In this week’s episode of Better Merch…Better Marketing, Kirby Hasseman and Jade Crider tackle three topics that every business owner needs to hear — why cheap marketing can actually be the most expensive decision you make, what the collapse of Spirit Airlines reveals about competing on price, and why your hiring process is really a marketing problem in disguise. And before you dive in, grab your free spot in the 5 Day Business Bootcamp at Bootcamp.HassemanMarketing.com.
The Price of a Marketing Piece Is Determined at the Point of Usage
This is one of those ideas that sounds simple but completely reframes how you think about your marketing budget.
When most businesses buy promotional products or marketing materials, they evaluate the cost at the point of purchase. They look at the price tag and make a decision based on what feels affordable in that moment. But that is the wrong place to look.
The real cost — or the real value — of any marketing piece is determined at the point of usage. In other words, what happens when that item actually lands in someone’s hands?
A cheap pen that runs out of ink after two days, breaks, or looks flimsy does not just fail to promote your brand. It actively sends a message about your brand. It says you cut corners. It says you do not pay attention to quality. It says the experience of working with you might feel exactly like that pen — disappointing.
On the flip side, a well-chosen, quality branded item that someone uses every day keeps your brand visible, top of mind, and associated with something positive. That is a marketing investment that pays dividends long after the initial purchase.
The lesson is straightforward: stop evaluating your marketing by what it costs to buy and start evaluating it by what it does when it gets used. That shift in thinking changes everything about how you approach your merch and your marketing materials.
Spirit Airlines and the Danger of Racing to the Bottom
Unless you have been living off the grid, you know that Spirit Airlines went out of business. And while there are a lot of factors that contributed to their collapse, one of the core issues is a lesson every small business owner needs to internalize — the race to the bottom is not a race you want to win.
Spirit built their entire brand around being the cheapest option in the sky. No frills, no extras, just the lowest possible price. And for a while, it worked. But competing solely on price is one of the most fragile positions a business can occupy. When you have nothing to offer but the lowest number, you have no loyalty, no margin, and no room to absorb the inevitable challenges that every business faces.
The moment a competitor matches your price — or the moment your costs rise and you cannot hold that price anymore — you have nothing left to stand on. There is no relationship. No trust. No brand equity. Just a number that someone else can beat.
For small businesses, the temptation to compete on price is real. It feels like the fastest way to win customers. But the businesses that build something lasting compete on value, on experience, on relationships, and on the quality of what they deliver. That is a position that is very hard for a competitor to take from you.
Spirit Airlines did not go out of business because they were too expensive. They went out of business because they built a brand that meant nothing beyond cheap — and cheap is never a foundation you can build on forever.
Treat Your Hiring Process Like a Marketing Problem
Here is a perspective shift that more business owners need to make: your hiring process is a marketing problem.
Think about it. Every job posting you write is a piece of content. Every candidate interaction is a brand touchpoint. The experience someone has going through your hiring process — whether they get the job or not — shapes how they talk about your company to everyone they know.
If your hiring process is slow, disorganized, or impersonal, you are sending a message. If it is thoughtful, clear, and respectful of people’s time, you are sending a very different one.
The best candidates have options. They are evaluating you just as much as you are evaluating them. And if your brand does not come through clearly in the way you recruit, you are losing great people before they ever walk through the door.
Start thinking about your ideal hire the same way you think about your ideal customer. Who are they? What do they care about? What would make them excited to be part of what you are building? Then craft your recruitment process and your job postings around that. Attract the right people the same way you attract the right customers — with clarity, authenticity, and a compelling story about why what you are doing matters.
Product of the Week: The Flat Lay Custom Notepad
This week’s featured product is the Flat Lay Custom Notepad — a clean, practical, and highly brandable item that people actually use. Notepads have serious staying power as a promotional product because they live on desks, in meetings, and in daily workflows. Every page turned is another impression for your brand. Want to learn more or order yours now? Check out our Product of the Week shop here.
Grab Your Free Spot in the 5 Day Business Bootcamp
Ready to get more intentional about your marketing and start driving real results? The FREE 5 Day Business Bootcamp is the place to start. Get access now at Bootcamp.HassemanMarketing.com.
And if you are not already subscribed to Better Merch…Better Marketing, find us on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. New episodes drop every week.
In this week’s episode of Better Merch…Better Marketing, Kirby Hasseman and Jade Crider dig into one of the most exciting trends in marketing right now — brand activations and immersive experiences — share some honest time management hacks for busy business owners, and make the case for why putting a real human face on your social media is one of the smartest moves you can make for your brand. And before you dive in, grab your free spot in the 5 Day Business Bootcamp at Bootcamp.HassemanMarketing.com.
What Is a Brand Activation — And Why Should You Care?
Let’s start with the trend that is getting a lot of attention right now: brand activations and immersive experiences.
So what exactly is a brand activation? At its core, it is any experience you create that brings your brand to life in a way that invites people to engage with it directly. Think pop-up events, interactive product demonstrations, experiential marketing moments, or immersive environments that put your audience inside your brand story rather than just in front of it.
The reason activations are gaining momentum is simple — people remember experiences far longer than they remember ads. When someone participates in something your brand created, they develop a connection that a banner ad or a social media post simply cannot replicate.
And here is the good news: you do not need a massive budget to pull one off. Activations can scale to fit almost any business. A local retailer hosting a community event. A service business creating an interactive booth at a trade show. A B2B company designing an unforgettable conference experience. The size matters less than the intention behind it.
Kirby and Jade broke down what activations look like in practice and how businesses of any size can start thinking about incorporating them into their marketing mix. If you have been looking for a way to create real, lasting connections with your audience, this is worth your attention.
Time Management Hacks That Actually Work
Every business owner and marketer knows the feeling — there is never enough time in the day. So Kirby and Jade got into some of the time management strategies that have actually made a difference.
A couple of the big ones: blocking off your calendar intentionally so that your time reflects your actual priorities, and batching similar activities together so you can stay in one mode of thinking rather than constantly switching gears. Both sound straightforward, but the impact of actually doing them consistently is significant.
They also opened it up and asked the audience — what is working for you? It is a conversation worth joining. If you have a time management hack that has changed how you work, drop it in the comments. The best ideas in this space often come from people in the trenches doing the work every day.
Humanizing Your Social Media Presence
This one is simple but important. In a world where so much social media content feels polished, automated, and a little hollow, the brands and people who are winning are the ones who show up as themselves.
Putting a real face on your social media — your face, your team’s faces, genuine moments from inside your business — builds trust in a way that designed graphics and stock photos simply cannot. People do business with people they know, like, and trust. Social media is one of the most accessible tools you have to build all three of those things at scale.
It does not have to be perfectly produced. In fact, it probably should not be. Authenticity is the point. Show up, be real, and let people see the human side of your brand. That is what creates connection — and connection is what creates customers.
Product of the Week: 32 oz HydraPeak Insulated Water Bottle
This week’s featured product is the 32 oz HydraPeak Insulated Water Bottle with Straw Lid — and it is a great one. Hydration products are consistently among the most used and most appreciated promotional items out there, and the HydraPeak delivers on quality. This is the kind of branded product that goes everywhere with people — the gym, the office, the car — which means your logo goes everywhere too. Check it out here.
The Shout-Out: Kaylee Andrews
This week’s Joy Report shout-out goes to Kaylee Andrews, Director of Business Development and Marketing at Coshocton Regional Medical Center. Kaylee was a standout panelist at our recent event, sharing her philosophy of showing up in the community as a deliberate marketing strategy — and then backing it up by helping create the Health and Wellness Day in Coshocton County. That is marketing with purpose, and we love to see it. Kaylee, we see you.
Grab Your Free Spot in the 5 Day Business Bootcamp
If you are ready to get more intentional about your marketing and start driving real results, the FREE 5 Day Business Bootcamp is the place to start. Get access now at Bootcamp.HassemanMarketing.com.
And if you are not already subscribed to Better Merch…Better Marketing, find us on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. New episodes every week.
In this week’s episode of Better Merch…Better Marketing, Kirby Hasseman and Jade Crider (the Branding Bestie) dig into one of the most exciting trends in marketing right now — combining physical and digital marketing for maximum impact — react to a viral Kim Kardashian quote about social media that had them both nodding along, and break down a simple but powerful branding lesson from Alex Hormozi that might make you rethink what you are wearing tomorrow. And before you dive in, grab your free spot in the 5 Day Business Bootcamp at Bootcamp.HassemanMarketing.com.
The Trend Worth Paying Attention To: Physical Meets Digital
There is a marketing trend gaining serious momentum right now, and both Kirby and Jade are genuinely excited about it — combining physical marketing and digital marketing into one connected strategy.
The idea is straightforward but powerful. Your branded merch drives people to your digital assets. Your digital content drives people to want your physical products. The two work together to create a loop that keeps your brand in front of people in multiple places at once.
Think about it this way — a branded item with a QR code that drives traffic to a landing page. A social media campaign that rewards engagement with exclusive merch. A piece of swag that becomes a conversation starter and a content opportunity at the same time.
When you stop thinking about merch and digital as separate buckets and start seeing them as one connected strategy, the possibilities open up fast. Kirby and Jade broke down several ways to make this work for businesses of any size — and this is one trend you do not want to sleep on.
Kim Kardashian Said It. We’ve Been Saying It.
A trending sound featuring Kim Kardashian made the rounds recently with a simple but direct message: if you are trying to build a brand and you are not on social media, you are failing.
Jade and Kirby’s reaction? Basically — yes, obviously, and we have been saying this for years.
But here is the thing. Knowing you should be on social media and actually doing it in a way that builds your brand are two very different things. So rather than just nodding along, they used it as a jumping off point to share some practical tips for creating social media content that actually provides value.
The key word there is value. Social media that works is not about posting for the sake of posting. It is about showing up consistently with content that teaches, entertains, or inspires your audience. Give people a reason to follow you, and the rest starts to take care of itself.
If you have been putting off getting serious about social media, consider this your sign. Kim K and the Branding Bestie are both telling you the same thing.
Alex Hormozi Made Kirby Rethink His Wardrobe
This might be the simplest marketing lesson in the episode — and maybe the most impactful.
Kirby came across a video of Alex Hormozi where someone asked him why he always wears his logo. His answer was so straightforward it almost stings: Why would you not?
That’s it. That is the whole philosophy. Every time you walk out the door wearing your brand, you are a walking billboard. You are starting conversations. You are building recognition. And it costs you nothing extra.
It is the kind of simple, obvious move that is easy to overlook — and Kirby admitted it made him feel like he has been leaving easy brand exposure on the table. If you are a business owner or marketer, ask yourself the same question Hormozi flipped back: why would you not?
Product of the Week: The Scribbler Go Notebook and Whiteboard
This week’s featured product is theScribbler Go Notebook and Whiteboard — a versatile, practical tool that combines two everyday essentials into one branded product. It is the kind of item people actually use, which means your logo stays visible and in front of the right people day after day. Check it out here.
Grab Your Free Spot in the 5 Day Business Bootcamp
Ready to get more intentional about your marketing? The FREE 5 Day Business Bootcamp is a great place to start. Get access now at Bootcamp.HassemanMarketing.com.
And if you are not already subscribed to Better Merch…Better Marketing, find us on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. New episodes every week.
In this week’s episode of Better Merch…Better Marketing, Kirby Hasseman and Jade Crider (the Branding Bestie) go head-to-head on April Fool’s Day brand stunts, debate whether influencers covering up logos is genius or self-important, and highlight a couple of brands that are quietly doing marketing really well right now — plus, they feature the Old Money Soft Cover Spiral Journal as the Product of the Week. And before you dive in, grab your free spot in the 5 Day Business Bootcamp at Bootcamp.HassemanMarketing.com.
Kirby Is Not a Fan of April Fool’s Day — And He’s Not Hiding It
Let’s just get into it. Kirby has opinions about April Fool’s Day, and he is not shy about sharing them.
His take? April Fool’s Day is a holiday built on deception — and when brands lean into it with fake product announcements, fake sales, or fake news, they are playing a dangerous game with the one thing that takes years to build and seconds to lose: trust.
Jade pushed back (as she does), and the conversation got a little heated. There is an argument to be made that a well-executed April Fool’s stunt can be funny, shareable, and actually humanize a brand. But Kirby’s position is clear — if your marketing relies on tricking your audience, even for a day, you are eroding the relationship. And is a cheap laugh really worth it?
It’s a debate worth having. Where do you land?
Brands That Are Getting It Right
Not everything in marketing is a cautionary tale. Both Kirby and Jade took a moment to shine a spotlight on brands they think are doing things really well right now.
Kirby is watching Ask Echo Golf Bags. The brand is carving out a distinct identity in a crowded space, showing that niche markets reward clarity and commitment. When you know exactly who you are and who you are for, the marketing almost writes itself.
Jade is a fan of Tier Tier, a brand that is building genuine community and connection through its marketing. It is not flashy for the sake of flashy — it feels intentional, which is exactly what good marketing should feel like.
Both examples are reminders that great marketing does not have to be loud. It just has to be right.
Influencers Covering Up Logos — Genius Move or Red Flag?
This might be the most interesting conversation in the episode. There is a growing trend of influencers deliberately covering up or obscuring brand logos in their content. The message? If you want visibility, you need to pay for it.
Jade found the whole thing a little risky and, honestly, a little icky. There is something uncomfortable about actively hiding a brand that may have gifted you a product or that exists naturally in your world.
Kirby had a more pointed reaction. He called it self-important — and flipped the script with a simple question: What if your followers did that to you? What if the people who share your content started blurring out your name, your handle, your face — because you had not paid them for the exposure?
It is a sharp point. In a world where audiences are the currency, treating visibility as a transaction worth withholding cuts both ways.
Product of the Week: The Old Money Soft Cover Spiral Journal
This week’s featured product is the Old Money Soft Cover Spiral Journal — and it is a good one. The “Old Money” aesthetic is having a serious cultural moment right now, and this journal taps right into it. Clean, classic, understated — the kind of branded product that people actually want to keep and use.
If you are looking for a promotional product that feels elevated without a massive price tag, this is worth a look. Reach out to the team at HassemanMarketing.com to learn more.
Grab Your Free Spot in the 5 Day Business Bootcamp
Before you go — if you are ready to get more intentional about your marketing and actually start driving results, the FREE 5 Day Business Bootcamp is a great place to start. Get access now at Bootcamp.HassemanMarketing.com.
And if you have not subscribed to Better Merch…Better Marketing yet, find us on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.
It’s time for another round of Thirsty Thursday—where we take a mystery drink, pair it with branded drinkware, and give you our honest (and sometimes hilarious) reactions.
This week, Claire Bowman, Briar Swigert, and Kirby Hasseman showed up ready to go… even if seasonal allergies were trying to slow them down. Despite the sniffles, the crew brought the energy—and this episode delivered a classic Thirsty Thursday twist.
Let’s get into it.
The Drink: Hoppin’ Frog Peanut Butter Chocolate Porter
This week’s mystery drink was the Hoppin’ Frog Peanut Butter Chocolate Porter—a bold, dessert-style beer that definitely made an impression.
Right out of the gate, the reactions were mixed.
Kirby took the first sip and was immediately on board. He liked it right away, appreciating the rich, sweet profile.
Claire had the opposite reaction. It was a quick “no thanks” at first—just not what she was expecting.
Briar was intrigued. Not fully in or out, but curious enough to keep going back for another sip.
And that’s where things got interesting.
As the episode went on, the drink started to win people over. Claire, who was firmly out at the beginning, admitted it was growing on her. Briar leaned further into it, appreciating the uniqueness of the flavor. By the end, all three agreed—it was actually pretty good.
But in true Thirsty Thursday fashion, not everything escaped critique.
Briar pointed out that while the drink delivered, he was not a fan of the branding on the can. A good reminder that packaging matters—especially when you’re trying to make a strong first impression.
The Drinkware: The Florence 16 oz Plastic Coffee Tumbler
While the drink took a minute to win the crew over, the drinkware was much more straightforward.
Another Thirsty Thursday in the books—powered by curiosity, honest opinions, and a little persistence.
Cheers to trying new things…and sticking around long enough to let them grow on you.
And as always, we are here to help! If you need help with branded merch, merch strategy, or creative ideas to grow your brand or your team, let’s talk. We’d love to help you. Get your TARGET Hiring Playbook here for free!
