Introducing merchandise to your audience can be a highly effective way to generate some extra revenue, but it can be daunting if you have never done something like this. This guide will take you through five ways to take your merchandising idea from concept to reality. Let’s jump in!
1. Identify Who You Will Work With
There are all kinds of product designers out there that can help you to bring your vision to life, but not all of them are of equal quality. Working with a reputable brand such as The/Studio can get you started on the right foot rather than investing money into brands that don’t have your best interests at heart. Starting with the right company from the beginning will save you a lot of stress later.
2. Finalize Your Creative Vision
Once you decide who you will develop your product with, it’s time to start unpacking your creative vision! You will likely have already put a lot of thought into this, but finalizing it is a different process. This stage is where you will fully commit to the type of product you will produce and its overall vibe. Consider your branding—does your proposed merchandise fit the overall appeal?
3. Consider Your Audience
In addition to thinking about your branding, you need to think about your audience. After all, they are the ones that will be making purchases! Why would they part with their money if it doesn’t sync up with their style or meet their needs? Put your demographic at the forefront of your decision-making process. It’s great that you can design a product you love, but they need to love it too.
4. Think About Realistic Profitability
The design process isn’t exclusively concerned with sketching out prototypes and brainstorming creative ideas. It also involves some significant practicalities. You need to assess whether or not this merchandise launch will generate positive returns. Consider the following:
How much will this cost to produce?
How many units do I want to produce?
How likely is my target demographic to make a purchase?
These are just three of the questions you should ask yourself before going further, but there are numerous things you should consider. These simple three, however, should provide a foundation to brainstorm whether this venture is worth it.
5. Generate Interest Long Before Launch
Lastly, but by no means least, you need to generate interest among your target demographic long before you launch your merchandise! Talk about it in your content, whether that’s a podcast, video, or blog. Let your audience know what you’re planning to release and why they should be excited. The pre-launch excitement is integral to your success, as random releases with no promotion have only ever worked for Beyoncé.
Get Creative!
Creating your own merchandise should be a fun way to develop your relationship with your audience while also getting creative. If you can strike that perfect balance between your tastes and what you think your audience will enjoy, you’ve struck gold.
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