Episode 6: Imperfect Marketing with Guest Marci Taran

Kendra Corman: 

Thank you so much for joining me, Marci. I appreciate you being here. And I know and a lot of other people listening know that you run a successful promotional marketing company.  
 
Why don't I have you talk a little bit about you and your company? 

Marci Taran: 

Well, thanks for having me Kendra. And all these years we've done amazing things together and met so many great people that it's amazing to be on your podcast!  
 
So I'm Marci Taran and I own a company called Bradley + Company, and we are a branding concierge. And what that really means to us is that we help clients with their branding, but it goes past that.  
 
What do they need to accomplish in their business?  
 
And what do they need to do past just promotional items, which a lot of people in our industry do. We take it further, where it's related to merchandise. If it's about engaging, whether it's your customers, your internal clients, which they really are, they're not just your employees, they're your internal clients.  
 
We find ways to make it happen. And we are the people you go to that you can trust that we will tell you whether we can do something or not do something. 

Or we can connect you to the right partner so that you go to a concierge and you go, "Hey, I'm looking for this, a great restaurant, Italian restaurant at this level," they know where to send you or they know how to make your experience worthwhile.  
 
So that's who we are. And we started in 2004, but our history goes way back to 1983 when my dad started the original Bradley Promotions. So I grew up in this industry. I grew up in the promotional industry, and I fell in love with it.  
 
One, I used to wreck havoc all over their office and warehouse. But as I grew up, my dad and I just had a bond for marketing. It went past just merchandise. It went past just a product, a giveaway/ and the word that makes me cringe of trinkets or trash or tchotchkes, he and I were always very close.  
 
And I grew to love marketing, advertising, public relations. And growing up, I had a lot of internships. I had a lot of jobs and went to school for that. 

And after college, I didn't think I was going to end up with him in this industry. I thought I'd be in marketing. That's what I knew. So I joined advertising agencies and helped them grow and learned a lot.  
 
And in 2014, my dad said to me, "I think it's time. You've worked hard for a lot of other companies. I think it's time you come and start working for yourself and with me, and see where you can take this." 
 
So taking my knowledge and all the experience that I built in other areas of marketing and advertising and communications, I felt it was the right stage to take what people knew of promotional swag of add specialties, and really how do we have people understand that it's all encompassing? It's about an experience, about an engagement. It's that lasting feeling.  
 
So I knew I could bring that to it. And so in 2014, I made that switch, that leap of faith, and have been here ever since. And with that, became majority owner, and then now a hundred percent owner. 

Kendra Corman: 

Wow. One of the things that I love about you and one of the reasons I refer you often to people to bring you in is that perspective. It's that marketing perspective.  
 
You're not looking to sell a pen. You're looking to sell something that's going to create that connection with their audience. And I love that. 

Marci Taran: 

Because it's not worth the money, right? Kendra, it's not worth the money to just give a thing. Some people are like, "Oh, it's a trade show. Let's just have pens on here." Okay. 
 
And you and I worked on this in the past, you had those great ideas of I think it was like a pen pyramid or something like that if I'm remembering correctly. And this is way back.  
 
But if you're going to do something with it, it makes sense. If you're just putting something there to put it there, don't waste your money.  
 
And again, I can give my recommendations. Clients are going to have what they want in their minds. And I'm not going to say, "No, I'm not going to do that for you," but that's what it's about. It's about doing it right, having a return on it, having a purpose, making sure the message that you are putting out in all your other areas of marketing, of social, of PR is also being reflected into that experience and that gift you're giving away. 

Kendra Corman: 

So we'll get a little bit more into some of the ideas and the cool things and trends that you're seeing, because I think that's important. And who doesn't want to know that? 
 
But one of the things that I know that you did is you really, when you became a majority owner in the business and then full owner, it really became yours. You took it to another level. Your father was very successful with what he did, but I've watched it grow and evolve as a brand itself, especially here in Southeastern Michigan as you've looked at the company and really created your own brand for it.  
 
At the beginning stages for you, what did that look like? And did you run into any roadblocks when you were putting that together? 

Marci Taran: 

Roadblocks are an understatement. But I think from my experience, which may be different from a lot of others, but for a second generation or a family business, that was the big roadblock I hit. I hit it from a variety of levels. So one, I came in as a, I think I was 26, 26, 27 daughter, and a girl. Again, I'm not all about the gender, but there is just a difference.  
 
If my brother Bradley, which is where our name officially came from, he was born first, so glad his name was on the company. But I got a lot of pushback. Not only from employees, but clients. And these are even employees that I had great relationships with. It's just that perception.  
 
And the roadblocks were of, and I'm a very big people person, I didn't want to come in and go, "All right, the way you're doing things is not how I see it happening." 

So you have to tiptoe a little bit. And you have to build a relationship like a collaboration relationship. But then it's also a management relationship. I did run into a lot of roadblocks because I put a lot of the ideas that, and the true things that I felt were important behind.  
 
And I also tiptoed a little too long. And then it took a longer climb to, it's not so much have them build respect for me, but to see that manager element.  
 
And I'm not one to say, "Hey, I am this title. You work for me." That is not how I am. But there's a difference in how a manager works with their team to do that.  
 
So that was a very different perspective. And then, like I said, from the family perspective on the other side is having a partner. And whether it's family or not, having a partner is a whole other ballgame that you have your ideas, they have theirs. 

How do you balance it?  
 
Well, for me, the hardest part was it being my dad who is so good at what he does. He didn't just think of products. He thought of the bigger picture too. So when I'd come with an idea and it didn't really match what he felt, I was like, "Oh, you know what? He knows better."  
 
Of course he does. He's the expert at this. So it was a very interesting road to start. What it built, so again, it has evolved. It's always been the same foundation and the belief of working with our clients, being true to our clients, doing whatever it takes to make things happen.  
 
But as we definitely have shifted in the last, I'd say four years, of going to this more concierge style, which we've always done, but to a deeper level. And I can always talk about that. It was an interesting road because what I felt we should do then doesn't mean it happens right away. And you have that partnership. 

Kendra Corman: 

Yeah. No, I love that. And I love how you talk about that it took a little bit of time. Because you didn't want to come in and be like, "Okay, I'm in charge now." 

Marci Taran: 

Who wants to work with someone or for someone who's like, "All right, everything you know, throw it out the window. My way, this is how it is." No one wants to do that. 

Kendra Corman: 

And I think one of the things that hopefully they saw and could respect is that you worked at other places. And I think that's key for anybody that is in a family business, even in the beginning, is going other places, working for someone that can fire you. You hear that's really important to do. And I think that you probably got a lot out of doing that, correct? 

Marci Taran: 

Yeah. I think it's not only saying that you worked hard at other places, and seeing the experience that was built, but the biggest thing, and for anyone who is in this situation or possibly looking to, show how hard you are going to work too.  
 
Yes, I came in at this level now, but nothing is below. And that should be for nothing is below me or what I will do. And it's a team effort. So if we need the floor scrubbed, okay, I'll divide and conquer. I'll scrub the floors. You do that, whatever needs to be done.  
 
And that should be not only when you just come into a business, that should be all management in general. To keep that respect, but also that's that team mentality. So it did take a while. I think inside my mind, I had to prove it even more than even necessary.  
 
So that's that mind game. Whatever it was, it's just you do what makes sense. And you do what feels genuine to you and to the team environment. 

Kendra Corman: 

Yeah. We are our own worst enemies on a regular basis. 

Marci Taran: 

Again, not that girls and boys are different, but I feel that as women, as women business owners, sometimes we question ourselves even more. And it's a confidence thing that we have to build ourselves up. 

Kendra Corman: 

Definitely. I definitely think that there's a big difference in how women approach things.  
 
I watched a presentation a long, long time ago by, her name is Dr. Pat Heim. And she had done a ton of research. And she talked about how boys and girls behave differently. And she did a lot of studies of children. And the thing is, is if you think about what boys play, they play war, they play things with winners and losers. 

Marci Taran: 

Right. 

Kendra Corman: 

I don't know about you, but I did not win at dolls. And if I did, I would not be invited back to my friend's house. So that was not highly encouraged. And so there is that difference for sure. 

Marci Taran: 

I think there definitely is. My brother is six years older than me, so I did play Barbies, but I also played GI Joe's. But nonetheless, it's even how you play. It's just even culturally in the society of what's expected.  
 
And as women, if we put our foot down and say, "This is what I expect, this is what I'm changing," as a woman, we're going to have some names that going to are going to come from it.  
 
If it were my brother, like I said, coming in, it probably would've been like, "Yeah, he's tough," but not the same perspective. 

Kendra Corman: 

Exactly. 

Marci Taran: 

I think it's all that mixed together. 

Kendra Corman: 

Oh, for sure. Now, talking about one of the struggles a lot of women have, you have a family, you have children, you're the CEO. So you're a mom and a wife.  
 
I hate the word balance. I always talk about integration because it's never in full balance. There's times that the family takes priority, and the business takes priority, et cetera.  
 
How do you find that balance or integration between work and life? 

Marci Taran: 

I don't. I'll be completely honest, I don't. Even last night, my daughter was sick, I was working late, I maybe got three hours. Is it like that every night? No.  
 
I think in what I am personally working on right now, because it is, it's different for everyone. And you go through ups and downs. Sometimes you feel that integration. 
 
Sometimes you're like, "I am so out of whack I cannot handle what's going on right now." I will be completely honest, I am trying to find that right now.  
 
But what I have found is it's trying to be someone in the moment. Pull yourself back in the moment. Be grateful, be appreciative of what's right in front of you.  
 
And there's the book Don't Sweat the Small Stuff. I try. I say that in my mind, going, "Am I sweating the small stuff? Am I trying to do too much? Probably. And yes, that is me, but just breathe. Just breathe for a moment." 

To be honest, I think if someone says that they have that integration, they have that balance, and that they have it all the time, I don't really feel they're being honest to themselves or everyone.  
 
It's kind of that Instagram versus reality. Again, people get very close. And I think it's just finding the energy, finding the positive, and trying not to dwell on the little things that you're not getting done.  
 
So I'd say if anything, it's just trying to not let those small details worry you a bunch, because we can't be perfect. There's no such thing as the best mom. There's no such thing as being the perfect CEO, the perfect boss, the perfect salesperson, or client account person. It's just not possible. 

So we have to give ourselves that little slack. And not even a little, a lot of slack. If you're trying hard, you should say that is the win. So it's celebrating those little wins. It's trying to appreciate the moment. It's not always easy to do that.  
 
You got to take a step back. But I think that's what we need to work on. It's not finding the balance, it's just trying to be present in the moment and focus on those little things that you can have as victories. 

Kendra Corman: 

I think it's really important. Earlier this year I started journaling and I've got a journal, it's called the five minute journal. I journal in the morning and I journal at night.  
 
At night it's like, what three things made today great? And then also what did I learn? What's one thing I learned today?  
 
And it all doesn't have to be work. It all doesn't have to be home. It can be a balance of those. 
 
But I think you're right a 100%, being present where you're at with the group that you're with. Again, whether it's work, home, whatever it happens to be, that's key. And I love the fact that you said that you don't have it down because I don't think any of us do. I'm right there with you. 

Marci Taran: 

But you know, it's just, there's always something more. And I think our type, your and my, Kendra, is we always want to be better. We want to do more.  
 
So even for us, when you have that personality, you're never feeling balanced because you're always hoping to strive for more, improve on something. So even with that Type A, you're really, it's that balance is just something that you're never really going to see.  
 
So it's kind of pulling back on that going, "But what am I appreciative for right now?" 

Kendra Corman: 

And speaking of that positive attitude, let's move on and talk a little bit about the pandemic because a lot of people froze during the pandemic. I totally get it. I understand it. Everybody handles everything differently.  
 
I was working ridiculous hours then to help keep my clients working and growing and helping them, I don't like the word pivot, I heard someone use the word twirl. I'm like we were twirling. I like that a little bit better than pivot because I was tired of that word. 

Marci Taran: 

Oh that's my vocabulary. 

Kendra Corman: 

I do know that you pivoted or twirled during COVID. One of the things that you did that I thought was amazing were those virtual trade shows, I'll call them, that highlighted different products that people could purchase, use, trying to really engage their employees and keep them connected.  
 
Because I think while events went down the toilet, and trade shows went away for a little while there, people were definitely trying to keep their employees motivated and engaged, their clients connected and engaged, without meeting in person.  
 
What kept you motivated through what I would consider very tough times, especially for people in industries that were attached to events, which events drive a lot of? 

Marci Taran: 

Absolutely. And we did see a huge drop in that. And no matter what, if you were in events or not, you just saw your client's budgets get frozen because we all were just so afraid.  
 
We're afraid. It was the unknown. It still is the unknown. You just don't know what's going to happen. So for us twirling, well I'll talk about twirling.  
 
But when it came down to it, what kept me motivated, was honestly my family and my employees. It was, if I stop this, my employees are going to need to find new homes. And it was a lot to put on my shoulders of not only my family, but I looked at as my employee's families.  
 
And if the ship sinks, I don't want to have that on my conscience. It also didn't help that I had just became 100% owner and bought my dad out November before it hit. 

So it's like, "Oh geez. Now I have the loans and the that," but it was really about, I don't want everything my dad worked for to fall. So it was a lot of things mixed.  
 
But that also made it even tougher of seeing people getting sick, the fear of it. But when you have that, if you look at it as fear, you can crawl into a ball and you stun yourself, you lock up.  
 
So what it was, it was going, "Okay, what do we have to work with? What do we have to do?" So it's looking at different things.  
 
I would've loved to do even more during it, but there was only so much. And there was only so much you could really want to push on your employees at that time because it was an emotional roller coaster for them as well. 

Everyone had different fears. So yes, we did virtual kind of trade shows where yes, it focused on products, but it was engagement. And I think the biggest thing going back to that was you mentioned about really engaging with your employees. It was engaging with them, not only keep keeping them, your culture alive when you're not face to face, that connection that we're all going through something, and we're together in this, and we're here with you. So that was very interesting.  
 
And then the other way we twirled is we opened a warehouse. So there's that risk that you take. So I had always wanted to open up our own warehouse. The original Bradley back in the eighties and nineties had a warehouse. And then my dad had sold it before he opened up this current Bradley. I just felt it was the right time. 

Actually, was it the right time? I don't know, but we wanted to make it happen.  
 
And that added another level. So if it was kits that had to go out, we had control over it. We always had partners who did it. We had a lot of partners that helped with our assembly and kitting and fulfillment, but it's that accountability internally.  
 
And I felt it was that time to do that and have control, especially with a pandemic when we all know that suppliers and vendors have their own issues. Why be dependent on that when we can bring it in, make it better, and keep growing in a different light? 

Kendra Corman: 

I think that that was very far sighted of you. Like looking into the future, understanding, "Hey, the supply chain interruptions are definitely going to be affecting us for a long time." And if it's in your control, it's a lot easier. Now there's some things that you still can't control. 

Marci Taran: 

Completely. Finding employees, doing that. But then I can go to my warehouse. Like I said, nothing is below me. So I actually love going there. I love cleaning up there. I love kitting and doing that because that's what it's about. And connecting with employees too.  
 
But yeah, so it's having that flexibility, but also where we can grow it to another level in the future. 

Kendra Corman: 

It's a great way. And I think you created a platform that's going to differentiate you well into the future. Speaking of the future, how do you continue to market your business and keep it growing?  
 
So now that things have really opened up again, events are back, sporting events are back, things like that. Now you've got a warehouse and an opportunity to do more.  
 
What is it that keeps you differentiating Bradley and how are you going about that? 

Marci Taran: 

It's a great question and our main focus for the second half of this year and forward. Because we still weren't back to full push, I'd like to say. And really our main focus is our client's marketing.  
 
And Kendra, you may know this too, when you're in marketing and advertising in PR, yes, we should have the best marketing, the best stuff out there. But we're so focused on our clients. And it also makes us very picky because when it comes to ours, we get emotional, which we tell our clients, and we work with them to help that emotion go down.  
 
When I purchased the company right before 2020, I rebranded us. So we were Bradley Company, and we rebranded to Bradley + Company, Bradley + Company. And that was because it's not just Bradley, it's Bradley and our partners and our clients and all of that. 

But then the pandemic hit and that stalled a lot of that rebranding. We just launched our new website two years later because it took that long. So I'd love to say we're doing this amazing marketing stuff, but when you're working on your client's marketing, that is where your passion is, is helping them. Mine especially.  
 
Should it be ours first? Yes. But it's what takes that backseat. 
 
Moving forward, it's looking at what voice we want out there, how we want to connect, how we want to engage. And I think that's where people look at marketing tactics instead of what is that marketing connection that can be driven, and seeing what that looks like, where the culture and the environment is still changing.  
 
Yes, there are events, but then are they going to be shut down? So how do you want to do that? How do you make it massageable? 

And we're starting to focus more on social. But then for me, it's that deeper question of what do we want to come from this? Obviously, you drive sales, you drive leads. That's what marketing is. But for me it's more than that.  
 
A sale is a sale. A relationship and a connection and a partnership goes so much deeper. And that's where it's just taking that lead, that sale generation and how do we go past that?  
 
And that takes a lot more thought than just, "Oh, let's put this marketing tactic in there."  
 
But I love to say we are doing a great job of it. We're not. We're not. Like most companies, it goes on the back burner. But it shouldn't. And it's taking the time. And maybe you and I come up with something of how we help people make it digestible and easy. 

That five minute journaling you do, how do we do five minute journaling of marketing daily? So it takes you that step further. But I'd love to say going great leaps and bounds, but really, I do think social's great when it's coming to connecting. And in our industry, it's posting products, new things. And hey, we do that too.  
 
But I think the future of it is really showing who you are. And not only just showing who you are as a culture and a company, but also educating too. But again, with saying that, it's not a quick thing you put up. So it takes a lot of strategy to put that together.  
 
So that's where I want to go. It's just getting there, getting it done. Right Kendra? 

Kendra Corman: 

My mom always used to tell me the cobbler's kids have no shoes because he was busy working on other people's shoes. But it's so true because we have a tendency to neglect ourselves and not focus enough on our business.  
 
And I'm so glad that you've made that a focus for you in Bradley + Company for the coming second half of the year here, which is really exciting. And I can't wait to see what happens when you actually focus on it. Because again, I've seen this branding of yours really grow and blossom under your leadership the last handful of years, five, six years, probably close to six or seven years now, which has been great.  
 
Now, if you could give a bit of advice for our clients, because again, you're helping your clients market theirs. What would be that number one or top two piece of advice that you would give to the listeners about marketing their business? 

Marci Taran: 

That's a great question. How do I narrow it down?  
 
I'd say number one, don't just do something because you hear it's a big marketing trend. Not everything is for everyone. Look at who your company is. Who are you really? And how does that make sense?  
 
If you are focused on, look at the target demographics. Like for an example, you don't want TikTok if you're looking at ... We know senior citizens and that. But even that's evolving. But you're not going to be an early adopter of it. I say be true to who you are, and find what feels comfortable, and then expand out to it.  
 
People will tend to jump those steps and go "Ope, it's a trend. We got to get on this. We have to do the gram," and they're just not ready for it. 

So I think it's be true to who you are and don't feel you have to jump in to a trend just because that's what everyone else is doing. It has to make sense to your business and your demographic.  
 
What else? I would say with it just ... And sales people will look at me and they'll go, "Marci, shut up," but don't just buy things. Don't just buy services. Don't just buy products. Know that you're going to use them.  
 
At the end of the day, it's about making sure that you are driving growth for your company. So for us just to buy products, to buy pens, like we talked about earlier, when it doesn't make sense, no one's in your office anymore. Everyone's remote.  
 
You're not going to [inaudible 00:28:43]. Don't buy pens. Let's look at that strategy. Look at the strategy, whether it's merchandise, whether it's social, whether it's PR, whether it's your website, looking what are you actually going to utilize instead of just having a lot of stuff out there that is not at the quality level that people expect. And then build on it. 

Because it's not easy. We talk about it for our own businesses. It's not an easy thing to manage every day. And nurture. Everything has to be nurtured.  
 
Even a website, people think, "Oh, I got a website up. All right, I'll revisit it in 10 years." Wrong. Wrong. Keep updating it. Keep looking at how it can be refreshed, new elements you can put. Add the blog. And then with the blog, make sure to keep those posts going.  
 
So don't overdo it. Make sure it's manageable, and do it right and to your voice. I guess that's what I'd say first and foremost. 

Kendra Corman: 

No, I agree with that 100%. I tell people all the time, people that take any of my courses and stuff like that, I'm like pick one thing and be consistent. Then you can add on more things.  
 
Once you've proven to yourself you can be consistent with that, then you can add on more things. And then the first thing that you were talking about, being true to yourself and your brand, I think the only one size fits all marketing tactic is email marketing. Outside of that, I don't think that there's any marketing tactic that fits every business. 

Marci Taran: 

I agree. 

Kendra Corman: 

But that's awesome. I love that. Now, we can't have an interview with you without talking about promotional product.  
 
So what are some, and again, not everybody has to follow the trends, but what are some of the trends that you're seeing, or what are some of the cool things that you've come across that people are using now? 

Marci Taran: 

Well, I'd say it's looking at different categories of things. So one, and it's not just in merchandise in itself. Sustainability is what we hear all over the place. So sustainability has, thank God our industry is caught up to it, using great new materials, making sure it's sustainable repurposing. But that's not only great just for merchandise, it's in your business.  
 
So with certain generations, that is very important. So it kind of is merchandise and as an organization and marketing, recruiting, all of that, that's important. So I'm glad that is caught up.  
 
And I love that trend because there are really cool things that some of our suppliers are doing is repurposing. So let's say you have old merchandise, it's an old logo. It's something else. We can take it and we can tweak it to make new merchandise. Those are some cool things where it's like adding personality and not just slapping your logo on it. So it's some of those elements. 

Also, I would say, it's not just putting your logo on something. Like I was just saying, it's about creating that connection and that appreciation at the end of the day. And then with that appreciation, impressions are constantly going to go, but it's going to be impressions in the heart, not just in the eyes.  
 
And so let's say it's about doing a custom inside of a bag. You don't have to have your logo slapped on the outside. It's that inside pocket. And even in the inside pocket, it's a message. So every time someone opens it, it's a message to the team. It's a message to that client.  
 
It's doing fun things like that that make it different and can feel custom. Even if it's not a fully custom product that's you don't have the budget for. 

So it's finding little ways to add those elements that we do that in retail all the time. Oh my gosh. Look at the little bag that comes with this, that inside little pouch, little things.  
 
That's what should be done here because it shouldn't be what retail trends are and what promo merchandising trends are. They should be one and the same.  
 
Fortunately, a lot of our suppliers have caught up. Obviously I'd like to a little quicker, but that's what we do to work with possible retail brands and collaborating. Other trends I'd say is personalization. We've seen that rise of Etsy and that custom feel. 

No one loves more than getting a gift that's really for them. So it's adding that special piece, whether it's that one off piece that's specific, that I know that Kendra loves wine and so I'm going to give her this fully custom kit of wine elements that I know aren't just the norm. They're the fun stuff. Or it's a bottle of wine with Kendra's name and H2H etched in there.  
 
So it's adding those things that really add that deeper connection of, "Wow, they really thought about this. They didn't just hand me something." 

Kendra Corman: 

And for our listeners, that shows you how long Marci and I have been friends because she does know that I love wine. 

Marci Taran: 

I do. I do. 

Kendra Corman: 

That's awesome. 

Marci Taran: 

But yeah, just finding those things. And instead of it just being a product, it's about those trend categories. And then again, tying it back to your message, your company, because not everything fits. 

Kendra Corman: 

I love the little details. I love the pocket, the message, the places that give a little surprise. 

Marci Taran: 

It's surprise and delights. 

Kendra Corman: 

Yep. I love that. Love that. That's so cool. And yeah, I love the sustainability. My husband's always trying to reduce our footprint. And so we were like the biggest recyclers in the world, and he always yells at me when I'm like going to throw out a plastic cup or something. 

Marci Taran: 

Oh, and we're the opposite. My husband's throwing it in the garbage, I'm like, "Uh uh uh, recycle bin." 

Kendra Corman: 

We have a little like Meyer Kroger sized plastic bag that's our garbage maybe once a week, maybe once every two week because everything else is recycled, which is crazy.  
 
But yeah, I mean it's fantastic. Now I do love utilizing promotional products with those unique messages and the little surprise and delight. It showcases your brand and your personality.  
 
What's the coolest thing that you've done? 

Marci Taran: 

Ooh. 

Kendra Corman: 

I know you've done a lot of cool things so it's hard to pick. 

Marci Taran: 

Well, there's been a lot of things. But where I've said we don't just work with companies on their marketing, we work with engagement in other ways. It's not so much that the product was cool, it's the experience.  
 
So it's about helping, and I don't want to give too much, but we support a local company that when there are areas in communities that are impacted, we not only take giveaways that fit that situation, that will help them through it during that time, but we bring things to make that experience easier.  
 
So if power is out, no one likes to have that. How do you make that community feel heard, supported, while that power gets back on? So it's doing those types of things that it's past just doing a cool product. It's doing things that actually make a difference and doing things that will be used. 

I think we've always talked about it. And the biggest question we get every year from clients is what's hot and new? Well, we can show you what's hot and new, but does that mean it will be used? Does that mean that's the right fit?  
 
So sometimes clients go, "Really, that's what you recommend."  
 
I do. I do because you are going to get a return on this. It's not hot and sexy, but it is something that is going to drive sales your way. It's going to drive that connection. And it's going to be kept.  
 
So again, we've done some amazing different things, but to me it's more the engagement and that experience tied with a product than just a product in itself. 

Kendra Corman: 

I love that. It really is truly about the experience. And I love promotional products that'll get used, not the ones that are like, oh, [inaudible 00:37:26]. And throw out or it recycle it. 

Marci Taran: 

You get home from a trade show and you give them to your kids and they are so excited about them. And either they break by the end of that day, or they go into the toy drawer and they're not played with again. So things can be great that way. 
 
Obviously every demographic can take things differently, but it never hurts to pair something really cool and different with something tried and true. It's kind of something old, something new, and add a little blue, something blue to it.  
 
But that's kind of how I think the best chemistry comes from it. 

Kendra Corman: 

Okay. I love that. I love those ideas. So thank you so much for that. Now, before I let you go, I have one question that I ask everybody.  
 
So what superpower would you choose for yourself? 

Marci Taran: 

I think the power to heal. I'm a big empath. And I'm a big people person. And it kind of goes to me in our company helping clients.  
 
If I can heal, and if I can fix, and I can do things, I not only know I help them, I feel that. So I try to heal, but a superpower to heal everything, to fix things, that'd be number one.  
 
And actually I always thought it would be getting into people's minds or flying, but no, just this moment I finally figured it out. That would be mine. That's what I'd feel like I have accomplished something, I've done good in the world, and I've done good for myself because I've done that for the world. So yeah, I would be a healer.  
 
How about that? 

Kendra Corman: 

That's amazing. Thank you again so much for joining me, Marci. I really appreciate it. To learn more about Marci and Bradley + Company, please be sure to check the show notes for some links and different information that we can share with you. And then stay tuned for next time.  
 
Thank you so much for tuning in. I appreciate it. I look forward to seeing you on another episode of Imperfect Marketing. 

Intro/Outro: 

Thanks for listening to the Imperfect Marketing podcast with Kendra Corman. Be sure to visit Kendracorman.com to join the conversation and access the show notes. See you next week. Same time, same place.