In this week’s episode of Better Merch…Better Marketing, Kirby Hasseman and Jade Crider kick things off with a light summer conversation about what they have been watching lately, then get into two topics every business owner needs to hear — why basic merch is no longer cutting it and what to do instead, and why your biggest brand problem might actually be a decision problem in disguise. And before you dive in, grab your free spot in the 5 Day Business Bootcamp at Bootcamp.HassemanMarketing.com.
What Are We Watching This Summer?
Every once in a while Kirby and Jade take a breath and just have a conversation — and this week’s opener is exactly that. Summer is here and they shared what they have been watching recently and what they are excited to see soon.
It is a quick and fun segment but there is actually a marketing lesson hiding in it if you look for it. The shows and movies that get people talking are the ones that create genuine emotion, surprise, and connection. Sound familiar? The best marketing does exactly the same thing. But we will let you find that thread yourself — go give it a listen.
The Death of Good Enough Merch
Here is something that has shifted dramatically in the branded merchandise world — and if you have not noticed it yet, your recipients definitely have.
Good enough merch is no longer good enough.
For a long time, the bar for promotional products was pretty low. Slap a logo on something cheap, hand it out at an event, and call it marketing. And for a while that worked — or at least it did not actively hurt you. People expected promotional products to be throwaway items and treated them accordingly.
That era is over.
Today’s consumer has been exposed to premium branded merchandise from some of the world’s best retail brands. They know what quality feels like. They know the difference between something that was chosen with intention and something that was ordered because it was the cheapest option on the page. And when they receive merch that falls into that second category, it does not just fail to impress — it sends a message about your brand that you probably do not want to send.
Think about the last piece of branded merch you received that you actually kept. Really kept — not stuffed in a drawer or left at the conference table. What made it different? It was probably useful. It was probably well made. It probably felt like whoever sent it actually thought about you when they chose it.
That is the standard now. And it is actually good news for businesses that are willing to meet it.
This is where the merch pyramid comes in. Not every branded product needs to be a premium gift — and not every recipient is the same. The merch pyramid helps you think about matching the right product to the right person at the right moment. A prospect getting something for the first time needs a different touch than a long-term client you want to retain. A new hire welcome kit serves a different purpose than a thank you gift for a referral partner.
When you start thinking about merch through that lens — intentional, layered, and matched to the relationship — everything changes. The merch that used to feel like an afterthought becomes one of the most powerful tools in your marketing mix.
Good enough is dead. Intentional merch is what wins now.
You Don’t Have a Marketing Problem. You Have a Decision Problem.
This one might sting a little — and it is supposed to.
A lot of businesses that struggle with their marketing are not actually struggling with marketing. They are struggling with commitment. Specifically, the inability to commit to a brand identity and stick with it long enough for it to actually work.
It shows up as constant rebranding. A new logo every couple of months. Colors that shift depending on who designed the last thing. A voice that changes based on what feels trendy right now. A social media presence that looks completely different from the website, which looks completely different from the business card.
Every time you make one of those changes, you are not refreshing your brand. You are starting over. And starting over means you are throwing away whatever recognition and equity you had built up — which is often more than you realize.
Here is the hard truth: most brands do not need a rebrand. They need patience and consistency. Brand recognition is built through repetition over time. The same logo. Plus the same colors. The same voice. The same values showing up in every touchpoint across every platform. That is what makes a brand feel solid, trustworthy, and established.
The businesses that have built brands people genuinely recognize and trust did not get there by constantly reinventing themselves. They got there by committing to who they are and showing up that way consistently — even when it felt boring, even when a competitor seemed to be doing something shinier, even when the temptation to tweak and refresh was strong.
So before you schedule that rebrand conversation or start messing with your logo again, ask yourself an honest question. Is this actually a marketing problem? Or is it a decision problem? Are you lacking a good brand — or are you lacking the commitment to let your good brand do its job?
Commit to the brand. Then get out of its way.
Product of the Week: The Medium American Made Iced Coffee Cooler
This week’s featured product is the Medium American Made Iced Coffee Cooler — and given that it is summer and iced coffee season is in full swing, the timing could not be better. American made, practical, and perfect for keeping your favorite cold drink exactly where you want it. This is the kind of branded product that goes everywhere with people during the warmer months — which means your logo does too. Check it out here.
Grab Your Free Spot in the 5 Day Business Bootcamp
Ready to stop settling for good enough — in your merch and in your marketing? The FREE 5 Day Business Bootcamp is the place to start. Get access now at Bootcamp.HassemanMarketing.com.
And if you are not already subscribed to Better Merch…Better Marketing, find us on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. New episodes every week.
