6 Best Promotional Merch Ideas for Small Businesses

by John Amato

Giving away branded items at corporate events and trade shows or as complimentary gifts is a surefire way to widen your small brand’s reach and keep it on people’s minds.

Promotional merch is an effective marketing strategy for several reasons:

  • Functional and convenient promo items increase customers’ loyalty.
  • Unique and practical physical branded items boost your brand’s visibility. 
  • It fosters a better relationship with your growing base of consumers.
  • It’s a budget-friendly method of advertisement, making it ideal for small businesses just starting out.

Creating promotional merch has never been easier, particularly with companies like Jupmode offering quality custom screen printing and embroidery services at affordable prices.

Having branded thousands of pieces of merchandise for small businesses, we can promise that these 6 promotional products are worth checking out.

1 - Custom Stickers

4x4 square spotify sticker

With over 200 options, Jupmode’s custom stickers will leave you spoiled for choice. The stickers come in different shapes, sizes, and quantities, so you can select what works best for your brand. 

They’re super versatile, hence they can be applied to your products, packaging, cars, or any other appropriate medium to promote your business.

Besides their versatility, Jupmode’s custom stickers are made with white BOPP material with unique features, such as being:

  • A durable material, making the stickers last long
  • Non-toxic, hence safe for the environment
  • Moisture-resistant, meaning the stickers shade water and dry quickly when rained on

Below are some of our top choice stickers ideal for any small business.

Rectangle Sticker

Rectangle Sticker

Dimensions:
5" L x 3" W

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Rounded Corner Sticker

Rounded Corner Sticker

Dimensions:
3" L x 3" W

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Die Cut Roll Labels

Die Cut Roll Labels

Dimensions:
4" W x 4" H

Create your virtual sample

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Sticker Sheets

Sticker Sheets

Dimensions:
5" L x 7" W

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Circle Sticker

Circle Sticker

Dimensions:
2" L x 2" W

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Oval Sticker

Oval Sticker

Dimensions:
6" L x 2" W

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2 - Functional Keychains

custom PVC keychain

Keychains are essential everyday carry items. 

They’re also small, lightweight, and portable, making them great gifts for your clients. As they carry them around, your brand gets constantly exposed, eventually widening its reach.

Jupmode’s keychains come in different colors, themes, and styles, versatile enough to suit the preference of every client.

Below are a few keychains in our collection:

Check out our entire collection of keychains here. They come in packs of hundreds, letting you pick the best quantity for your business. We also customize them with your brand’s logo, name, or text, as per your preference.

3 - Reusable Bags

non-woven budget shopper tote bag

Ohio’s history of promo bags dates back to the 19th century when a newsagent named Jasper Meek released a branded bag that became the earliest modern promotional merch.

Businesses then began printing ads on bags, particularly school bags, and the practice spread and became so successful that people began calling school children “walking billboards.”

Today, promotional bags come in various sizes, shapes, and forms. From tote bags to duffles, these versatile bags can be worn by anyone—male or female, young or old, rich or poor.

Below are some of the promotional bags Jupmode offers.

Bag Bag Types Benefits
Tote Bags
  • Non-woven
  • Cotton
  • Insulated
  • Canvas
  • Foldaway
  • Reusable
  • Durable
  • Versatile
Backpacks
  • Sling
  • Drawstring
  • Ripstop
  • Button closure
  • Comfortable—weight is distributed evenly across the body
  • Flexible
  • Waterproof
Office and School Bags
  • Briefcases & attaches
  • Lunch bags
  • Computer bags
  • Messenger bags
  • Waterproof
  • Better ergonomics
  • Durable
Outdoor and Fitness Bags
  • Coolers
  • Picnic baskets
  • Gym bags
  • Duffles
  • Spacious
  • Easy to pack
  • Flexible
Travel Bags
  • Suitcases
  • Carry-on bags
  • Garment bags
  • Funny packs
  • Portable
  • Versatile
  • Convenient

All our bags can be custom branded with your company’s logo, text, or name, and given to your employees or clients as gifts. 

Related: Best Holiday Gifts for Your Company (Custom Gifts)

4 - Custom Lip Balms

spf sunscreen & lip balm combo

Lip balms make excellent promotional merch because they’re an inevitable personal care item for both men and women.

Custom lip balms are popular for several reasons:

  • Easy to distribute: You can mail them, give them away at trade shows and expos, or add one to every online purchase your customer makes.
  • Practical: Lip balms are used throughout the year.
  • Small and compact: Their size makes them easy to carry, as they fit in pockets, purses, and car glove boxes.
  • Several customization options: They come in many colors, shapes, and flavors.

Jupmode offers 170+ quality lip balms in varying shapes, sizes, and colors, helping you find the best promo lip balm for your brand.

5 - Key Office Supplies

set of 5 gel wax highlighters

Pens, sticky pads, journals, highlighters, and other office supplies are popular office merch and business gifts for clients and employees. 

Promotional merch serves as a morale booster and a reward to your employees for holding down your growing company.

Meanwhile, gifting your clients handy personalized office items helps to promote brand loyalty and draw prospective clients closer.

The table below shows a couple of Jupmode’s office supplies and what makes them great promo items.

Office Supply Variations Benefits
Pens

incline stylus pen

  • Gel pen
  • Stylus highlighter
  • Corporate pen
  • Everyone uses them
  • Portable
  • Lightweight
Mugs

polypropylene mug

  • Stainless steel
  • Double wall
  • Ceramic with cork base
  • Eco-friendly
  • Usable in every season
  • Versatile
Notebook

tri-pocket notebook & pen

  • Soft cover journal
  • Tri-pocket notebook
  • Quarry textured journal
  • Hardcover notebook
  • Easy to store
  • Durable
  • Compact

6 - Branded Apparel

crewneck sweatshirts

There’s a reason why fans go ballistic in stadiums when they catch a t-shirt from their favorite players. 

A study shows that 85% of consumers will remember the company's name if it gives them a free shirt or hat. By giving away branded apparel as promotional merch, you’re getting your brand known and remembered.

As a small business, invest in textiles of high quality, great designs, and affordable prices. This gives your brand a good reputation and high rank to compete with other well-known brands.

Jupmode offers several popular and practical promotional apparel:

  • Work wear: High visibility clothing (Hi-vis), aprons, bodywarmers, caps and hats, corporate wear, and jackets
  • Casual summer wear: Shirts, t-shirts, tank tops, polos
  • Casual winter wear: Sweatshirts, sweatpants, beanies, long-sleeved shirts and t-shirts, jackets, hoodies, and sweatshirt blankets
  • Sportswear: Raglans, field shirts, sports arena shirts, hoodies, socks, and hats.
  • Kids and toddlers wear: Onesies, toddler shirts, socks, hats, sweatsuits, beanies, and t-shirts

All our clothes are made with high-quality fabric that can be embroidered or screen printed to suit your brand’s needs.

"My company has used Jupmode several times to make t-shirts, hoodies and long sleeve t's as gifts for customers..."
Matthew S

promotional merch strategy

Bring Your Corporate Promotional Merch Ideas to Life

Promotional items are a surefire way to increase your brand’s reach and attract more clients. 

Jupmode offers thousands of practical, durable, and quality promo products that can be custom embroidered or screen printed to fit your brand's logo, text, or name.

We offer the best screen printing services in Ohio, guaranteeing you the best printed promo products. For embroidery, we use the latest embroidery machine that accommodates larger embroidery designs, preventing us from restricting your creativity. 

So, get all the promo merch you need from us without breaking the bank today. Fill in our custom quote request on this page to receive a quick no-obligation project quote.

For further inquiries, reach out to us, and our team of experts will get back to you in no time.

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