By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert

As a business owner, your number one job is simple (but not easy): Stay top of mind.

But in reality, you’re not just competing with other brands. You’re up against:

• 55 open browser tabs
• Five never-ending Slack channels
• Inbox overload
• And let’s not forget the algorithm gods that demand a blood sacrifice to go viral 🐑🔪

So how do you break through the noise?

Make Your Branded Merch Unmissable

If you’re still handing out throwaway pens and ill-fitting tees, it’s time to level up.

Create custom swag people actually love—and wear, use, or carry proudly in their community.

Whether it’s a perfectly cropped hoodie, a sleek insulated tumbler, or a laptop sleeve that turns heads in the coffee shop, the right branded merchandise becomes more than a giveaway—it becomes part of someone’s daily vibe.

This is the kind of swag that:

• Gets Instagrammed without you even asking
• Becomes part of their desk setup
• Starts conversations at school pickup or WeWork desks
• Lives in their life, not in a junk drawer

From Promotional Item to Brand Billboard

When your branded merch becomes part of someone’s lifestyle, your brand becomes part of their story.

That means your logo isn’t just seen by the person you gave it to—it’s seen by everyone else they interact with. That’s exponential brand visibility.

It’s how you:

• Build brand recognition organically
• Earn trust and familiarity through repeated exposure
• Stay top of mind without having to scream for attention

That $25 hoodie? It might be worth more than a $10,000 ad campaign when it comes to brand stickiness.

So, What Makes Swag Wearable?

Great branded merch should check at least one of these boxes:

• Useful – Think premium water bottles, tech accessories, notebooks you actually want to write in
• Stylish – Apparel that feels retail-quality, fits well, and doesn’t scream “I got this at a conference”
• Identity-Driven – Swag that reflects your brand values and resonates with your audience’s lifestyle

This is where a strategic merch partner (hi 👋) comes in. It’s not about slapping your logo on a t-shirt. It’s about curating pieces that are aligned with your audience and brand DNA.

Bonus Question: Who Are You in the School Pickup Line?

Unrelated, but… important: Are you the parent who arrives 10 minutes early to school pickup with coffee in hand and a podcast queued up? Or are you the one screeching into the parking lot with 0.1 milliseconds to spare?

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert

When people ask me about my favorite productivity tools, they expect me to name some cutting-edge app, a pricey CRM platform, or the latest AI plugin.

But the best free tool I use daily?
Keyboard text replacements.

Not fancy. Not flashy. Just powerful.

If you’ve ever typed out your calendar link, email intro, or mailing address more than once, there’s a better way—and it’s sitting in your phone or laptop settings right now.

Why Entrepreneurs Should Care About Keystrokes

As a business owner and merch strategist, my time is spent jumping between client meetings, swag design brainstorms, vendor orders, and follow-ups. That means I’m sending a lot of the same messages over and over.

Here’s how I use text replacements to streamline my day:

• Sales follow-ups
• Intro emails
• Social media handles & calendar links
• My mailing address
• Phone number
• Even a warm “welcome!” message shortcut

Instead of retyping the same info, I type a short code like “;cal” and boom—my full calendar link appears. Seconds saved, brainpower preserved.

How to Set It Up (Takes 2 Minutes)

Whether you’re on Mac, iPhone, or even certain Android and Windows setups, you can usually find this under:

Settings → Keyboard → Text Replacement

Create a shortcut like:

• ;cal → https://calendly.com/yourname
• ;sig → Your full email signature
• ;addr → Your shipping address

Set it once. Use it forever.
It’s the business version of automating muscle memory.

What Does This Have to Do With Branded Merch?

Everything.

In the same way text replacements help reduce repetition and increase ease, strategic branded merch should work the same way—streamlining your message, boosting visibility, and freeing up your team to focus on what matters.

You don’t need more swag.
You need the right swag, intentionally selected to build your brand without extra effort. Just like smart productivity tools, great merch works in the background—building awareness, delighting your audience, and reinforcing your message every time it’s seen, worn, or used.

TL;DR: Fewer Keystrokes, More Clarity

If you type the same thing more than once, you’re doing it wrong.
Whether it’s your email intro or your company tagline, text replacements are a tiny habit that add up to huge time savings.

You don’t need more hours in the day.
You need fewer keystrokes and smarter swag.

What’s your favorite quick-and-dirty productivity hack?

Drop it below—I’m always collecting tips that make business life smoother, faster, and less chaotic 👇

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert

“Guess how much I hate this mug,” said the employee.
“This much,” her coworker replied, pointing to the office sink—overflowing with sad, unused company swag.

It was cheap.
It was ugly.
The logo was off-center.

And worst of all?
It was completely forgettable.

Why Bad Swag Hurts Your Brand

If your team is rolling their eyes at the branded merch you’re handing out, you’re not just wasting money—you’re missing a powerful opportunity.

Employee swag isn’t just about giving stuff. It’s about creating connection, reinforcing culture, and reminding your team (and your clients) that your brand is thoughtful, intentional, and yes—stylish.

Bad swag sends the message: “We didn’t think this through.”
Great swag says: “We see you. We value you. Here’s something you’ll actually use.”

At Go To Market – Anti-Boring Branded Merchandise, we exist to prevent this exact tragedy.

How to Avoid a Swag Fail

If your branded merch isn’t being used or appreciated, it’s time to ask some tough (but fixable!) questions:

• Is your swag aligned with your brand values and culture?
• Does it feel high-quality, intentional, and worth showing off?
• Would you want to receive it?

When your merch lands—really lands—your employees and customers will wear it, share it, and love it. That’s the kind of custom swag that builds loyalty, drives visibility, and actually does its job.

Ready for a Swag Glow-Up?

Don’t let your team suffer through another cringe mug or sad polyester tote. It’s time to invest in custom swag that feels good, looks good, and does good for your brand.

Because no one should have to ask:
“Why do they keep giving us this stuff?”

Let’s make sure your next mug sparks joy—not sarcasm.

One Last Question…

What’s your corporate version of “Guess How Much I Love You”?
👇 Drop it in the comments:

• “Guess how many times I’ve rescheduled this Zoom.”
• “Guess how much I hate writing expense reports.”
• “Guess how long I’ve been waiting on that approval.”

(We’ve heard them all—and we’ve got the swag to fix it.)

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert

I don’t believe in separating who you are from what you do—especially when it comes to building a brand.

In the world of branded merch and swag, authenticity is your secret weapon. Real connection creates real results—and that starts with being honest about the human behind the business.

So here’s me, unfiltered and fully present in every client call, brainstorm session, and custom merch shop we build:

→ Merch mentor (yes, I have strong opinions on your swag strategy 🙃)
→ Cyclist / gym rat / runner (type-A energy, foam roller nearby 😈)
→ Dog obsessed (I will ask to pet your pup on the street 🐾)
→ Mom of two (& unofficial CEO of snacks 🥨)
→ Arts & crafts enthusiast (hot glue gun always locked and loaded 🔥)
→ Entrepreneur + small biz consultant (third business, still standing 💼💃)

This is the full person that shows up to do business—not just a polished profile or a curated pitch deck. Because when we show up as real people, we create better partnerships, stronger brands, and merch that actually means something.

Why This Matters for Your Branded Merch Strategy

When you bring your full self to the table, your merch reflects that. And that’s the kind of custom swag people actually want to wear, use, and show off.

Authentic brands stand out—and swag should be an extension of that identity.

So next time you’re creating branded merch, think beyond the logo. Start with:

• Who are you?
• What do you stand for?
• How can your swag reflect your whole brand—not just the polished parts?

Because the best swag isn’t just stylish—it tells a story. And that story starts with you.

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert

Just like owning a treadmill doesn’t automatically make you fit, owning a box of branded merch doesn’t magically build your brand.

Yes, swag can be fun. But branded merchandise without strategy? That’s just stuff in a sad box.

To actually drive ROI, grow brand awareness, and increase customer loyalty, your swag needs a plan.

At Go To Market, we walk every client through a custom swag strategy to make sure their branded merch works for them—not against their closet space. If you’re thinking about launching custom merchandise or revamping your current merch collection, start here:

1. What do you want your branded merch to do for your business?

Are you using it to:

• Attract new clients?
• Reward your top-tier customers?
• Encourage social media engagement?
• Motivate internal teams?
  Your goals shape everything—from product selection to design to distribution strategy.

2. Who is your swag actually for?

This matters more than you think. Will your audience wear it proudly on a Zoom call? Bring it to the gym? Post about it on Instagram?

The best custom swag is a flex—because people want to be associated with your brand. So choose merch that reflects their identity as much as yours.

3. How does this fit into your current marketing strategy?

Swag shouldn’t float in its own silo. The right branded merch supports your current goals: whether that’s increasing email subscribers, improving employee retention, or growing brand visibility at live events.

Your merch should amplify your existing strategy—not compete with it.

Bottom Line: You Don’t Need More Stuff. You Need a Swag Strategy.

We’ve all seen it: the leftover mugs, sad pens, or outdated t-shirts that never quite landed. That’s swag without a purpose. Compare it to fitness again:
Treadmill in the basement = unused merch in storage.
Treadmill + trainer + program = strategic swag with real impact.

If you want branded merchandise that drives results, builds community, and gets seen (and worn!)—start with a strategy.

By: Molly Kunth

In one of the most energizing and idea-packed episodes of The Found Podcast to date, I welcomed back Amanda Hofman of Go To Market Studio — and this time, we got tactical.

If you remember Amanda from her first appearance back in Episode 157, we dove into her journey from her very first startup in NYC to founding a merch company that defies boring, bulk-order convention. At Go To Market, Amanda and her team create strategic, meaningful, and memorable branded merchandise for brands that want to stand out and stay top of mind.

This week, Amanda returned to the pod and we wasted no time getting into the good stuff. Since we’re focusing on 2025 marketing trends this month, we decided to do a rapid-fire merch strategy hot seat. I tossed out ideas — a bakery, a coach, a brick-and-mortar boutique — and Amanda came up with instantly actionable merch strategies that work for each one. Her creative brain is next-level.

One of my favorite moments? When she said: “Imagine five parents at school pickup all wearing your bakery’s t-shirt. The other parents will be like, ‘Huh… maybe we should go there after school.’ It becomes an ecosystem of brand awareness and community.”

This kind of visibility, Amanda explained, is what branded merchandise can do when it’s done well. It builds culture. It creates social proof. It invites people in.

And then there was the T-shirt gun moment — literally. Amanda joked about how people lose their minds over cheap t-shirts launched from a cannon (guilty!) and said: “You have T-shirt gun energy in your business if you have branded merch. The key is harnessing it strategically.”

We also talked about:

• Why “useful” isn’t always the right question for merch
• What to focus on instead: meaning and message
• How your merch should reflect your brand’s vibe (think: bright and playful vs. warm and minimalist)
• Why consistency = connection

Whether you’re a service-based solopreneur, a product-based business, or running a local shop, this episode is FULL of ideas you can apply right now to your marketing.

Amanda brings big creativity, deep strategy, and so much fun to the conversation.

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert

If you’ve ever felt like your week is just one long merch request after another—you’re not alone. Inspired by The Very Hungry Caterpillar, this is the story of every brand manager buried under endless swag demands. It starts innocently enough… but quickly turns into full-blown merch madness.

On Monday, the sales team needed branded mugs.

On Tuesday, marketing asked for custom notebooks.
On Wednesday, a finance bro demanded embroidered vests.
On Thursday, the interns wanted cool beanies for TikToks.
On Friday, legal said, “Where’s my hoodie?”

By Saturday, the brand manager was completely burnt out.

Sound familiar?

Welcome to the swag scramble—the chaotic world of fulfilling team requests with no system, no inventory tracking, and no time to focus on the big picture.

But here’s the twist in our story:

On Sunday, she created a print-on-demand merch store.

Suddenly, everything changed.

✅ Design-forward branded merch
✅ Custom swag options for every team
✅ No bulk orders, no storage closets, no clutter
✅ One easy storefront, available anytime

And she was very satisfied. 😌

Stop the Merch Mayhem—Start Streamlining

The truth is, your company’s branded merchandise strategy doesn’t have to be stressful. With a print-on-demand swag store, you can eliminate the chaos while still delivering high-quality, on-brand merch your whole team will love.

Why a Print-on-Demand Storefront Works:

• No more one-off requests or emergency orders
• Empowers every department to get what they need—when they need it
• Saves time and money by avoiding over-ordering and unused swag
• Keeps your brand cohesive, consistent, and creative

Whether it’s branded mugs for sales, cozy hoodies for HR, or beanies for the intern squad, your custom merch store can handle it all—without burning you out.

🐛 Ready to stop feeling like the Very Hungry Brand Manager?

Let’s build you a merch storefront that feeds your entire team—without draining your energy.

👉 Contact us to create a branded swag solution that actually works.

What’s your Very Hungry Caterpillar-style week of requests?
Monday: Emails. Tuesday: Meetings. Wednesday: Socials. Thursday: Outreach. Friday: Brand meltdown? Drop it in the comments below! 👇

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert

New Yorkers aren’t rude—we’re just efficient. (If you were hoping for small talk, you should’ve flown to Ohio.) That’s the kind of unapologetic attitude that defines great branding and Morgenstern’s Finest Ice Cream gets it. This beloved NYC ice cream shop has never offered samples. Not once. Not ever. And they’re so proud of that stance, they printed it on a mug. No samples. No apologies. It’s bold. It’s on-brand. And it’s brilliant branded merch.

What This Has to Do with Your Merch Strategy

Here’s the truth: in the world of custom swag and branded merchandise, your quirks are your superpower. Morgenstern’s didn’t dilute their brand to please the masses. They doubled down on what makes them them. And that’s what makes their swag work.

Their custom mug doesn’t just sell ice cream it sells identity. It’s an inside joke for New Yorkers and a hilarious souvenir for tourists. It says something about the brand—and about the person who buys it.

Want Branded Merch That Works? Own Your Edge.

The best branded merch tells a story. It’s not about slapping a logo on a t-shirt and calling it a day. It’s about creating a memorable, emotional connection between your brand and your audience. Your strongest brand asset might not be your tagline.
It might be that weird rule, quirky policy, or iconic personality trait that makes people say: “Wait… what?” That’s your merch moment. Don’t water down your edges. Hone them. Print them. Sell them. Because the best brands don’t try to be for everyone. They turn their quirks into souvenirs—and into branded merch that people actually want to use and show off.

Be Bold. Be Memorable. Be Mug-Worthy.

So the next time you’re planning a swag drop, product launch, or employee gift, don’t ask “What will everyone like?” Ask: “What’s the most me thing I can put on a tote, shirt, or mug?” That’s where the merch magic happens.

Bonus question for the ice cream lovers: What’s the weirdest flavor you’ve ever tried—and did you wish you’d sampled it first? 🍦👇 Want help turning your brand’s quirks into unforgettable merch? Let’s chat.

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert

Pope Leo bobbleheads. “God’s Team” tees. Sprinkle cookies with his face.
No, this isn’t your Sunday school gift shop—it’s a full-on merch movement.

Right now, Chicago is treating the Pope like the next great streetwear icon, and honestly? It’s working. What started as a religious visit has turned into a cultural moment, and the merchandising game is divine.

Great Merch Captures a Moment

This viral Pope drop isn’t just fun—it’s a masterclass in how to do branded merchandise right. Because this is what the best custom merch does:

• It captures a moment.
• It celebrates what’s new, what’s now, what matters.
• Most importantly? It builds connection.

That’s the real power of branded swag—not the logo, but the feeling it creates.

Your Brand Deserves More Than a Logo Slap

Here’s the truth: your customers, your team, your audience—they don’t just want to wear your logo. They want to wear something that means something. Something that’s fun. Something that feels like them.

The best branded merch isn’t about promotion—it’s about participation.
When your swag invites people into the story of your brand, it becomes more than apparel or accessories. It becomes culture.

Make It Fashion. Make It Meaningful.

The Pope merch trend is a perfect example of how to blend brand storytelling, pop culture, and emotional connection into something tangible—and totally wearable.

🙏 So yes—brands, take notes.

Your swag shouldn’t be an afterthought. It should be a creative expression of your identity. A celebration of your values. A conversation starter.

Whether you’re launching new products, hosting events, or engaging employees, your branded merchandise should be as intentional as the rest of your marketing.

Ready to Bless Your Next Merch Drop?

Let’s make it unforgettable. Let’s make it… pope-ular. 😇

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert

We’ve all been there. You attend a conference, onboard with a new company, or join a team retreat—and you’re handed a tote bag or t-shirt with the company logo splashed across it. You smile politely, but inside you’re thinking:

“I’m never wearing this.”

And that right there is the problem.

Branded Merchandise Should Be a Brand Experience

When corporate swag feels cheap, generic, or outdated, it’s not just a design fail. It’s a missed opportunity to connect with your audience in a long-term, meaningful way. Branded merchandise isn’t just a “nice-to-have” anymore—it’s a powerful tool for brand engagement, employee retention, and customer loyalty.

If your branded swag isn’t being worn, used, or shared on social media, you’re not just wasting budget—you’re leaving brand equity on the table.

Raise the Bar on Swag

The best branded merch doesn’t feel like a giveaway. It feels like a gift.
Think about it: your audience should be excited to use your merch. They should reach for your custom tumbler, zip up that soft hoodie, or carry that thoughtfully designed tote bag every week—maybe even every day.

🧢 That’s the bar.

When you stop thinking of swag as a giveaway and start thinking of it as a relationship builder, everything changes.

Swag That Gets Loved—Not Left Behind

Branded merch should be more than a logo on a t-shirt. It should reflect your brand’s values, style, and purpose. Whether you’re launching a new product, welcoming new employees, or thanking loyal clients, your swag should spark joy and foster connection.

Want your branded merchandise to actually be worn and shared?

Focus on quality, intentional design, and relevance. It’s time to think beyond pens and mugs and start investing in pieces your people are proud to show off.

Let’s Be Honest…

What’s the worst piece of company merch you’ve ever gotten? I’ll go first: a neon green race shirt made of cotton that felt like it could exfoliate your skin. We can do better. And your brand deserves better.

Ready to upgrade your swag strategy?
Let’s create branded merchandise people actually want to wear, use, and keep.