Write something
Pinned
May 29 •
Welcome. Start here and please introduce yourself!
I am so glad you're here. If you've ever spent money on branded products that went nowhere — got ignored, tossed, or quietly ended up in a drawer — this is where that stops. This community is built for business owners, brand builders, and marketers who are done treating merch like an afterthought and ready to use it as a real strategic tool. Here's what to expect: In the Classroom you'll find four core modules walking you through how to think about merch strategically — from choosing the right product to building loyalty and revenue. Each one is short, direct, and built around real decisions you'll actually make. Download the worksheets. Use them. In this community expect real conversations, honest answers, product feedback, sourcing questions, and examples of merch that works — and merch that doesn't. No fluff. Just strategy. I've spent 30 years creating over 1M products for brands from founder-led companies to Netflix and Coca-Cola. Everything I teach comes from what actually works in the real world. Now let's talk about you. Drop your answer below — one or all three: 🎯 What kind of business are you building merch for? 🎯 What's the #1 problem you've had with branded products in the past? (Too expensive? Wrong product? Nobody used it? Not sure where to start?) 🎯 What would a win look like for you in the next 90 days? Would you like a 1:1 chat with Barbara? Just send me a DM or post it in the chat when you introduce yourself, and I'll send you the link to book a personal call to help you get started with merch.
5h •
𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆. 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱.
Happy Friday! Think about the difference between the sweatshirt everyone gets at registration and the jacket someone receives after completing a six-month program. They may cost about the same. They do not mean the same thing. One is something the company handed out. The other represents something the person did. That distinction matters. When merch marks an achievement, milestone, level, contribution, or completion, the value is no longer just in the product. The meaning comes from what had to happen before someone received it. That is why I think businesses often start with the wrong question. They ask: What can we give people? I start with: What has someone done that is worth recognizing physically? Maybe they completed your program or reached a member milestone. Perhaps they finished a challenge or became a long-term client. Whatever the achievement, now the merch has a job. It is not there simply because you wanted to send something. It marks the moment. And more importantly, it creates a moment. Because sometimes the reason someone keeps the merch has very little to do with the product itself. It is how the product speaks to them. It says: I did this. I earned this. I’m part of this. How do you reward your members?
1d •
Fix This Event
A consulting company has 75 clients coming to a one-day event. They want attendees to meet people outside their existing circles, so they order a nice notebook and water bottle for everyone. Good products. Wrong problem. What would you change if the actual goal is to get people talking to one another? You can change the product, or change how it is used. What you would do and why?
2d •
Uncover the 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀.
A lot of businesses have valuable ideas trapped inside presentations, PDFs, courses and calls. Framework Decks are one way to change that. Instead of asking what should go on 54 cards, start with the part of your expertise people need to DO something with. Maybe you have a decision process clients repeatedly use, a set of questions that changes the conversation, or a sequence you teach every time you work with someone. The deck only makes sense if putting that thinking into someone’s hands makes it easier to use. Tell me one method, process or set of questions you already use in your business, and what you want someone to be able to DO with it when you are not in the room. I’ll help you see whether there is a physical application hiding inside it. If you’re wondering whether there is a Framework Deck already inside your business, take my 5-minute Framework Deck Discovery Test. It helps you uncover what you already have and what a deck could help people do. → https://barbarahobart.kit.com/framework
3d •
Give Members A Role
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.
1-30 of 64
powered by
skool.com/branded-merch-strategy-4481
Turn your brand into kickass merch. Bring your ideas. We source, produce, and deliver it to you.
Suggested communities
Powered by