How can you compete with 29,332 companies that sell the same things as you? What if you gave away one-dollar bills, had no planned ROI but based the promotion on kindness?
I met Danny Rosin at a Starbucks for coffee just a few months ago. I knew of Danny but we hadn’t met and I was looking forward to the connection.
Danny co-owns Brand Fuel, a promotional advertising business that sells branded printable products that companies purchase to tell their story. But unlike the 29,332 competitors, Danny and his team focus on the relationship, the experience, and emotions. With his heart on his sleeve, Danny is one of those business owners who believe in paying it forward without expecting anything in return.
Danny is also a co-founder of Band Together, a non-profit organization that came together after 9-11 to bring help and assistance to non-profits within the Raleigh, NC region through remarkable music concerts and events. They have donated almost 7 million dollars to the community through this extraordinary non-profit effort.
How Can I Help?
In the short time since we connected, we have exchanged many emails and phone calls asking each other, how we can be helpful to each other. Like me, Danny is a big fan of people like Adam Grant, who wrote Give and Take and we seem to have a similar worldview about finding ways to be helpful to others without expecting anything in return. Call it paying it forward or karma, I like to be connected with people who lead from their heart.
I introduced Danny to Rob Lowe from The Giving Podcast since I knew they’d have a lot to offer each other. And Danny introduced me to an audio engineer who could help me with some work I’m doing with a non-profit. Neither of us was expecting something in return but were happy to help each other.
Brand Fuel for Thought
When emotional experiences are part of a brand, people want to hang with you. This attitude is a simple truth I have witnessed. Danny knows that companies can buy the products he sells from so many companies, that he has to build connections to stand out.
“If you can’t compete on price, how about kindness.”
One of the ways that Brand Fuel markets itself are by finding ways to share meaningful experiences with clients and prospects. Recently, at the American Marketing Association’s High Five Marketing Conference, Brand Fuel brought their Kindness Container where participants get to grab dollar bills floating in the air, with the understanding that they will spread the kindness around. Watch a short video here. Brand Fuel creates unique experiences that marketing teams can use in their events and customer activities, to find ways for customers and employees to give back.
“The Kindness Booth was the second step in an unplanned process of trying to do things that didn’t have to do with ROI but art, fun and giving back. To market ourselves, we market our culture. Our team is here to enjoy life, have fun and do good in the world. We market our culture. Then people want to buy promotional items and experiences from us because of the bonds we create“
Marketing Fuel from Danny
- Not everything needs to have an ROI. Some activities, if rooted in kindness and building connections don’t need to be measured.
- A company’s culture matters more than most realize. To best serve clients, owners and managers need to start by serving their employees. If your employees are happy, your customers will be happy too.
- When you focus on what you sell, you are like everyone else. If you have a compelling WHY- business happens because you attract the type of clients who want to work with you.
How can kindness be a core part of your marketing strategy?
I’m so fortunate that I have attracted clients who have a similar worldview to mine. If you are looking for marketing consulting services to grow and expand your brand, generate leads, name a product or more, connect with me at 919 720 0995 or email me at jeffslater@themarketingsage.com – You can also set up a free call to discuss your situation on my calendar. Just pick a time, provide a number and we can get started together.
Photo courtesy Brand Fuel
