How To Make Merch In 2024 – Forbes Advisor – Technologist

If you’re ready to jump on the merch bandwagon and grow your brand, follow these steps.

1. Dive Deep Into Your Audience

First and foremost, take the time to learn about who your target audience is and what types of products they’ll appreciate. If you already have an established following, check your social media platforms for some ideas. You can also interview current customers and turn to your competitors to see what types of merch they’re selling with success. Here are some questions you’ll want to answer:

• What do your customers use the most?
• What are their favorite colors?
• How much would they be willing to pay for merch?
• What types of designs resonate with them the most?

2. Brainstorm Ideas

Once you know what your customers are looking for, it’s time to come up with some great ideas for merch. While T-shirts and hoodies are the most popular options, you may want to branch out and offer tote bags, mugs, water bottles, keychains, framed posters, blankets and even phone cases. Get creative because the sky is truly the limit. If you’re a travel business, for example, tote bags that can be used as carry-on bags might make sense. If your brand caters to young children, on the other hand, soft blankets may be a better fit.

3. Design Your Products

Now the fun really begins! If you have the ability, resources and time, you can design your products. However, you may be better off working with a merch designer. If you do go this route, make sure you clearly convey the type of look and feel you hope to accomplish. It may also be worthwhile to create a mood board with examples and inspiration for your designer.

4. Validate Your Products

Before you go ahead and sell your merch, find out how your friends, family and current customers feel about it. Don’t hesitate to share your designs with them and ask for their honest feedback. You may uncover some issues or opportunities for improvement and can modify your designs accordingly.

5. Bring Your Products to Life

If you’re happy with your designs and received a stamp of approval from others, you’ll need to produce your merch. In general, there are two ways to do so, including:

• Print on Demand: With print on demand, you can automate production, shipping and fulfillment in a cost-effective, low-risk way. The drawback, however, is that there may be limits on products and customization. Print on demand is the way to go if you want to avoid upfront costs and/or don’t have much knowledge about manufacturing.
• Manufacture From Scratch: This is where you find a manufacturer who will make the products for you. Manufacturing from scratch allows you to be more involved in the production process but does require an upfront investment.

6. Set Your Prices

Ideally, your merch should be priced in a way that allows you to profit but is also reasonable for your target audience. Of course, you should charge more for a T-shirt or hoodie than a keychain or sticker. Here are average price ranges for various products you may sell:

• T-shirts: $20–$35
• Hoodies: $45–$60
• Stickers: $4–$10
• Phone cases: $10–$35
• Mugs: $5–$30

Remember that pricing isn’t set in stone. You can always test out different prices to zero in on what works best for you and your audience.