A deeper understanding of the power and benefits of strategic gifting and how much of an impact it can have for their business.
Being an extremely niche business, and in some cases being the only company in North America to offer certain products, Dean has a unique view of business in many industries and sectors and as such can offer a unique and insightful perspective
Dean Stanzel is the Gift Master and founder/owner of Top-Of-Mind Gifts and Strategic 3D Cards.
He helps businesses stand out from their competitors and increase their referral business, as well as improve client and staff retention, through thoughtful recognition and by giving unforgettable gifts that create Top Of Mind Awareness.
Most businesses find it difficult to differentiate themselves from their competitors.
Roughly 60% of referral opportunities are missed out on by businesses because clients don’t have their name top of mind when people ask.
In today’s fast paced world, a business must break through the ‘noise’ to leave a lasting impression with their clients which is exactly what he does for businesses.
On this episode of The Nitty Gritty Entrepreneur, Dean Stanzel shares how Top of Mind Gifts helps businesses stay memorable through high-quality branded gifts—most notably Cutco knives—which clients use frequently, making it easier to remain top of mind for referrals. He explains that while many businesses struggle to stand out, his biggest challenge is simply awareness: helping people realize this type of impactful gift-based marketing exists. To overcome that, Dean leans into networking, one-on-one connections, and relationship-building as the most effective path to spreading the word and growing his unique, referral-driven business.
In this segment of The Nitty Gritty Entrepreneur, Dean Stanzel expands on how intentional networking not only fuels his business growth but also creates a ripple effect of value for others, often leading to unexpected collaborations and opportunities. He emphasizes the importance of strategic gifting, noting that small thoughtful touches—like custom-branded Cutco knives or pop-up cards—can leave a long-lasting impression and keep businesses top of mind in a way standard marketing can’t. Dean also introduces his unique custom 3D pop-up cards, which not only delight recipients but naturally spark organic conversations and referrals, making them a powerful tool for B2B engagement.
In this segment of The Nitty Gritty Entrepreneur, Dean Stanzel dives deeper into how emotion-driven marketing through custom pop-up cards can create unforgettable brand experiences. Whether it’s a plumber sending a playful toilet-themed card, a luxury home builder gifting a miniature version of a $10M property, or a nonprofit using bespoke invitations for high-end fundraisers, Dean illustrates how unique, tactile gifts can delight recipients and organically spark referrals. These customized 3D cards go beyond standard outreach—transforming simple gestures into lasting impressions that resonate with clients, donors, and partners alike.
In this final segment of The Nitty Gritty Entrepreneur, Dean Stanzel showcases how customized pop-up cards can create emotional impact and spark conversation in any industry—from nonprofits and mental health events to luxury real estate and pharmaceutical launches. These tactile, laser-cut kirigami cards not only delight recipients but also serve as powerful marketing tools that organically drive referrals, visibility, and engagement. Dean emphasizes that genuine gifting, with no agenda, can lead to meaningful conversations and strong business connections—making his approach both strategic and refreshingly human.
00:00:59.560 --> 00:01:02.759 Linda Whimple: Well welcome to the nitty, gritty entrepreneur.
00:01:02.920 --> 00:01:13.330 Linda Whimple: I'm your host, Linda Wimple. And today we're joined by our special guest, Dean Stanzel, with top of mind gifts. Welcome, welcome, Dean
00:01:14.010 --> 00:01:15.120 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Thanks for having me
00:01:15.450 --> 00:01:17.580 Linda Whimple: Absolutely, how are you doing today
00:01:18.150 --> 00:01:21.419 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: I'm doing awesome. I'm on your show, so hey? Couldn't get any better
00:01:23.020 --> 00:01:27.780 Linda Whimple: That's that's nice. That's cool so
00:01:28.180 --> 00:01:33.590 Linda Whimple: well, why don't we? Why don't we start by you going ahead and telling
00:01:33.860 --> 00:01:36.609 Linda Whimple: us well, the name of your business.
00:01:36.760 --> 00:01:41.420 Linda Whimple: and how how you create impact for your clients.
00:01:42.240 --> 00:01:59.040 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Yeah, for sure. A little bit of a backstory that helps. So I'm up in Canada A, and I own top of mind gifts. And we're a very niche company that focuses on high end gift giving to help clients remain top of mind. And
00:01:59.280 --> 00:02:12.700 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: this the story, I guess the history is that way back in the day I was in university as an engineering physics student. So yeah, that background is totally different. But I was recruited by a company called vector
00:02:13.170 --> 00:02:35.420 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: and I was introduced to selling cutco knives. And the reason that's important is back in that time for me, nobody knew about it. Here in the States, and so on. It's much more commonly known, and nowadays. So I did that for a number of years moved on, and then, ironically, my daughter was recruited and hired the exact same way 25 years later.
00:02:35.570 --> 00:03:01.250 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: And the reason that's important is Cutco itself, for those of you who don't know not a plug or anything, but is the largest manufacturer of high-end knives in North America. They've been around 75 years, and they're guaranteed forever. So as a 17 year old university student, starting out to have a thousand dollar set of knives, was kind of weird, but now, 30 years later, I still have them still, use them still love them.
00:03:01.550 --> 00:03:17.699 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: And so, where this ties in is. My daughter was recruited again, got back in into the Cutco world, and that got me back in touch with some of the management that I'd worked with years and years ago, and we had some discussions. This was during Covid and I I didn't know how
00:03:17.860 --> 00:03:40.140 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: people sold knives. I was like, it's a tangible physical product. You can't cut something over Zoom, and he laid back. You know the information of how things were going, and the company was doing really well, and in the course of that discussion he'd asked her, you know, what am I up to? And I was at that point just kind of trying to figure out what I wanted to do next. My youngest had just gone into school full time.
00:03:40.330 --> 00:03:47.700 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: and he said, There's a new program with Cutco. It's historically always been a b 2 c business. So in-home presentations, things like that.
00:03:47.850 --> 00:03:52.810 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: But it's got a very good reputation. Lots of people love it, use it, have it.
00:03:52.930 --> 00:04:08.529 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: And so there was a business program developed, and the thought process was, if people love it, they love to buy it and own it, then what better gift to give them than something like that as well? So on a gift giving basis. That's kind of where it really clicked for me.
00:04:08.680 --> 00:04:20.029 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: And on the marketing standpoint it made a lot of sense, too, because when you're giving gifts when you're trying to show appreciation. Everybody wants to be different nowadays. Of course, you want to stand out.
00:04:20.290 --> 00:04:41.110 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: but there's some statistics and facts that go in behind the marketing that a lot of people don't realize. And that's the key thing. If you've been in sales long enough, you probably heard the 8 touches 12 touches 16. The number varies as to how many times it takes to get through to somebody and make a connection. And another one of those stats is how long it takes to stay top of mind.
00:04:41.340 --> 00:04:48.899 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: And this is the one that's probably the hardest to achieve, because you're needing about 37 touches a year that's been studied.
00:04:49.030 --> 00:05:11.520 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: and that's almost once a week. So if you can imagine, how do you, as any kind of business, stay in communication in touch with your clientele on almost a weekly basis without really annoying them. And so we looked at that. And that's kind of where cut go ties into, because it was a product that everybody uses, you know, last time we checked nobody's ripping food apart with their hands anymore.
00:05:11.620 --> 00:05:38.369 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: and everybody uses it. They use it every day. And so, if you were to brand it, it's something that people will see. It's not that you're advertising to them. It's not your shouting or anything, but they will see it subconsciously every single day or multiple times a week, and that will achieve the top of mind awareness that is so critical, and I always like to clarify to people. Everybody wants a referral business ideally. If all your clients came from referrals, that's the perfect world.
00:05:38.630 --> 00:05:42.280 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: But we all know that for most of us that doesn't happen.
00:05:42.770 --> 00:05:54.669 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: And the funny thing is the reason typically is not because your clients don't like you or didn't want to. Most businesses. Most of their clients are happy customers, and they actually say they would refer them.
00:05:54.960 --> 00:06:09.020 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: But in the instance, in the moment you think about it? Everybody's been here. You're at the Mall. You're at the hockey game, you're at the beach, whatever you know, somebody says. Hey, we're moving, you know. Got a promotion. Got to go over here. Do you know a good realtor, for example?
00:06:09.210 --> 00:06:15.930 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: And you get the pause and the look and the scratching of the head going? Yeah, I I know this perfect person.
00:06:16.120 --> 00:06:18.139 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: I just can't remember their name
00:06:18.390 --> 00:06:22.199 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: right. Every everybody's done it. Everybody's heard it, you know it's true.
00:06:22.280 --> 00:06:47.810 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: and that opportunity is lost. I mean, I'll say it for myself, and probably for the rest of humanity, that we're lazy. We're not going to go home and look up the business card and get back. And you know we just don't do that. So if you're not top of mind in that 6 seconds. Then that's an opportunity that's lost. And that is what I'm trying to do with my business is help. People stay top of mind to capitalize on those types of situations?
00:06:47.830 --> 00:06:55.399 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Very long-winded answer. But that's kind of what I why, I try and do for businesses, and what I do to help them
00:06:56.550 --> 00:06:58.620 Linda Whimple: That is awesome.
00:06:58.750 --> 00:07:00.000 Linda Whimple: That's awesome.
00:07:00.430 --> 00:07:05.430 Linda Whimple: So you've talked about how? What inspire the inspiration
00:07:05.760 --> 00:07:09.110 Linda Whimple: to get going on this? So
00:07:11.350 --> 00:07:16.079 Linda Whimple: Why don't you tell us along their journey here.
00:07:16.470 --> 00:07:21.790 Linda Whimple: Yeah, along your journey about a difficult challenge that you've had
00:07:23.570 --> 00:07:40.420 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Well, that's the whole journey being an entrepreneur. You know, we've got the emotional ups and downs, I think, for most solopreneurs especially. You know, you're part salesman, part business owner, etc. And so
00:07:40.490 --> 00:08:05.799 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: facing those emotional challenges, the setbacks and everything else that's very frustrating. It's very hard on you emotionally, you know I remember doing the right thing. Am I going to succeed? All those kind of things? And these aren't specific to me? But they're, I think, challenges that. Again. I faced everybody faces that's in business, and if you're in business, you probably can relate. You're probably nodding your head, saying, Yeah, yeah, I've been there. I got it.
00:08:06.320 --> 00:08:21.490 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: So those are more generic, more specifically, it's interesting in this business. I'm very unique. I won't say I'm the only one in the world. But I'm in a very, very small group of people of doing what I do specifically.
00:08:21.770 --> 00:08:32.239 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: and my biggest challenge nowadays is ironically not how to compete. You know, how am I better than somebody else? It's simply it's awareness.
00:08:32.350 --> 00:08:34.909 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: And it's an interesting challenge. Because
00:08:35.299 --> 00:08:42.530 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: most products, most services, people at least have some inkling of, and therefore it's a matter of how am I different? How do I stand out
00:08:42.850 --> 00:09:01.329 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: for me? They don't even know I exist in a lot of cases. So my biggest challenge is market awareness. You know, people understanding, being aware. Seeing what it is I do. I'm not looking to sell anybody or convince them. I just want them to know I'm out there, and if it makes sense that I'm an option for them.
00:09:01.350 --> 00:09:16.289 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: So that's my biggest challenge right now. And you know, as you know, the podcast here, everything else for me, the biggest, best way to address that is to just get out there, show people tell people, and again get the word out. Spread the word
00:09:18.330 --> 00:09:22.290 Linda Whimple: So I was just going to ask, Well, how how do you overcome that challenge?
00:09:22.530 --> 00:09:24.970 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Oh, well, let me tell you no.
00:09:25.710 --> 00:09:27.630 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: very much stealing all your thunder here
00:09:27.920 --> 00:09:29.089 Linda Whimple: No, you're fine.
00:09:30.090 --> 00:09:47.069 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: So, yeah, I mean, that's what I do. I've everybody's got different ways that they can run their business and different ways that benefit their business, or are the best paths to take for me in particular, it is turned out to be referrals networking one on ones.
00:09:47.370 --> 00:09:49.890 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: I'll dive a little deeper. It's interesting
00:09:50.090 --> 00:09:58.760 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: that again, mainly I work with Cutco. You know what for the people who are viewing this in case anybody doesn't know. This is what I do.
00:10:00.490 --> 00:10:03.779 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: We take cutco knives, brand engraved and give them away.
00:10:04.398 --> 00:10:09.409 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: In addition to that, I do a new product. Pop up cards. I'll show you those later. But
00:10:09.780 --> 00:10:15.049 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: ultimately, again, the challenge is letting people know. And
00:10:15.460 --> 00:10:30.429 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: when I tell people, yeah, give somebody a knife, brand it, engrave it. They look at it every week. It gives top of mind awareness. I have not had a person yet who hasn't said that makes sense, you know. It's not rocket science, despite the fact that I'm an engineer.
00:10:30.700 --> 00:10:45.730 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: it's it's common sense. And yet it's just different enough that people don't think about it. And that's why it's effective. But at the same time I can't put an ad out, because and I try and explain this to people. I
00:10:45.880 --> 00:10:51.709 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: I use a product like Cutco. I love it. Everything's great, but I don't sell Cutco.
00:10:51.950 --> 00:10:59.260 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: so I'll let that sink in for a minute. What I do, what my business is about what I sell is top of mind awareness.
00:10:59.510 --> 00:11:08.749 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: How do you stay top of mind with your clients? And ultimately, that's a pretty big question, and pretty important, although sometimes it falls by the wayside.
00:11:09.230 --> 00:11:14.259 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: But the reason I use Cutco is to help deliver that.
00:11:14.360 --> 00:11:20.469 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: But what I'm actually selling is the top of mind awareness. So with that kind of a distinction.
00:11:20.600 --> 00:11:38.799 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: I can't put out an ad saying I'm selling Cutco. I can't advertise myself as a coach that does branding. I can't do a lot of the different things that I touch on. But it's just the little twist, the little thing that makes it unique, which is the benefit that also makes it really hard to promote.
00:11:38.800 --> 00:11:57.769 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: So that's where I've gone the networking route. It again doesn't take me a heck of a lot to explain it, but in 3 or 5 min I can convey the message that I can't do any other way. So for me, personally, networking is the way I've gone, and that's been an interesting evolution as well. I think
00:11:57.940 --> 00:11:58.830 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: most
00:11:59.030 --> 00:12:09.019 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: most businesses. Most people benefit from word of mouth referrals networking to some extent. Other ones benefit. A lot more, and mine falls into that category.
00:12:09.380 --> 00:12:20.920 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: and I'm also, as you probably can tell, not shy. So I'm happy going out there talking to people telling what I do, listening as well. And I'm part of several different networking groups.
00:12:21.190 --> 00:12:31.840 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: And the interesting thing I've I've learned amongst you know, there's a lot of things. But the interesting thing I've learned is, you never know when you need to know somebody.
00:12:32.200 --> 00:12:58.559 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: and that's rang true over and over for me. I kind of joke. I wouldn't say I meet with anybody, but by and large, if somebody wants to learn more about me, I'm curious. I want to learn about them, and maybe there's never a connection there. Oftentimes there isn't. But I've had really odd scenarios where, like funeral homes and people that are in services that nobody knows about
00:12:58.690 --> 00:13:12.570 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: places where you wouldn't typically think of gifting. And it's not that they're clients, but they may need something that somebody else offers, that I've also run into that has nothing to do with me. And being able to make those kinds of introductions
00:13:13.700 --> 00:13:17.339 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: has been. It's great for them. I feel good about doing it.
00:13:17.680 --> 00:13:39.750 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: But over time, as things evolve, and more and more of these things happen. It's coming back, you know. Put it out there, and it'll come back to you. The givers gain type of philosophy, and the more people I help, the more I found that they're willing to listen, helping, spread the word sharing and everything like that, and really beneficial
00:13:40.090 --> 00:13:46.670 Linda Whimple: Okay, that's awesome, Dean Murm. It's time for us to take our 1st break of the show.
00:13:47.090 --> 00:13:47.860 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Awesome.
00:13:47.860 --> 00:13:51.299 Linda Whimple: I know. So when we come back let's talk more
00:13:51.920 --> 00:13:52.600 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Absolutely.
00:13:52.600 --> 00:13:53.360 Linda Whimple: Sound, good
00:13:53.640 --> 00:13:55.010 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Okay. Sounds good.
00:13:55.270 --> 00:13:56.179 Linda Whimple: See you soon
00:15:46.810 --> 00:15:56.220 Linda Whimple: Well, welcome back. You're listening to the nitty, gritty entrepreneur, and I'm your host, Linda Wimple. We're interviewing Dan
00:15:56.600 --> 00:16:03.579 Linda Whimple: yeah, Dean Stanzel with top of mind gifts so welcome back, Dean
00:16:04.340 --> 00:16:05.160 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Thank you.
00:16:05.570 --> 00:16:12.360 Linda Whimple: Yeah. So you you were talking when we were when we had before the break, you were talking about the networking
00:16:13.120 --> 00:16:15.050 Linda Whimple: Did you want to talk more about that?
00:16:15.450 --> 00:16:17.380 Linda Whimple: And the knowledge that you've gained
00:16:18.120 --> 00:16:40.739 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: No, for sure, and I think one of the things that kind of evolved is the more people that I try and help through that networking, the more more people that try and help me. And again, in a business where I'm trying to get awareness and get people familiar with, or even, you know, knowing that I exist, it's something that is very beneficial.
00:16:40.840 --> 00:16:43.090 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: and it's also one of those things where
00:16:43.100 --> 00:17:08.319 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: I think I can come in genuinely interested and curious and inquisitive about a lot of businesses. I wouldn't say I'm a modest person, but I realize that I don't know a heck of a lot, or there's a lot of stuff that I can learn about, and almost every meeting I have I do try and take something away. Might be a major thing might be a little thing, but there's always something you can learn and apply. And in doing that.
00:17:08.319 --> 00:17:20.069 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: I think with that approach, maybe, or that mentality. I've been able to take a combination of a really unique situation I'm in. I'm excited and very passionate about showing people what I do. But at the same time.
00:17:20.069 --> 00:17:41.770 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: it's an opportunity to get in front of people who have seen everything, you know, who who are interested simply because it's something new and unique. But it's opened up a whole different world for me, because I'm talking to all these varieties of people, all different sectors. It's nice in that. My business is really non-denominational, if you will.
00:17:42.020 --> 00:18:05.960 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: And so I come across people in different industries at different levels. And of course, those people then know other people, and I like to think that you know again what we do is not only unique and different, but it's pretty fun and exciting, and people get on board with that, and then they want to show other people and tell other people, and the higher you climb in the networking circles, the more you get introduced other people in those similar circles.
00:18:06.150 --> 00:18:21.150 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: And then so it's it's indirectly been a path for me to get in front of more powerful connected influencers. And that's good for my business to be able to offer, operate, get awareness in those industries.
00:18:21.350 --> 00:18:36.749 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: But it's also allowed me to make connections that can benefit other people, too. It's funny, you know. I think we have preconceived notions wherever you're at in business. As to who you are, what you do, what your business is about how it should operate.
00:18:37.010 --> 00:18:40.640 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: And yet one of the things I've learned from this is that
00:18:40.760 --> 00:19:00.189 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: really a lot of us are similar in a lot of ways, regardless of where we're at, and we shouldn't presume or assume things in a lot of cases. So a lot of businesses, maybe a smaller copywriter wouldn't think to say, I want to be the editor for a massive fortune. 500 company
00:19:00.380 --> 00:19:11.369 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: and odds are they probably won't ever be. But maybe they have one niche area that they don't think much of, but that I find out about and think it's kind of cool.
00:19:11.530 --> 00:19:20.249 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: And then I'm connected to somebody else where this happens to come up, and I can introduce the 2. It's those kind of things where there's no benefit to me. But
00:19:20.390 --> 00:19:27.799 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: that person would never have seen it otherwise, and they may have a solution that that executive would never have found otherwise as well. So
00:19:27.910 --> 00:19:41.020 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: it's very symbiotic. Everybody kind of wins from it, and the more I do it, the more I see the benefits personally as well as the impact or influence I have helping other people, too.
00:19:41.590 --> 00:19:47.270 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: so I I don't even know if I'm still on track. But that's a little bit of a a tangent on
00:19:47.410 --> 00:19:49.340 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: kind of my networking experience.
00:19:50.830 --> 00:19:55.169 Linda Whimple: Yeah, and so you also talked about the results.
00:19:56.760 --> 00:19:57.520 Linda Whimple: Yeah.
00:19:57.820 --> 00:20:05.200 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Yep, and the the results of networking are there. And I. It's funny. I tend to
00:20:05.260 --> 00:20:30.849 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: almost talk myself away from my own business and product, because it's just fun doing what I do. But on the, on the gifting side of things again, it is something that applies to every business, and it's also something that, unfortunately, is not not on the front forefront of most people's minds tends to be more of the afterthought. And yet, strategically, when done. Well.
00:20:30.850 --> 00:20:38.470 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: thought put in, and so on. It can have a really big impact on people and their businesses that I don't think most people realize. And
00:20:38.770 --> 00:20:41.739 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: the using Cutco as an example.
00:20:41.850 --> 00:20:52.609 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: there is no magic bullet. There's no perfect product. You can't take a really nice shiny knife that's got a beautiful engraving and say, Yeah, thanks for your business, you know. Here's a knife
00:20:53.390 --> 00:21:21.680 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: that doesn't do very much, but if you turn it around and craft it in the way that you know in my case I have Cutco. I've had it for my whole life. I love it, I really value it and find it useful, and I was trying to think of something to, you know, reflect our relationship and something meaningful that I could give to you. And so I wanted to do this for you as well, and you know over time, if there's other people that you think of that might benefit from my services, I'd like to help you build your cutco set.
00:21:22.040 --> 00:21:32.550 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: And now the person's going. Wow! This is really special. This is all about me. It's practical. And strategically, it's something they will use and think about the person that gave it to them.
00:21:32.790 --> 00:21:33.820 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: So
00:21:34.320 --> 00:21:49.340 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: everything is simple, but there's details and logistics and little tweaks here and there that make it much more impactful. And that doesn't just apply to me and my business. It really applies to a lot of businesses. I had talking to some tradespeople the other day.
00:21:49.460 --> 00:21:55.080 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: and sometimes, you know, the little things are what matter? I know. When I had my roof done on my house
00:21:55.740 --> 00:22:08.290 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: they did a good job, and other people would have done a good job. But the thing that stood out the most is that they went around with a magnet and picked up the little extra staples around the side of the house that had fallen off when they were roofing.
00:22:08.700 --> 00:22:18.569 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: So I mean, you don't sell that as a feature, but in my mind that stuck out more than anything else, and I'll tell people now sadly enough.
00:22:19.130 --> 00:22:24.049 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: I remember them doing it. I love them for doing it, but I don't remember their name, because
00:22:24.360 --> 00:22:26.780 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: I haven't used them in 12 years.
00:22:27.280 --> 00:22:33.299 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Thus they should be doing something to help me stay top of mind, so that I can refer them because I do like them
00:22:33.750 --> 00:22:35.820 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: so kind of there, full circle
00:22:36.985 --> 00:22:41.239 Linda Whimple: Oh, very. What's the word creative?
00:22:41.460 --> 00:22:44.900 Linda Whimple: I mean, because you're you're getting into the you're customizing.
00:22:45.300 --> 00:22:47.830 Linda Whimple: And with every little detail
00:22:48.800 --> 00:23:13.290 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Yeah, I mean, there's a lot of places in life, I think, where they say you know the details. Matter. Pay attention. Look after the pennies, the dollars look after themselves, all those kind of things. And it is very true. And it's not just in those circumstances. Sometimes it's in like that the little things that you don't even think about doing or haven't put thought into doing, but that have the biggest impact that you never realized. So
00:23:13.420 --> 00:23:24.889 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: yeah, it's definitely an important factor that I would say most people should probably put more attention or thought into, not the gifting, but just the little things. You know.
00:23:25.180 --> 00:23:32.590 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: I talk about strategy and strategic gifting. Some people roll their eyes. They're like, it's gifting. I just need to buy something nice and give it to them and impress them.
00:23:32.790 --> 00:23:35.040 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: But like a lot of things.
00:23:35.140 --> 00:23:54.410 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: you really need to put thought into things if you're running a business, not working in a business, but if you're an owner and you're running it, there has to be a reason why you do everything, and if there isn't well, then it's up to chance, but the more you can think things through the better off you are, the more success you'll probably have, and so on.
00:23:55.880 --> 00:23:58.960 Linda Whimple: That is so true resonates with me
00:24:00.840 --> 00:24:09.580 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Anybody that's been an entrepreneur and run a business, and and is still running business so successful in that capacity, probably should be able to relate to that somewhat
00:24:10.320 --> 00:24:16.870 Linda Whimple: Right. Did you? Did you want to talk about the other one? The button
00:24:16.870 --> 00:24:28.179 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Oh, yeah, the the pop up cards. So Cutco is very unique, and it's fun. And it's got a whole story which you've heard. Again. I always. I'm used to doing these on audio
00:24:28.180 --> 00:24:28.500 Linda Whimple: That
00:24:28.720 --> 00:24:37.370 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: I don't get the opportunity to show people very often, but the other thing we do is cards, but they're not normal cards. They are
00:24:37.510 --> 00:24:38.650 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: pop-up cards.
00:24:39.070 --> 00:24:54.830 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: and they're not just pop-up cards. They are custom built pop-up cards, 3D. And it's always I find it hard for people to really grasp the depth of this without showing a few. So this is another one of mine, my little race car.
00:24:55.470 --> 00:25:04.390 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: and it's not to say we're the only company that does pop-up cards. By all means. There's other ones out there, but we're the only ones who will custom build.
00:25:04.650 --> 00:25:31.740 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: There's Statue of Liberty can't really do that very well. We're the only ones that will custom. Build the models, and that from A. b 2 b standpoint, not getting your card for mother's day, or for your birthday or something. But if you're getting business cards, if you're getting marketing pieces on a b 2 b basis, the ability to really tailor, that to your own business and thematically, and have an impact, and the benefits of that with the again, the 3rd party, nature
00:25:31.930 --> 00:25:39.340 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: is is huge, so you know, as I just mentioned the Christmas cards kind of the easiest example or prospecting.
00:25:39.690 --> 00:25:56.180 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: It's another thing like the cutco where it's a gift. People like it. They appreciate it, but it's something that they will keep and that they will share with others. And it's 1 of the few things I've come across where a really neat combination of if you imagine this as a Christmas card
00:25:56.500 --> 00:26:22.270 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: sent out to everybody. By the way, strategically strategic gifting, if you're sending out Christmas cards, gifts, things like that don't do it when everybody else does do it sometime different. Do it on Remembrance Day, or, you know, Black Friday, or something like that. Do it December first.st Do it. January 15.th Don't send it between the 20th and 25, th when every business is getting dozens of cards, and it just goes in a pile
00:26:22.520 --> 00:26:23.589 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: little tip for you
00:26:23.990 --> 00:26:32.990 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: anyways back to the other cards. So even even with that kind of a situation, if you have a pop-up card. That's very unique.
00:26:33.200 --> 00:26:46.079 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: 1st of all, the right people that you want to send it to see it, because people are going to show it. Second of all, it gets kept, and it doesn't get stuck on the back wall and the string, or whatever else, and it gets kept after when everything else is thrown out.
00:26:46.390 --> 00:26:48.580 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: And 3, rd this is the magic part.
00:26:48.720 --> 00:26:51.329 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: If it's displayed on a counter or a desk.
00:26:51.520 --> 00:27:03.540 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: it will actually generate conversation. They're just, I mean, we're all kids at heart. They're just cool. So people have them out. They see them. They go. What's that, you know, and they show them a little pop up thing. They have some fun.
00:27:03.790 --> 00:27:13.480 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: and of course they say, where'd you get it? Oh, you know my lawyer, my realtor, my! You know tradesperson, my boiler, whoever it is, my accountant
00:27:13.650 --> 00:27:14.830 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: sent it to me.
00:27:15.090 --> 00:27:37.640 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: and there you have a situation where your customer or their customer is talking to their own customer about you without you having to prompt the conversation and lead it. It's very unthreatening, it's organic, and it gets your kind of exposure where you want. And then, of course, when people see it and they go, that's really neat. Then, you know, they go back to you and say, I want one next year for myself.
00:27:38.170 --> 00:27:42.709 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: So yeah, those are the the cards. I'll show you some more afterwards.
00:27:42.710 --> 00:27:48.030 Linda Whimple: Okay, yeah. So it's time for us to go to the next break. So it's a it's a good time
00:27:48.290 --> 00:27:48.840 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Yep.
00:27:48.970 --> 00:27:49.590 Linda Whimple: So
00:27:51.010 --> 00:27:54.029 Linda Whimple: So when we come back, let's let's talk more about the pop-ups
00:27:54.310 --> 00:27:55.309 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Sure sounds good.
00:27:55.890 --> 00:27:58.579 Linda Whimple: You. You found this out through experience.
00:27:58.760 --> 00:28:00.100 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Yeah, exactly.
00:28:00.100 --> 00:28:01.660 Linda Whimple: Okay. So stay tuned
00:29:40.480 --> 00:29:49.349 Linda Whimple: Well, welcome back to the nitty, gritty entrepreneur. I'm your host, Linda Wimple, and we're talking with Dean Stanzel.
00:29:49.550 --> 00:29:54.179 Linda Whimple: the top of mind gifts. So, Dean, let's let's dive back into it.
00:29:54.640 --> 00:30:04.589 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Yeah, for sure. I could talk about pop-up cards all day, and I think more and more nowadays, and whether you've recognized it or not.
00:30:04.690 --> 00:30:26.090 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Emotions are a very big part of sales. People don't buy under logic. They don't buy for the facts they justify with that. They buy because they like you because they feel good, and there is nothing I could say. That's maybe maybe not nothing. But there's very few things that can generate as much positivity as much smiles as I have seen with the pop-up cards.
00:30:26.150 --> 00:30:36.920 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: We you know you remember them as a kid. You've got the castle pop up, or the unicorn that pops out, or whatever, and we all have a smile. We all have, you know, remembrances of things like that.
00:30:37.320 --> 00:30:53.729 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: So to bring that back in business in a strategic way, but in a way that's also fun. I've showed them to hundreds of people, maybe thousands now. And I have to say honestly, I don't think I've met a single person who hasn't had cracked a smile when I've showed them.
00:30:53.890 --> 00:30:59.000 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: and that's that says something. You know. It's it's that the fact that everybody's doing that's the same
00:30:59.380 --> 00:31:10.370 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: tying that into business, though again, when you can blend the 2 together, the the surprise, the delight, the kid and everybody with the business tie-in.
00:31:10.580 --> 00:31:21.850 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Maybe it's, you know, doing your own trades. I joked with you. I've shown you quite a few, Linda, but hopefully this doesn't get edited out. I have a couple of great stories of cards that I've done
00:31:21.960 --> 00:31:32.750 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: is one in the trades industry. Now I'll just do some pictures as I go. So for trades, we also do business cards here. I'm jumping all over. So the business cards are cool.
00:31:32.950 --> 00:31:34.350 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: but they're actually
00:31:37.250 --> 00:31:42.239 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: pop up business card. Now, this one for trades, you know you've got your little trade vehicle, so that's why I mentioned it.
00:31:42.400 --> 00:31:47.619 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: But on the pop-up card side it's crazy where
00:31:47.900 --> 00:31:51.259 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: a rhetorical question, Where do business cards end up?
00:31:51.780 --> 00:31:55.570 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: We all know we all buy them. We all know what's going to happen to them.
00:31:55.690 --> 00:32:03.789 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Well, for once we have a business card that people actually keep, and they keep, and they play with. And they show other people. And it helps you stay top of mind.
00:32:03.950 --> 00:32:08.550 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: So that's a little side note there. But on the trade side of things
00:32:08.900 --> 00:32:24.759 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: I was talking to a plumber, and we were kind of having some fun with different ideas, and he was saying, Well, you know, what could we do, my logo? And ironically, your logo and your verbiage is much less important than the pop up the theme, the feeling that goes behind it.
00:32:25.000 --> 00:32:28.700 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: So he was saying, well, you know I'm a plumber. Maybe I should do a plunger.
00:32:28.920 --> 00:32:31.079 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: And so I was like, Yeah, that's a cool idea.
00:32:31.230 --> 00:32:39.480 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: And then I get creative. And I was like, you know, what you should do. Really, though you should do a toilet, you should have a pop up toilet in your card.
00:32:39.990 --> 00:32:49.749 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: and we both started laughing because it's just so preposterous. But it has that impact. Everybody have told that, too. If I said, Hey, remember my plumber, what was his pop up going to be?
00:32:49.940 --> 00:32:52.320 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Every single person will say, oh, yeah, that was the toilet.
00:32:52.480 --> 00:33:07.039 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: It's just the way it works. And so that's that's an example. In the trades in the real estate, you know. You saw the house one that I did there. Those are awesome for realtors. Anybody dealing with home building, you know. Any trades, really, sometimes, too.
00:33:07.390 --> 00:33:29.129 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: But I've dealt and talked to some really high end home builders and developers. And they're not dealing with tons of people. But they're dealing with 5, $1015,000,000 properties. And again, I'm always amazed when people can help expand my mind and vision for things, because I like to think I'm pretty creative.
00:33:29.360 --> 00:33:31.829 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: But the one gentleman came back and said.
00:33:32.100 --> 00:33:37.510 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: You know, can you do one of these houses to spec like if we have the CAD drawings and stuff?
00:33:37.640 --> 00:33:54.880 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: And I said, well, you know, within reason it's folded paper. There's only so much we can do. But yeah, we could do that. The problem is that it's a production run. You know, it's a product. So if you're getting a specific house done, that's a custom home build for a specific person, I can do it.
00:33:55.040 --> 00:33:57.310 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: But we need to get 150 of them.
00:33:57.430 --> 00:33:59.459 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: And I don't think you need that.
00:33:59.700 --> 00:34:12.489 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: And he said, Yeah, that I can see that I know there's a cost. But, he said ultimately, I mean, if I'm doing a 10 million dollars house, I can pay a little bit extra to have one card made, if if that's all I need.
00:34:12.940 --> 00:34:27.289 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: And again, I was like, you know what you're right, and for that kind of person, if you think about it, it's crazy how somebody that's buying a 10 million dollars house! What have they not seen before? And what can you get them that they don't have?
00:34:27.510 --> 00:34:29.840 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: And how can you leave an impact and impression?
00:34:30.080 --> 00:34:38.109 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Well, this would be a completely unique, both in terms of what it was as a gift as well as what the gift itself is
00:34:38.320 --> 00:34:41.809 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: completely unique, something that will stand out.
00:34:41.870 --> 00:35:08.779 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: And in this particular case for the builder, again, they're dealing with high, high end homes and people, and those people talk so when they have guests and parties and stuff. I can't say speak for everybody, but they're the kind of things that will be on that mantle or on that thing, just as a talking piece, because it's unique. And people that have unique stuff like to show other people how unique their stuff is if you get what I mean.
00:35:09.130 --> 00:35:13.440 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: And if they have a special thing like this, it's an ego play.
00:35:13.620 --> 00:35:40.819 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: but it also from the person that gave it is immeasurable as far as the impact it's having, because people are bragging about you, not about your work. And that's okay. But they're bragging about the thing you gave them, which then leads back to you. And that's that's my objective. That's the whole thing. So that's another kind of different way of looking at it, and we've had everything from pharmaceutical companies. Another big thing with the.
00:35:41.330 --> 00:35:43.730 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: you know. I should show you some more cards.
00:35:43.970 --> 00:35:47.570 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: There's my little gift box one. I think it's kind of boring
00:35:47.570 --> 00:35:52.709 Linda Whimple: So so you can use this for what grand, open, grand openings
00:35:52.890 --> 00:35:53.439 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Yeah.
00:35:53.990 --> 00:35:55.030 Linda Whimple: Celebration.
00:35:55.580 --> 00:35:57.209 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: I was just going to go there
00:35:57.210 --> 00:35:57.620 Linda Whimple: Awesome.
00:35:57.860 --> 00:36:11.669 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: No, no, that's fine, like I said. You just gotta shut me up because I keep talking otherwise. This one here, for example, lots of whiskey wine, you know, fine spirits. So here's a card with a custom model in it.
00:36:11.990 --> 00:36:17.190 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: And again, I've talked to a few breweries, people that do fancy types of alcohol.
00:36:18.270 --> 00:36:30.160 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: You just mentioned it. If they're doing a new launch, a new product, a new spirit, whatever it might be. If you can imagine something like that being the Thank you or being on the tag of the new bottle.
00:36:30.300 --> 00:36:42.429 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: It's a premium thing. People are expecting that. And it's very unique. And again, when they go and they share it with somebody. They'll keep this after the alcohol is gone, and it'll be an incredible leaving piece.
00:36:42.933 --> 00:36:51.339 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: That's ironically. That was one of the cards I was going to show you. Then there's things like this one which is for a travel agent
00:36:55.120 --> 00:37:05.040 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: thematic again, if this is your thank you, card or whatever you're gonna remember that travel agent. You're gonna show that to other people. Talk about the services they gave you and everything.
00:37:05.572 --> 00:37:17.919 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: And it goes on and on. There's hundreds of different ones that we've done, lots of buildings architecture, but some pretty cool, unique ones, too, like, you know, samurai and lots of animals, things like that.
00:37:18.080 --> 00:37:20.940 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: pretty much as far as the imagination can take you
00:37:21.160 --> 00:37:24.950 Linda Whimple: Yeah, yeah, so veterinary veterinarians.
00:37:25.960 --> 00:37:26.660 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Yeah.
00:37:27.480 --> 00:37:37.649 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: I've a person that I've just talked to that has an event space kind of in the rural barn. You know the the that kind of a feel to it pizza parlor, and
00:37:37.830 --> 00:37:43.490 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: they're thematically. They've got a goat that's kind of their mascot, their thing. They like goats.
00:37:43.750 --> 00:37:56.260 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: And so we're we're doing a goat for them, an actual pop-up goat, because that's just cool. And I had some fun with it. I said, you do have a logo and image, because that's typically, you know, you can build from that.
00:37:56.530 --> 00:38:01.799 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: And she said, Well, yeah, I do. But can I? Could I actually do like a real goat. And I said, Well.
00:38:01.910 --> 00:38:18.950 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: in theory. But you know, if we're doing a 3D. Model or picture like that, we typically have, you know, pictures from all sides, angles and top down and stuff. So I said you'd need to have your goat there and take, you know. Smile, take a picture, take the side, take the back end.
00:38:19.220 --> 00:38:39.489 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: And she's like, Okay, I'll do that. And so this is coming out. I don't know what it'll look like, but it's it's cool. It's something different new. And if you get that when you book that event, or if you're eating there or get a gift card from it. And you see the goat pop up, you're going to tell people about it. It's just it's so bizarre and out there.
00:38:39.900 --> 00:38:49.299 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: So yeah, there's another one. Now. I don't know if I don't want to end things and have people leave screaming because they're so scared of this. But I'm going to put it out there.
00:38:49.680 --> 00:39:01.870 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: This is my business card now, my new one, I've shown you this one, but I want to be marketing. I want to share top of mind awareness. I want people to understand the power of being remembered
00:39:02.090 --> 00:39:02.430 Linda Whimple: Okay.
00:39:02.810 --> 00:39:11.519 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: What I did is, I thought if people put business cards out, they have their picture on it, you know, to help people remember. So I said, Well, let's take it to the next level.
00:39:12.410 --> 00:39:13.659 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Here we go.
00:39:13.660 --> 00:39:14.060 Linda Whimple: Oh!
00:39:16.180 --> 00:39:17.499 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: That is my head.
00:39:18.190 --> 00:39:19.080 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: This card
00:39:20.250 --> 00:39:21.110 Linda Whimple: And
00:39:21.450 --> 00:39:31.289 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: You're you're exhibiting it. Perfectly right. I have some people that go. That's kind of freaky kind of scary. Some people go. Other people laugh.
00:39:31.460 --> 00:39:40.930 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: But every single person I've talked to I kind of joke afterwards. And they say, Yeah, so you've seen it. Whatever are you ever gonna forget me like, Nope, Nope.
00:39:41.410 --> 00:39:50.729 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: and I was like, exactly. That's the power of it. And and there's all kinds of different things. I don't. Yeah, I want to continue the
00:39:51.050 --> 00:40:00.159 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Sam. I think it is the the person that runs the show in the commercial there. I heard him talking about charities and fundraising nonprofits
00:40:00.160 --> 00:40:00.830 Linda Whimple: Yes.
00:40:00.830 --> 00:40:18.960 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: That was very interesting and appealing to me because we actually use these cards a lot in those. Again, if you think about white collar or black black tie, dinners, fundraisers, universities, alumni, charity fundraising events, golf tournaments, you know. You can go all on and on
00:40:19.220 --> 00:40:19.560 Linda Whimple: No.
00:40:19.820 --> 00:40:41.679 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: They all have invitations, so people need to be invited out. What better way to express something? An art gallery opening with the unique piece of art that pops out, you know, a symphony with a grand piano that pops out things like that. So it's really cool for applications that way. And again gets people out effective, maybe even more. So, though
00:40:41.780 --> 00:40:45.430 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: you want to have those big donors come out, you want to have the fundraising
00:40:45.550 --> 00:40:49.270 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: and those people again. What do they not have?
00:40:49.540 --> 00:40:53.650 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: They have everything. They've seen it all, I mean, they have all this money to donate and give away.
00:40:53.950 --> 00:40:57.349 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: So how can you find something different for them?
00:40:58.010 --> 00:41:03.199 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Well, if this single event, this whatever black tie, dinner, this gallery opening.
00:41:03.360 --> 00:41:11.759 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: if we could make a card specifically for that possibly as an invitation, but even more so as a Thank you. Thank you for your donation. Thank you for that kind of
00:41:11.870 --> 00:41:12.620 Linda Whimple: Wait!
00:41:12.850 --> 00:41:22.799 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Exactly. And these people that get it. They've never gotten one of these. I can guarantee they've never gotten one of these before, because what you create is completely unique.
00:41:23.170 --> 00:41:26.899 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: And that is again, that's appealing for people that have everything.
00:41:27.020 --> 00:41:27.850 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: The
00:41:27.970 --> 00:41:42.249 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: it's hard to impress them. And this does so off off the air afterwards. I want to talk to Samuel about that, because I love the impact that has for charities and fundraising and the ability to show the recognition and rewards as well.
00:41:44.520 --> 00:41:45.260 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Cool.
00:41:45.430 --> 00:41:47.160 Linda Whimple: Hey? That's great.
00:41:47.360 --> 00:41:55.500 Linda Whimple: And so it looks like we're up against another are time to play.
00:41:55.980 --> 00:41:56.900 Linda Whimple: I'm sorry. What
00:41:56.900 --> 00:41:58.730 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: I said, time flies when you're having fun.
00:41:58.730 --> 00:42:04.609 Linda Whimple: It does, and you've got, and you have more than that I hadn't seen before. This is really cool
00:42:04.610 --> 00:42:05.340 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Yeah.
00:42:05.600 --> 00:42:09.970 Linda Whimple: So okay, so we're we're going to go on to the break.
00:42:10.140 --> 00:42:12.600 Linda Whimple: Yeah, we'll be right back
00:42:13.280 --> 00:42:14.100 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: All right.
00:43:56.940 --> 00:44:02.400 Linda Whimple: Well welcome back to the nitty, gritty entrepreneur with your host.
00:44:02.840 --> 00:44:06.109 Linda Whimple: Linda Wimple and our guest, Dean Stanzel
00:44:06.490 --> 00:44:09.010 Linda Whimple: Dean that was, did you want to continue
00:44:09.180 --> 00:44:11.020 Linda Whimple: from what you were talking about
00:44:11.340 --> 00:44:28.710 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: I'm making a plug here. Advertising, I guess, works because every commercial I hear something that inspires me to think of something else. So mental health side of it. This isn't what this card was created for, but I've actually thought about promoting it in that capacity. So a little card you kind of get the idea
00:44:31.170 --> 00:44:32.160 Linda Whimple: Oh, my God!
00:44:32.160 --> 00:44:33.089 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: That's the card.
00:44:34.090 --> 00:44:38.639 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Imagine as a fundraiser for an event on Alzheimer's or mental health.
00:44:38.800 --> 00:44:48.420 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: if that was what you were getting, I mean thematically. We've got ones with, you know, the valves in a heart. Lots of different organs don't get too creepy here. But
00:44:48.640 --> 00:44:56.560 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: again, it's the impact. It's the difference. We have ones with golf tournaments, you know, actual golfers swinging or hole in one stuff like that.
00:44:56.680 --> 00:45:06.230 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Any kind of event we've got Nascars and race cars Formula One big rigs and things like that. It's it's incredible. Across the board
00:45:06.230 --> 00:45:08.130 Linda Whimple: And those cards are easy to write on
00:45:08.510 --> 00:45:10.060 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Oh, yeah, it's paper. It's
00:45:10.060 --> 00:45:10.890 Linda Whimple: Yeah, okay.
00:45:10.890 --> 00:45:31.609 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Hard to see over a camera, but it's actually it's called Kirigami, and it's a Vietnamese art form. It's actual like origami. But it's paper folded specifically into pop-up cards. It's an actual class. There's actual science behind it. People learn about how to do it, but it comes from the Vietnamese culture.
00:45:31.940 --> 00:45:35.410 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: and you probably can't see it there. But these are
00:45:35.520 --> 00:45:52.470 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: physical paper, tangible laser cut like it's not a 3D replica. It's not a mass produced printed thing. They're hand built, and we can print on them if you want, but it's just like any other kind of high quality paper that you can write on
00:45:52.470 --> 00:45:57.579 Linda Whimple: Okay. Okay. I just didn't know about the thickness, you know. Doesn't look like this thin paper
00:45:57.870 --> 00:46:02.160 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: No, no, like, yeah. You can even see the the depth. Well.
00:46:02.160 --> 00:46:03.029 Linda Whimple: There you go!
00:46:03.230 --> 00:46:10.379 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: But yeah, it's definitely multiple layers kind of through it. And that's what gives them multiple colors and things like that. But
00:46:10.980 --> 00:46:12.409 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: yeah, for sure.
00:46:14.270 --> 00:46:14.875 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: So
00:46:15.600 --> 00:46:35.940 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: what else would you like to know? You want to know about more cards? I could talk about cards all day if you ever want to jump down the rabbit hole. I've got probably 400 of these different ones with stories, and you can check them all out and see them. And it's just really fun. But I warn you, once you start looking at them. It does tend to get addictive, and you keep going and going and going.
00:46:36.500 --> 00:46:38.210 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Huh? But yeah.
00:46:38.210 --> 00:46:39.620 Linda Whimple: Do you have any more to show
00:46:40.510 --> 00:46:42.010 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: I have boxes full.
00:46:42.010 --> 00:46:45.359 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Oh, I don't know if there's okay. So
00:46:45.760 --> 00:46:49.739 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: here's 1 that that a lot of people just get a kick out of, and this one is
00:46:50.030 --> 00:46:55.670 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: for national national business capital. So capital fundraising better
00:46:55.670 --> 00:46:57.410 Linda Whimple: Oh, my! Gosh!
00:46:57.410 --> 00:46:59.540 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: There's a million dollars in cash.
00:46:59.740 --> 00:47:01.559 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: That's kind of a fun one.
00:47:02.275 --> 00:47:12.249 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: From a technological standpoint or technology. This company man, I should actually charge these guys for advertising credits. But this company did this one.
00:47:12.660 --> 00:47:19.039 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: And what that is is a very sophisticated new piece of machinery that they've developed.
00:47:19.160 --> 00:47:20.889 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: And they wanted to
00:47:21.150 --> 00:47:32.199 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: offer it to hospitals and other things. So how do you promote yourself? Do you send in the normal, glossy Pdf. Or something or email checkout or anything. Well.
00:47:32.710 --> 00:47:42.870 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: will they read it? Will they see it? Maybe maybe not. But I can guarantee that if that gets sent to a doctor they're at least going to be shown it and open it and have that chuckle
00:47:43.060 --> 00:47:47.629 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: that at the very least, and that sometimes is worth worth its weight in gold, and
00:47:47.870 --> 00:47:53.330 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: even enough, just by itself to justify, to crack that door open just enough to get in.
00:47:53.990 --> 00:47:59.239 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: So there's things like that. You know. I actually, I'll talk about this, too.
00:47:59.400 --> 00:48:00.100 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: The
00:48:00.100 --> 00:48:01.420 Linda Whimple: Every industry.
00:48:01.610 --> 00:48:03.270 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Yeah, every
00:48:03.400 --> 00:48:18.680 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: honestly, I think every industry can benefit. But then, again, I'm biased. But one of the things along the theme of what I've been talking about is anybody that's going to lots of in-person networking places you'd think about traditionally giving out and exchanging cards
00:48:18.880 --> 00:48:23.540 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: and or events vendors. You know, trade shows things like that.
00:48:23.870 --> 00:48:28.980 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: It's it's an unbelievable and unbeatable type of giveaway
00:48:29.550 --> 00:48:36.479 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: I've been. I've seen it, and everybody's seen it so many times. You get the swag bags with the notepad and the pen, or whatever else.
00:48:36.630 --> 00:48:59.420 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: and it's really disheartening on many levels to see people throwing them out, you know, halfway down the aisle. Sometimes they just take them to shut you up. I've been there. Yeah, yeah, thanks. Move on. But it doesn't do anything. So I look at that on a number of different levels and go. Why are people spending money on this? They know it doesn't do anything.
00:48:59.960 --> 00:49:02.080 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: But you feel like you have to.
00:49:02.430 --> 00:49:09.630 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: So again, totally self-promotion. Having a card like that as a giveaway or as the business card
00:49:10.170 --> 00:49:13.979 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: a people keep it, they will at least look at it.
00:49:14.100 --> 00:49:20.729 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: But here's the really cool part is they take it out and they play with it as they're walking down because it's different. It's unique.
00:49:21.390 --> 00:49:22.839 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: And other people see it.
00:49:23.290 --> 00:49:27.320 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: and when they see it inevitably, they're like, Oh, that's cool. Where'd you get it
00:49:27.570 --> 00:49:37.779 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: now? If you're in a trade show with hundreds of other vendors, and you can have people that have come by your booth talking to other people in the trade show about you.
00:49:37.890 --> 00:49:41.910 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: and inevitably what happens is, oh, that's kind of cool. Yeah, they're over there.
00:49:42.090 --> 00:49:43.290 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: I'll go get one
00:49:43.740 --> 00:49:51.910 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: right. And it's in one sense it has nothing to do with your business right? Really, they don't care. They just want the pop-up.
00:49:52.210 --> 00:49:58.479 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: but it drives traffic, which increases the the effectiveness of the booth and the impact from it.
00:49:58.580 --> 00:50:27.450 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: And it gets somebody lots of people coming over to your booth that wouldn't have otherwise come there. And that's why we're at trade shows. So anybody that does those kind of vending events where they're seeing lots of people and wanting to stand out and be different. That's an incredible one. If you had a home builder that had, you know, custom home as their card. That was a giveaway. You can imagine you get that. Oh, that's cute like you saw this one, they say, Oh, yeah, that's the home builder over there. You should go check it out. It's just
00:50:27.540 --> 00:50:33.239 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: it's incredible, so simple, so easy, but so powerful.
00:50:34.990 --> 00:50:35.550 Linda Whimple: Yep.
00:50:36.050 --> 00:50:36.640 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Nope.
00:50:36.760 --> 00:50:44.540 Linda Whimple: The the visibility is just like you've been saying it's and there's
00:50:44.970 --> 00:50:58.349 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: That like, there's large scale. We're the only company that does them on the small kind of quantity basis that really nobody else does. So it excludes so many businesses and people that are in that middle ground.
00:50:58.560 --> 00:51:08.960 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: But that being said, we do work with enterprise companies. You know, we have people that'll do. One of my favorite stories is a pharmaceutical company who came out with a new drug.
00:51:09.180 --> 00:51:14.979 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: and their pop-up was a molecular reproduction of their drug.
00:51:15.380 --> 00:51:23.679 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: So the actual atoms and the electrons and stuff like that. Now it's anybody that doesn't know what it is. It's just like, oh, whatever.
00:51:23.840 --> 00:51:24.680 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: But
00:51:24.850 --> 00:51:33.019 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: it's cool to me because I like the science. But it's also something that's unique enough that if you give that to a clinic and you say, Hey, here's our new product
00:51:33.190 --> 00:51:42.340 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: again, breaking the ice, getting in the door even for follow up. That's something I've done with the the knives, too, and prospecting even cold prospecting is
00:51:42.520 --> 00:51:47.210 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: if you people are used to being and don't like being marketed to.
00:51:47.690 --> 00:51:52.279 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: But people love getting gifts and being shown appreciation genuinely.
00:51:52.650 --> 00:52:19.529 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: So, if you send something like the card, or I've done it with, you know, high level prospects, something like the knives, and don't do it for you. Do it for them, you know. I'll take their logo, maybe find a phrase or something that they're interested in and really personalize it to that other person and send it to them, and this is the part most people kind of. Look at me weirdly is I don't send it with anything. I don't have my business card. I don't have a letter. I don't have an introduction. I don't have an ask nothing.
00:52:20.230 --> 00:52:26.089 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: and they say, Well, that's you know, spending a hundred bucks on sending this thing. Oh, that's pretty risky, or whatever.
00:52:26.970 --> 00:52:30.849 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: But a I know that when it's sent.
00:52:30.970 --> 00:52:35.659 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: and especially if there's no marketing, it will be delivered to the person I'm sending it to.
00:52:35.800 --> 00:52:45.740 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: No, no gatekeeper is going to say No, I'm I'm just going to keep this and not give them the gift right. Second thing is, when they get it, they will open it, and it will generate curiosity.
00:52:46.030 --> 00:52:50.320 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: maybe even more so, because there's nothing with it. There's no ask or anything like that.
00:52:52.300 --> 00:53:03.490 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: but then I will follow up a few weeks later and just check if they got the gift. And again, who's going to get in the way of saying, you know I want to talk to Frank, and just make sure he got my gift.
00:53:03.650 --> 00:53:19.320 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Well, they're not going to step in the way of that. So I actually get on the phone with this person. And then we start talking. And again, I'm not pitching at all. I don't need to sell, because we started a conversation. That's the whole thing. I wanted to just get in and talk to the person.
00:53:19.450 --> 00:53:31.590 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: But we start having the conversation. And here's where the human nature inevitably things, you know come back to you after they see it. They love it. Oh, great, you know. Thank you so much? Why did you do it? And so on.
00:53:32.090 --> 00:53:36.119 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: The natural question then becomes so, what is it you do
00:53:36.360 --> 00:53:57.140 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: now? In my case it's the knives. But if it's sent for any other purpose, it's the same thing that it will naturally beg the question of, Why did you send this? What did you do, which is an invite from the person you're talking to, to tell them about what you do, and that's I mean, it's just turning everything on its head, and it's so effective.
00:53:57.610 --> 00:53:58.460 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Go ahead.
00:53:58.630 --> 00:54:01.059 Linda Whimple: The that's thank you.
00:54:01.760 --> 00:54:02.309 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Thank you.
00:54:02.310 --> 00:54:05.009 Linda Whimple: Thank you for for sharing that Dean.
00:54:05.550 --> 00:54:12.399 Linda Whimple: I did want to before we end. I did want to find out what is the best way for
00:54:12.930 --> 00:54:13.500 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Cool, too
00:54:13.500 --> 00:54:14.740 Linda Whimple: Contact you
00:54:15.590 --> 00:54:41.620 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Well, I'm 1 of those strange people nowadays that will actually take a phone call. So phone is always great and my number is 306-22-9641, one. My email, Dean, at Topofmindgiftsca, which you probably have, and on the card side, Dean at strategic, 3 dcards.com, and that's the websites as well. I think they'll all be in the credits, but reach out. And you know what, if anybody
00:54:41.700 --> 00:54:55.379 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: you know looking for connections, wants to talk more about this strategy. I don't have unlimited time, but I'm happy to talk to people and share. I just I love what I do. So yeah, that's the best way to reach out and love to help people
00:54:55.770 --> 00:54:59.670 Linda Whimple: Thank you so much, Dean, and thank you.
00:55:00.430 --> 00:55:03.880 Linda Whimple: Thank you. Listeners. Listeners, for tuning in.
00:55:04.640 --> 00:55:08.869 Linda Whimple: So remember to come back next week on Thursday, at 4 o'clock
00:55:09.020 --> 00:55:12.249 Linda Whimple: PM. Eastern time, or one o'clock Pacific
00:55:13.460 --> 00:55:17.659 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: And I won't be prepared to take all the time and hug all the messages so
00:55:20.960 --> 00:55:24.740 Linda Whimple: So thanks everyone, and we will see you next week.
00:55:26.070 --> 00:55:26.549 Dean Stanzel - Top Of Mind Gifts: Thanks for having
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