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 👇