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 Charity Gibson! Charity wears quite a few hats in the Promo industry. She has been on both the distributor and supplier side of the business (and is now with Peerless Umbrella). She is a social media rock star! And she is on the PromoKitchen board as well! Take it away Charity!
1. What is your all-time favorite Promotional Product and why? For a long time, my favorite promotional product was the old-school viewmaster. The nostalgia factor played a big part inthat one because I know a large demographic of people had one as a child, have a positive feeling about it, and can relate to the product. My sales pitch was that a company could have these made with their logo and it would stay on the recipient’s desk because of novelty, but then each month they could send out new reels that would have a special for that month, new product info, and any other message they wanted to send, but these sales could only be viewed by putting the reel into the toy. In my mind, it was the perfect way to get people excited about seeing sales flyers. Since then, however, my mind has been focused on more practical products. There is one product I use and subsequently see every single day, and that is my PhoneLoop from EMT. My phone, or phones I should say – I carry three, are with me 24 hoursa day. My PhoneLoop has saved my phone from so many drops I can’t even count, and keeps it clean because I can hang it on hooks in bathrooms when I’m out and not carrying a purse. 
My good friend Brian Stidham gave me a random sample at a tradeshowand I had that first PhoneLoop for over a year. I only recently changed it out because I ended up getting some done as a self-promo for Peerless. People carry umbrellas when they will be in the sun for an extended period of time, or when it’s raining. Umbrellas really do make amazing billboards and our Peerless branded, EMT made PhoneLoops share this story every time people pick up their phone, which is on average, 62 times a day or something ridiculous like that. 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? A promotional product has to be really freakin’ cool for me to keep it. Consequently, I don’t actually have very many around my house. One that I not only love, but paid retail for, is a photo keepsake from Lego Land. My fiance and my daughter haven’t always gotten along, especially while we are on vacations. On this particular occasion a few years back, we were at Lego Land and, just to be defiant, my daughter claimed she was scared to go on most of the rides. It made for a very long day. Finally toward the end of the day, however, she loosened up and went on a few of the smaller roller coasters.On one ride she said she would be more comfortable with Damon sitting in the coaster car with her so that he could make sure she didn’t fall out. I was both surprised and delighted by this turn of events. When we exited the ride, they of course had the photos lined up. Not only was the photo they snapped totally hilarious because I look like I’m praying – maybe for them to start getting along – but they handed me a photo frame and showed me a virtual sample on the screen of what our photo would look like on this neat lego creation. The stand is made of lego bricks and then the photo itself is printed on a wall of lego bricks so you could, if you wanted, take it apart and rebuild it. $40 some odd dollars later, that frame is one of the few pictures I’ve got displayed on my office bookcase. It is super cute and seriously clever. 
Bravo to whoever thought that one up! Bonus: Damon and K are getting along MUCH better now. I feel like maybe it’s time to take that trip again so we can actually enjoy ourselves and I can get another frame with a new lego figure on it to add to the collection. Ha! 3. What is the current product you use all the time? See question one. 🙂 4. What is an idea/product that you think organizations UNDER use? In general, all promotional products are under used. Even within our own industry, both distributors and suppliers fail to use our medium to attract and retain clients. We cold call, email blast, and use social media when really, we should be using the products at our disposal to be our own best case study. Sure you can use social media and email to enhance your promo efforts and amplify your message by sharing photos, etc., but as promo people we should really work to always think promo first. Second to that, I don’t think there is any one product that is underused as much as the imprint and/or imprint area is mis or under utilized.We often forget that we can print anything on these products. We can print a marketing message, statement, QR code, or a picture. It doesn’t have to be a logo. Also, the number one thing I see missing frompromo product projects is a call to action. We have an incredible opportunity to use this space to give people a directive. Incentivize them to engage with your brand. Encourage them to visit a website or connect and/or engage with social your social media accounts.Nine times out of ten, if you ask people to do something and give them a good enough reason to do it, they will. Whatever product you choose, use the imprint area to make that product really work overtime. It will be more effective, make a bigger impact, showa lower cost per impression, and turn a bigger ROI. 5. What do you think is the best thing about Promotional Products as an advertising media? I love that promotional products are the tangible realization of someone’s dream coming true. That might just be the best thing about them. It can be something as simple as a business card or pen, but when you dream of opening a company, take the steps to make it happen, create the logo and lay the foundation, put in the hard work of getting ready to do business, and then you open that first box of promo and see your logoon whatever it is, that’s a very special moment. In that moment, you realize you did it, and you have the pen in your hand with your logo on it to prove it. Promotional products have the power to stir emotion, drive people to action, and be kept or passed on for years to come. Can your billboard ad or tv commercial do that? Didn’t think so ?
And…that’s the another edition of Brand-ecdotes! Thanks to Charity Gibson for taking the time to jump in on this brand new project!
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by Kirby Hasseman
Writing a post each and every day has certainly made me work harder to find ideas. When I was posting blogs every once in a while, inspiration was easy. It came to me when I had time and inspiration. That’s awesome when it happens. But how many times in your life do those two collide? That’s why, even with the best of intentions, I had times where I only posted a few times a month. I want to do better than that. What was odd to me is that I was still creating a video show called Delivering Marketing Joy each week (here is one to watch if you have never seen) and I was doing a podcast with Bill Petrie called unScripted (here is the latest). So it begs the question, why? Why was I able to do those pieces of content on such a regular basis and not do posts on my own site? It’s not like I only had ideas there. It was not just about “inspiration.” Here are a couple of reasons… There is a Deadline: With both DMJ and unScripted, there were very real deadlines. I had drawn a line in the sand and said “There will be a new episode come hell or high water.” This was initially for the audience. But it created a cadence for me that we MUST get it done. Yes…sometimes it’s very inconvenient. As a matter of fact, Bill recorded the most recent unScripted podcast from his family vacation on the beach! But when there is a real deadline, you find a way to make time. That is what I have done with this new challenge. There will be a new post each day. The end. Letting Inspiration Come To You: I think one of the great myths is that you have to wait for inspiration to strike. Humans don’t create thoughts. They don’t. If you don’t believe me, stop thinking. Go. The thoughts keep coming. Our job is to let the ideas continue to flow…and to select the ones that excite us. It’s one of the keys to being happy…choose better thoughts. The same is true for finding inspiration. Sit down each day and let your thoughts flow. Now select a good one…and act on it. Thanks for reading this! Let me know what you think. And make sure you never miss an update…sign up for our VIP newsletter here.
by Kirby Hasseman
It’s time to bring “Marketing Joy” to the masses! At Hasseman Marketing we pride ourselves in providing amazing promotional premiums to customers all over the United States. And frankly, we want to provide the right product to the person for the right situation. It’s NOT just about slinging SWAG.
That’s why we help you ask the right questions (here are 5 you should ask before your next promotion).
On the other hand, we want to be THE place you look for the best cool products for every occasion. We want to create “Brand-Slams” for you and your organization!
This week’s BrandSlam is one that nearly all of your customer’s and team will appreciate…The Juicebox.
Made from 100% pure power, the 4400mAh Juicebox is a refreshing way to ensure your gadgets never go thirsty. The Juicebox is a fun and useful power bank that is sure to make your customer smile?
Why? Because not only is the Juicebox a great charger that will full charge a phone 2.5 times, but it also comes in super fun packaging. It is sure to create delight and joy every time you give it away!
And here’s the thing: There is no better place for you to be with your marketing message, than around your customer’s phone! You want to be where the attention is. And with the Juicebox you are coming in to save the day! We all know that terrible feeling when your phone is about to die. The Juicebox comes in to bring it back to life!
It’s functional. It’s fun. It’s made from 100% Pure Power. That’s what makes the Juicebox this week’s BrandSlam!
For more information on this item you can click on this link. But if you want to discuss options or how this fits in with your other promotional campaigns, feel free to reach out to your HMC representative. Don’t have one? Email us here and we can hook you up!
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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! In today’s podcast we talk about bridging the Appreciation Gap. Sound familiar? It should. We discussed it in this blog post recently. But on the podcast today, we try to dig a bit deeper and discuss how you can fix this problem in your organization today.So those are my tips. But what do you suggest? Do you have other “go to” moves to show appreciation for your clients, prospects and team members? Let me know!
And keep coming back to the Hasseman Marketing blog each day. We are working to post a brand new piece of content every day. Make sure you never miss an update by signing up for our VIP newsletter here. We do a weekly update with content and specials!
by Kirby Hasseman
Gary Vaynerchuk recently said “Marketers ruin everything!” Keep in mind that Vaynerchuk is a marketing guy. But he points out that as soon as marketers find something that works, they (we) tend to use it to death until it becomes a nuisance. Consider email. We used to get excited each and every time we got an email. We read every single one! Now we can’t wait to hit the “delete” button so we can get rid of the nuisances.
The same can be true for many forms of Direct Mail. Direct mail is historically a great marketing tool for small businesses. It still can be. The problem is, this is a case where some marketers have ruined it for the rest of us. We know this as consumers.
Where do you open your mail? Many of us answer that question, “Over the trash can.” We are standing there (mentally) hitting the delete button on marketers. Tell the truth, you are probably almost stunned these days when you get a real, sincere piece of mail!
So can you do? You can stand out.
One way you can stand out is to get noticed before you hit the “circular file.” To do this, some marketers will create direct mail that looks like a real card. Some will even go to the lengths of having someone hand write out the envelope. This is a good news/bad news proposition. The good news is, handwritten envelopes DO tend to get opened. And if you have a small group you need to send a message to, this is a great way to make sure they see it. The bad news with this tactic is if your customer opens mail thinking they are getting a personal piece of mail, and it’s just an ad, it can backfire. You seem disingenuous, and the customer will likely (sometimes subconsciously) resent you and your company for it.
Another obvious way to get your message seen before it hits the trash pile is to scrap the envelope. You can send a colorful postcard or a flyer without putting it in an envelope. I actually like this tactic for some campaigns. But this idea too, has shortcomings. First, you are usually limited to what you can include on the space you have to imprint (especially with a postcard) AND you are never quite sure what condition your marketing pieces is going to arrive in! Again, sometimes this is fine. But sometimes these limitations are just too annoying.
One of the best ways to ensure a successful direct mail campaign is to incorporate promotional products WITH your direct mail. The results of this math equation should really get your attention.
Direct Mail + Promo = Marketing Gold!
But why does this combination work so well? Let’s get to it.
Getting It Open
First and foremost, using a promotional product can help you create what I call “bumpy mail!” Bumpy mail (or dimensional mailers) are packages that are odd shaped or bumpy. This unique shape calls to the customer or prospect “open me!” Curiosity will help you “kill the cat” because your potential client will want to know what is in the package.
But don’t just take my word for it! Let’s take a look at a study done in 1993. This study, done by Baylor University, sent packages to 3000 school administrators. They were divided into three groups. The first group received an envelope with a sales letter, sales collateral and postage-paid business reply card The second group received an envelope with similar contents plus a promotional product. The third group received all of the contents listed above, delivered in a box with a die cut slot, instead of an envelope.
The results (as you might expect) were impressive.
*Those who received a promotional product in a dimensional package responded at a rate that was 57% higher than those who received the same promotional product in an envelope!
• Response rates for the dimensional package recipients were 75% higher than for the group who received only a sales letter!
In case you were skimming, you might want to read that last line again. Response rates for the dimensional package recipients were 75% higher! Wow!
Now I can hear those “Yeah-But” folks now.
“Yeah but the cost of shipping is going to be higher for that piece.”
Of course it will be! But how much is a 75% increase in response rates worth to you? Remember a key word here. This is not a 75% increase in OPEN rates. This is RESPONSE rates! If you can’t increase your sales (and overcome in the increase in shipping) with that kind of response rate, you need to seriously reconsider your sales offer!
The Lasting Impact
Here’s the thing…if I ended the post with the above information it would be enough. But the best part about adding a promotional product to your direct mail is I get to say “But that’s not all folks!”
I have always wanted to say that!
The fact is, when you add Promo to your Direct Mail, you get all of the other benefits of promotional products AFTER your customer opens the offer!
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Remember the Rule of Reciprocity: Customers feel good about you and your company when they receive something from you. By adding something of value to the direct mail offer, you create a sense of value. This creates a better opportunity to sell to this client long term.
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Totally Targeted: This promotional piece is still super targeted. You have reached directly into this prospects home or office…and are communicating to them there.
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Lasting Impression: You have now created a long term advertising message (if you chose the product correctly) long after the postcard, letter or flyer has been thrown away.
Find Your Watermelon
Years ago I was in a sales training seminar with a Promotional Products Industry expert, Cliff Quicksell Jr. He told a story about a young industry professional that needed to get a message to only 6 people. She needed to get it to them…and she needed to make sure they did NOT throw the letter away by mistake.
This young pro, as Cliff tells it, took a Sharpie and wrote the message on six watermelons…and sent them!
“She had a tough time with the post office,” Cliff said. “But she finally got them to take them.
So I ask you. You come in Monday morning and there is a watermelon on your desk. Do you read it?”
I love that story! The message is clear. Find your watermelon!
While you may not have to send giant fruit (though that would be awesome), you better stand out. Promotional products can help you do that in a cost effective, results-based way!
This post is an excerpt from the book Delivering Marketing Joy. You can purchase that here on Amazon.
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by Kirby Hasseman
One of the toughest things about overcoming challenges in the present…is the past. It’s hard not to look at what you have already put in, what you have already done, what you have already sacrificed. You see that huge pile…and you can become discouraged and distracted. Unfortunately focusing on that “pile” is not helpful, or even, pertinent. There is a term in Poker called “Pot committed.” The idea is that you have already put so much of your chips into the pot, you feel like you have to see the hand through. Even if, intellectually, you know you don’t have the best hand. The emotion in “the pile” has you committed to finishing, even if you lose. But what if you started from today? Most decisions are not forever. I wrote about this here. This is a question that I find useful when I am frustrated about a project. Why? Because it does not discount the “pile.” On the contrary, it compliments it. It helps you look back at all of the experiences you have gained and say “Wow…look at how much I have learned! Look at what I have built!” But with those experiences, you know a lot more today than when you started. So if you were to start this journey today… *How would you begin?*What would you do first?*What would be your goals?*What would you do differently or change?*How could you make this project be successful or make you happy? By asking the question, “What would I do if I started from today?” it helps to reframe the discussion in your mind…with the experience. So if you have a project that is stalled, failing or frustrating you…what if you started from today? Let me know what you think! And as always, our goal is provide value to you through content. We are posting every day…so stop back. And make sure you never miss an update by signing up for our VIP list here.
