The product alone does not decide which one it becomes. Its job does. Before considering items, choose one moment in the relationship that needs to be stronger: A first client meeting. A new employee’s first week. A milestone. An event follow-up. A referral. A renewal. Then decide what should change because the product is there. For the program you are considering now, what is the moment—and what should the merchandise help happen?

So today has a little more meaning for me than most September 25ths. And this year, for the first time, it is Give Like Dolly Day, an annual day created by The Dollywood Foundation to honor Dolly Parton and support the causes she cared about, particularly her Imagination Library. Dolly died just one month ago. So I can't help looking at 9/25 differently this year. The date was chosen, of course, because of 9 to 5. And there is something about that I find fascinating from a branding perspective. A song released more than four decades ago became more than a song. Its title became shorthand. 3 numbers became recognizable. And they meant something. And now those same numbers have become a date that can carry forward something Dolly cared deeply about. That got me thinking about what we call a brand asset. We usually think of logos, colors and taglines. But sometimes the most powerful assets aren't created in a branding meeting. They accumulate meaning over time. A phrase. A character. A number. A tradition. A moment in history. A moment in your history. And sometimes you don't realize what you've built until years later. I certainly wasn't thinking about any of that when I was a young writer/producer working on my first television series. But more than 30 years later, here I am looking at 9/25 through an entirely different lens. And remembering Dolly. What do you remember?

Most people use the words merch and swag interchangeably. But the two words often create very different pictures. When people hear “swag,” they may picture free promotional products: pens, mugs, tote bags and T-shirts handed out at events. “Merch” often sounds more intentional or desirable. People may picture something connected to a brand, creator or community that they would choose to buy, wear or keep. But the word alone does not determine the quality. Swag can be smart and valuable. Merch can still be generic and forgettable. What matters is whether the product fits the recipient, represents the business properly and has a reason to exist. When you hear “merch” and “swag,” what do you picture? Which word would you use for products connected to your own business—and why?

Here is the scenario: You run a paid membership and 150 people are coming to your annual event. You want members to feel more connected to one another, not just sit through presentations and leave. What role would you give the members during the event? Tell me what you want them to DO before you tell me what you would make for them. I’ll jump into the comments and help turn the strongest behaviors into possible physical touchpoints.

Think about your customers, clients or members. Is there one group you would treat differently if you were creating merch for them? Maybe they are long-term clients, top referrers, new members or people who reached an important milestone. Pick one group and tell me: Who are they, and what do you want the merch to say or do for them? Put it in the comments and let's think through what kind of merch would make sense.