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Make money, sell merch

When the creator of Youtube sensation Lucas the Spider launched a plushie to sell to his fans, things got wild. In just 10 days of pre-sale, Joshua Slice sold 40,000 units of the soft toy, reeling in an estimated $1.2m profit by the time sales closed.

“I never intended it to go viral like it has,” Slice said in an interview with Digital Arts Online. “I just wanted to make a cute spider.”

But whether you make videos of animated animals, run a prank site or share make up tutorials, selling influencer merch can make you money. It might not make everyone a millionaire, but with success stories like Lucas the Spider out there – and the fact that influencer merch site Fanjoy ships close to million items a year – it’s no surprise so many Youtube channels and Instagrammers are using influencer merch to boost their income.

T-shirts, hoodies, caps and accessories are the most common form of influencer merch sold, as was the case with Slice, who started off selling a few t-shirts, before it “blew up”.

If you’re wondering how to make merchandise as an influencer, this guide is for you.

How to make merch as a Youtuber or influencer – a guide

Step 1: Are you ready for merch!?
Step 2: Create something unique!
Step 3: Plan for production
Step 4: Decide where to sell your merch
Step 5: Have a promo strategy
Step 6: Summary

Guide to making merch as an influencer or Youtuber

Step 1: Are you ready for merch?

This is the first question to ask yourself as a Youtuber or influencer. But being ready doesn’t necessarily mean having millions of followers. You could have a large number of followers but they might not be interested in buying products from you, or you could have a tiny collection of followers that would all jump at the chance to buy a t-shirt in support of your work. So before you throw money down the drain, make an assessment to establish whether you’re ready enter the world of influencer merch.

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Guide to making merch as an influencer or Youtuber

Step 2: Create something unique!

Think hard about what makes your personal brand stand out. You want the merch you create to reflect that. You want it to be bold and most of all, personal. Making something generic won’t appeal as much as something that builds on the personality and individuality of the content you create.

Ready to start selling influencer merch? Contact ICON Printing for expert advice on design and printing

Guide to making merch as an influencer or Youtuber

Step 3: Plan for production

Once you’ve got your design (or designs) under wraps it’s time to think about the logistics of your merch operation. There are a few elements of this to consider:

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Step 4: Decide where to sell your merch

There are lots of options for selling merch online. Choose a platform that works best for you in terms of your audience and fan base. Two popular options include:

Guide to making merch as an influencer or Youtuber

Step 5: Have a promo strategy

So you’ve designed and printed your merch, now it’s time to start plugging it. Having a strong promo strategy is vital to success here and it’s important to come up with fresh ways to encourage your followers to buy your merch. A few suggestions:

Guide to making merch as an influencer or Youtuber

Step 6: Summary

If you think you’re ready to start selling influencer merch there’s lots to think about. First get a sense of your follower base – are they engaged enough to buy it? The next task is to create something unique that really sings to your personal brand – keep it specific – generic merch won’t be anywhere near as engaging. Making a production plan is important too; set out a budget and find a high quality printer – you don’t want to sell your followers low quality products. Next, pick a sales outlet – Big Cartel and Shopify are two popular options. Finally, promote! Run competitions, shout outs and create amazing, unique content to encourage your followers to get behind your merch machine.

Ready to start selling influencer merch? At ICON Printing we offer fast turnaround printing and embroidery with a wide-ranging catalogue from t-shirts to caps to bagsGet a quote in 2 minutes online.