When it comes to promotional apparel, shirts tend to be the most popular. When someone is wearing a branded shirt, the logo is right there in front of everyone to see. But there’s a new trend in town: statement socks. Really, things that go on your feet! It’s a subtle style of branding. You don’t necessarily know if a brand has penetrated your consciousness if you see someone wearing logoed socks, but the company name may pop into your head later that day unannounced.

If you want to get in on the trend now, follow these tips for selling statement socks to your customers.

Be Bold
Statement socks are just that: statements. People share their convictions, beliefs and personalities through the humble socks and no one wants to come off as drab or boring. So, pump up the color and designs! Bright, unique patterns sell the best and are most likely to be shown off — especially when the end users work for corporations that have strict dress codes. It’s their subversive method of showing some flair in an almost-disallowed way.

Make an Actual Statement
Nonprofits and fundraiser groups are all over the statement sock movement. If the groups aren’t selling them, they’re giving the socks away as thank-you gifts for participating in events or donating — and people are starting to request them. Here’s a good statistic to use when trying to convince a nonprofit or fundraiser group to buy socks from you: 75 percent of cause donors requested branded socks as thank-you gifts and then instantly began to post them on social media without being prompted. Imagine how much more reach organizations can get with fun socks shared to millions of people online.

Look Beyond the Sock
For an even sneakier — and much more unusual — way of marketing, suggest branded flip-flops to your clients. But not just any branded flip-flops. Suggest ones that have logos carved into the bottoms, so they leave brand imprints in the sand as wearers walk along beaches. It’s sneaky because the logo isn’t easily seen when looking at the flip-flops, but almost everyone will stop and peer at unexpected imprints left behind. And the marketing blitz doesn’t have to stop once summer’s over. Dip your feet into the resort market and you’ll have sales all year long.

Tap into Pop Culture
The best way to make a splash selling statement socks or those flip-flops is to tap into the overall popularity consciousness. What’s got the internet worked up right now? At this moment, it could be Shark Week (a new collection of Shark Week socks was just launched for the series’ 30th anniversary) or activism (thanks polarized citizens!) or just fluffy animals (the World Wildlife Fund has this down like promo product pros).

But if you can convince your customers to design a specific sock style — with Idea Custom Solutions’ help, of course — which plays into pop culture or the greater scheme of interests at the moment, you can assure your customers they’ll probably sell like hotcakes or be shared extensively on social media.

Register with us and you can request a quote for an original sock design or the execution of your concept in vector artwork or embroidery digitizing.