Sock Club's Guide to Company Stores
Company swag stores are becoming increasingly popular as a marketing strategy for businesses of all sizes. These online stores are a convenient way for companies to showcase their brand with custom branded merchandise. Corporate apparel and promotional products create a sense of loyalty among employees, customers, and partners. From t-shirts and hoodies to pens and water bottles, swag stores provide a wide range of company merch that can be customized with company logos and messaging.
At Sock Club, we've got over a decade in this game, so we know a thing or two about helping businesses fill their company stores.
Let's explore the importance of company swag stores in marketing, and how they can enhance brand awareness, boost employee morale, and increase customer loyalty. We'll also provide tips and best practices for creating an effective swag store that aligns with your business goals and engages your target audience.
Our guide to company stores will cover:
✔️ What is a company store and how does it work?
✔️ How company swag stores add power to your sales funnel
✔️ 5 Benefits of Setting Up a Company Store for Your Business
✔️ How to use Company Stores for Employee Recognition and Retention & Trends to watch!
✔️ 10 Tips for Launching a Successful Company Store.
How Company Stores Boost Business Growth and Morale
6 Benefits of having a Company Store with Promotional Products
Increases brand awareness
Promotional products are a great way to increase brand awareness. By giving out products with your company’s logo or message, you are essentially advertising your brand to anyone who comes into contact with the product. This can help increase brand recognition and exposure, which can lead to increased sales.
Cost-effective marketing
Promotional products are a cost-effective marketing strategy compared to other forms of advertising. They can be produced in bulk and given away at events or to customers as a thank-you for their business. This can help spread your brand message and reach a wider audience without breaking the bank.
Boosts employee morale
Providing promotional products to employees can help boost morale and make them feel valued. It can also serve as a reward for their hard work and dedication, which can motivate them to continue performing at a high level.
Enhances customer loyalty
By providing customers with promotional products, you can enhance their loyalty to your brand. Customers are more likely to return to a company that has shown them appreciation and provided them with a useful product. This can help build a loyal customer base and increase repeat business.
Creates a positive image
Providing promotional products can help create a positive image for your company. It shows that you are invested in your customers and employees, and are willing to go the extra mile to make them feel appreciated. This can help improve your reputation and make your brand more attractive to potential customers and employees.
Generates word-of-mouth marketing
Promotional products can generate word-of-mouth marketing by creating buzz around your brand. When people receive a product that they find useful or unique, they are more likely to talk about it with their friends and family. This can help spread your brand message and increase brand recognition.
What is a company store?
A company store is an e-commerce portal that is owned and operated by a business to distribute branded merchandise to customers, employees, and other stakeholders. The store typically carries a range of products that feature the company's logo or other branding, such as apparel, accessories, drinkware, and other promotional items.
Company stores can serve a variety of purposes, including increasing brand visibility, generating revenue, and promoting employee engagement and loyalty. They can be physical stores located on-site at a company's headquarters or other locations, or they can be online stores accessible through the company's website. Some companies also use third-party providers like Swag.com, Corporate Merch, or Sendoso to manage their company stores. Regardless of the format, the purpose of a company store is to promote and enhance the brand identity of the business.
How does a company store work?
A company store is an online portal where a business can offer its employees, customers, or partners a variety of branded merchandise, such as apparel, accessories, and promotional products. Typically, the company store is customized to reflect the branding and messaging of the organization, providing a seamless experience for users.
Employees can access the store and order products for themselves, while customers or partners may be given access codes to the store for a limited time to redeem promotional items or purchase branded merchandise.
The products are typically pre-approved by the company to ensure consistency with the brand's values and image. The company store is managed by a third-party vendor who handles the production, fulfillment, and shipping of orders. By using a company store, businesses can boost brand awareness, increase employee satisfaction, and offer a convenient way to distribute promotional products.
5 Benefits of a Company Store
Utilizing an online store that is specifically designed for your company's branded items can help you avoid the typical problems associated with the process of getting personalized promotional merchandise, while still reaping its benefits.
Here are 5 benefits of using a company store for your business:
- Improved brand recognition and loyalty
- Lower marketing costs
- Streamlined ordering process
- Customizable products
- Better control over brand identity.
Check out our blog post to learn more about each benefit!
Fast Facts About Company Stores
44%
Increase in employee performance with properly structured incentive programs.
70%
Percentage of Forbes Global 2000 companies who use gamification to boost retention, engagement, and revenues.
26%
Potential reduction in harmful air emissions by switching your company store to a fulfillment center.
90%
Reduction in order management costs by streamlining your company store ordering process.
The Future Of Company Stores: 7 Trends To Watch
As company swag stores continue to gain popularity, it's important to stay ahead of the curve. Here are 7 trends to keep you and your team in the loop.
Trend #1: Building personalized remote onboarding kits.
Trend #2: Showcasing sustainable brands and customized promotional items more prominently.
Trend #3: Employee wellness initiatives.
Trend #4: Department-specific brand swag store sections.
Trend #5: Using company swag stores and logo merchandise to build and scale influencer marketing.
Trend #6: Focusing on size inclusivity in corporate apparel.
Trend #7: Outsourcing swag store customer service to maintain around-the-clock support.
Check our article on how to implement these trends for your company store.
How to Launch Your Company Store
Are you ready to create a successful company store for your branded merchandise?
From concept to launch, there are numerous factors to consider, but don't worry, we've got you covered! In this article, we'll provide you with 10 uplifting tips that will help you navigate everything from identifying your target audience to selecting the perfect corporate swag. Let's get started on the path to a successful company store!
The Impact of Branded Merchandise on Customer Loyalty
Promotional products have been a game-changer for businesses looking to leave a lasting impression on their customers. Branded merchandise has the power to ignite action among consumers, even when it's given away for free!
The data speaks for itself - a whopping 76.1% of consumers will remember your brand thanks to corporate swag they received in the previous year.
Compare that to the fleeting impact of print or television ads that only 53% of people can recall from the past month, or online ads that only 27% can remember. With promotional products, your brand can make a lasting impression and stay top of mind with your customers.
Want to learn more about the impact of brand merchandise? Click bellow!
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How to Use Your Company Store for Employee Recognition and Retention
Employee engagement plays a vital role in an organization's success. When employees are fully committed to their company, it leads to higher rates of employee retention, productivity, and overall satisfaction.
Improved company culture can positively impact external customer satisfaction as well! One way to enhance employee engagement is by offering a company store, where employees can enjoy discounts on branded merchandise and business gifts. Additionally, this store can be utilized to support employee recognition programs...
Click below to learn more!
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Why Is Customization Important In Your Company Swag Store?
Customization is important in a company swag store for several reasons:
1. It allows employees to feel a sense of ownership and pride in the company they work for. When they wear company-branded items that are customized to their liking, it creates a sense of belonging and camaraderie.
2. Secondly, customization can help to increase brand recognition and awareness. When employees wear company-branded items that are unique and eye-catching, it can attract attention and spark conversations, which can ultimately lead to increased visibility and brand recognition.
3. Customization can help to foster a positive company culture. When employees are given the opportunity to customize their own swag, it shows that the company values their individuality and wants to create a positive and inclusive work environment. This can lead to increased employee satisfaction and loyalty, which can ultimately benefit the company as a whole.
Continue reading to learn more benefits of customization and how this will boost your business growth and morale.
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Our Favorite Company Store Examples
Greenlight Guru
At Sock Club, we had the pleasure of working with Greenlight Guru, a medical device quality management software company, to create custom socks for their employees. This client spotlight highlights how we partnered with them to design and manufacture socks that they sold on their company store.
Our custom socks not only allowed their employees to showcase their company pride in a fun and unique way, but they also helped to promote the Greenlight Guru brand and culture. We provided insight into how we set up and managed the company store, and how it positively impacted their overall culture and branding efforts.
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Technica Communications
We helped Technica Communications step up their company's branding game with custom socks from Sock Club! Technica Communications is a public relations and marketing agency. They wanted to create bespoke socks that not only allowed their employees to showcase their brand pride in a fun and unique way, but also became a profitable revenue stream for the company.
They found that our custom socks are a great way to promote team spirit and enhance your company's culture, read more on how Technica Communications' company store boosted morale among their team.
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Affinity
We recently had the pleasure of collaborating with Affinity, a software company providing CRM solutions, to create bespoke socks for their employees. The article on our website highlights how our partnership helped to generate revenue for the company through the creation of a company store. Our custom socks are not just a fun way for employees to display their brand pride, but they also help build a strong sense of team spirit and camaraderie within the company.
Read on to get a peek into how we helped Affinity design and manufacture their custom socks, as well as how we set up and managed their company store. Experience the positive impact our custom socks can have on your company's culture and branding efforts - contact us today to create your very own custom sock design!
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