by Kirby Hasseman
Welcome to our awesome blog post series for Hasseman Marketing called:
“Brand-ecdotes!”
Each week we will talk to a branding all star about what makes the Promotional Product advertising media so special!
This week we talk with Joe Durham. Joe is a rock star Account Executive for Halo. Joe is a father, husband, hustler, and pusher of positivity! Check out his take on the Promo world in this week’s Brand-ecdotes.
1. What is your all time favorite Promotional Product and why?
I would have to say that my favorite promotional product is the t-shirt because there’s so much variety. Not just in color or short or long sleeve, but in the feel and the touch now as well. And let’s be honest… we all know what the net cost is of a t-shirt but when you have either a great graphic or some kind of nostalgia printed on it, we’ll pay 10 times the cost just to have it. It kills me that I’ve done that but it’s a true story and it happens all the time!
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 2. The first is a whisky sampling set that I was gifted by Jason Lucash & Mike Szymczak a few years ago. I got it as a holiday gift and as a thank you for choosing them to partner with, but for me it was more of an affirmation or recognition of mutual respect in the industry. Mind you the whiskey is long gone. It never had a chance… but the impact of the promotional piece has lasted much longer.
The second is a Kanata blanket that was given to me just this year by one of my best friends Keith Lofton. He sent this and some other items to my mom when she went into hospice care. I get emotional just thinking about it now and along with his friendship and words of encouragement throughout the hardest time in my life I still get great feelings when either I or my kids snuggle up in that blanket. And I think that’s what we all want to achieve in this industry, right? We don’t want to peddle product… we want to provide an experience that’s tied to an emotion.
3. What is the current product you use all the time?
I would have to say a combination of power banks, charging cords & Bluetooth Speakers. We’re on our phones all the time for everything (I’m using my phone to reply to this email) so they have to stay charged and how dull would life be if you couldn’t play your favorite 90s R&B and old school hip-hop and rap music? ? mix in some classic rock and a few country favorites and i’d say you have a really great day!
4. What is an idea/product that you think organizations UNDER use?
I think it’s the T-shirt. I think that so many times companies want to just put their logo on a T-shirt whether it be for a volunteer event for a race or anything else and they don’t utilize the canvas that they have to work with. We have come such a long way in the way that we are able to decorate anymore and to not use the creative resources and the available imprint space is ridiculous in my opinion.
5. What do you think is the best thing about Promotional Products as an advertising media?
I think the promotional products as a whole have gotten a much better reputation in the last 10 years. Before that I think that everyone looked at a promotional product as cheap plastic crap or a tchotchke or a ceramic coffee mug for god sake! But I think that our industry has done a great job in educating people understand the effectiveness and the lasting impact that a promotional product can have when used thoughtful and creatively in a targeted marketing campaign. But if you’re just chucking mud up against the wall to see what sticks, then it doesn’t matter what product you use, it’s not going to be effective.
And…that’s another awesome edition of Brand-ecdotes! Thanks to Joe Durham for taking the time to jump in!
Make sure you never miss a post, video or podcast! Sign up for the Hasseman Marketing VIP newsletter here.
by Kirby Hasseman
I was grilling out steaks the other night when the tank ran out of propane. Good news…I had another one. But my dad brain said “Wait. This is a teaching moment.” So I called to my oldest daughter and asked her to come outside. I decided it was a good time to make sure she knew how to attach the tank to a grill. Yep…it’s basic. But so is everything…once you know it. And just as she walked out the door, I hesitated. I did know how to do this, right? I want to make sure I was showing her correctly! Luckily this is a super easy task. But it reminded me that sometimes teaching beginners the basics is a great way to solidify skills you have already learned. As a matter of fact, it might even motivate you to sharpen up on things you have been getting rusty on. So take the time to teach the basics to a beginner. You might learn something too. Make sure you never miss an update. Yes…sometimes it’s basic. But we like to think you will get something out of it. Sign up here for our VIP newsletter. Seriously…all the cool kids are doing it.
by Kirby Hasseman
“Motivation is garbage.” Mel Robbins. I respectfully disagree. Mel Robbins is the author of the 5 Second Rule and a person who I really admire. She teaches concepts (backed by science) that help people get out of their own way, and take action. Seriously, if you have not read or listened to the 5 Second Rule, you should. It’s awesome. And in this case, I do understand what she is saying. She talks about it here in this video interview. She is saying it does not make sense to wait for motivation to “do” whatever it is you should do. I get that. And I actually agree. You don’t wait to be motivated to act. The best create things they need to do in order to move them to their goals. Then they need to do that each day. They can’t wait to be motivated to do it. They just need to do it. 5-4-3-2-1. What I disagree with is the idea that listening, reading or consuming some sort of motivating material doesn’t help. It does. I can only speak from experience here. But pushing some sort of motivational material into my head, makes me want to take action. And in my book, anything that makes me want to take action, is a good thing. What I like to do is create a habit of pushing motivational (or good things) into my brain on a regular basis. I have a different take. It’s not that motivation doesn’t work. It’s that it doesn’t last. As the great Zig Ziglar once said… “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.” So it’s not that motivation doesn’t work. It does. It’s just that it doesn’t last. We need to constantly remind ourselves to “get after it.” So get after it. Don’t lose your motivation. Make sure you get your daily dose. You can follow us on Facebook here. Or you can 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 full of form AND function! It’s the Stay Organized Journal Book!
Let’s start with function. One of the most appreciated business giveaway is a journal book or notepad. The fact is, nearly everyone can use them! And journal books have a high perceived value. No one seems to ever throw them away. So that is perfect for anyone wanting to create a lasting impression.
But this journal book as cool factor as well! Coming in several different of trim colors, this journal book will help you stay organized as well. The front flap opens up and has a place to store business cards, drivers license and other essentials. That makes it the perfect handout for sales training and meetings on the road. As a matter of fact, at Hasseman Marketing, we recently handed these out for client gifts and the response was tremendous!
This item has both form and function…and that makes this a perfect 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 can hook you up!
To make sure you stay on top of all of our content (including the next Brand Slam) make sure to sign up for our VIP newsletter 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! This week on the podcast we talk about taking responsibility for everything. People who are not successful do two things a lot…they create excuses and blame others. Not you. On today’s podcast we talk about how to take responsibility for everything…and not be a martyr. Thanks for listening! We will keep them coming. Let me know if you have any topics you want me to cover. And of course if you want to make sure you never miss a piece of content, join thousands of others and sign up for the VIP newsletter here.
by Kirby Hasseman
Innovation is a buzz word that is being thrown around a lot right. And it should be. Technology is changing so much about our world at a crazy fast clip. This sort of innovation makes it an exciting (and scary) time to be alive. So innovation is a good thing, right. Well…not always. As someone that travels quite a bit, I spend my fair share of time in hotel rooms. For the most part, I really enjoy travel. I love to see new places and meet new people. But it seems like in every new hotel room I check into, the designers have decided to innovate in one unnecessary area…the shower. To me, if there is any place that uniformity would make sense, it would be a shower in a hotel room. I mean, by definition, you have new people using the room nearly every day…in every place. And in many (if not most) of these establishments, you have road-weary travelers that just want to start their day off on the right foot. They don’t need to start their day with a puzzle. But in nearly every room there is a new and creative way to turn on the water, turn on the shower, and adjust the heat. (Oh…and if you need to have directions on how to turn on your shower, it’s a dumb design). You might look at this as designers who are trying to innovate. They are exploring creative ways to make the showers function differently, and in many cases, scald the visitors. And you might be right! But they missed one very important point about innovation. It needs to solve a problem. Many times, we create new and different ways to do things…because we can. But the best innovation (and dare I say the spirit of innovation) comes when we have looked at the way we are doing things, and think of something better. That is when we truly innovate. If we are just changing things to change them, we are not innovating in a way our customers will appreciate. We are just getting them wet…and making them made. Oh…and don’t get me started about taking away the headphone jack in my phone! Make sure you never miss an update! Sign up for our VIP newsletter here. Oh…and if you want to check out some innovative promotional premiums, you can head to our website here.
