In an age when building personal relationships with your fans is key, your merchandise should reflect just the same.

Merely slapping your band name and logo on a t-shirt or poster no longer makes the cut. Your merch should show off your band's creativity and express your brand. Just like you take the time to perfect your music and social media, you should also put the same effort into strategizing the best merch for your fans. After all, what better way to promote your music than with walking advertisements?

It's important to keep in mind, no matter what type of merch you are offering, the most important part is the visual design. Keeping a visually appealing and cohesive design aesthetic is essential when strategizing your merch marketing.

Can't think of how to take your merch to the next level? We've got some ideas that we know your fans will love.

1. Shirts

We know shirts aren't the most original, but they are an essential merch item. It's all about staying on trend and keeping it simple. Popular ideas are to include sayings or quotes versus simply putting your band name on it. It's also a smart idea to offer a variety of shirt styles, from crop tops to v-necks to long sleeves.

2. Polaroid photos

Although its all about digital, fans still love to purchase physical photos of their favorite artists. Instead of basic poster or photo, make it more unique with a one-of-a-kind Polaroid photo or selfie. Don't forget to autograph it.

3. Disposable camera

You may have forgotten these still even exist, but again, having physical photos isn't completely outdated. Offering undeveloped disposable cameras, each with unique behind the scenes photos, leaves your fans excited and anticipating more. Check out [Leigh Nash's](http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/leighnash " target="_blank) example of offering her own disposable cameras to her fans.

4. Headphones

Your fans love music... obviously. So headphones are a staple item for them to own. You can never have too large of a headphone collection. But, for your fans, these aren't ordinary headphones because they are personalized with your bands logo or image. Why not let them rep you while they are listening to your music?

5. Custom Shoes

More and more artists are creating custom-designed shoes with their logo or band images. This may be a more pricey merch item, but for loyal fans it's worth it.

As we said, with all of these items make sure the design is executed perfectly and professionally. You can take your merch items a step further by only offering a limited amount or for only a limited time. Making your fans feel like they are receiving an exclusive item will definitely drive more merch sales.

What type of unique merch items do you offer to your fans? Share with us in the comments below or tweet us at [@featurefm](https://twitter.com/Featurefm " target="_blank).