by Kirby Hasseman
One of my goals with this blog is to provide value to those that read it…and make sure we, as a company, help to keep you informed. Whether we show the latest promotional merchandise, or keep you up to date on trends, we want to help you in your marketing and branded merchandise efforts.
That’s why I want to talk about Tariff’s today. Wait! Don’t click away or fall asleep! I will keep it brief!
As I mentioned in this recent blog, at the PPAI Expo (the largest promotional trade show in our industry) Tariffs were the talk of the show. Everyone is talking about them, worrying about them, and asking questions about them. Why? Because when it comes to branded merchandise, a huge percentage of the items that are sold in the industry are imported from China. This is such a concern that there are suppliers in our industry that have printed their entire catalog without putting in pricing! Why? Even those that have included pricing have included less information or large disclaimers saying that “pricing could change.”
So what does that mean to you?
It means, quite simply, if you use branded merchandise, your budget very likely could be affected. This is not a threat or a political statement. It’s just a fact. If the tariffs continue, the price of your promotional material will go up.
So what can you do?
There are a couple of things I am recommending.
1. Begin to adjust expectations. As you move into 2019, just understand that the pricing for promotional items are in flux. If there are items that you order regularly, you might want to stock up a bit or check in on pricing.
2. Consider domestic options. Though I do not expect to see American manufacturers of promotional items start popping up everywhere, I do expect an uptick for those that already are here. When you are creating a marketing plan, make sure to include something made in North America. This is not the end of the world and the sky is not falling. I just wanted to spend a few moments to put this trend on your radar.
If you have more questions, please feel free to reach out to us and we can discuss it! Make sure you never miss an update! Sign up to become a VIP here.
by Kirby Hasseman
We all have “that voice.” I have talked about it before. We all have that voice that spends time telling us that we are not good enough, or smart enough, or not ready. We hear that voice the loudest when we are about ready to try something new or challenging. That voice is fear. That voice is insecurity. It’s a voice we all have. But what do we DO with it? Seth Godin, in his great book “What to do when it’s your turn (and it’s always your turn)” talks about this when he asks “where do you put the tired?” He points out that when people run a marathon, there will be a time when you get tired. There are no books on how to run a marathon WITHOUT getting tired. When you run 26.2 miles, you will get tired. So what do you do with the tired? The same point is true for fear and insecurity. There is no way to create or challenge yourself or try something new without hearing that voice. So what do you do with it? From what I can tell, people do one of a few things when confronted with “that voice.” Run Away: When faced with something that scares people, sometimes they just completely avoid anything to do with it. They feel if they don’t know about or see it, that opportunity will not exist. The problem with this group is they will never achieve what they could in life. By avoiding their fears, they avoid their potential too. Curl Up: Sometimes the fear just stops them. They don’t leave the area. They just watch others do what they want to do and wish. The challenge here is this leads to a life of jealousy. They will constantly be watching people doing the things they would love to do…but won’t. When you see people who are mean-spirited and judgmental online, I always consider this group. Fake It Till You Make It: You see this group full of bravado. They feel like if they are brash and confident enough on the outside, we won’t know they hear the voice. This has been me many times in my life. Though this is preferred to the first two, because at least they are leaning in, it is hard to sustain. I think the goal for this group is to start here, and then grow to a place where you don’t have to fake it anymore. Ignore the Voice: These people still hear that voice, but they choose to push forward anyway. They know it might not work. They know there is a chance of failure. But they find a place to “put the fear.” This is, generally, the group that creates long term value and content and success. Which one are you? If you are like most of us, you have been all of these in different areas of your life. But now that you recognize it…what will you be today…and tomorrow? Where will you put “that voice?” Make sure you never miss an update! Each week we send out one email with all of the content of the week! It’s our VIP list and you can sign up here.
by Kirby Hasseman
Most of us want to help. In some way, some day, most people like the idea that they can make someone’s life better. But where do you start?
With a world full of people and problems, it’s hard to know what problem to help with? Then, if you have decided about a passion project, it can be hard to decide how to help. Where do you start? Often the best answer is the simple answer. Start with “the next right step.” Take, for example, homelessness. During this brutally cold time of year, it’s easy to see that this is a need. The unfortunate fact is, there are homeless in every community. We think of homelessness as the nameless people that sleep on the street. And sometimes, those of us that are fortunate, wonder what they must have done to get there. But there is also a population of people that are homeless, and stay on couches and floors. There are men, and women, and children. It’s not a new problem. But it’s a problem, nonetheless. It’s a real challenge. So where do you start? With the next right step. From now until February 28th, we will be collecting the items below for the local homeless population. We have already begun the effort and wanted to give you the chance to help. You can drop off goods to our office at 432 Main Street in Coshocton. Don’t have anything to donate (or don’t live nearby) but want to participate and help? Awesome. Send a donation and we will gladly purchase items for you. We will take care of getting the goods to a few wonderful local people that are helping to serve the homeless population in our area. Below are items that are being accepted.
In addition, we recently did some really cool t-shirts that were imprinted with the mission: “Be Kind. Spread Joy. Embrace the hustle” These t-shirts have been a huge hit. They have a great message and they are super comfortable. Want one? You can purchase one for $25 and the proceeds will go toward this cause.
Where do we start? The next right step. Join us in helping. Be Kind. Spread Joy. Embrace the hustle. Make sure you never miss an update. Sign up for our VIP newsletter here.
by Kirby Hasseman
This past week, I had the opportunity to attend the largest trade show in the Promotional Industry in Las Vegas. The PPAI Expo is the industry’s premier event and features education, networking and a huge trade show full of “trade show items.” I love this event. First of all it’s become a yearly class reunion for me because of the wonderful, diverse and dynamic people I get to call my peers. In addition, I get the chance to learn the latest and greatest going on in the industry. Oh, and the PPAI Expo would not be the same if I did not attend Skucon, the coolest conference in our industry as well. It was a lot to get to, so I wanted to share some trends and themes I noticed at the event. Tariffs are a huge concern: The Promotional Products industry is a 24-Billion-dollar industry built on the back of importing. A huge number of “imprint able items of awesome-ness” come from China. The impact of tariffs on the industry could be big. The cost of many promo items are likely going to be effected. With that in mind, let’s have the conversation and a plan. I think this means that products that are already domestically produced will see a boost in the coming year. Dream Teams are being built: There is a ton of consolidation in the promo industry…and quite a bit of concern about it. But that is not what I am talking about. Though some Venture Capital Groups are acquiring some awesome brands, I am noticing individual teams that are creating “dream teams” of talent. These are the brands that I see making huge gains in the coming year. Commonsku, Starline, and Snugz are brands in our industry that come to mind as talented, cool teams that I (and many in the industry) admire. Good Seems To Be Winning: As I walked the enormous show floor, I found myself saying “she is a great person,” or “that is a great guy,” a lot. Not coincidentally, these are the companies I am looking for opportunities to work with. In an industry where we can often source the same (or very similar) product from multiple vendors, the quality of the people really matter. The same is true, I think, for nearly any industry. Despite the concerns surrounding tariffs, I did notice an air of positivity in the industry. My hope is that this is a good sign for the economy in general. Time will tell. Either way, here’s to a happy and healthy 2019! Make sure you never miss an update. Sign up for our VIP list today.
by Kirby Hasseman
There is a correlation between Fear and Fire. I heard a great analogy about fear from Grant Cardone. Grant is a hard charging sales trainer and real estate entrepreneur and author. He has penned several books including the 10X Rule. Grant compares Fear to Fire. Fire is powerful and is fueled by oxygen. The more oxygen a fire gets, the more likely it is to grow. But if you cut out the oxygen, the fire goes away. No oxygen = no fire. Fear is powerful as well. It can drive us or stop us. The fuel for fear is time. The more time you give fear, the bigger the fear gets! So the way to cut out fear is to cut out time. When you have that urge to make that next sales call, or go to that next conference, or go up to that stranger and introduce yourself, your brain will try and talk you out of it. It wants to keep you comfortable. So, it gives you fear. In response to the fear, our natural response is to wait. We have to wait until we are ready, or until the music is right or the script is better or until the website is complete. We feed the fear with time…and the fear gets bigger. So the next time you have that urge to do something you know you need to do, don’t wait until you are ready. Take advice from Nike. Just do it. Don’t wait until the time is right…it never will be. Don’t wait for the script to be perfect, it can’t be. Just act. Take away the time…and you will choke out the fear. Now might be a great time to act for you. Join our VIP list. We send out an email once a week with all of our content in one place. You can sign up here.
