What is Company Swag?
Company swag, short for 'company swagger,' refers to branded merchandise or promotional items that organizations distribute to employees, clients, or partners. These items often feature the company's logo, name, or slogan and are used as marketing tools, employee incentives, or gifts to build brand awareness and foster a sense of belonging.
Creating corporate swag with your own branding can greatly benefit your company. Branded swag that people genuinely want to use—like hoodies, chargers, notebooks, wireless headphones, water bottles, etc.—makes a lasting impression on both your clients and employees.
Additionally, having branded items enables people who love your brand to become closer to it by purchasing items from your online swag store. It also breeds company loyalty amongst your employees, who can wear and use cool items on workdays, during work events, or even in their day-to-day lives.
In order for all these things to happen, your company swag should be useful, unique, and of high quality. Otherwise, it simply won’t make a good impression on anyone, as people will assume you’re creating a swag store because it’s something businesses are ‘supposed’ to do and not because it’s something you truly want to have. To create the best company swag store, you need to familiarize yourself with the best swag companies, which will let you create your very own store. With the help of a swag company, the process of creating your own online swag store for employees, clients, and brand followers will be smooth and easy.
This article will talk about how to create a swag store, why having an online swag store is a good idea, and why using a high-quality swag company is worth it. Along with that, we will be giving you different examples of the kind of swag you can create, from luxury items to ones that are customized and personalized. It’s time to boost your brand presence and grow your offline strategy.
Why is a Company Swag Store Important?
As we mentioned in the introduction, having an online employee swag store can be incredibly beneficial for your company. Employee swag stores are e-commerce-style shopping locations where people who work for your company can purchase different types of swag on an organization’s subdomain. One of the best strategies for a team swag store is creating custom gift cards that you can distribute to employees so they can redeem them for swag.
Swag stores for companies are already popular, especially in bigger corporations, and some even have a points system. This involves employees completing particular tasks to earn points, and then with these points, they can buy something from the swag store. Official company swag stores also make it clear to employees that you are established, considerate, and aware of team members’ wants and needs.
Sharing your company swag with employees is a good way to encourage loyalty and make them feel a part of something bigger. This is something sports teams often do by providing their players, coaches, and entire staff team with merchandise to create a sense of camaraderie. It’s a fun and non-invasive way to create a culture within a company and is worth exploring for every company that wants to create stronger relationships among team members.
Top 6 Best Swag Vendors in 2023
If you want to create custom company swag, then you will need to find the best corporate swag vendors that will be able to create and manage the kind of swag you have in mind. Finding a company that can help you with the design and execution of various company-branded items isn’t always easy. If you want to start a swag store for employees, you will need not only swag vendors but also people to work and maintain that e-commerce store. One of the best solutions to this is finding all-in-one swag fulfillment companies that will both be able to create your custom swag and will also be able to maintain the online store.
That’s why typically, the best corporate swag vendors offer the following services:
- Turn items by popular companies into branded ones for your own
- Maintain an online swag store for your own business
- Manage the fulfillment of custom swag orders on all sorts of items, from standard items like t-shirts and notebooks to higher-end items like headphones and travel bags
Additionally, if you’re struggling to come up with company swag ideas, good company swag services will help you out by sharing ideas or providing customer support so you can zero in on the kind of swag that will make sense for your business as a whole.
1. Postal
Postal is a modern direct mail and gifting platform that enables businesses to send personalized, physical gifts and messages to their customers, prospects, or employees. It combines the power of digital technology with tangible gestures to enhance engagement and build lasting relationships.
Learn about Postal's custom company swag store to gain access to the largest B2B marketplace. Begin designing your swag today!
2. Gemnote
Gemnote specializes in curating premium corporate gifts and promotional items that leave a lasting impression. They offer a wide selection of high-quality products and personalized gift options, making it easy for businesses to express appreciation and strengthen connections.
3. Swag.com
Swag.com is a one-stop shop for custom promotional products and branded merchandise. They provide a vast catalog of customizable items, helping businesses create unique and memorable swag to promote their brand, events, or corporate initiatives.
4. Sendoso
Sendoso is a leading sending platform that empowers companies to engage with customers and prospects through thoughtful, personalized gifting experiences. Their platform streamlines the process of sending physical gifts and integrates with various marketing and sales tools for a seamless experience.
5. Swagup
Swagup offers end-to-end solutions for managing and distributing branded merchandise and corporate swag. From designing custom items to handling inventory and shipping, Swagup simplifies the entire process, making it easier for businesses to build brand loyalty.
6. Printfection
Printfection specializes in creating custom apparel, promotional products, and merchandise for businesses of all sizes. Their platform allows companies to design and order branded items, making it simple to promote their brand and engage with their audience through tangible assets.
Company Swag Ideas for 2023
First things first—what are some recent examples of the best company swag? 2021 was a big year for swag, as in-person events were just starting to make a comeback. Of course, when it comes to the best company swag, 2022 is a focal point as well. High-end swag ideas are all the rage this year, as people are realizing that swag and branded merchandise should be actually useful (i.e. items that people won’t throw away after a few days).
It's vital to note that in many cases, companies create swag so that they can gift it during conferences to potential business partners and clients. This is why one of the greatest conference swag ideas (2022 edition) is to create a swag business card with a QR code on it so conference attendees and swag recipients can easily access your store and view your offerings.
Many of the best swag items from brands are high-end, such as:
- Premium wine kits
- Charcuterie/cheese boards
- Power banks for on-the-go charging
- Pet accessories
- Travel bags
- Speakers
- Active gear such as foam rollers and yoga mats
There are several other items that are contenders for the award for best swag. 2022 saw the rise of electronic swag items such as wireless charging docking stations, WiFi drones, writing and drawing tablets, and even branded fitness trackers.
It should be noted that the factors that make swag desirable and successful change from one company to another. The items your clients, employees, and partners find useful may be the total opposite of what another brand’s clients and employees prefer.
Custom Swag
It’s always a good idea to create your own unique swag items for events, but you can also send out custom swag to employees or clients at any time of the year. This will keep you top-of-mind and will thus encourage brand awareness and employee loyalty. With that said, settling for cheap swag ideas might have the opposite effect.
For example, if you hand out cheap pencils, notebooks, and folders that are low-quality and not memorable or very useful, you won’t make a good impression. In fact, this may even make a bad impression, as the recipients may assume that you’re not being professional or that you don’t think of them as important or valuable.
To avoid that, it's better to invest in premium promotional products—products that are customized, memorable, and that people will use for a long time to come. If you don’t have that large of a budget to send out company swag, it may still be better to only create a few high-quality items rather than settle for cheap, mass-produced, and non-customized items. It's usually better to impress a handful of people than to disappoint many by giving them yet another useless conference gift or employee appreciation gift that they will throw in the trash the second they get out of the door.
Luxury Company Swag
Luxury company swag is all about creating a suite of high-quality promotional products for your swag recipients. You might promote higher-end swag items if you want to:
- Make a large positive impact on employees
- Create a strong business partnership with another company
- Make a deal with a valuable client
If you’re wondering what luxury swag items really are, you can think of them as executive promotional items—gifts that are unique, high-quality, and that you probably won’t gift in bulk. These are items that you would send when you intend to make a lasting impression on someone.
The good news is that if you don’t have ideas for high-end gifts, there are plenty of luxury corporate gifting companies that can not only suggest ideas for swag but also make and customize these items for you. Some examples of luxury company swag might include:
- Custom high-end backpacks: A high-quality backpack can last for years, and they’re an item that active professionals use almost every day. This ensures that your brand is frequently present in people’s minds.
- Branded electronics, such as wireless headphones and chargers: The world is tech-centered, and creating branded swag in the form of useful electronics shows people that you are aware of trends. Additionally, these are things people will use every day.
- Nice jackets: Branded apparel doesn’t have to just consist of t-shirts. Jackets are long-lasting and yet another item that will be used every day in the cooler seasons.
Some companies also offer luxury virtual gifts that can come in the form of vouchers, coupons, special discounts, or virtual experiences.
Branded Swag Ideas
When it comes to company merchandise ideas, you should create a balance of classic options such as t-shirts, hoodies, and pens, and luxury items, which are often more popular swag items. 2022 saw the rise of many higher-end company swag ideas (2022 is a big year for sustainability and long-lasting items), such as:
- Self-heating mugs
- Luggage sets
- Wireless charging stations
- Sustainability-based gifts, such as high-quality tote bags and water bottles
One of the best strategies for showcasing your company swag ideas for clients is creating business cards with customized QR codes that lead to a subdomain for your organization’s store to make your swag options more accessible.
Having said that, it's difficult to give a comprehensive list of the best company swag ideas, as what will work for your business might not suit others. That is why it's always a good idea to work with a dedicated all-in-one platform that will help connect you to the best swag companies and allow you to create and store your company's swag. If you want to create your own company swag store, get the process started with Postal’s Offline Engagement Platform. We’re more than ready to help guide you as you come up with branded swag ideas and create your own swag store.
