by Kirby Hasseman
“Let’s get more customers! We want better customers! And let’s spend less money to do so!”
This is the battle cry of any business owner, marketer or sales person. Whether you are Vice President of Sales for a Fortune 100 company, or a small business owner in Middle America, the goal is still the same. You want to drive more customers into your funnel. Then once you have them there…you want to keep them!
And of course, if you are this VP of Sales or anyone else who is charged with marketing their company, you also understand that there are a LOT of ways to advertise and market your company (or product or service). Between radio, newspaper, magazines, television and the internet, each of these media is working to show you why their way is the best to reach your potential clients. And let’s face it…sometimes they might be right.
A mistake some business marketers make is to focus solely on these mass media advertising elements when marketing their company. Though they may utilize promotional products in some cases, these dollars are spent only after the “real” advertising is done. Though many savvy business marketers are really beginning to understand the power of the promotional product, many are still utilizing them like “trinkets and trash.”
If you consider this promotional tool this way, those are the kind of results you will get.
In today’s marketing mix, well utilized promotional product campaigns can bring powerful, measurable results. But why do these imprinted items bring positive results? And more importantly to you, how can you utilize them to create real results in your marketing plan? That’s what we hope to continue to show you on this blog!
First let’s talk about WHY promotional products work.
There are many reasons for the many different situations, but let’s focus on three simple reasons why they are effect.
- Promotional Products are targeted!
- Promotional Products are cost effective per impression!
- Humans appreciate receiving valuable gifts!
Let’s elaborate just a bit.
Promotional Products are Targeted
This is one of the oldest reasons to utilize Promotional Products…and still a viable one. Done correctly, you are giving your promotional product (whatever that product might be) directly to the customer or potential customer. You are reaching out into their office, kitchen, car or yard and greeting them with your “who, what, where” message! As one of my first teachers told me, you are taking your business card and putting it on their wall (or desk or pocket). Since you are reaching directly to the people you want reach, there is little or no waste.
That same teacher handed me a calendar and asked me, “What is the worst thing that can happen to this when you give it to a client?”
I looked over the calendar for a moment, turned and cavalierly threw it in the waste basket. I waited for him to be upset, but he simply laughed and said, “Exactly!”
Smiling at the confused look on my face he explained, “You looked at the calendar—the advertising message—considered it and then discarded it. That’s the worst thing that can happen. But consider this; that is the BEST thing that can happen to nearly all other kinds of advertising! If someone listens or sees an ad long enough to consider it, that ad has succeeded. But with our advertising that is your worst case scenario! Most likely that calendar will be hanged and give you valuable advertising space on the customer’s wall all year.”
Which leads nicely into…
Promotional Products are Cost Effective
When considering many advertising venues you will hear terms like range, frequency, circulation to showcase the overall power or effectiveness of the medium. And although those can be impressive statistics, they are not always totally accurate. Just because 100,000 people CAN listen to a radio station doesn’t mean they DO.
When measuring the effectiveness of a well-executed promotional product campaign, I like to consider the CPI or Cost Per Impression of an item. Measuring the CPI of an item gives you a stronger understanding about the power of an individual product. It also quantifies the value to you, the marketing professional, of that same product.
Let’s take a promotional watch for example.
A decent watch for a customer might cost you $20 (less or more but let’s go with this for this example; you can do the math for other price ranges). Initially $20 might sound like a lot to reach this customer. But consider that the average person looks at their watch about twice per hour, 10 hours per day. Let’s also assume they wear this watch for the better part of year, or 300 days. That customer has now looked at your branding message 20 times per day for 300 days…or 6000 times! Now if you divide that $20 watch by the 6000 times your branding message was in front of your customer you realize the CPI on this watch was $.0033 per impression! Not a bad investment for your marketing dollar!
Of course you can easily think through the math on any promotional item. You don’t need to know any fancy statistics; common sense will do the trick. That’s why some of the classic staples of the promotional products industry are products that have lasting power. The more long term usefulness a product has the more value it has to your brand!
Humans Appreciate Receiving Valuable Gifts
Though this sounds like sort of the “duh” moment, it’s deeper than that too. It is true that many people like to receive things that are free. Unfortunately sometimes that leads us to think of the lowest common denominator of mooch out there that only comes to trade shows for the free stuff. Those folks are out there…but that is not what I am talking about.
Studies show that giving your customers (or potential customers) a promotional “gift,” you actually create a sense of obligation in that person to do business with you. That’s right. It’s called the Rule of Reciprocity. Studies prove that by giving that $5 item, your customer will actually feel like they owe you or your company the opportunity to do business. You have provided them something of value. Interestingly enough, this Rule states that this effect increases over time. So the more often you present that prospect with a promotional “gift” the more likely they are to give you an order. They subconsciously feel like they owe you!
And though that might not “exactly” be the intention, it is a wonderful added benefit.
I make it a habit. Each time I go to visit one of my customers; I make sure I bring “goodies.” As I tell them, I don’t want them to say, “Oh no, Kirby is coming.” I want them to be excited for my visit saying, “Oh, Kirby is coming! I wonder what he will bring me!” I am NOT above gift giving to gain business. I will trade a $5 promotional item for $1000 worth of business every day!
So remember…promotional products work for three simple reasons. They are a very targeted form of advertising, they are cost effective and people love free stuff (the Rule
of Reciprocity)!
If you want to get more customers, get better customers and spend less money doing it, then a well-thought out promotional product strategy had better be a part of your marketing mix!
The key here is “well-thought out” plan.
If you simply go around handing out things with your logo to anyone and everyone, you have lost the idea of “targeted.” So in essence, you negate one of the things that make promotional products effective. Think about it…have you done that? Then you say, “Wow I didn’t get any return on that.” Of course you didn’t! You blew it!
So when you are creating your marketing plan for the end of this year and beyond, make sure you consider promotional products and their three benefits to take your results to the next level! If you want help, click here to contact us!
by Kirby Hasseman
At Hasseman Marketing, we believe the best way to battle business challenges is through learning and hustle. I know the term “hustle” is sometimes over-used right now, but the reality is, your effort is one of the things you can truly control. It matters. In addition, when times are changing and challenging (as we can all agree they are right now), looking for ways to grow is one of the best ways to make sure you are prepared to adapt. That is why we have been so focused on providing education during this time (like this FREE 5 Day Marketing Course).
That is why we are so excited to host Hasseman Marketing MasterClass.
Yes it will take some time. It will take some effort. But we hope this event will be well worth it! If you are still on the fence, we wanted to give you 5 reasons to attend the first ever Hasseman Marketing MasterClass.
Amazing Keynote Speakers
Bill Petrie and Bobby Lehew are two of the most talented speakers in the marketing world. Both are industry professionals for sure. But each has wonderful perspective on story-telling and a track record for marketing success. I am thrilled they have agreed to share their talents with us. Each of their sessions will be well worth the price of admission as you plan the rest of your year.
Real World Breakout Sessions
As great as the speakers are going to be (and they are going to be awesome), I am really fired up about our Breakout Sessions. We will be tapping into our speakers (in a session about creating content), our team and even our customers. We have asked our team and customers about topics that would help them move the needle and responded. So we have a session on improving your website, how to maintain company culture during this time, changing your marketing during changing times, and more! We are adding more speakers and sessions all the time…so be ready to be inspired!
A Virtual Trade Show
As we discussed doing this event with some of our customers, one thing came up again and again. “We still want to be able to meet with your suppliers!” After over 15 years of hosting a successful trade show for our customers, we have created a demand. Great news. Some of our best supplier partners will be joining us virtually to show you the best and brightest year end gift ideas, apparel options, and branded merchandise to help you move the needle and end 2020 strong.
Innovative Learning
We have all heard it until we are blue in the face, “we are living in unprecedented times.” While it’s true, I am tired of hearing it. That being said, these times call for innovative solutions. We have a fun interactive platform and an energetic way to keep the learning going. It’s not going to be “just another zoom meeting.”
Inspiration For Year End
We are being bombarded with negative news every single day. Whether it’s CNN, FoxNews or your Uncle Joe on Facebook, it can be hard to escape. This event is designed to provide information and inspiration to help you take control of your marketing and your organization. We will be hearing from real people that have implemented real ideas to help them navigate this time. I mean, one idea might be, “How to host a virtual conference so we can continue to do business!” Just a thought!
Bonus Reason (for a limited time)…Great Box of SWAG
You know we love our swag! This is for a limited time, but for the first 100 to register, you will get a box of branded merchandise that will be more than worth the price of admission.
We are fired up about this event. If you want to learn more, please head here to read and and register. The cost is only $10 and I guarantee you will get your money’s worth.
by Kirby Hasseman
Despite the fact that technology makes us more “connected” than ever before, that is not how most of us feel. Studies tell us that people feel more lonely than ever. And this was true BEFORE Covid-19 forced us to isolate even more. Our culture is starving for real human connection. We want to have a sense of purpose and a sense of belonging. It’s a basic human need….and many of us are struggling to meet it. We want, and need, a tribe.
Believe it or not, great brands can help.
In his latest book, “Marketing Rebellion,” author Mark Schaefer says that the best brands build a tribe that helps them create a sense of belonging. These brand loyalties, when they are strong enough, help us to explain not only where we belong, but where we don’t. Harley Davidson, for example, has created a tribe that is passionate about a lifestyle of freedom. Yeti is a brand that represents outdoor living and high quality. The people that belong to these tribes not only are loyal to their brand, but they are proud to share the message too.
And how do they share this love for brand and show their sense of belonging? Promotional Products.
In his book, Schaefer talks about a Nike fan that was so passionate about his desire to “Just do it,” that he tattooed the swoosh logo on both ankles. While most of us are not willing to tattoo a brands logo to our body (more people do this than you might think) we often do the next best thing. We advocate for our favorite brands with less permanent “tattoos.” These might be stickers on our laptops, fun images on our socks and even t-shirts that we wear all the time. These simple pieces of branded merchandise help us to spread the brand gospel and show that we are part of a tribe. They show what we stand for…and what we don’t.
Done right, promotional products and branded merchandise can help our fans create a sense of belonging that is missing in their life.
We just need to be intentional about helping them create it.
For example, did you know that 22% of Harley Davidson sales are not the bikes? They have created merchandise that not only allows their fans to spread the gospel, it’s created a nice revenue source too. In addition, when YETI was getting it’s start, they included a branded t-shirt and/or a cap with every purchase. They used this branding strategy to help spread the word (and create that tribe) with every purchase. And remember that brandivate launch I wrote about a few weeks ago? They used branded merchandise to create a tribe from day 1.
As a side note, the response was so overwhelming that brandivate needed to go back to the well! People who wanted to be a part of the tribe reached out strongly enough that they created a 2nd wave of mailers for people that wanted to be in the group.
It can be exciting when we understand the impact we have have with our marketing efforts. Done right, you can not only impact your sales efforts, you can create a tribe and a sense of belonging for your fans.
And that is a purpose worth working towards.
by Kirby Hasseman
When I was first introduced to selling promotional products, I met with a manager that was teaching me the finer points of value in branded merchandise. At the time, he was talking about calendars, but his words ring true with me nearly every day in the business. “The price of a calendar is not determined at the point of purchase,” he said. He waited a few beats while that statement sunk in. Then he continued. “The price of a calendar is determined at the point of use.”
I raised my eyebrow to try and understand what he meant, and he went on.
“You see, so many people make their initial purchasing decisions based simply on price. But they don’t consider the weight of the paper. If they use cheap paper the calendar will not hang properly on the wall. If the imprint does not look good, the story will not be told the way the customer wants. But if they invest in a quality calendar, then it will get used…and that is the point!”
His point was simple. “If you buy 100 calendars at $5, and all of these get hung on the wall, they have spent $5 per calendar. But if the customer ignores the quality and buys 500 $1 calendars, and then only 1 gets hung on the wall, they have purchased 1 $500 calendar!”
The price of the piece is not determined at the point of purchase, but at the point of use.
While the story I tell here has to do with calendars (and still rings true) the lesson is still true across all kinds of items in the branded merchandise industry. You can nearly always get a “cheaper t-shirt,” but is it the kind of t-shirt your customers and prospects will actually want to wear? If not, that “cheap t-shirts” might end up at Goodwill. (I talk about pricing t-shirts here). Yes, you can get a “cheap coffee mug,” but I think that is the wrong question. If you want your branding message to spread, you need to look for someone’s “favorite coffee mug.” That item will get used every day.
You get the idea.
If you want to create a meaningful promotion that has staying power, think of how your branded piece will be used. Consider what your prospect might not only like, but want to use every day. When you create their “favorite” t-shirt, calendar or coffee mug, you get branding that has the power to last a lifetime.
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by Kirby Hasseman
On August 3rd, I was sitting at my home and I was nervous. Why? Because as a board member of OPPA (Ohio Promotional Products Association), we were about to head to Kalahari to host the first in-person sales event in our industry since the pandemic. We were excited to see all of our peers. I was excited to try and get back to business. But we were all nervous. (I talk about it in this video).
We wanted to create a successful event, but we did not want to set the industry back.
Over the course of the next few days, the OPPA Board, with the support of suppliers and distributors, held the Sales Safari at Kalahari. It was an in-person event that allowed suppliers and distributors to meet face to face for the first time since March. And by all accounts, the event was a success. Not only was the attitude around the event a grateful one, but the feedback we received was that we “made everyone feel safe,” and we took the necessary precautions to be safe.
This is by no means saying that we should open the flood gates. Discretion is still the better part of valor.
But as we move toward the end of 2020, we do need to figure out how to push forward. So here are some lessons we learned, actions we took and ways you might be able to have an in-person event safely.
Choose The Right Venue
I was so impressed with the Kalahari facility. As soon as you walk up to the doors, you see signage that explains their policies on masks and social distancing. When you walk through the doors you see hand sanitizing stations and more signage. That level of communication set the tone from the beginning. They were taking this very seriously…and it helped reinforce what OPPA wanted to accomplish.
Lead By Example
If you want the people at your event to follow the rules, your team better too! There is so much mixed messaging and confusion out there already, you don’t want to contribute. The OPPA team was on board from the beginning. Everyone was great about wearing masks and taking part in the protocol, so it was easy to ask everyone else to do it too!
Communicate…Then Communicate Again
At several points during the event, our Board President Kyle McGovern stepped in front of the group to give the full info on what we were doing…and why we were doing it. Our Executive Director LaDonna Belcher did the same. Over and over, we talked about the measures we were taking, and why they were important. We also gave attendees with options on what to do if they ever felt uncomfortable. This communication was great for explaining why every step was important, but it also showed a level of transparency that is important when working through something new.
Have Zero Tolerance
Once the rules were set (and we will get to a few of those in a moment), we worked hard to stick to them. The gravity of the situation was clear. We needed to be diligent in order to keep everyone safe. The eyes of the industry were very much upon us. With that in mind, there was no room for “non-believers.” If you wanted to attend, you had to follow the rules. The end. If you don’t want to follow the protocol (or you can’t), that’s fine…but you can’t come. I think that sort of discipline is critical to keep everyone safe. If potential attendees want to shout about their “freedom,” simply explain that they have the freedom to stay at home. It’s really that simple.
Masks, Masks, Masks
Here’s a secret. No one LOVES wearing their mask. It’s an inconvenience. But to be honest, it’s a minor one. Study after study has shown that they help to keep you from spreading the virus. Please don’t send me your videos from “Doctors” who say differently. If you want to have an in-person event, everyone needs to wear a mask. It’s safer. In addition, as I have talked about on the blog before, everyone wearing a mask makes everyone feel more safe too. And that matters if you want the attendees to learn and grow from the event. Oh…and if you don’t like it…don’t come to the event.
OPPA. provided everyone that walked into the event a mask, just in case they did not have one. There are some great ones out there that can help promote the brand and the event…and you can find a few here.
Take Temperatures
And speaking of what happened when participants walked into the event, every person had their temperature taken. That way, if someone is showing symptoms, even unknowingly, you have the chance to catch them before they mingle with the rest of the attendees. My suggestion is, take temperatures each day, just to make sure something has not changed overnight. There are some great touch-less options (find a few here), and I would recommend getting several so you don’t cause a back up when people are trying to get in!
Hand Sanitizers…Everywhere
As you might expect, the final item attendees got when they walked in the door was hand sanitizer. We also had sanitation stations throughout the event. This is where it was great to partner with Kalahari, because they have them everywhere too! The end result was that it felt like anytime you wanted to sanitize your hands, you could. That helped attendees be safe AND feel safe.
Limit Social Hours
One of my favorite parts of a normal in-person event is getting together to socialize with some drinks. That’s great…but it’s a place where things can go wrong. With the best of intentions, alcohol might ease the attention to detail on following protocols. You don’t want to do “everything right” and have one overly friendly Happy Hour ruin it! It’s not about being the “fun police,” it’s just about being smart so there is not an outbreak after an otherwise stellar event!
These are just a few precautions I recommend taking if you are considering hosting an in-person event. It might seem like a lot to manage, but I can speak from experience when I say, “It was worth it.” It felt SO good to be meeting face to face with other professionals again. If you want to look at some products that might help you host an event, feel free to check out our shop here.
Congratulations to the OPPA Board for having the courage to be first…and to take the steps to do it right.
by Kirby Hasseman
When beginning nearly any conversation about branding and marketing, we would love to jump straight to the answers. We would love to know where the journey will be taking us, so we can get started right away. But answers are never the beginning. Questions are. Creating a list of questions can help guide you and your campaign to a much more effective place. I created a list of 10 questions here…to get you started.
I find this to be especially true when you are created a branded merchandise campaign.
Branded Merchandise is one of the most effective tools you can use in your marketing tool box…but only if you use it correctly. Just like any other marketing tools, if you don’t know what. you are doing, you can waste your resources. But if you are intentional, and understand exactly who you are marketing to, there is often no better media than branded merchandise to get the job done.
That’s why questions are so important with branded merchandise.
It is incredibly important to know who you are trying to reach. Branded merchandise is very targeted (or it should be). So if you are targeting the right audience, in the right place, at the right time, you have marketing gold. But how do you know how to do that? Questions.
But while the exercise of going through a list of questions can really get your juices flowing, there is one question that I think really brings this idea home. Once you go through the basic questions in order to identify your “perfect customer,” this one question really helps me know exactly what branded merchandise will help reach them. The question is simple.
Where is your perfect customer when they realize they need your product or service?
When you answer that questions, can you see how that distills what you want to give your perfect customer…and where you want them to use it? If you are a Pizza shop, you want to reach that family in their kitchen. If you are a car repair shop, how can you get your information in the car? Once you find out that perfect customer, and where they are going to realize they need you, a well thought out promotional item can reach them right there.
It’s powerful.
So spend the time. Ask the questions. And if you need help going through this exercise. We can help.
