Top 5 Ways to Save when Ordering Custom Shirts

Tote bags are totes in right now.

These days, you don’t have to be a lifestyle brand to reap the rewards of lifestyle marketing and merchandising. From apparel to kitchenware, far more brands are integrating promotion with lifestyle.

One of the most popular forms of totally lifestyle-integrated advertising is the screen printed promotional tote bag. It seems like you can’t walk more than a few blocks from your house before spotting someone toting a cloth bag full of groceries, library books, or picnic items. Slapping your brand’s logo on a tote is a great way to unify your base, increase brand recognition, and build a lasting relationship with your audience.

Here are the top 5 ways promotional tote bags can deliver big for brands.

1) Tote bags combine style with function

Did you hear what a prominent London fashion magazine named the “It” bag of the year for 2017? If you guessed some opulent Prada purse, or a limited edition Gucci handbag, you couldn’t be more wrong. It was a promotional tote bag for The New Yorker magazine.

What with the number of design and style options available now, promotional totes can be so much more than just that reusable grocery bag you keep in your pantry. They not only represent a highly functional lifestyle tool, but also a marker of cultural status. And as they become more and more ubiquitous, the outreach potential for your brand will only grow larger.

2) Tote bags give you more bang for your buck

One of the biggest concerns when promoting a brand is cost, especially if you’re just starting out. How do you effectively build consumer relationships, boost brand recognition, and expand advertising reach without breaking the bank? When compared to other promotional tools like banners or print/television/radio advertising, promotional tote bags represent an extremely valuable way to expose your brand to the public.

What’s more, reusable bags can last for up to ten years, depending on how well they’re made, how they’re cared for, and how often they’re used. At DTLA, we use high quality fabrics and inks to ensure in all our screen printed tote bags last. It’s simple – the longer our clients’ promotional items lasts, the more they get used by customers, the more visibility it gives their brand. In terms of getting the most out of your advertising budget, promotional tote bags provide superb short-term and long-term value.

3) Tote bags bring flexibility and specificity to your marketing

Because promotional tote bags are such a great item to hand out at public get-togethers like conferences, events, and festivals, they allow brands increased specificity in their marketing strategy.

With apparel, most brands just order one large shipment with a very generic branding scheme printed onto it – their logo, tagline, etc. Tote bags provide brands an opportunity to spread the word about more immediate campaigns, sponsored events, seasonal promotions, or charitable causes.

The small-order affordability and hand-to-hand distribution of promotional totes can be extremely beneficial to businesses looking to build buzz for a specific campaigns.

4) Tote bags show that your brand is eco-friendly

Slowly but surely, the public is wising up about limiting their use of plastic. More and more cities, states and independent grocery stores are imposing laws banning or penalizing disposable bag use. And, in addition to steering clear of our swelling landfills, many tote bags come with the additional environmental benefit of being made from recycled or sustainable materials. Because of this, tote bags are becoming a must-have item for conscientious consumers everywhere.

If your brand aims to make a name for itself in the green or eco-friendly markets, or if you just want to be a good citizen, promotional tote bags are a responsible choice that help out both the planet and your audience. From our experience as eco-friendly screen printers, we find that a green approach really resonates with both our clients and our clients’ audiences.

5) Tote bags build meaningful relationships with your audience  

Screen printed tote bags represent an opportunity to connect with your audience in a very personal and meaningful way. Because they attach a brand to a behavior – like shopping, taking a day trip, taking care of the environment, etc. – they help foster a more nuanced relationship between that brand and its followers. Everyone makes shirts and hats, which are also smart marketing choices, but far fewer brands make tote bags. Tote bags not only make your audience feel uniquely and personally connected to your brand, they also make it more likely they’ll become a valuable word-of-mouth marketing advocate for you.

In addition, because totes are so often handed out in person, your audience will be more likely to remember the surrounding social moment that they obtained the bag. This will further their connection to it, thus furthering their connection to your brand.

Totes are only getting bigger! There’s never been a better time to put a batch of custom screen printed tote bags out into the world. Designing your own is an efficient, affordable way to get the word out about your brand, and build long-lasting relationships with your customers.

Learn more about our Screen Printing services here.