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26.3 million Americans play basketball.
Some do it for fun, others play in college or professionally.
But there’s no question that the sport is beloved throughout the nation. While it may not be heralded as “America’s past-time” like its brother, baseball, it is still as American as the stars and bars.
Because the sport is so popular, using personalized basketballs for your business is a great way to get involved in your community, and get some recognition for you.
In this article, we’ll go over some of our best ideas for ordering and using basketballs for brand awareness.
Swoosh!
1. Sponsor a Local Basketball Team and Give Out Mini Basketballs
Want your business involved in community events and gain awareness at the same time? If so, this is the perfect opportunity for you.
Many smaller basketball teams, such as youth leagues or high school basketball teams, will allow a business to sponsor them. The deal is typically mutual, with your business paying for some items for the team, as well as gaining exposure.
Often times at basketball events, you’ll see teams, stewards and volunteers throwing items into the crowd at various intervals to get people pumped up.
You can participate in revving up the crowd by purchasing mini basketballs with your company’s logo on it. Don’t forget to print the team name beside it!
At half-time or at key points in the game, you can throw the basketballs into the crowd. You can also give them away at raffles or sell them for a nominal price.
The person who caught the ball, or bought it, will then have a small stuffed basketball in their home bearing your businesses’ name.
You’ll get to have some fun, let loose, and support a local organization. It’s a win for everyone!
2. Donate Basketballs to Teams or Schools
When you think of personalized basketballs, you might just think of smaller stuffed balls, as mentioned in the previous scenario.
But, we have full-sized Wilson basketballs that you can customize yourself.
Order some for local teams and schools, especially those who suffer from a severe lack of funding. Put the team’s name and/or your business on them so that people know who donated them, but they still get real use out of them.
You’ll be doing good by your community, and promoting brand awareness. That’s a double swoosh!
3. Sell Personalized Basketballs at Your Company’s Store or Online
Depending on what your business is, you may have a gift shop where people can browse items. If you’re a school or other organization with a gift shop, adding personalized basketballs is a great addition.
You can stock full-sized basketballs, mini basketballs, and hoops with tiny basketballs for sale. People who are fans of your organization, or what it represents, will likely be eager to buy it. And since you can buy so many at a time, you won’t run out for a while, unless people are literally scrambling to purchase them.
It’s a great addition to a gift shop or to an online shop for folks to show their company spirit.
4. Give Personalized Basketballs and Hoops to a Children’s Hospital or Children’s Ward
Kids in the hospital may be ill, but there’s no doubt that they get bored during their long days in the hospital. Many hospitals have playrooms for kids to go to if they’re well enough which offer them quiet play or a way to help them constructively get out extra energy.
Personalized basketballs and hoops are small and won’t hurt a child if they accidentally miss. And they won’t tear up the playroom or playrooms at the hospital.
You can also give them to children individually to give them something to do in their rooms while they wait for treatment.
Put your company’s name on it to give people in the community awareness of your company and their good deeds.
If the hospital isn’t too keen on having little hoops on the walls or in playrooms, consider branding soft basketballs and giving them out to children.
Trust us, they’ll remember that awesome school or bank that gave them the basketballs to play with during long and stressful days and nights.
5. Give Personalized Basketballs to Children’s Shelters or Centers
Children’s shelters or centers that help kids in dangerous situations may not have a lot of toys or sports equipment for the kids there to play with. Much of the money will likely go to therapy, housing and immediate needs.
But kids, even in the toughest of situations, need an outlet and want to play.
Ask several local and regional shelters or children’s homes if they would like any sports equipment. If so, they’ll probably want several balls at once, which means you’ll get use out of our bulk ordering system.
Order some for several different children’s shelters and deliver them with your company’s name on them. It’ll give the children something to do, and they’ll always associate your company with an amazing act of kindness.
6. Give Them Out at Company Picnics
Does your company hold a picnic each year for the families of people who work there? If so, branded merchandise is a great way to instill company pride in the crew. This is especially the case if your company’s picnic includes playing sports, like basketball.
Order basketballs to play with for the day, but also give out branded basketballs to people who attend. That way, they’ll have a souvenir to remember the day by, and they’ll remember your company gave them to them.
While this may not necessarily advertise your company to outsiders, it will help with brand awareness. Friends of the children whose parents work there will see the logo, as will people who come over to their house.
It’s not necessarily an instant brand promotion, but it does boost the awareness of your business in your area.
7. Do a Giveaway
If you’re a large company (or even a small one!), doing a giveaway is a great way to create brand awareness. It’s also an awesome way to grow your company’s social media.
Create social media for your business, or use this to beef up its following.
Tell people that if they follow your business online, they’ll get a free entry to win a branded basketball. Or, you can put them in bunches or put several in a gift basket that people can enter to win.
After the contest is over, select one lucky winner to take the haul home. You’ll gain followers on social media, and people will see that you’re a company who truly does follow through on its word.
8. If You Work with Children, Create a “Prize Chest” with Branded Basketballs as a Prize
If you have children or went to the dentist or doctor as a child, you might be familiar with the idea of a prize or toy chest. Often, they exist to help keeps who had to go through something not all that fun, like a doctor’s visit, getting a shot, or having a dental checkup, get a reward for their good behavior.
Create a little toy chest and allow kids who have just had a check-up or a shot pick out a toy. You can put full-sized basketballs, basketballs and hoops, or soft mini basketballs in it, in addition to other prizes.
Remember, to print the name of your practice on the basketball or the hoop so that people who go over to the child’s house will see it. It also reminds the child or the child’s family to continue to visit you for their health needs.
Toys are a great alternative to candy, especially if you’re trying to promote a healthy lifestyle. You can encourage kids to play outside with a full-sized basketball, or simply give them a reward that isn’t food centered.
With so many children who have allergies and parents who have children on special diets, a basketball is a great alternative to let them know they did a good job doing something unpleasant.
9. Donate to a Dog Shelter
Our miniature rubber basketballs are perfect for a day with the dog at the park. But what about dogs who don’t have thoughtful owners to buy them balls and toys to play with? That’s where your company comes in!
As a way to get involved with your local community, donate some of the rubber basketballs with your brand name on it to dog shelters in the area. No doubt, they’ll appreciate the act of generosity, and you’ll get some brand recognition for your business.
You can also give them out at local dog shows and other dog-centered events to passersby. This is a good way to give people recognition for your business while also getting in the community spirit and having some fun.
10. Sell Miniature Rubber Basketballs at Your Vet’s Office or Pet Store
Do you run a vet’s office or a pet store? Then that’s the perfect opportunity to have the miniature basketballs printed and to use for promotion.
The miniature rubber basketballs gives a small space for you to print your company’s logo or a signature design. Simply print it on the basketball and then sell it at the store. Basketball-loving pet owners will no doubt be excited to purchase one for their pooch.
And, you’ll get recognition of your practice or your store when they go to the dog park or play with their dog outside. If their dog doesn’t go hog wild with it, others will be able to see your logo and recognize it if they need a new vet or supplies for their dog.
11. Buy Hoops and Basketballs for Your Office
If you have a rather large company, you can buy branded basketball hoop and basketball sets. Our minimum order is 50, so install some of them in your office, and gives others to company members who perform well to take home.
For some serious fun, put the basketball and hoop sets in the break rooms and encourage people to have fun playing with them. Or, put some in various offices and tell people that they should let loose every once in a while.
Your employee’s decreased stress level will speak volumes!
12. Give Them Out at Conferences
Is your company sponsoring a conference solely or with another company? Are you sponsoring a trade show or other similar event?
Most conferences and trade shows give out swag bags to attendees, so get in on the action.
You can have your company logo printed on a basketball of almost any size and include it in the swag bag you give to those who attend the conference.
While people might not always remember their time at meetings and conferences fondly, they will likely be excited about the basketball they get to play with. And, it’ll give your company a little bit of extra brand awareness, especially as the attendees are likely to take it home and play with it later.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
We’ve just told you about 12 ways you can use personalized basketballs for your business to gain clout. They can also be used as a great way to perform some community service while gaining some awareness for your brand. Or, simply use them to keep your employees entertained, or to get out frustrations during a hard day at the office.
No matter how you decide to use them, they’ll definitely be memorable.
Ready to start designing? Contact us here to get started on your custom basketball order today!
