RE: T-shirts
From: Rob Sandelin (Floriferousmsn.com)
Date: Fri, 27 Jun 1997 09:05:12 -0500
Having group t-shirts is more than just marketing, its a group thing. It makes 
people visibily identify with being in the group, something that is 
subconsious but seems to enhance peoples sense of belonging. On the surface 
its just a tshirt, but inside peoples head it is a strong message: I belong.  
That is the same pyschology of team uniforms, it seems to work.

>From a marketing perspective it helps sort out who the players are in larger 
group scenes, like at the Coho Conference I attended in Baltimore last month 
it was easy to spot the Liberty Village folks because they all had these 
t-shirts on. The advantage is that away from the tables or booths people who 
do not want to crowd in to the table will approach you because they know you 
are part of the group. Also, sometimes people want more one on one sort of 
experiences and being able to identify you with a particular group lets them 
find you in the hall, out back or where ever and ask that personal question 
they didn't want to ask at the table in front of all those people. That 
opportunity to get that personal concern or fear dealt with could be the make 
or break point for some folks.

One local group, I think it was Winslow, made a t-shirt that said on the back: 
Ask me about Cohousing!  I heard from one of that group that the message 
worked hugely in all kinds of places, sort of like a walking billboard, and 
people came up to her on the bus, in the store, on the street and asked her 
about cohousing! She even got a TV on the street interview because of that 
shirt!

So I would encourage tshirts, buttons, bumperstickers, you name it. Be sure 
the important words are readable from a distance, most people will not walk up 
and obviously read your t-shirt. And avoid putting major slogans across the 
chest area of the shirt. I remember one conference where the staff shirt had a 
slogan like: "I'm available", printed on the chest of the shirt and NONE of 
the women would wear them, for obvious reasons.

Rob Sandelin
Sharingwood 
Cedar Village permaculture retreat center (forming)

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From:   cohousing-l [at] freedom.mtn.org on behalf of Leni Reed
Sent:   Wednesday, June 25, 1997 8:23 PM
Subject:        T-shirts

I'd like to propose to our group, (the EcoVillage of Loudoun County,
Virginia), that we get EcoVillage t-shirts made.  It seems that this would
be useful for marketing. Does anyone have any experience with using t-shirts
for marketing? What are the pluses and minuses?  Also, any tips on creating
t-shirts for maximum marketing impact would be appreciated. Thank you.

Leni Nazare
EcoVillage of Loudoun County, VA


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