MARKETING ON THE MENU

Borrowing a retail look can lead to better restaurant branding

By Jeff Henderson, principal, Pony Xpress Printing
People ask me all the time for advice on how to stand out from the pack, whether they are a sports team, a new retail line, or a business wanting to promote itself.

The answer is simple: give your customers something they actually want to wear.

This is especially true in the restaurant industry, one of the most fast-paced, competitive businesses in the marketplace.  Those who are “hot” and who continue to stay on top are those restaurants that become “destinations,” the must-visit institution on the list of locals and travelers alike.  Offering unique T-shirts is one way to accomplish this, whether you sell the shirts, give them away, or use them as uniforms for your wait staff.  (Remember your last vacation and that “must-have” T-shirt?) In the world of promotional T-shirt apparel, the possibilities are as endless as there are ways to cook potatoes.  But many marketing-minded managers make mistakes in not realizing the full potential behind promotional apparel.  Here are a few things to keep in mind when placing your next T-shirt order:

·        Go beyond the two-color, left-chest logo and design on the back.  There are many more options out there. People are tired of that look.

·        Achieve a retail look by using all-over printing, belt printing, and water-based inks. By producing a T-shirt like what your customer would buy in the store, it automatically has more value to your customer and will be worn out and about, rather than simply at the gym and while doing yard work.

·        Think visually. A good screenprinter can work with a graphic designer to preserve your logo while incorporating it gracefully into a unique design.  Many large companies are asking for this in their promotional wear to achieve a more retail look.

·        Consider private labeling your T-shirts, by removing the neck label and inserting your own “brand” via a sewn in tag or tag-less imprint, the perceived value of your apparel sky rockets.  Not only to you reinforce your brand power, you also are able to more than recoup the additional expense for the private labeling.

·        Consider special effects and how they can complement your business plan.  Launching a hot new salsa?  Consider a T-shirt that reacts to body heat and shows a different design when activated.  Got a new flavorful drink coming out?  Consider a scented shirt that will catch attention.  Promoting a new patio?  UV-reactive inks can make designs appear in the sun and disappear when inside. Special effects have gotten so advanced in recent years, and using them in a creative way makes T-shirts – and your brand — really stand out.

In the end, it’s not necessarily a bigger budget that will make your T-shirt marketing sing, but rather more creative use of what you have. It’s a strategy that will have your customers wearing your T-shirts and getting asked incessantly, “Where did you get that?”

Jeff Henderson is a principal at Pony Xpress Printing, a high-end screenprinting and apparel company located in Dallas, Texas. Pony Xpress Printing has been named among the top screenprinters in the country by leading industry resources, and prides itself on its superior customer service and love of good food. Jeff can be reached at jeff@ponyprinting.com.