The subject of personalised workwear is a regular one here on our blog. We’ve covered topics such as ‘How to design your own’, ‘Wearable tech for the workplace’ and even made a list of the ‘best fictional uniforms’ ever worn, but we’ve never quite talked about the specifics of marketing’s personalised workwear and how it affects them.
Is it a marketing tool? And if it is, is it a good one? In order to reach a conclusion, first, we must understand what a marketing tool is.
What is a marketing tool?
According to the Business Dictionary, marketing tools are ‘The techniques and materials used by those who are involved in the promotion of goods and services’. So basically, any means we have to advertise our service or product is a potential marketing tool.
When you hear this term you probably think of platforms like MailChimp, HootSuite and Salesforce; this is because these are the marketing tools of the Internet era but that doesn’t mean the ‘old school’ methods are outdated.
Offline marketing such as flyers, hoardings and trade shows are still pretty relevant nowadays. A uniform, if we consider it a marketing tool, would be included in this category.
Why personalised workwear should be part of the marketing plan
One of the key methods to maintaining a brand identity is to be consistent in all aspects of the company’s strategy, which includes how employees are viewed. Uniforms and workwear are an extension of your brand. They’re one more channel for you to relate to your customers.
Uniform programs are considered one of the most popular forms of advertising because it helps employees stand out for the services they provide while reinforcing the brand’s name, culture, and vision in every way.
How personalised workwear affects the customer
When the customer is faced with so many choices, they often choose the brand in which they have an emotional or personal connection with. In some cases, the first point of entry is a member of the staff. If they have a positive interaction with a member of the team, they are likely to have a personal memory of the brand. Having an identifiable uniform attributes to the reflection of the brand. It gives the image that the workers are professional, clean, neat, trustworthy, and has pride in their company.
Uniforms and workwear are an extension of your brand. They’re one more channel for you to relate to your customers.
In a competitive environment, customers have a choice of who to hire, and will most likely go with who they trust. First impressions are long-lasting and often formed by the way people dress. Just as many tend to judge a book by its cover, customers tend to judge a company by its workers. Having a professional look portrays that employees are proud to work there, which reflects positively on the company.
Keeping a uniform is a way to ensure staff members are neat and presentable at all times while being fit and ready to perform the job. On the other hand, if the uniform starts to show signs of wear and tear, customers may begin to question the quality of products or services provided; it is important to provide workers with a sufficient amount of spare T-shirts for them to launder regularly and keep them in good shape.
How personalised workwear affects employees
According to this article by Business Insider what we wear can have a huge impact on others and in extension our careers. Therefore it should be a no-brainer to dress employees on good looking garments to cause a good impression.
As the old saying goes, when you look good, you feel good. Having personalised workwear for everyone can boost employee morale by proving that no one is given special treatment, everyone is treated the same and wears the same thing. Everyone feels as if they are a member of the same team, and when employees feel content they are more likely to perform better. Most importantly, employees must feel comfortable while doing their job.
Studies show that the certain garments can put us in the right ‘work mode’. By dressing in a more casual way, we feel like we’re up for a good time while when we were formal wear our demeanour changes to ‘business’.
Conclusion
By choosing the right personalised workwear or uniform we’ll be communicating our brands in one way or the other. The relationship between workers, brand and customers is an important one which is why the way the communication lines between them should be taken seriously.
Text: Lia Rogers
Edit: Harald Meyer-Delius
If you enjoyed this post then you might also like to read:
- How to design workwear that inspires trust + 80 real examples
- Uniforms With Wearable Tech: 10 Ideas for The Office
- 20 of the best work uniforms in TV and movies
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