Some of you are thinking about client gifts for the upcoming holiday season. Some want to welcome new members, turn something you teach into a physical product, or create something you can sell. And some of you are still figuring out what merch could do for your business in the first place. I’d love to know where you are so I can make what I share here more useful to you. I have some fun ideas I can share that will make your goals easy -- without your having to take on another job. If you could get help with one thing when it comes to merch, what would it be? - Figuring out whether merch makes sense for my business. - Choosing something my clients or members would actually use. - Figuring out what I can make within my budget. - Finding someone to make it and getting it produced and delivered. - Finding the time. I don’t want one more project to manage. - Something else. Tell me in the comments. And if you’re up for sharing a little more, finish this sentence in the comments: I joined because I’d love to use merch to ______. I’d love to hear what brought you here, even if you’re just exploring.

Let’s use a hypothetical branded lunch box order. Choosing “a lunch box” is the direction. We still need to turn it into something that can actually be produced. 1. Work out the specifications. Size, materials, quantity, branding, budget and destination. Those details help determine which production options fit. 2. Prepare the artwork. The design needs to work with the product and the production method. A logo file by itself may not be the complete artwork. 3. Review what will be made. Depending on the project, this may involve a digital proof, a product sample, a pre-production sample—or a combination. We agree on the approval steps before production. 4. Produce, pack and deliver. Packaging and shipping need to be planned with the order. A production completion date and an arrival date are different things. This is the work I coordinate: sourcing, production and delivery, with the artwork and approvals organized along the way. Your role includes making the decisions and approving the agreed details. Membership support helps you work on the strategy. Getting products made is a separate project, quoted separately. If you know what you want to get made but don't want deal with the logistics of production, tell me the product, quantity, and delivery date needed, and I can get it made. If you don't know what to choose and you're stuck on the right product to create for your brand, consider upgrading to the new VIP membership and get a clear product concept ready to take to sourcing and production. I made this lunchbox for WIC -- the federal program that helps women, infants, and children.

If holiday client gifts are on your list, there’s time to make something thoughtful. Start with the person you’d like to thank and when you need the gift to arrive. Those two details help narrow down what makes sense and what’s doable. Then try this: My client would reach for this when ______. In Episode 8, How to Choose the Right Client Gifts: The MADE™ Framework: I walk you through how to turn that answer into a gift idea. And if you’d like help getting it made, I handle the sourcing, production, and delivery. Listen to Episode 8 → Spotify or Apple Podcasts

You don’t need a finished idea. Bring the part you haven’t figured out. (And if you aren't sure what you want to create, that's fine, too! Stop by if you're curious about merch in general. 😊) Here’s how to prepare: 1. Tell me what you’re considering. A client gift, a product to sell, a tool for your course—or something else. 2. Tell me where you’re stuck. Choosing the product? Working out quantities? Finding someone to make it? 3. Bring the details you already have: a photo, a rough idea, your budget or when you need it. It’s OK if some of those are still undecided. For example, “I want to sell a product alongside my course, but I don’t know where to begin” is a perfectly useful question. We can look at the decision in front of you and what you need to find out next. Or just come by with questions about getting started... Join me for the free Q&A today. Open the event in our community calendar -- see you at 12:30 PM CST.

When you consider a new way to connect with customers, what's the biggest hesitation? 1. Will they actually want it? 2. How much will it cost? 3. Will I choose the wrong thing? 4. Who has time to make it happen? What's behind your answer? Drop your thoughts in the comments.