I get this question a lot: Are shirts with my company name and/or logo worth spending money on?

It’s an easy answer. If your customers see your people when they’re working, the answer is yes. If you’ve got a large work crew, the answer is a resounding yes. As an example, if you own a landscaping company, or a roofing company, or a car wash, or a pizza place, you need a cohesive, uniform look, and the fact that a lot of people are going to see your business name plastered all over the place is also a huge plus. It also makes your company look like more of a real business, even if you’re running that business out of your garage or your spare bedroom.

Company-branded clothing also has the huge added benefit of you, as the business owner, being able to control the appearance of your work force so as to present a preferred image to your customers. If it’s mandatory to wear the company shirt, hat and pants, then there are no longer any discussions about what is appropriate wear when servicing customers. Most business owners find just requiring the company shirt by itself, and specifying blue or tan pants with the shirt more than does the trick.

And, if you’re at a trade show hawking your services, branded clothing is basically a requirement. You want your company employees to “represent”, so to speak.

Now, if you are offering professional white-collar services, it’s a different story. It really depends on your clientele. If you’re a law firm that targets high-worth individuals, it’s probably not a good idea. Keep wearing that suit. However, if you’re a law firm that specializes in small claims, it might be advantageous to you to go with a dress shirt (no jacket) with a tasteful logo.

If you’re a realtor, a collared polo shirt with a small logo is probably perfect. IT consultant? Definitely not a suit; polo shirt all the way. Marketing firm? As in the example of the law firm, it just depends on who your clients are.

A close-up of a long-sleeve dress shirt available through Lands End Business Wear, one of many suppliers in this segment.

It also depends on where you are. If you’re on the West Coast, people wearing suits for any sort of activity are few and far between. If it’s a brisk day, you might see a man with a sport coat on, but the chances are very slim that he will also be wearing a tie. Business wear is business casual, or increasingly, casual. Same in Hawaii. And in Florida. And in Austin, Texas. In this kind of environment, company-branded clothing can really bring a nice, tailored appearance to your workers.

Now, what do uniforms cost? Well, as you might imagine, the costs are all over the place. Do you want tee shirts? Do you want polyester polos? Or, all-cotton polos? Long-sleeve dress shirts? Pullovers? Vests? Windbreakers? Sweaters? Is your logo one color, two colors, three colors, or, more? Simple, or complex stitch work? Is shipping free? Bear in mind as well that if you’re going to have your employees pay for their own uniforms, as many small companies do, then the cost can’t be too high unless you’re willing to pick up some of the tab.

Fortunately, there are dozens of reputable suppliers in the business wear segment, so you can be assured of competitive pricing, no matter what your choice is.

And next time I see you, I know you’ll be looking sharp……