by Kirby Hasseman
Welcome to a super awesome blog post series for Hasseman Marketing called:
“Brand-ecdotes!”
Each week we will talk to a branding all star about what make the Promotional Product advertising media so special!
This week we talk with Ben Taylor from Bam Bams. Ben is not only a marketing rock star (in the industry and out) but he is also working on a new project called Co-Lab. He has the experience and the perspective…so let’s hear it directly from him!
1. What is your all-time favorite Promotional Product and why? This one is easy for me, it’s our BamBams. Even though they’re a product we don’t concentrate as much on anymore, they’re what started it all. They give me an immense amount of pride in my father, our business and our namesake.
2. Can you name a Promo Product that you have that STILL reminds you fondly of an event, person, organization? If so, can you tell us that story? I have a journal that I received at the very first Search Marketing Expo I spoke at over 10 years ago. It sits in the desk drawer at my home office and it’s filled with outdated SEO tactics and client notes from that conference. The journal is special to me, because it has my name and speaker bio in it. I look back at it from time to time and am in awe of how much that bio has changed over the years and excited by how much better and more creative the journals that we have access to now. Shout out to Chameleon Like journals and Commonsku for the awesome ones we get every year now! 3. What is the current product you use all the time? BamBams Athletic Socks. Our TSA-400 to be exact. I wear them almost everyday at the gym. They have replaced all of my Under Armour and Nike socks.
4. What is an idea/product that you think organizations UNDER use?Private labeling. There are so many distributors out there selling BamBams Socks, but instead of pitching a private labeled sock so that their customer gets greater value out of their product they just pitch socks, without the private label upsell. The best part about private label is that your client begins to build their own brand using your merchandise. You’ve developed something so custom for them that finding it elsewhere and matching it exactly becomes very difficult. It’s a win win for both the distributor’s client and the distributor. 5. What do you think is the best thing about Promotional Products as an advertising media?It puts an emphasis on human interaction. More often than not, you’re giving a promotional product away to your client, friend, family, or etc, you’re physically handing it to them. It’s something tangible that they can hold, use, or wear that serves a very specific purpose, the purpose of furthering your brand’s message while simultaneously completing another objective. Promotional products also give you a unique advantage to be very creative and innovative with your brand. Take socks for example, if I sent a pair Hasseman Brewing socks to Kirby Hasseman, he would wear these socks with pride because it represents his brand, he’ll be thankful to me for providing him with the simple pleasure of a new pair of socks and the pride of wearing his brand in a format that is not always used. It’s just fun. Promotional Products build and maintain relationships because they’re personal. How can you not love that?
And…that’s the another edition of Brand-ecdotes! Thanks to Ben Taylor for taking the time to jump in on this project! Awesome stuff here!
Make sure you never miss a post, video or podcast! Sign up for the Hasseman Marketing VIP newsletter here. And if you want to look for your own amazing branding products, you can do that here.
by Kirby Hasseman
As you might expect, my team and I get to see the latest and greatest promo! We have a ton of great suppliers that work with us to make sure we have “seen it all.” With that in mind, sometimes I become jaded. I feel like I have seen every t-shirt, tumbler and cooler in the world. I mean, why would I need another? Recently I had the opportunity to work with one of our great clients (McWane Ductile) on their vendor golf outing. They always create a first class event. In order to make the event extra special, we partnered with our supplier Imagen Brands to create a “Hit it to Win it” contest on one of the Par 3’s on the course. The concept goes like this, we have some amazing logo’d products and we place them all over the green. (No, we did not impede a hole in one). Then if the participant hits one of the items, they get them! It was a lot of fun. (And yes there will be a video soon). I tell you this story to tell you this one; I found my new favorite cooler in the process! This is the cooler I did not know I needed. But I do! The Coleman 36-Hour 42 Can Marine Soft Cooler has an awesome look (that’s what got my attention first). The logo just pops off here and gets your attention right away. But in addition, I love the size! It’s just right for a trip out in the woods, at the golf course or out on the boat. In addition it keeps the ice in the cooler for up to 36 hours! Finally, I dig the top hatch for easy access to those cold beverages on a hot day! So take it or leave it. But I love it. As I said, I didn’t know I “needed” this cooler. But I know now! For more information on the cooler, check out this link. And make sure you never miss an update. It might be content. It might be product. But we hope to bring you value every day. Sign up for the VIP newsletter here. Oh…and shop for more products here.
by Kirby Hasseman
The Delivering Marketing Joy Podcast is back! Our goal here is to attack 2018 with a vengeance! The Delivering Marketing Joy Podcast will provide some inspiration, motivation and education to make it happen! Consider this your 10 minute “kick in the pants” to get your week started off right! Today on the podcast I talk about the difference between being a “doer” and being a “leader.” I love being a person who gets thing done. I am proud of it. But what do you do when you are put in charge of other people? Are the skills the same? The answer…no. Thanks for listening and digging in here on the DMJ Podcast every week! And a specific and proud shout out to NewPointe Community Church for their work (and leadership) on this great project. You can learn more about the church here. Make sure you never miss an update by signing up for our VIP Newsletter here. Or you can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Sticher, Soundcloud…or where ever you listen to podcasts!
by Kirby Hasseman
It’s easy somedays to say “I just don’t have time.” I was at a work event all day yesterday. I am leaving early to do manual labor today. I don’t have something pre-planned or pre-written. On a day like today it would be easy (and fair) today “I don’t have time to write a blog.” We all have days like this. But…I have time to do something. It might not be the normal length. It might not be my best work. But if it always has to be perfect, there is no way to keep it up. Sometimes “done” is better than “perfect.” So whether it’s a sales call, a piece of content, or a work out, you might still have time to do “something.” Do that. Make sure you never miss an update! Sign up for our VIP newsletter today!
by Kirby Hasseman
Yesterday was my 22nd Anniversary…and my wife got me these shoes. These shoes represent the best kind of gift. They were something that I really wanted, but I had decided that I was not going to buy for myself. So I was really excited when she (quite thoughtfully) surprised me with them. In addition, these shoes represent a lot of what I believe in. Gary Vee’s Shoes: These are the new Gary Vee 003. Gary Vaynerchuk teamed up with K-Swiss to create these shoes, designed for entrepreneurs. If you are regular reader of this blog, you have seen me mention Gary Vaynerchuk…like I did here. Gary has become legendary in the content creation and entrepreneurial world. The short story goes like this: He took over his family’s liquor store and grew it from $3 Million to $60 Million in 5 years. He did it on the back of Youtube and Twitter. Then he left the family business to create VaynerMedia where they work as a digital ad agency with huge businesses to do advertising on line. So what does this mean to you? Why should you care about my shoes? I am glad you asked. 
Gary Vaynerchuk is sold wine…not fashion. Then he left that business and created a Digital Media Agency. He did not create a shoe company. So, why then, is he able to work with K-Swiss and create his own shoe line? Maybe more importantly, how is he able to sell out of them? Why are people buying them, then re-selling them on E-Bay? (Seriously…it’s happening). He is doing it because he has a large and passionate audience. He has a platform. He is an influencer. Over time, Gary has created content and added value…through content. (His Youtube channel is here). Day after day. Year after year. He has taken the time to “Give First” (I talk about this concept here) over and over again. So that when he decides to “ask” people are lined up to buy. So when we talk about creating value online, this is why. It’s about creating value so that you can create an audience. If you have a passionate audience, then you get to decide what to do next. This sort of thing does not happen overnight. It’s hard work. It may seem unreasonable. But in my estimation, it’s worth it. Now for those of us that are willing to grind, it’s time to get back after it. For those that are not, enjoy the view. Oh…and thanks to my wife for awesome anniversary gift. She really is the best. Speaking of value, we are trying to create it for you every day. If you want to make sure you never miss an update, sign up here for our VIP Newsletter. We deliver this value to you each week via email.
by Kirby Hasseman
Welcome to a super awesome blog post series for Hasseman Marketing called:
“Brand-ecdotes!”
Each week we will talk to a branding all star about what make the Promotional Product advertising media so special!
This week we talk to Amanda Delaney from Imagen Brands. Amanda has been all over the Promo industry and lends her story and personality to us today! Take it away Amanda!
1. What is your all-time favorite Promotional Product and why?
I have so many of my products that I absolutely love, and feel like I should definitely plug them, but my all time favorite promo product is a tee shirt. With all of the amazing products in our industry, a tee shirt will always be a walking billboard. Furthermore, I have so many branded tee shirts from events or times in my life that remind me of that time, and those memories are so awesome to have every time I’m wearing one. I recently went to an event in Raleigh where some industry friends brought tee shirts to hand out, and I love wearing them because it reminds me of the epic weekend I had. Tee shirts are by far my favorite.
2. Can you name a Promo Product that you have that STILL reminds you fondly of an event, person, organization? If so, can you tell us that story?
My mom died almost three years ago, and when I was cleaning out her house I found a Seahwaks lanyard under her bed. I’m from Seattle, so I ‘m a die hard Seahawks fan, but that all comes from my mom as there isn’t a bigger fan out there than she was. I hated when she watched football growing up, until she explained the game to me and we eventually came to talk Hawks all of the time. When I found it, I had been thinking at the exact same time how our last conversation was about the upcoming season and how I wouldn’t have any more seasons with her. That stupid lanyard brought me to my knees, and I laughed at the same time thinking of my mom telling me “don’t be sad, I’ll get to watch them in Heaven”. I have that lanyard on my keys to this day, and I put it around my neck multiple times a day carrying product into my meetings. I have never in my life loved a piece of cloth tied to a snap as much as I love this lanyard.
3. What is the current product you use all the time?
For sure it’s my (Crown’s) braided long cable!! It’s a six foot extension cord to your existing phone charger cable – IT’S GENIUS!! I spend so many nights in a hotel that when you have that to lay on the right side of the bed and still have your phone in your hands (I know, first world problems), it’s amazing. I love it so much there’s one one the five chargers I have in my house and car. It’s such a cool thing.
4. What is an idea/product that you think organizations UNDER use?
Spec samples. SPECS SELL. And when you have a good partnership with a supplier,we will do that for free (atleast I will), but there’s also something to be said in the distributor putting some skin into it. Either way, the idea of specs is so underused, and I really wish it was taken advantage of more than it is.
5. What do you think is the best thing about Promotional Products as an advertising media?
First and foremost it’s the people. I have never met more driven, passionate and solid people as I have than those I meet in this industry. So selfishly for me, that makes me love what I do even more. I’m so inspired by so many people who love what they do as much as I do, and it’s a wonderful thing to be a part of. But on a larger scale, people love what we do for them! I’ve head it a million times and I stand by it, we’re the only channel of marketing and advertising that people spend money with us and say THANK YOU. There is nothing better than seeing your product out in the community or on Facebook, and you know that not only did you do that for your customer, you helped your customer do that for theirs. It’s a really fulfilling and satisfying feeling that I definitely live for every day.
And…that’s the another edition of Brand-ecdotes! Thanks to Amanda Delaney for taking the time to jump in on this project! Awesome stuff here!
Make sure you never miss a post, video or podcast! Sign up for the Hasseman Marketing VIP newsletter here. And if you want to look for your own amazing branding products, you can do that here.
