The CX Live! Episode 77: The Role of Branded Merchandise in the Customer Journey with Crissy Manwaring

In this episode, Crissy Manwaring, New Business Development Manager with Robertson Marketing, calls on those crafting meaningful experiences to incorporate branded merchandise earlier in their strategic planning process and to recognize the impact that a well chosen artifact has far into the future. From defining more concrete goals to exploring new approaches for selection and delivery, we need to understand that the psychological elements of gifting and human engagement matters. Planning for multi-sensory interactions and employing the latest technology to simplify how and when customers engage can transform relationships by triggering powerful recall moments. For our customers and internal teams, being more intentional about this aspect of engagement could open a whole new way of elevating experiences.

Highlights

• The purpose of branded merchandise including sensory engagement
• Impactful approaches for appropriate merchandise selection and distribution
• Setting an anchor at the emotional peak of an experience - triggers recall
• The power of anticipation - the message and when you give gifts matters
• Partnerships thrive or fail based on logistics - digital experiences that make building a true promotional program possible for even managers of small briefing programs 
• Strategies for internal audiences - identification, appreciation, recognition, and motivation
• Meaningful brand artifacts live on - authenticity is key, full custom/scarcity 
• “It’s the message that makes the merch matter – and it’s the merch that makes the message stick!”

Resources

• Collections from the Google Store: Chrome Dino and Google Bike  
• ‘Ultra-rare’ Apple Sneakers on Sale for $50,000 - Apple Shoes Auction
• Crissy has nothing to do with the manufacturing or distribution of these shirts from Splunk but LOVES the case study and the evidence that they provide for the power of promotions: 
  • Splunk T-Shirt Company 
  • Favorite Splunk Video
    • See timestamp 2:04 when he enters the shipping department, and they throw in some Splunk software as swag at timestamp 2:15

Guest Thought Leader

Crissy Manwaring
New Business Development Manager, Robertson Marketing 

Crissy collaborates with her clients to get them noticed, believed, and remembered through effective use of promotional products. Leveraging 25 years of experience in advertising, marketing, and branded merchandise consulting in addition to a bachelors in English Communication, and Masters in Business Administration. Her graduate education emphasized global marketing, experience design, and service design. 

Crissy helps her clients select the right product to communicate their message, and the right technology to deliver an exemplary customer experience.  Her specialties include: promotional marketing, campaign design, branding and identity, logo design, promotions, advertising, creative thinking, sourcing, product design and development, tag-lines, presentation for maximum impact, print and promotion.