In case you’re new to the world of promotional products business, you must’ve heard about the terms swag and merch used by 

 people when discussing products and items. It can sometimes be used interchangeably, but other people use these terms for specific products. Today we will find out what the terms mean and what kinds of clients use them.

When salespeople give away promotional products to potential clients or customers to encourage them to make a purchase, it is called swag. Think of items you may get at a 

 or in a gift bag. Swag is purposefully created to give to customers as a physical and tangible token that bears the company’s brand name on it. This is done in order to elicit a subconscious response from them and encourage them to purchase products or services from the company at a later time.

Depending on the company event that your client wants to attend, the type of swag you’ll recommend to them may also vary. For example, if your client wants to have their own booth at a trade show, you could recommend a high-quality pen with a custom message, a notepad with their logo, or a tote bag that their customers can reuse.

Merch is short for merchandise, which refers to items sold or distributed by a brand or artist to their fans or customers. Merchandise is usually available for purchase and is often associated with a specific brand, artist, or event. Examples of merch can include clothing (t-shirts, hoodies, hats), accessories (bracelets, necklaces), posters, albums, or any other items featuring branding or artwork related to the brand or artist. Merchandise serves as a way for fans to show support and affiliation while also providing a revenue stream for the brand or artist.

The evolution of swag into merch can be seen as a progression from free promotional items to branded merchandise that is sold or distributed to fans or customers. Here's how the transition may occur:

Swag as promotional items: Initially, swag refers to free promotional items given away by brands at events or trade shows. These items are designed to create brand awareness and leave a positive impression on recipients. Swag typically includes items like pens, keychains, and 

Expansion of swag: As brands recognize the value of promotional items, they may start offering a wider range of swag to engage with their target audience. Swag items can include t-shirts, tote bags, water bottles, and other practical or novelty items that bear the brand's logo or artwork. The goal is to create a sense of loyalty and connection to the brand.

Swag as limited edition: Some brands may begin to produce limited-edition or exclusive swag items to generate excitement and demand. These items are often associated with specific events, collaborations, or milestones. Limited-edition swag can create a sense of exclusivity and become more sought after by fans and collectors.

Transition to merch: As the popularity of swag grows, brands may start to explore the 

, often referred to as merch. This transition involves offering a wider range of products, including clothing, accessories, posters, and albums, which fans can purchase to show support for the brand or artist.

Enhanced design and quality: Merchandise tends to have a more refined design and higher-quality materials compared to traditional swag items. Brands invest in creating appealing artwork, incorporating unique designs, and ensuring that the merchandise aligns with their brand identity. This helps to attract customers who are willing to pay for these items.

Fan engagement and revenue generation: Merchandising becomes a means for brands, artists, or organizations to engage with their fans on a deeper level. Fans can proudly wear or display merch, showing their support and affiliation. Additionally, merch sales become a revenue stream for brands, contributing to their financial sustainability and growth.

The term swag becoming synonymous with merch can be attributed to the evolving language and cultural shifts within marketing and branding practices. Here are a few possible reasons for this transition:

Popularization and reappropriation: The term swag originally referred to free promotional items given away by brands. However, over time, the term gained popularity and became more widely used in popular culture. As a result, it started to encompass a broader meaning beyond just promotional items, extending to branded merchandise that fans or customers can purchase to show their support. This expansion of the term swag allowed it to encompass both free promotional items and paid merchandise.

Language evolution and colloquial usage: Language is constantly evolving, and terms can change in meaning or acquire new connotations. In the case of swag, its colloquial usage extended beyond its original promotional context. People began referring to branded merchandise as swag in a broader sense, regardless of whether it was given away for free or sold. This colloquial usage led to the merging of the terms swag and merch in the popular vernacular.

Influence of popular culture and social media: Popular culture, particularly music, influencers, and social media platforms, has played a significant role in shaping language and trends. Artists, celebrities, and influencers often use the term swag to refer to their branded merchandise or products associated with their personal brand. This usage further popularized the term and contributed to its association with merchandise.

Marketing and branding strategies: Brands and marketers often adopt and adapt popular language and cultural references to connect with their target audience. The term swag gained attention and recognition among younger demographics, making it an attractive and relatable term to use when promoting and selling merchandise. By aligning with popular language and cultural trends, brands can leverage the appeal and recognition of the term swag to generate interest and increase sales of their merchandise.

It's important to note that the term swag being used interchangeably with merch may vary in different contexts and regions. Language and terminology can be influenced by various factors, and different industries or communities may have their own unique interpretations and usage of these terms.

In case you’re new to the world of promotional products business, you must’ve heard about the terms “swag” and “merch” used by marketing people when discussing products and items. It can sometimes be used interchangeably, but other people use these terms for specific products. 

Swag vs Merch: The Differences Between the Two Terms

Entrepreneurs who run their own ventures, due to their strong drive for success, almost always prioritize hard work over their own well-being. However, you can find a middle ground where you can manage and grow your business and also focus on your health & wellness. Are you looking for tips on how to care for yourself despite your busy schedule?

You can take control back of your life even if you have a busy schedule and all you have to do is to implement effective time management. From simply sleeping more to managing your social interactions that sometimes take up too much of your precious time. All it takes is a little discipline and you will get the best life-work balance you never knew was possible.

Self-care is a traditional term commonly used in health care which means actions a person can take to maintain good overall health, disease prevention, and manage long-term illnesses. It addresses both your physical needs (i.e. sleep, food, and water) as well as your emotional needs like interacting with other people to create a balanced social life.

When psychiatrists collectively discovered a pattern among ordinary employees, office executives, CEOs, and entrepreneurs that their health problems are directly connected to their work-related stress, self-care was coined. Corporate folks were advised to care more for themselves than just focus all their energy on work and making money.

Pampering one’s self by giving yourself more “me time,” traveling to freshen up your mind and meditation were highly recommended activities, while not neglecting your emotional needs and relationships is also another crucial aspect of self-care.

Below are 20 self-care tips for entrepreneurs.

Entrepreneurs are known to be notorious for putting all their efforts towards achieving their goals, having said that, they work so hard to the point where they neglect having a healthy diet, or worse – eat less than what is needed for the human body’s daily nutrient intake.

, as it’s affordable, the ingredients are widely available and the meals are easy to prepare. You don’t have to prepare the food yourself in case you’re too busy, you can go to any restaurant that serves Mediterranean food and get your healthy diet from them!

Drink 8 glasses of water every day (you can drink more if you want). Spread them throughout the 24-hour period and drink Gatorade or eat fruits high in electrolytes as well, to stay hydrated all day, especially if there’s a heat wave going on.

Getting enough sunlight in the morning between 6 am – 10 am will cause your skin to create vitamin D, which help the body absorb and retain calcium and phosphorus; both are critical for building bone. Another benefit is that exercise triggers your body to release endorphins – a naturally occurring hormone that makes you feel happy.

It has been known that mindfulness meditation helps remove stress and anxiety from your mind, so learn all about it and start making it a part of your busy daily routine.

Bottling up your feelings can only have a negative impact on your mental health, psychiatrists say that it is good to release those feelings and be assertive every once in a while. You may think this is one of those odd self-care tips for entrepreneurs, but you will thank me later.

There have been reported cases where people suffering from stress developed pneumonia and had a mental breakdown, so based on this it’s not really healthy to keep stressing yourself over work, even if it helps boost your business profits. There are dozens of ways to cope with stress and a lot of them are surprisingly easy to do, plus they don’t take up too much time or effort to do. You can still have enough time to work on your business and keep those profits coming.

I may not be a psychiatrist but I think stress comes from overthinking and anxiety and it’s only natural for entrepreneurs to think about their businesses endlessly. So what you must do as an entrepreneur is to find time for yourself to relax, watch a movie, read a book, go camping or pick up a hobby. These things are known as good stress relievers.

You only have 24 hours per day just like all of us do and you can only divide that time among things you prioritize in your life. Being the person who leads and manages your business essentially makes you a busy person, but if you don’t learn how to say “No,” you risk losing time for important matters and time for yourself. Say no to invitations that you think will not benefit you.

People who are in leadership roles always have full responsibility not only for themselves but for their subordinates as well. If you blame others (I’m not saying that your subordinates did not contribute to your failure as a team), then you’re showing a sign of weakness as a leader.

Keep in mind that your team depends on your leadership, so if anything, their mistakes came from your plans and strategies which clearly did not work out like they were supposed to. So accept responsibility for your mistakes, move on, and improve yourself.

Let’s say that your team only has 10 people plus you the CEO. You know that there’s only so much your team can do, so if you’ve bitten more than what you can chew - delegate other projects and outsource them.

Attempting to do all the projects or contracts you’ve been awarded will only result in delays, poor quality of products or services, and ultimately your failure as a company. Just make sure that you get 60% of the income and 100% of the quality of service that the company you outsourced your clients to and you’ll see that you still win in the end. Wondering just how beneficial it is? 

There are many self-care tips for entrepreneurs on this list, but this is definitely my personal favorite! That’s because I do it myself and I have personally witnessed its effectiveness in accomplishing goals. So wake up early, have a morning routine, and plan a strategy for the day before you engage in your work.

If you’ve ever heard the phrase “walk it off,” then even if you’re not a health expert, you know, that this means to clear your head of “stuff.” This is because thinking too much can lead to stress and if you take a couple of brisk 15-minute walks throughout the course of your workday, you will create a better state of mind and have great mental health overall.

Include family and friends in this support network to help guide you in making decisions in life, especially when it comes to work-life balance. Adding your most trusted colleagues will help too but just make sure that they will support you on a personal level, your marriage (if you’re married), your wife and kids (if you already have a family), and other important details of your life. Your support network is a group of people with who you are comfortable talking about your daily life struggles, so you won’t feel alone in the world.

Who doesn’t, right? I tell you, if I had a job that lets me go on vacation 24/7, I wouldn’t hesitate for 1 second to sign up for it! Going on vacations will help put your mind at ease, so schedule at least one trip somewhere that you think you will enjoy like Thailand or the Philippines.

Plan your day out in advance. Schedule time for work and time for your personal life including family and friends. Ninety percent of entrepreneurs said that the reason for their messed up lifestyle is not managing their daily schedule.

 is already a great business tool that saves you a lot of time when doing business making everything streamlined and efficient. But there are also tools that help you manage your team, finances, tasks assignment, milestones, and other things that are crucial in running a business. The better the tools you use, the more time you save and the less stressful your life will become.

17. Take Business Calls During Work Hours Only

The reason why it’s called work-life balance is that you don’t overlap the two. Accepting business calls while you’re supposed to spend time with your family will create tension and resentment, and you don’t want that. Trust me when I tell you, it’s not worth all the money in the world. Set aside time for work and set aside time for your personal life as it should be.

Lack of sleep has a lot of negative impacts on a person’s health according to recent studies. Among them include the shrinking of brain size, which may not only cause you to reduce your intelligence (very important when running a business) but may also lead to dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Another health risk it causes is erectile dysfunction and I think I don’t need to elaborate on this. Get at least 6 hours of sleep per night, although 8 hours is much better.

We, humans, are created to have social interactions. In fact, NASA once conducted an experiment where the volunteers were subjected to solitary living inside a capsule for at least 30 days and the results were not very nice. The experiment was conducted with the aim of finding out how people will survive mostly alone in space for an extended period of time. The data showed that the test subjects developed stress, anxiety, depression and even bordering psychotic disorder. Do not alienate yourself for money. It just isn’t going to help.

There’s a saying that goes, “Choose the job you love and you never have to work a day in your life.” Of course, the kind of business you decided to run is exactly the job that you love, so unless what you’re doing is not making you happy, then you need to change what you’re doing. Loving what you do aligns all your goals with the success of your business, so extend that enthusiasm to your team, in order for them to see the value of their contribution to building your business.

20 Self Care Tips For Entrepreneurs

If you're an aspiring photographer, then you must already be familiar with the challenging and complex process of selling your work; however, the playing field has dramatically changed with print on demand services. The amazing thing about these services is that it allows photographers to have a simple and convenient way to sell their work and reach a global audience. Photographers who are looking to monetize their work are now choosing to use print on demand because it gives them the ability to customize products, 

Today we will talk about print on demand photography and how photographers can benefit from it.

The entire transaction of print on demand services is fairly simple and that’s the reason why both photographers and customers love to use it. Print on demand is a type of dropshipping business that has grown into a 4.91 billion dollar market and is expected to grow even bigger by 2030 at an estimated 39.87 billion! Therefore, photographers who sign up with print on demand websites now will have a key advantage once the market grows.

Photographer sign up for a print on demand website.

Photographer showcase their work on their website, which will also appear on the print on demand service provider’s site due to the connected service features.

Customers make an order on 1 or more photos/images available for sale.

The service provider prints and ships the order(s) to the customer.

The service provider gets a certain percentage for each product sold as agreed upon with the photographers. Or the provide sells it for a flat fee and makes a profit from the product margin.

The photographers get paid automatically via their money transfer apps or bank accounts. Or if they're running their own site they get paid by the e-commerce platform.

However, photographers can sell their own prints on their own website without signing up with print on demand sites, in case they don’t want to give away a certain percentage of the profits they’ll make on each sale to the service provider. For example, if the photographer has a local studio and most of his or her customers are from within the area he operates his photography business, then all he has to do is host a website with prints and then fulfill them directly as required. He can do this by hand with a printer or use a service such as OrderMerch to provide 

This way photographers will get 100% of the profits they’ll make from selling their work. Using print on demand services is great for all artists as it is more cost-efficient to use such services than to fulfill orders on their own.

I’ve listed some very noteworthy reasons why photographers may benefit from using print on demand services for selling art.

Print on demand services allows photographers to reach a wider audience easily because they sell their art on the web, and they can also diversify their sales channels through it. There’s no need for a “middle man” because they can sell their photos from their own site, or on marketplaces (e.g. Society6, Redbubble, 

, and many more) and they get a share between 15% - 20% fees from sales, which is not bad.

Having an inventory and shipping products to customers is also a thing of the past now with print on demand services. It’s either the courier you hired or the service provider from the marketplace that will handle all shipping work for you, and all you have to focus on is creating and promoting your work.

Print on demand photography reduces the need for investments in inventory or large print runs. The only time photographers will shell out money is when customers make a purchase, the rest is handled by the services provider or courier.

Print on demand products ranging from traditional prints to phone cases and clothing are available to photographers, and they can choose which product they want their work to be sold as. Plus they can set prices for each of them.

Photographers can easily reach customers all over the world because print on demand service providers already have a large customer base. All of the shipping, and taxes are also taken care of, so photographers will have more time for creativity.

Creating a passive income stream is what print on demand services gives photographers. All they have to do is set up their shop and start selling, while the service provider will handle the rest.

Because print on demand platforms are web-based and due to the fact that they utilize 

 on their websites, photographers are ensured to increase their exposure and reach new audiences. The platform's marketing and promotion efforts become a bonus for member photographers.

Dropshipping sites that offer print on demand services ensure that photographers won’t have a difficult time using their platform to sell their work. It’s mostly click & drag and doesn’t require a lot of technical skills.

Another benefit that photographers can get from print on demand services is its analytics feature, which allows users to track sales and identify their top selling products. Photographers can then use this information to formulate their business strategy and be able to boost their profits.

The best thing about print on demand services is that there are no upfront costs or inventories that do not sell. Photographers only pay for what is sold, well, technically they actually earn when their product is sold, so service providers only get a share from the income which is a low-risk method of selling photos on the web for photographers. That is unless the POD provider sells the product at a flat rate like OrderMerch.

If you’re an aspiring art photographer, then you must already be familiar with the challenging and complex process of selling your work; however, the playing field has dramatically changed with print on demand photography services.

Selling Print on Demand Photography

Is it possible for print on demand to be sustainable? If you consider the state of the planet and the most pressing problem of climate change, this becomes a legitimate question. As more and more consumers become aware of this inconvenient truth, they’re also voicing their concerns to companies through their websites and social media business pages. People are crying out for print on demand businesses to reshape their business practices to focus on sustainability while serving their customers.

Going back to the question, the answer would be a resounding “Yes.” Print on demand sustainable business practices can be incorporated into all businesses operating in this industry. From the materials they’re using to the production process, sustainability can be infused into these areas seamlessly, which can significantly reduce the company’s carbon footprint.

In this article, we will learn how print on demand companies can transform their business into one of the sustainable and eco-friendly entities that balances all 3 crucial aspects of any business.

The demand for profitability by company stakeholders

Maintaining quality products and services for the benefit of consumers

The print on demand business model is very economical and also very profitable at the same time. If you’re wondering just how profitable, you need not look any further than the 

. Suddenly indie authors and publishing companies can sell their books without risking tens and possibly hundreds of thousands of dollars on printing books that will be placed in inventory but may not sell.

But book publishing is just one of the dozens of examples of print on demand sustainable business solutions.

The beauty of print on demand is that it leaves no room for creating waste because the traditional print business requires an inventory, inventory that will go to waste if unsold. However, the print on demand model will only require products to be printed if the customer makes an order, therefore there’s almost zero waste created in the process.

Most of the traditional printing methods require the use of water – lots of it in some cases, which not only increases the demand for tap water but also may create water pollution. On the other hand, the technologies behind ethical print on demand use 70% less water, which makes it eco-friendly and sustainable for the foreseeable future.

Storage space and maintaining a warehouse for your products will cost you money for renting the storage space, electricity, and other utilities. This will be deducted from your profits and you may realize that 3% - 10% of your profits are lost to storage space and utilities. That doesn’t happen with a 

. That’s because orders are being fulfilled (products printed) per consumer demand, which essentially takes away the need for storage space.

Using Lesser Transportation to Ship Goods

Whatever product the customer orders will be sent to the customer directly. By comparison, traditional businesses will probably take the manufacturer to hire several transportation systems in order to deliver the products ordered by the retailers and then be shipped again by another courier to customers. However, in the print on demand/dropshipping business model, it will only take a single courier to accomplish the same task, even though the customer 

and dropshipping is that e-commerce stores will want to sell the best quality products from the manufacturers to their customers. High quality products, say, 

 for instance, are fashionable, feel good to wear, and last longer than other low quality products. This ensures that customers will less likely throw them away even if they’ll buy new products. This reduces the energy, manpower, and logistics used in creating and shipping such products; and it also reduces waste.

In the past inks used for printing were made from harmful chemicals, but with the increased awareness of climate change, more and more companies have not only shifted to the print on demand business model but also came up with the means to create eco-friendly inks. Eco inks are made from natural materials and do not cause harm to the environment when disposed of. Creating them also uses less energy whenever waste is produced during manufacturing and will also not cause harm to the environment.

The age of plastic packaging is fading away and more and more e-commerce stores are using paper and other environmentally friendly materials to pack their products when they ship them to customers. It not only benefits our soil but also prevents plastics from ending up in the oceans which causes microplastics, which are extremely harmful to human and animal health.

Many countries and even the UN have created sustainable development plans, which include a designated area where fast-growing trees are being planted and harvested for industrial use. This is done in order to protect rainforests and avoid cutting down trees that serve an important part of an ecosystem, that if cut down may endanger various species to extinction. Another example is using recyclable materials like paper, plastic, and tin cans. Some have even suggested the use of industrial hemp or marijuana trees, as they have been proven to be very useful and eco-friendly.

Print on demand sustainable business practices may include:

Because the printer will only be used when there’s an order from the customer, the printing machine is used less often compared to typical printing services. Low energy consumption means less fuel or coal is burned in power plants, which reduces CO2 emissions that damage our atmosphere.


To avoid harming the environment with artificial chemicals in the ink cartridges of your printer, find ways to dispose of them properly. If you live in the United States, then you can contact your local council to get instructions on how to do it. Otherwise, you can use eco-friendly ink to not have to worry about these things in the first place.


For couriers, they can transition from gas-powered vehicles to electric vehicles for transporting goods. Boats, on the other hand, have yet to harness the power of electric engines, so in the meantime, they will have to settle for gasoline and diesel fuel until the technology becomes available.


While helping our planet is obviously a good cause, print on demand doesn’t have to be entirely altruistic. For instance, about 78% of consumers are more aware of climate change and how the things they purchase can affect the planet’s ecology, so they always prefer products that are environmentally friendly. Yes, you can still make a profit from your print on demand business even as you do your part in saving the planet.

Thanks to the advent of ecommerce and dropshipping, print on demand sustainable business practices have made a huge impact on the environment and more and more companies' carbon footprint has been reduced. Scientists even estimate that if the major economies of the world adopt this business model, we may still be able to reverse the catastrophic failure of climate change within our lifetime.

Is it possible for print on demand to be sustainable? Both for your business, the state of the planet, and the more pressing problem of climate change, this becomes a legitimate question. 

Print On Demand Sustainable Business Practices

also known as order on demand is by far one of the quickest ways to start an e-commerce business. Unlike your normal dropshipping fulfillment models, with print on demand, you no longer need to scour the internet looking for your next product to sell. It makes it easy for individuals and businesses of all sizes to get selling their own customized products.

A lot of individuals and businesses are now printing on demand because they don't have the money to invest in large quantities or because they want to test out different designs before committing to a large order.

Whatever your reason may be, here are 8 benefits of print on demand for all types of industries.

Setting up print-on-demand for use with dropshipping and e-commerce is a breeze. It’s what makes it such a great choice for anyone. You just have to create an account with your POD provider. You’re able to upload your designs to the products you want to customize or sometimes ask the provider to set things up for you. Once your design is uploaded you’re able to order the customized product anytime.

The best part in my opinion is the automation. Instead of contacting your provider every time you get an order, you can place it yourself or automate it with an API that they provide. Better yet, some companies provide integration into platforms such as 

The low cost of entry for POD is one of the most attractive features of the industry. The only upfront cost is the initial order, which can be as simple as one shirt or hoodie. Right now, print-on-demand is the latest buzz in the world. The reasons as to why are totally understandable.

The costs have made it possible for anyone to enter any industry with their own custom products. There is no need for warehouses, monthly storage fees, or even a high-interest loan. All you need to start your own business is a quality product and a way to sell it.

With print on demand, you no longer have to question when you’ll be getting your products. Print-on-demand always gives a quick turnaround time. Sometimes products can be fulfilled on the same day! Let's say you want to order a t-shirt before your upcoming festival. With print-on-demand, printing is quick and easy. You could have your t-shirt in hand within a couple of days if you ordered it during business hours! Because print-on-demand is digital, no stacks of inventory are necessary for storage or shipping costs.

This is possible because warehouses are used to keep stock, process orders, and ship orders to customers. These warehouses usually have the technology and labor to get products out the door quickly. All while providing high-quality prints for everyone!

Print-on-demand companies provide many benefits compared to suppliers on 

 or Aliexpress. They provide awesome customer service no matter the time. With chat, email, and even a phone call - they can help you deliver your products and services to your clients no matter when they need them.

Printing smaller quantities of promotional materials such as shirts and posters allow print-on-demand providers to catch any small mistakes before they become big problems. When a product is made in bulk, it's difficult to catch these tiny mistakes. When you print smaller quantities, it is much easier to spot and fix them in the early stages of production.

The inventory is one of the many advantages of print-on-demand and 

. Providers have a large warehouse that stores the inventory for a number of different products and can fulfill orders for multiple customers quickly and easily. Whenever one warehouse runs out of an item, the POD provider is able to get it in stock and ship it to the customer very quickly.

This helps prevent the loss of sales due to being unable to fulfill orders and helps prevent back-order situations.

Customization is a way to make products more personal and special. With print-on-demand, customization becomes easier as it doesn't require any upfront cost. There are many ways of customizing products with print on demand, such as customizing the product's design or adding images to the product.

This allows you to produce multiple different variations of a product quickly and find out if it’s something that customers are interested in. Depending on the print-on-demand supplier you might even be able to automate this process, making your life that much easier!

Print-on-demand is a process that allows you to create products close to or in the same area as the target destination. This is because it's cheaper to create a product close to its destination than it is to transport a product from across the globe.

Having these items created close to the target location saves time, money, and resources. These innovations have allowed for the creation of sustainable, customized products at a lower cost.

In the past, it was common for companies to produce products in bulk and then store them until they were sold. Print-on-demand is often considered better for the environment because it avoids unnecessary waste that can be caused by producing things that will never be used.

It also offers faster shipping times, lower costs, and more products than traditional retailers. This means that you can have the best of both worlds - saving the environment while having more products to sell at a lower cost.

All in all, print-on-demand is a technology and service that has several benefits. It allows anyone to create their own custom products without needing capital or running into tons of problems. Thankfully there are companies like 

While it may start off as a small experiment, print-on-demand could well be one of your best investments. It lets you see what will take off and allows you to expand your business at a natural pace.

What are you waiting for? Give it a try today!

Print on Demand is a cost-effective solution to create your products. It can reduce manufacturing time by up to 75%. Here are 8 benefits of Print on Demand.

8 Benefits of Print on Demand

There's a lot of confusion about welcoming gifts for a new hire. You might be wondering:

Time and time again I hear this from different companies. Let’s put this to rest with a comparison of two companies.

They do not do much for their new employee. They hire someone, give them basic training, and throw them in the field. They will get praise for working hard and maybe a pay raise after a year. From this employee's perspective, they’d feel like just another employee. That they are not valued, right?

They do tons for their new employee. They hire someone, give them basic training, access to a mentor at any time, frequent check-ins, a welcome to the team gift, and merchandise. Plus every month the company sends this employee their favorite snacks. From this employee perspective, they would feel much more appreciated and valued, right?

Gifts are a vital piece of the puzzle. You should be doing everything you can for your employees. Think of them like a prospect, lead, or friend. They need constant nurturing, feedback, and appreciation. If they do not feel valued then get ready for a high turnover rate.

If this does not put most of those questions to rest, I do not know what will. You might be wondering what are the best welcome gifts for new employees. Make sure to ask what they like, but besides that, let’s dive in!

Everyone enjoys having a beverage. Find out if the new hire prefers to drink water, coffee, tea, or something else. If they do then look into getting them a water bottle, or coffee mug. Ask if there was a specific color or size they wanted.

Do they drink a lot of water? Consider getting them a big water bottle. Help them potentially save 50 trips to fill it up.

What about on their time off? Do they like to work out? Drink beer? Consider getting them a shaker cup, bottle opener, or drink sleeve!

If you are looking for the perfect gifts for new employees then start here. Merchandise such as shirts, hats, and hoodies makes the new hire feel like they are a part of the team. You will want to make sure the products you are getting are high quality and look professional.

Take the time and find out your new employee's size and if there’s a specific variant they would like. An example of this is a white or blue shirt with different colored logos.

 that is customized has never been easier when using our service. You could provide it to your new hire even if they’re working remotely.

There are so many options for tech that you can offer, this makes it so simple to go the extra mile for your new hire. Providing them with the basic laptop, keyword, and mouse is easy but try asking if there’s a certain keyboard or mouse they prefer. Do they like a smaller keyboard? Wireless or wired mouse? All these can make a huge difference for someone who is using them constantly for work.

Customized email addresses are often overlooked. A different variation may be easier for them to remember. This is assuming your company doesn’t have a standard for email addresses.

Finally, ask if there’s a specific technology they prefer to use. Find out why and make a note of it. If they are able to use it in your workplace, buy it for them.

Find out if the employee is interested in advancing their career. Was there something they wanted to accomplish or learn? You can provide a book based on that topic to help them. You could easily order a book from Amazon or a different provider.

Maybe you’re trying to maintain a specific mindset or culture in your workplace. If that’s the case you could provide a book on personal development.

Feeling generous? You can provide a book on any subject they are interested in. Even fiction! Don’t be afraid to ask and find out more about them, they are a person after all.

I think everyone appreciates snacks on the road, in the office, and at home. They’re perfect to give as a gift to just about anyone. Nowadays it’s even easier to get snacks delivered to employees with services such as 

Before providing any snacks you will need to find out a few things:

Are there any specific snacks they prefer?

Do they have any allergies or dietary restrictions?

This is important if you’re wanting to truly “wow” them with this gift.

Plants are a great way to spice up a workspace. You are able to get low-maintenance plants such as succulents that require little care. They’re small and don’t take up much space! Even if they don’t have a desk or room for it, they could take it home.

Plants are hard to mess up. You can ask the new hire if there is a specific plant they would like or just surprise them! If they don’t like taking care of plants, there are gorgeous options available for 

Stickers are a part of popular onboarding gifts and for good reason. They can be used on laptops, journals, mugs, walls, and much more. Everyone loves having extra stickers and they are a great way to increase brand awareness! I would recommend including them with other items such as a personalized note, journal, or something else.

 that they can choose from themselves. Maybe they would want something a bit more unique.

I don’t know of anyone who likes staring at a blank wall when working. Ask the new hire if there’s a motivational quote, movie, tv show, or something else they like. From there see if it’s possible to get a poster or canvas ordered for them. This is a great way to increase morale at the workplace and help keep someone motivated.

Was there a specific restaurant, grocery store, or store they shop at? Maybe there’s a new purchase they’re saving up for. If you can provide a gift card for that you’re going to be their favorite! Toss in a shirt, and a note and they’re going to love it.

These are just some ideas for gifts for new employees. You’ll likely want to combine these together when getting them something. I would recommend keeping these ideas in mind for existing employees too. Showing your appreciation can go a long way!

Gifts are an important piece of the puzzle. You should be doing everything you can for your employees. They need constant nurturing, feedback and, appreciation.

Welcome Gifts For New Employees

When you think about branded merchandise you probably think of the cheap pens, hats, or the stack of business cards you’ve collected over time. Many new companies struggle to make people aware of their brand and getting users on boarded - we help change that with small business merch. Creating your own merchandise doesn’t have to be so overwhelming and complicated.

Offering freebies to existing or potential customers ensures strong retention and engagement. It also has it’s perks for employees as they might spread the word of your brand to others. Here at OrderMerch we’ve created custom merch on demand for some amazing startups, such as 

, whose hats are one of our many favorites.

Normally when you’re wanting to get merch for your company you have to go through the process of finding a supplier, vetting the quality, determining costs, calling the company, sending your logo, making requested changes, and then ordering items in bulk. That sounds like a massive pain, right? We agree and that takes a lot of time away from your main business… That’s why merch is simpler now when done online with as service such as OrderMerch. We create your product, place it in our software and you can order merchandise on demand as needed. No phones calls, no unnecessary emails, just come on the dashboard, select your product, enter the quantity, make the payment and then wait for your merchandise to be shipped to you. Only want one item? Not a problem we support that too. This makes life so much easier for businesses of all sizes!

It doesn’t matter if you’re a small business that’s already bringing in revenue, or a startup that’s just about to launch, here are the key reasons you should consider merch for your business.

If you’re just getting started, increasing brand awareness, building clientele, and bringing in revenue is crucial to your business. Without these you’re unlikely to get far and there’s many ways to go about all of them. Maybe you’ll use Facebooks Ads, email marketing, or outbound sales but I’d like to remind you that creating merchandise with your logo is one of the easiest ways to get your message out there. For example, a 

 is a walking advertisement and the person wearing it is a brand ambassador. It peaks curiosity of anyone who sees it. If you have a target audience on who to give merch to, this will work even better!

Tons of people boast that the future of advertising is online, this is true but there is a downside. A lot of the algorithms are hard to work with, they can be a huge time and money sink if done improperly and take tons of resources to learn. Even if you’re a cutting edge new startup, merchandise is an extremely cost-effective way to build your brand awareness especially when done globally. Think of it like investing in a billboard or television advertisement, except you pay for it one time and it can be worn by someone hundreds of times! That’s a great ratio if you ask us.

Who doesn’t love getting free stuff? You should be giving out merchandise to your employees, potential and existing customers. This has an impact on everyone and helps build loyalty and makes people feel good about your brand! You’re only strengthening that relationship further!

Finally, after reviewing all these key points do we think merch is beneficial for a small business? Absolutely, and I that merchandise can have a high ROI investment for a business in the long run. That’s why you’re starting to see more companies offer it to customers.

 offers fast turnaround without minimums on a wide range of products.

If you’re just getting started, increasing brand awareness, building clientele, and bringing in revenue is crucial. Is merchandise too?

Small Business Merch - Is It Beneficial?

Welcome to the official OrderMerch blog! In the future, you can expect to find guides on starting a business, marketing, product development, engineering, and much more!

Welcome to the start of OrderMerch. Today we're talking about the current status, what we would like to see happen, and more.

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