If you’re an indie developer looking to promote your brand, there are quite a number of different ways to do so. In today’s day and age, social media marketing is one of the common forms of product or brand promotion, although something that many companies forget is the power of merchandising. Spreading the word via Twitter and Facebook is one thing, but to provide killer merch with your logo or product on it can actually behave as both a source of income, and free advertisement.

If you’ve got a killer community (or are looking to build one) for your product, nothing quite entices them like an online store filled with creative and pertinent items. If you’re a YouTube personality with a large subscriber base, follow the Tobuscus or Philip DeFranco model of providing whacky, yet appropriate T-shirts with popular and hilarious sayings on the material. If you’re an indie developer of a hot upcoming game, your community will want to showcase their impressive knowledge of underground games by flaunting your game with a sticker on their laptop. Knowing your audience and the types of things they might be willing to rep your brand with can make all the difference in making a profit on merchandise.

If you’re dead set on the idea of merchandising, you’re in luck, as there are abundance of options available to you. One of the most popular merchandising companies is CafePress, which gives you an easy and straightforward way to make simple merchandise with a relatively cheap start-up cost. While the quality of the items you’re making might not be top-notch, it’s a fairly safe way to test the waters with some merchandise for your community. A more expensive (but arguably better) option is DistrictLines, which offers a number of services in addition to high quality merchandise. Order fulfillment, a unique online store, and more are all available for a premium price, and if your community is clamoring for some sweet swag, it might be just the place to do so.

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