Promotional sweatshirts make a good choice for a marketing tool, because people like to give and receive apparel. Promotional sweatshirts basics include ordering shirts imprinted with a logo or other design, deciding on the best imprinting method and choosing the right shirt to imprint. Consider the quantity you need, the sizes and what would most appeal to your target market.

Whether you plan to give the sweatshirts away or sell them, they should promote your company and be a quality product your customers will want to wear. Consider using your promotional sweatshirts for the following reasons:

1. Increase brand recognition by putting your logo on promotional sweatshirts.

2. Create buzz about your company by using an important slogan that you use in your marketing program.

3. Consider how to use promotional sweatshirts in your business.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Learn more about the various options for ordering promotional sweatshirts

For a company logo, an embroidered sweatshirt is often a good choice for a classy look. Digital printing is less expensive and often gives you the option for low quantities. Screen printing provides bright, vibrant colors and is good for colorful artwork, especially if you want the artwork to be large.

I recommend: Read about the differences between digital printing and screen printing from InstaShirt.com. Learn about screen-printed and embroidered sweatshirts and the various parameters involved at USLogoWear.

Compare several websites where you can order a custom logo sweatshirt

Every website has different options, and one may suit you better than another. Look for minimum quantities, whether they charge a setup fee, how long the order will take, what kind of design options they offer, as well as comparing prices. Another difference is the variety and quality of specific sweatshirts they sell.

I recommend: Choose to design a single sweatshirt or a quantity, using digital printing, screen printing or embroidery at CustomInk. Pick from several name brands of sweatshirts and opt for screen printing or embroidery at BERDA CompuGraphix. Learn the basics of uploading a design, pricing and production time when ordering sweatshirt logos from TshirtPrinting4U.com.

Determine the best use for a custom imprinted sweatshirt

Many businesses use promotional items as giveaways at events, but some companies combine promotion with sales. Even if you don't have a sales branch, you can use an online shop to sell sweatshirts imprinted with your company logo or other artwork. You can link to this online shop from your website, so your customers can find it.

I recommend: Quality Logo Products offers articles on why and how to use promotional items like sweatshirts. Find out how you can design and sell your own t-shirts and sweatshirts at SpreadShirt. Learn the three steps involved in setting up an online shop where you can sell your imprinted sweatshirt at CafePress.com. Choose from many name brand sweatshirts at LogoSportswear.com and buy or sell them in any quantity with your company logo or other slogan or design imprinted on them.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  In addition to ordering or selling promotional sweatshirts with your logo, sweatshirts with a design related to your industry may be something of interest to your customers.

The goal of using promotional items, like a logo sweatshirt, is advertising your business and exposing new customers to your products and services. While you'll find a wide range of promotional items available for your business, custom sweatshirts make sense for a number of reasons.

1. Sweatshirt logos promote your business all over town. Potential customers will see them in grocery stores, at sporting events and city offices.

2. People love receiving quality items like embroidered sweatshirts.

3. Depending on your business, you may be able to give away and sell logo sweatshirts.When looking for a promotional item, you want something that will give you the greatest exposure for your money. Promotional sweatshirts can be one of the best items out there in providing exposure for your business.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Use the right logo sweatshirt for your business

Before you begin designing your custom sweatshirt or place an order, you need to think about your business. If you run a gym for women, you want a logo sweatshirt that is more feminine. Run a business in a warm climate area? You'll want a lighter weight sweatshirt than someone who has a cold climate clientele

I recommend: 4Imprint has men's, women's and children's sweatshirts for your business. Branders has a range of styles and colors for your promotional sweatshirt.

Hire a designer for your sweatshirt logos if you don't feel like you can do it yourself

A logo designer can help you come up with a great sweatshirt look that your customers will love to wear. When you consider that a bad sweatshirt design can relegate your sweatshirt to the back of the closet or painting duty, it's often worth it to pay the money for a spectacular design. Keep in mind that once you have the design, you can continue to use it for years to come and can put it on other promotional items.

I recommend: Create your own logo for embroidered sweatshirts and other promotional items. Have Logo Design Guru create a unique logo just for your business.

Go for quality materials and construction

While you may need to pay a little more, good quality materials and construction on your promotional sweatshirts will reflect better on your business than low quality, cheap ones. People are also much more likely to wear good quality items, which is your goal. Ask to see and feel a sample before you put in a large order. Look for comfortable fabrics that are easy to care for and are well constructed.

I recommend: Extra Mile Promotional Products has name brand sweatshirts that you can have imprinted with your logo. Imagewear sells promotional sweatshirt brands like Hanes, Nike, Jerzees, Columbia and Port Authority.

Choose how your promotional sweatshirt will be printed

Embroidered sweatshirts look the best, but you can also choose from screen-printing, silk screening and imprinting. Embroidered sweatshirts don't fade like some other methods, so you might want to spend the extra bucks for more durability.

I recommend: Art Promos will screen print or embroider your design on a custom sweatshirt. The Embroidery Superstore can embroider your design on a range of products and apparel.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Depending on your business, you may be able to sell your promotional sweatshirts as a tourist gift to make a profit while you advertise your business.
• •  Plan to order average size sweatshirts so you aren't stuck with a lot of small sizes that no one wants.
• •  Select colors that identify with your business to enhance your advertising efforts.

There are a lot of ways to saving money on promotional sweatshirts. You can limit the number of ink or thread color you use in your sweatshirt logos. You can order with plenty of time so that you don't have to rush delivery, or you can keep your sizes XL or smaller (anything larger usually runs you in to a higher price sweatshirt).

Another way to save money on logo sweatshirts is to sign up for online specials on company websites. By adding your name to their mailing list, you are one of the first people to find out about online sales and discounts. You also earn retailer loyalty by becoming one of their valued customers.

To find out more about saving money on promotional sweatshirts:

1. Look for tips and tricks to saving money on the logo sweatshirts. See what retailers have to say about saving money in their own industry.

2. Find coupon codes for promotional sweatshirts. Use the sites that keep their codes the most up-to-date.

3. Place your corporate logo sweatshirt order through a wholesaler or at a bulk price.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Look for creative ideas to help you save money on your next logo sweatshirt purchase

Save some dough on your next purchase of promotional sweatshirts by looking into tips from those in the industry.

I recommend: Check out the "Tips To Save Time and Money For T-shirt Designs (And Sweatshirts, Mugs, Banners, Etc.)" from LogoSportswear.com. Their advice can help you get it right the first time in terms of color choice and logo location. Look at the great promotional money saving tips from LSJ. These tips apply to any promotional item from pens to t-shirts to sweatshirts and more.

Find coupon codes for embroidered sweatshirts or promotional sweatshirts

Use coupon codes and online promotions to help you on saving money on promotional sweatshirts and your next corporate logo sweatshirt order. Stick with sites that keep their codes fresh and up-to-date.

I recommend: Start with coupon codes and free online coupons from RedTagDeals.com. They regularly update their site with new discount coupons and coupon codes, which can help you save money on promotional sweatshirts. Look for additional coupon information RetailMeNot.com.

Buy sweatshirts for embroidering or logo sweatshirts in bulk or wholesale

Find out ways to buy in bulk or consider going with logo sweatshirt companies that are wholesale companies.

I recommend: Look for companies like Extra Mile that offer an additional discount when your imprinted sweatshirt or embroidered sweatshirt order hits a certain dollar amount. Cost savings at tiered pricing and help you save money by enticing you to purchase in bulk. Consider the discount sweatshirts at T-ShirtWholesaler.com. They sell to individuals, businesses and organizations.

Promotional sweatshirts are a great item to brand your name, whether you distribute them to clients or staff. By familiarizing yourself with promotional sweatshirts key terms, you can find the best value in sweatshirts and the features that suit your needs. This guide can help you decide if screen printing or embroidery is the best choice for your promotional logo. You can also use the information to you choose various fabric finishes, such as sueded or microfleece.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Screen printing, or silk screening

Screen printing is a process that forces ink through a finely woven fabric pattern and onto a flat garment surface. There are usually just one or two colors used in the process. Since the finished screen printing sets on top of the fabric, it can eventually crack or wear off, but modern screen printing techniques greatly reduce this problem.

I recommend: Berda CompuGraphix can do customized screen printing.

Embroidered

Embroidered fleece sweatshirts, created with machine embroidery, can reflect your brand or whatever message you want to get across. Because cost can be a factor, the embroidered area of promotional sweatshirts tends to be small.

I recommend: See the sample embroidered fleece sweatshirt at 4imprint.

Half-zip sweatshirt

A half-zip promotional sweatshirt has a zipper that runs from the neckline to mid chest. The zipper makes it easier to get the garment on and off. This type of sweatshirt can be a bit dressier than a traditional style sweatshirt.

I recommend: The Arizona Cap Company offers half-zip promotional sweatshirts.

Microfleece

Microfleece fabric has smaller threads than normal sweatshirt cotton fabric. The tightly woven polyester threads in microfleece are often wind- and water-resistant. Microfleece promotional sweatshirts often have a velvet-like feel to them.

I recommend: There are several examples of microfleece promotional sweatshirts offered at PromoManagers.

Pill-resistant fabric

Some polyester fibers tend to form small balls, or pills, on spots where the fabric rubs with something else. Pill-resistant fabric doesn't easily get the small balls that can affect the appearance of the garment.

I recommend: SmartFleece.com has pill-resistant fabric for promotional sweatshirts in a variety of colors.

Sueded finish

Sueded finish promotional sweatshirts have a brushed feel to them that gives the exterior an extra-soft finish. Sueded finish fabric allows for a more supple fit than regular fleece sweatshirt fabric.

I recommend: You can see an example of a sueded finish sweatshirt offered by Worldwide Products.