What's the best way to use merchandise as a marketing tool?

Use merchandise strategically as marketing rather than just sales. Give away phone cases, tote bags, and other branded items to your most engaged followers and customers. For example, reach out to your top social media followers and offer them a free custom phone case featuring your work. These items become walking advertisements—when you see someone carrying your tote bag around town or using your phone case, it starts conversations and builds brand awareness. The cost of the merchandise is essentially your advertising budget, and it often has better ROI than traditional paid ads.

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Asked by a photographer exploring marketing strategies · Answered by Derek Emge and Patrick Shanahan · art-marketing-podcast · 2024-09-06