The Merch Blueprint is a practical, no-fluff guide for business owners, marketers, and creatives who want to use merchandise to grow brand affinity, extend their marketing reach, and create genuine connections with their customers. Drawing on examples and experience, this book breaks down the four core types of merchandise (retail, uniforms, promotional items, and incentive pieces) and shows you exactly how each one fits into a broader marketing strategy.
You'll learn how to:
Identify whether merchandise should be additive (layered into campaigns) or supplemental (filling gaps in your calendar)
Build a merchandise plan that integrates seamlessly with your existing marketing activities
Avoid the most common mistakes brands make when launching merchandise
Use physical products to manufacture word-of-mouth and keep your brand top of mind long after the initial interaction
Each section stands on its own, so you can jump straight to what's most relevant for your business — or read cover to cover for a complete strategic framework. Either way, you'll finish with a clear blueprint for turning merchandise from a nice-to-have into a meaningful driver of brand growth.
Stop guessing. Start building. The Merch Blueprint gives you the plan.
From Chapter 2:
Print On Demand Resources:
Printed Mint + Printful: I like Printed Mint and Printful for the variety of products and overall curation! They do a great job with variety and have a lot of options to fit your brand’s ethos. They do require integration into an existing e-commerce provider!
PrintedMint.com | Printful.com*
Bonfire: Can’t support an integrated Print on Demand store? There’s still a solution for you! Bonfire has fewer product options, but you can create a storefront on the site, and your designs will show up on their marketplace.
This invite link* gets you an extra dollar per item up to $100 (which more than covers the cost of buying the book!):
Bonfire.com
Merchandise Companies I’ve Worked With or Recommend Checking Out:
Grandstand: I can’t count the number of pallets of glassware (or number of orders for that matter I ordered through my account rep at Grandstand… hi Ben! You probably don’t remember me.) www.egrandstand.com
Brewery Branding: I worked with Brewery Branding years ago, but they have great products… obviously targeting breweries and the beverage industry! www.brewerybranding.com
Merchery: I haven’t personally used Merchery, but I have heard great things. us.merchery.co