The best known “company store” for branded merchandise may well be non corporate. Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign is selling a wide variety of merchandise, both official and unofficial, online and at rallies. The volume and variety of merchandise offered by the candidate is significant. Some are traditional, some are not. Some are items usually given away to supporters to create candidate brand awareness. Lawn signs are as traditional as you get. It is an item candidates at every level invest in. Having managed a campaign for a man running for State Senate, I know how difficult it is to get placement and the willing people to put them on a lawn. Enter Donald Trump selling Corplast lawn signs and H stands for $25.00. Bumper stickers are as historic a campaign giveaway as there is. Now, they are on sale.
As you drive down country roads seeing flags, banners and road signs, you wonder how do these people get the Trump branded merchandise? They buy it. The proceeds from the sale are, in reality, donations and that is healthy for a given campaign. All of this is a paradigm shift from one time giveaways to fund raisers. This sets the table for every future candidate up and down ballot. Trump was a well known brand prior to becoming President, so it will be difficult to duplicate his success with any other candidate. Like him or not, there is a lot of marketing genius within his staff.
The are multiple stores catering to the wealthy and the average person. The marketing is very smart. Target groups are identified and the merchandise is branded for different races, religions, gender and professions.
New items are constantly added. Some may seem a bit “wild”, but the reality is that they draw people to their stores and help sell other merchandise.
The more radical the item, the more media attention it draws. In turn, it drives people to the stores and generates revenue through free publicity.
While there is only one Trump, thus far in political history, the model set by Trump is the foundation for future candidates.
Raising money for down ballot candidates such as school board, city council, county commissioners, etc. is very difficult. The Trump model may change that paradigm, as well. Creating a store is very easy. If not free from an internal industry service, it is low cost from external suppliers such as Go Daddy.
It is hard to predict the merchandise, beyond the traditional, that will attract buyers/donors. I can’t see golden sneakers or special edition bibles working for a county council candidate, but more traditional fare could do well.
A promotional marketer can develop expertise. Once he or she has, there is no need to stay local. Said expertise can be brought statewide or even further. I will add a codicil. It is an axiom that if you sell to a political candidate, you should get that money up front. Whatever merchandise you sell, the inventory should belong to the candidate. Your profit is in what you sell into inventory, the administration and fulfillment. Should you like risk, it is your merchandise and the credit cards, Apple Pay, etc., come to you. You are flush for the sale and you pay the candidate the portion agreed upon. In most cases, when merchandise is purchased, it is not tax deductible and is subject to sales tax collection. All of these details should be researched and become part of your expertise that will attract campaigns to you.
It’s a whole new world and there are thousands of new prospects annually. Like any other market, networking is the way to go. Start with your county party and onto the state party. If you hate one party, then sell the one you like. Local politics is less hateful, so at that level you may be able to go both ways.