The Beginner’s Guide to Fan Merch

A lot of musicians nowadays utilize techniques and technologies to interact and bond with their audience. And fan merchandise has a huge contribution in connecting both parties. But where did it all begin? According to some sources, the first unofficial concert shirt was created by an Elvis fan group in the late 1950s. Needless to say, this brilliant concept took off, and it's no longer confined to music.

With the development of the Internet, fan merchandising has taken on a whole new level. You may allow your followers to directly support your work by producing and selling personalized goods, whether you're a band, singer, artist, YouTuber, or any other sort of online creative. Cool t-shirts are a great way for your followers to show off their passions!

From getting to know your audience to shipping your products to your fans, today, we’ll walk you through the process of fan merch. Custom gear may help you achieve three goals at once: marketing your brand, increasing engagement with your fans, and collecting cash for your next project.

What Makes Good Fan Merch?

There are several aspects to consider if we want to answer this question.

Get to Know your Audience

First, get to know your audience. If you are a musician, focus on what kind of people come to your live shows. You can get a lot of hints just by observing the kind of clothes they are wearing and what accessories they have with them. Try to answer these questions:

• Who will order your custom merch?
• Where and how do you typically interact with them?
• Why do they value you and your work?
• Are there any running motifs, jokes, or catchphrases your audience loves or remembers you by?

Once you answer these questions you will have tackled the most important step: your merch should be appealing to your fans.

Create your Own Signature Style

It’s also crucial to have your own distinct style. You must ask yourself what distinguishes you from the rest of the pack. When you're a public figure, your personality, the way you speak, walk, and even smile, are scrutinized. Consider three adjectives that best define your style. Are you edgy, witty, or geeky? When you've decided on the best descriptions, strive to include them in the merchandise you'll be selling. For example, if you have a catchphrase that your followers adore, you may come up with a variety of styles that feature that phrase.

Product Ideas

When it comes to what products make the best custom merch, the sky is the limit. In other words, it all depends on how you want to get the attention of your audience. We’ve selected some of the most popular ideas on best fan merch products. Now let’s take a look at some good product ideas that you can choose to start the engine.

Apparel

T-shirts, hoodies, and even socks are popular merchandise items. Customers are more inclined to wear your gear while they're out with friends in public, so selling these things is a definite method to generate more visibility for your business. Teespring and Bonfire are great websites to check where you can customize your own apparel and get great discounts if you buy in a bundle.

Bags

Totes are another excellent merch choice. They provide a lot of area for you to display your brand or design (and consumers are more tolerant of large logos on totes than they are on t-shirts, for example). As people become more environmentally conscious, reusable and stylish tote bags are becoming more popular.

If you want to try your hand at printing or decorating a few tote bags yourself, check out places like Tote Bag Factory to buy blank ones in bulk or have them add your logo!

Hats and Bananas

Embroidered hats are another great option to include in your fan merch list. Regardless of the type of hat you sell—beanies, baseball caps, or trucker hats—they'll sell. A bandana may be a surprising stylish accessory as a lovely complement to a white shirt and chinos ensemble.

Custom Stickers and Keyrings  

Stickers are always an adorable merch option and easy for people to get into. They will remind your admirers why they like you and can be placed anywhere like a laptop, tablet, journal, or even skateboard! Keyrings on the other hand can go wherever we go, so you’ll always be with your fans wherever they are.

Packaging

Once you’ve decided what custom products you want to go with, here comes the fun part: The packaging. Nothing says “I love my audience” more than personalizing the package they’ll receive.

It’s a good idea to invest in custom packaging. Having your logo printed on the box or tissue paper will add to whole vibe and bring your spirit into their merchandise order. This small touch adds to the value of your brand name.

Another great idea is including some useful information any time you’re promoting your goods. Maybe add a flyer, a free sticker, a thank you note. You’ll be amazed how much small details make a difference.

A positive unpacking experience may do wonders for word-of-mouth. You might even see a fan do a whole “haul” video and share on their social media. This is a great way for new fans to become obsessed with your brand too! If your t-shirt unpacking is unusually interesting, fun and entertaining, or just plain gorgeous, it will entice people to share their experience.

Wrapping your products with tissue paper provides an added element of excitement to the unpacking experience by adding another layer of suspense. Both custom-printed tissue (or purchase a custom stamp and print it on yourself) and colored tissue paper are viable options to consider.

Shipping

Once you are done with deciding on a type of product and have the item packed, you reach a crucial step – to deliver your merch to your fans. There are many options that you can choose from and your decision will depend on two factors:

• Does the receiver live in the US or abroad?
• How fast do you want your package to be delivered?

Here’s where PackageHopper steps in!

If you need to have your package delivered internationally, and want the fastest and most reliable shipping experience with the most affordable international shipping prices available, PackageHopper is the right choice for you.

Powered by MyUS, a global eCommerce shipping leader since 1997, we aim to offer our customers from the United States access to dependable, low-cost shipping all around the world.  Because of our long-standing carrier relationships, we can pass through some of the best rates available, which are not normally offered to the general public.

How does PackageHopper work?

When you have a package you’d like to ship your merch from the US to your fans around the world, PackageHopper makes it easy!

Get Your Shipping Label

• Enter the destination country, your package dimensions, and weight, and receive several low-cost shipping rate options.
• Then, choose the shipping method that meets your needs.

Declare and Describe for Customs

• Tell us what's inside the box by stating each item, its value, where it was created, and how many there are.
• Check our list of forbidden and restricted materials to ensure that your gift may be delivered securely to its destination.

Attach Paperwork to your Shipment

• After you check out and pay for your shipment, PackageHopper will email you a shipping label and export documents to be printed before you drop off your package.

Drop-off

• Bring your shipment to a local drop-off point (depending on your choice of shipping method), and we’ll take care of the rest!

It's simple! Just build a shipment, print your label, and drop it off at a nearby drop-off location, and your box will be on its way to any adoring fan around the world!

Are you ready to start your fan merch now? Bond with your fans and earn money to finance for your next big project.

 

How are you going to be using PackageHopper? Let us know on our Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter!