It’s a tradition like no other. For over 15 years, Hasseman Marketing has hosted an “End User” trade show and has invited our customers. It’s evolved and grown over the years and we are quite proud of it. This year’s event will be Thursday, October 14th from 11 am to 3 pm at Coshocton County’s Lake Park! And since we missed hosting the event last year, we are ready to get back after it!
But why should you come? We want this event to be fun AND add a ton of value. Here are 6 reasons to attend The Hasseman Marketing Trade Show.
Incredible Product Access
We invite some of our top (and favorite) supplier reps to showcase their lines at the show. I like to say “There is no way I could fit all of this in my trunk.” You get to see and touch and feel the product and see what it’s really like. We all know that many products look the same online or in a catalog. But when you get them up close you can really see a difference. This is the perfect place to make sure your brand materials are on point.
Idea Generation
As you walk around and see the latest and greatest in Promo, you will come up with some great ideas for upcoming projects. The reality is, the show is at a great time of year for year-end gifts for your team or customers. But some of our best customers come every year and start to plan their marketing for the next year and beyond.
Great SWAG
Nobody leaves empty-handed! We put on a fun event where (with the help of our suppliers) we invest in putting some really cool SWAG in your hands. In addition, we build the event around a theme so you can see how we use a bunch of different items around a theme!
Additional Services
You may think you know all that we do at Hasseman Marketing, but we find that most people discover some new ways to promote their organization! Having all of the ideas in one place can be very illuminating! For example, did you know we do website development or in-house print services? We do. And you can find more about them at the event.
Tasty Food
You have to eat right? We have food and drinks as well. Each year we get compliments about the tasty treats and we know this year will be no different. The event this year is on Thursday, October 14th from 11 am to 3 pm at the Lake Park Pavilion (in Coshocton). Our goal is to create an event that provides value and fun…and you never want to miss.
Things Have Changed
I am not sure if you heard about it, but a lot has changed since we were able to do this event last! And while we are excited to get back together to get back to normal, there are some real business reasons you should attend. Your organization might have changed logos, brand messaging, go-to-market strategies, where people work, and so much more. Or, like some of our clients, you might just need to update your materials because it’s been 18 months since you’ve needed them!
Back in September of 2020, when we first posted the job of Jr. Designer at Hasseman Marketing, we had high hopes. We wanted someone that had some training in design but had not had a chance to show off their skills. In addition, we wanted someone that was a quick learner and a team player. And of course, we wanted someone that was willing to jump in and work hard.
Luckily, we got all of that and more in Katlyn McIntire.
Katlyn joined our team in November as a Junior Designer and has exceeded expectations. That is why we are so happy to announce that Katlyn has now been promoted to Graphic Designer on our team! As a part of that role, Katlyn will work on designs for clients, help with virtuals for promotional products projects, and will run our production printer. She can be reached via email at [email protected] or by calling the office at (740) 622-7429.
At Hasseman Marketing, we love t-shirts. They are one of the most powerful promotional items you can find. It’s a great item to use to build your own tribe and to send your message.
On this T-Shirt shop we will be creating fun t-shirt designs that will inspire, educate and entertain. We have started with just a few designs, but will be adding to the mix as inspiration or demand strikes!
As always, we will continue to offer customized t-shirts for your organization as well. How much do those cost? Great question…and one that is hard to answer. Here’s why. If you want to lean in on an awesome t-shirt for your organization, please feel free to reach out to us here.
As you can see, we have plenty of cool things happening. Make sure you never miss an update by signing up to be a part of our VIP list here. We send out one email each Monday morning to keep you up to date.
Whether you enjoyed it or not, 2020 taught us a lot of lessons. It turns out we need to wash our hands and cover our mouth when we cough. But once we got past the lessons we learned in Kindergarten, we found 5 marketing lessons from 2020 that can help us get ready to succeed in 2021…and beyond.
Use Foundational Marketing
When things are going well, it seems like every marketing tool and gimmick can be effective. But when times are tough, the opposite can be true. Not only can marketing efforts not work, but some can actually turn your clients off. That’s why 2020 taught us to make sure we have our “foundational marketing” shored up. This includes a more basic and cost-effective way of going to market. We found that our requests for direct mail went way up in 2020.
Why? Because our customers wanted to reach directly out to their prospects…and they wanted to do it in a very cost-effective way. Scratch that…they NEEDED to be cost-effective. When that happens, we often need to go “back to basics.” This means we saw an uptick in direct mail, postcards and custom calendars. These tools create the foundation for your marketing, and you should consider using them to build your brand in 2021.
Create Content…That Serves the Client
When everyone was required to start working from home, we saw a big spike in content being created. From our perspective, that is a good thing! But there is an important lesson to remember when creating content: it should serve the client. So much of what passes for “content marketing” these days is just a long form advertisement. While those pieces of content certainly has a place, the best content is created with the customer’s needs in mind. As a rule of thumb, no one searches for a commercial (unless they are created by Ryan Reynolds). Create something that answers a question you are asked all of the time. Giving value builds credibility with your audience and helps to create a relationship that can really help to grow your business.
Personalization Matters
Whether you want to create a marketing message that stands out, or you want to show your team that they are valued, personalization matters. As I said here, the most powerful marketing word is simple…someone’s name. This has always been true, but 2020 made us understand in a whole new way. Not only does personalization matter to help your marketing stand out, it can also be a safety precaution! No one wants to drink out of the wrong tumbler during a pandemic! Giving value through content is a great way to show someone that you care…and so is putting their name on a branded gift!
Real Cause Marketing Matters
One of my favorite trends in marketing has been the increase in organizations tying their brand to a cause. When we can promote our company AND do some real good in the world, that is a slam dunk. It’s become such a trend that it seems some companies are hopping from cause to cause, hoping to catch lightening in a bottle from their ‘good work.” I don’t think that is the way to do it. It feels forced, and the audience will sniff that out. On the other hand, if you can help a cause that really resonates with your brand and your team, you can not only make a difference…you can create great marketing too!
For years, we have been proponents of focusing on higher quality branded merchandise and promotional products. The reason is simple: these items represent your brand. If you use cheap promotional products, that is what prospects will think of you! That concept has been highlighted in ALL CAPS during the pandemic. Why? Because most of the events where companies handed out “cheap swag” were cancelled. So in order to reach their customers, organizations were forced to drop ship branded merchandise directly to customers. And let’s face it, if you are spending $10 to $20 to ship something to your clients, you shouldn’t waste your money just sending a $.49 pen!
But an interesting thing happened. When organizations needed to be more thoughtful about their branded merchandise, effectiveness of the media actually increased! It turns out, when you create quality branded merchandise, your customers and prospects get excited to rep your brand. It’s called Delivering Marketing Joy…and 2020 has taught us that it is alive and well in marketing done right.
These are just 5 marketing lessons from 2020. We are excited to use these lessons in 2021…and beyond!
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What if you could create a marketing piece that was a game changer for your organization? This marketing piece would create brand awareness for your organization all year long. It would engage your audience in it’s creation…and it would help raise money for a local non-profit. It would even be a beautiful piece of artwork that would inspire your customers and support a local business. Sound too good to be true? It’s not. It’s exactly what Good Boy Bakery has done for the past few years with the their Good Boy Bakery Calendar.
The Good Boy Bakery Calendars Are On Sale Now.
For the last several years, Good Boy Bakery has created a beautiful custom calendar filled with amazing pictures of their customer’s pets. They solicit the pictures through social media and there is never a shortage of photos to choose from. Everyone is proud of their puppies! The gang at Good Boy Bakery allow people to vote on the submissions and the final pictures are chosen from a small committee to make sure the images are just right.
In addition, they seek out local businesses that might want to sponsor a page. Each page on the calendar features a local business that gets a month’s worth of exposure on the custom calendar. This allows for Good Boy Bakery to help alleviate the cost of the initial printing and increase the amount of money they are able to donate to the local Animal Shelter! The calendars are then sold at Good Boy Bakery in Roscoe Village for only $10. And since the calendars are printed at Hasseman Marketing (we mentioned we print calendars right?), they are support another small business in Coshocton too!
This is a true Win-Win-Win.
What does this mean for you? There are two things I would love for you to takeaway. First, rush down to Good Boy Bakery to get your calendar. There is a limited quantity…so don’t miss out on this chance to support a wonderful small business and donate to a great cause. Second, I want you to understand that this might be a great marketing idea for your organization. Here are a few quick steps to creating your custom calendar that can serve as a marketing piece AND a fundraiser.
Get The Pictures
The better the pictures, the better the calendar. If you want to create a work of art that everyone will want to hang on their wall, it’s worth taking the time to get great photos. No matter what your organization, you can get great images. Good Boy Bakery did a great job of getting pictures from their customers. That’s amazing. You can solicit images from your customers, your team or your community. Show thing around your organization or your community that will inspire…and you are on the right track. Oh…and the higher resolution image the better. If you want to have a calendar that is really crisp, shoot for a minimum of 300 dpi.
Secure Some Sponsors
If you are a non-profit, this can be a wonderful fundraiser. And it’s a fundraiser that is more than just a handout. If you create a calendar with amazing images, your sponsors get real exposure…and are able to tie their brand to a good cause. If you can get one or two sponsors per page, you have the chance to offset most or all of the printing costs!
Get The Calendars Printed
That’s where we come in! We would love to be your printing partner on this cool project! Leave a few weeks for proofing and printing so you have plenty of time to distribute and sell the calendars.
Sell The Calendars
Now it’s time to spread the word! While you certainly can just post the calendars on social media, if you really want this to succeed, get a team of people to get out in the community to sell. This is just like most fundraisers. If you want them to work…you have to work too! Get out there and spread the word and you will create a fundraiser that not only raises money, but also creates pride around your organization or community.
Those are the steps! If you want to create an amazing custom calendar that you can be proud of, please reach out and we can talk! We would love to help. And if you have not already, run to Good Boy Bakery to get their calendar before they are gone!
Since the beginning of the pandemic, leaders have been trying to find a way to communicate the steps to take to slow the spread of the virus. As we all know, in March, most of the country shut down in order to “flatten the curve.” That worked to slow the spread, but it shut down the economy as well. Now that we are nearing the end of 2020, the predicted ramp up of cases is upon us…and leaders all over the country (and the world) are working to slow down the spread.
That goal is what led Ohio Governor Mike DeWine to meet with local officials in Coshocton County via Zoom. He implored our local leaders to get creative and do what they can to help communicate the message that we need to be safe. After the meeting, officials from the City of Coshocton and Coshocton Regional Medical Center reached to us to help spread the word. We discussed creating a video, including many local officials, entrepreneurs and healthcare leaders to send a unified message to our community. The theme became simple.
We need to “Step up…and Mask up!”
The work on that script and video began immediately and I am proud of what we created. But it was important to us to create something that sustains the message after the initial bump. So rather than just create a video, we worked to create a campaign. Next up, we reached out to government officials to step up as well. We sent out script (that I will include below) and the first person who recorded his version of the video was Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. He applauded the efforts of Coshocton County and encouraged everyone to “Step up…and Mask Up!”
Excited about this participation, we worked to keep the momentum going. We will continue to share the message from leaders and government officials, but we also wanted to add something tangible to the mix. So what better way to encourage people to “mask up” than to provide masks with the message? We agree. The design was created (as you see in the video) and the masks are ordered and are on their way. In addition, we have created re-positionable stickers that are being printed and will be given to businesses that want to promote the message.
We are excited about the positive momentum that has been created so far…and are happy to use our powers for good. So how can we keep this momentum going? Here are a couple of ideas. First, if you are in our area and you want to participate, let us know. While we think these items will go quickly, we can try to get you a sticker and a few masks to help spread the word. We know that some people find this message divisive (I don’t get that and I talk about it here), but we feel it’s the right thing to do.
If you are not in our area, maybe you can create a campaign like ours in your community. In the interest of helping, here is the script we created that you can modify and use.
Step Up…Mask Up Script
In Coshocton County, we are proud.
We take care of one another, and look out for our neighbors.
We believe in supporting small businesses.
And we celebrate our heroes in healthcare.
We are kind…and we are proud to give back.
That is why we want to urge you to “mask up.”
Wearing a mask is not a weakness…it’s kindness. Mask up.
Wash your hands. Keep your distance. And mask up.
Step up…and Mask up.
(Multiple Leaders on screen). Step up and Mask Up
Let’s all do our part. Be kind. Support small business. Help keep each other safe.
That is who we are Coshocton County.
Let’s step up…and mask up.
Special thanks to our local leaders for not only wanting to do what’s right…but stepping up and working together to make it happen.
Here’s to keeping each other safe. Step Up. Mask Up.
