Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Alicia Matthai. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Alicia, thanks for joining us today. What’s been the best thing you’ve ever seen (or done yourself) to show a customer that you appreciate them?

Customer (and Employee) recognition is one of our favorite tasks as a brand marketing team. Finding a gift that is personal to the recipient is a challenge we embrace. No one wants to have a giant logo of someone else’s company in their home. We like to find a gift that will subtly remind the recipient of the gift giver and bring joy! One of my favorites is an eco, bamboo blanket that can be custom woven with a logo in a pattern or in a corner. I also like gifts that create an experience. One of my vendors sent a Speakeasy set. I loved sharing an old fashioned with my newly 21 year son. The gift of time and an activity with a loved one can’t be beat!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

After years in development and marketing, I fell into promo and I love it! It combines my love of marketing, design, event coordination and relationship building. And I love to shop! Our philosophy is simple: turn the ordinary into extraordinary. Our relationships with our extensive network of suppliers both in the industry and out of it, allow us to offer well-priced products with a distinctive flair. We stay on top of current trends and brands and offer top notch customer service.

We can help with everything from pens and apparel to point of purchase display. I think our team brings a unique fresh eye to products. I love finding customers who want to create a relationship and allow us to do what we do best – bring their marketing to a new level with thoughtful gift giving.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Covid. I had just signed a three year lease in January 2020 and hired two people. We went home. Orders were cancelled as events were cancelled. April and May brought sales for the year down 40%. I was devastated.

Thankfully, we were small enough to go back to work when we were allowed back. We opened a retail pop up and sold monogrammed everything (lots of graduations)! We reached out to our customers with suggestions for employee experiences and offered to kit and ship. We vacuumed shred, a lot of shred. We worked hard and ended the year up 20%!

We no longer do retail (although get asked frequently to bring it back!). Custom packaging has been taken to a new level. Unboxing on social media is a trend that is not going away. Adding that final touch for new employee hires, customer gifting or event promotion is something we love to see and the products we can offer are awesome – video, custom shaped inserts, full box decoration, etc. Definitely sets a new standard!

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

Referrals are my favorite way to get new customers. If we are doing good work, and our customers share us, we are thrilled. I network all the time – I have found some of my favorite customers over a glass of wine or at a sporting event. People are interesting and you never know where a conversation may lead.

I am a relationship builder and a connector and like to have a mentality of giving. I truly believe that if you support your fellow small business owners, they support you, and both of your will enjoy continued success. Along those lines, we like to feature local products whenever possible and also find ways to partner with local companies to support our community.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.haymakerpromos.com
• Instagram: @haymakerpromotionsllc
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HaymakerPromos
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/alicia-matthai-a04a8bb

Image Credits
Mitro Hood for Baltimore Magazine Alicia Matthai Ashley Thayer