by Kirby Hasseman
Have you ever thought, “Let’s create an event that raises money for a good cause, creates and builds community, helps people get in shape, and can create a lasting impact on my organization?” Maybe not. It just sounds too good to be true. But that is exactly what happens when organizations create 5K’s, 10K’s, half-marathons, and marathons. These events are not just fundraisers (though they are that too), they have the ability to do much more.
The bad news is, there are a lot of races out there. If you want to have a real impact, you have to create ways for your event to stand out. And one simple way to do that is to create branded merchandise that people really want. So here is some great branded merch for your next race.
Not Just T-shirts
We love t-shirts. And when it comes to races, those are definitely the number 1 item people think about. But if you are planning to do a shirt, consider the audience. The consumer is getting pickier and pickier about the shirt they get. And if your audience is filled with people who do lots of races, they will be judging you based on your shirt selection. So if you are going to do a t-shirt, check out this article we wrote about what t-shirts cost.
Simple advice: If you are going to do a t-shirt, don’t go cheap. We have plenty of quality, cool t-shirts that won’t break the bank.
But if you want to do some branded merchandise outside of the t-shirt…here are a few options that will make your race stand out.
The Arm Sleeve
The Arm Sleeve certainly makes a statement. You can get different colors to coincide with your event, and you can make each of your participants feel like they are in an Under Armour commercial! This is a fun item that is apparel…but you don’t need sizes.
Reflective Knit Cap
Most of us are excited about warmer weather right now, but runners run all year round. So for those folks that run outside, or for events that are in cooler temperatures, this is a great item. Oh…and if you are planning your event at night…home run city!
Barrel Duffle Bag
Most races have a bag where they put race bibs, flyers, and other materials that every racer gets. The problem is, many of these bags are cheap plastic. They have no long-term value to the racer or the organizations. One way to up your game in the eyes of the participant is to up your bag game. Check out this cost-effective duffle that racers will keep for years.
These are just a few ideas that can help your race stand out. And when you create a race with great merch…it’s a great marketing tool for next year too! Want more ideas? We have created this shop so you can browse it now for your event. Oh…and let us know if you have questions.
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by Kirby Hasseman
(Coshocton, OH)—Coshocton-based marketing firm and promotional products distributor Hasseman Marketing & Communications is growing again. Hasseman Marketing is excited to welcome Briar Swigert to their team. Swigert graduated from Coshocton High School and brings enthusiasm and a hard-working spirit to Hasseman Marketing.
“I am thrilled to have Briar on the team, and cannot wait to see what amazing things he brings to the table,” says Hasseman Marketing CEO, Kirby Hasseman. “Not only does he have a great attitude and is willing to learn, but he is also very diverse in his talents. That will be great for us and our clients!”
In his new role, Briar will lead the print production for Hasseman Marketing and clients as well. This includes business cards, postcards, invitations, letterhead, envelopes, books, calendars, etc. for Hasseman Marketing clients. In addition, Swigert has a creative mind and is learning the digital marketing design side of things as well.
“I am so excited to see what all I get into here,” says Swigert. “I am learning something new each day, and am eager to help Hasseman Marketing and our community with their marketing needs.”
Hasseman Marketing headquarters is located at 432 Main Street in Coshocton, Ohio. They can be found online at www.HassemanMarketing.com. In addition, you can follow them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/hassemanmarketing. You can also find more out about our staff at https://hassemanmarketing.com/about/.
by Kirby Hasseman
We have been talking about the importance of bridging the Appreciation Gap for years. What is the Appreciation Gap? Most employers, leaders, and entrepreneurs believe they are showing their team appreciation. But studies show that most employees don’t feel appreciated or valued. That creates an “appreciation gap” that leads to dissatisfaction on both sides.
And while there are plenty of ways to show appreciation, Employee Appreciation Day is right around the corner. It might be time to step up and show your team you care with some amazing branded merchandise. And if you like any of these, we have created a shop you can check out right here.
Employee Appreciation Day
Employee Appreciation Day is the first Friday in March and it gives a formal “excuse” for you to show your team how much they mean to you! So here are a few really cool items to help you show up as a hero on Employee Appreciation Day!
Urban Peak® 20 oz Altair Vacuum Tumbler
This copper-lined, vacuum-insulated deep draw liner maintains optimal drinking temperatures. In other words, this is an awesome-looking piece that also keeps your hot drinks hot and your cold drinks cold. It has a very high perceived value and you can even personalize it to make it extra special. Learn more here.
Ultimate Utility Tote
This sturdy tote features a large compartment with a wire rim to give the tote shape and total functionality. It also has a sewn-in hard bottom for extra durability. Aside from its main compartment, it has a front pocket to store your smaller items and a 14-inch handle drop height. Your company name or logo can be imprinted onto the side of the bag, which is available in a variety of different colors. Fellow travelers and grocery shoppers alike will be jealous of your consumers for having such a useful and colorful item from your company! Learn more here!
48″ arc – The Rebel Inverted
The Rebel is an umbrella featuring a revolutionary design that allows the water to push away when closing, making it easy when entering or leaving a car or through a door and keeping you dry in the process. Plus, the inverted closing action keeps the dry side of the umbrella on the outside when brought indoors. Learn more here.
Desk Qi
The Desk Qi is a tabletop charging hub and stationery holder, featuring up to 10W of fast wireless charging (powered by type-c), and 2 additional USB-A ports for your electronic devices. Showcase your brand or message up to a full-color imprint with this must-have at-home or office tech item! Learn more here.
But wait there’s more! We have created a shop that includes these amazing items and more here. Browse, shop and buy right here.
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by Kirby Hasseman
No matter what business you are in, you need to promote yourself if you want to succeed. As Henry Ford famously said, “A man who stops advertising to save money is like a man who stops a clock to save time.” We all need to let our prospects and customers know that we are here to serve them. But you can still do that responsibly. There is a growing number of products in the marketing space that have an eco-friendly component. That way you can promote your business…and do good while you are doing it.
Skylar Hasseman helped us find our favorite pieces of branded merchandise that are eco-friendly. Let’s take a look!
Koozie® Collapsible Eco Can Kooler
This is a staple of the branded merchandise world. Check out this product if you want to make parties more eco-friendly…one beverage at a time! Click here to learn more.
Wood Bottle Opener
Portable and pretty, this custom engraved wooden bottle opener is ready to travel. Its slim 7″ profile makes carrying it in a pocket or purse a breeze, while the metal jaw easily pries open drinks. Perfect for breweries, executives, barbecues, and more. Oh…and did we mention you can get one? Click here to learn more.
Eco-Friendly Reusable Stainless-Steel Straw In An Anodized Travel Container With Carabiner Clip And Cleaning Brush
You are contributing to the 8 million tons of global plastic waste (yearly) every time you order a drink that comes with a straw. And do you know how many straws Americans use in a single day? About 500 million! In view of the staggering figures, it’s easy to figure out how big of an impact we can make just by making small changes to our habits and actions. Click here to learn more.
Budget Balm
This Budget Balm provides promotional value without breaking the bank. It is made using petroleum, mineral oil, coconut oil, paraffin wax, and ozokerite wax. It’s also Vegan and Made in the USA. There is a lot to love about it and you can find more information here.
Next Level – Eco Heavyweight Tee
You want a really cool t-shirt to promote your brand…but you want to feel good about it. Right? This might be your answer. This t-shirt from Next Level is made of approximately 4 recycled RPET bottles per shirt. Learn more here.
And friends…this is just the beginning. If you want to create a promotion that not only creates attention for your brand but also does some good in the world…we can help. If you want to order one of these awesome products right away…click here to make it happen!
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by Kirby Hasseman
The New Year is an exciting time. It can mean new goals, new budgets, and a clean slate for you and your organization. When it comes to the branded merchandise world, it usually means it’s time to check out new products. And while this year there have been fewer new product rollouts (can you say supply chain?), there are still some new ideas to consider. So at Hasseman Marketing, we are here to help. Over the past couple of weeks, we have attended several trade shows (you can see a video about the big show here) in order to scope out just a few of the best and brightest. Here is a list of 5 Hot New Branded Merch ideas for 2022.
Sync Truly Wireless Earbuds and Bluetooth® Speaker Set
It’s a Bluetooth speaker! It’s your wireless earbuds! And it’s a carrying case…all in one! If you have a workforce or client base that loves tech, then this is a wonderful option for you. You and your team can clip this to your backpack and be ready to travel with tunes at all times. Click here to learn more.
Desk QI
The Desk Qi is a tabletop charging hub and stationery holder, featuring up to 10W of fast wireless charging (powered by type-c), and 2 additional USB-A ports for your electronic devices. Showcase your brand or message up to a full-color imprint with this must-have at-home or office tech item! Click here to learn more.
LAPGEAR Lap Desk with Device Ledge and Cushion Back
Most of us have set up amazing home offices and what do we do? We work from our couch! Whether you’re collating spreadsheets or indulging in a full-season binge of your favorite show, this Lap Desk is there for you. The 17″ x 13.2” work surface is made from durable, high-impact polystyrene and accommodates up to 15.6-inch laptops. Thanks to the reinforced carrying handle and compact size, you can take this desk with you wherever you go. This is the “tech” item that is not really tech. Click here to learn more!
Stress Pop Flyer
Want something decidedly less “tech” and more “touch?” We have you covered here. This stress pop flyer is fun for kids or seniors (think improving circulation) and everyone in between. This is a product that helps your brand to get back to fun. Click here to learn more.
McStreamy – microphone and light ring
Look good, sound good, upgrade your virtual meeting game with the McStreamy kit. The bright 10″ ring light will keep you well lit and the studio-quality mic will make sure your audience hears every word. This is the perfect gift for your virtual team or your content team. And with this item…you can order just one! Click here to learn more!
Those are just 5 of the Hot New Branded Merch ideas we saw over the past few weeks! Now let’s talk about how we can help you create marketing that is “hot” this year. Please reach out to your HMC rep and set up a time to chat about your needs. Don’t have a rep? No worries. Click here to book a time to chat!
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by Kirby Hasseman
It’s funny. So many of us said something like, “If we can just get through 2020, everything will be okay.” And of course, as we look back at the tumultuous year that was 2021, we understand that watching the ball drop on New Year’s Eve is not a solution. 2020 was a tough year, to be sure. There were plenty of lessons to learn. We actually wrote a blog about a few of those lessons here. So to put a bow on 2021, we wanted to do our Hasseman Marketing Year In Review…through our content!
The Supply Chain Challenges
You are probably tired of hearing about challenges with the supply chain. I get it. We have been talking about them since back in April. We even wrote this blog back in July saying that organizations should order their holiday gifts then. This is not an “I told you so” moment. It’s just an acknowledgment that the challenges are real. And the lesson here is that these challenges will not “fix themselves” on December 25th. If you are responsible for purchasing branded merchandise in 2022, you will see the same challenges. Here are the 6 things we said you could do to help…it will be important that you stick to that plan moving forward.
It’s Time To Invest
No, I am not talking about throwing money at crypto. This is about investing in you and your organization. One simple way to invest if you is to read (or listen to books). Here are my 10 favorite books I read in 2021. Dig in there. If none of those tickle your fancy, we created a list of 29 game-changing business books as well. And what about investing in your marketing? That is what we do, after all! So we created the HMC Marketing Pyramid. It’s a tool that will help you decide where you need to invest your marketing dollars (and efforts) first.
Finally, we want to help you with your goals for 2022. So we have created this FREE course on how to create goals that help you move the needle in your business and your life. Sign up here and we will email you the course at no charge.
New Team Members
Another theme I see when I look back at 2021 is the addition of new team members and services. Katlyn took a promotion, Skylar joined the team and we even welcomed Dustin Haywood back! These new additions allow us to offer new and better services and continues to make HMC a fun place to work! Our most recent addition, Briar (helping to keep the print room rocking) is keeping that tradition rolling!
2021 has certainly been a year of change. And isn’t that what they say the one constant of life is? Through all of that, we want to continue to provide you with value. Whether we are writing about how to market without Facebook, or even how our Haters Help Us, the goal is to help lift you and your organization up! So thank you for taking this journey with us! We are excited to work with you and we can’t wait to see what 2022 has to offer.
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