logo may be seen by several people along the way.
• Beat the heat: You need no reminder of the constant cutthroat competition that you deal with. A high-quality gift would help your company stand out among your competitors.

While gifts are great, it is human nature to associate a lower value to free things than when we actually spend money on them! Thus, it is critical to invest into items that stand out as being of high quality. It is best to contact reliable branded merchandise suppliers who are capable of providing creative and professional inputs to enhance the value of your corporate gifts.