How Do You Measure ROI on Marketing Joy?

Every once in a while, we get a question about the ROI on branded merchandise.  It’s an important question, but often one that is difficult to answer.  The first reason is because people mistake the difference between Brand Marketing and Direct Marketing (I explain the difference here).  But another reason it’s hard to measure the ROI is because it’s very difficult to measure how you “feel” about a brand.

How Do You Measure ROI

I mean, how do you feel about this picture?  Jeff Wickerham sent in this story.

A few months ago, I gave a gift to a friend, Donna. The gift was a branded Bluetooth speaker. I thought Donna would have a need for it and when I gave it to her, she really appreciated the gift. I hadn’t heard anything about the speaker up until this past week when my wife, Sarah, received a text message from Donna’s daughter. She was pregnant and delivered her baby…yeah! We were super happy mom and baby were healthy and safe. The personal piece which makes the story mean so much to me, is the following message:

“Tell Jeff this speaker he gave to mom allowed us to have praise and worship music during our labor experience and after. Our son approved and it helped our family “SmileOn Together”.

This is one of the reasons I am proud to do what I do for a living. The branded gift brought joy to someone else’s life and when Sarah showed me the text message and picture, it brought me even more joy. This story is another reminder for me to continuing to do what I love to do: provide value to people through branded products.

That is incredible.  As Jeff says, it brings me joy.  But how do you measure the ROI on Marketing Joy?  The short and honest answer is, you don’t.  But you know it when you see it.

If you want to see more content like this, please check out our blog page here.  And if you want to dig into our Free 5 Day Marketing Course, you can find that here.

Written by: Kirby Hasseman

Kirby Hasseman is the CEO of Hasseman Marketing & Communications, a full-service agency specializing in branded merchandise, digital marketing, and content creation. A passionate entrepreneur, speaker, and community advocate, Kirby creates weekly content through his popular video and podcast series, including Delivering Marketing Joy, Better Merch...Better Marketing, and Monday Minute. He is the author of several books, including his latest, Hit The TARGET, a marketing framework to help businesses reach their ideal customers, as well as Fan of Happy, Delivering Marketing Joy, Think Big For Small Business, and Give Your Way to Success. Kirby speaks to audiences across the country on topics such as marketing strategy, leadership, company culture, and personal development. Known for his energy, humor, and practical advice, he’s dedicated to helping businesses and individuals grow by building strong brands and stronger relationships.