Maximum Lawyer – Episode Summary
Episode Title: Turning Swag into Swagger with Heather Olson
Host: Tyson Mutrux
Guest: Heather Olson
Date: January 15, 2026
Episode Overview
This episode centers on the strategic use of promotional items—commonly called “swag”—to drive law firm branding, community presence, and referral relationships. Guest Heather Olson, a law firm owner, shares her philosophy and actionable ideas for choosing, sourcing, and distributing swag so that it becomes a memorable, value-adding tool for marketing and relationship-building, not just another throwaway trinket.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Why Swag Still Matters in the Digital Age
- Heather emphasizes the unique psychological effect of tactile, branded items in a world dominated by digital marketing and AI.
- Swag isn’t just “stuff we all get,” but should be designed to make recipients feel special and remembered.
- Quote (Heather, 01:32):
“Getting back to actual physical things that we put in people's hands... we’re actually, like, putting our names out there.”
How to Choose the Right Swag
- Identify Your Audience:
- Use industry resources to research demographics—consider age, region, gender, and preferences.
- Younger generations prefer tech gadgets and drinkware; older generations appreciate apparel like polo shirts.
- Heather recommends checking industry websites that break down promo item trends by demographic.
- Use a Promotional Items Distributor:
- Distributors are experts who can recommend, source, and customize items within budget and purpose.
- Quote (Heather, 04:20):
“Just like our clients come to us because we’re experts in the legal field, a promotional items distributor is an expert.”
- Leverage Local Businesses:
- For customizing high-end items (like branded jackets), buy in bulk and use local embroiders for finishing touches.
Avoiding Junk: Swag That Doesn’t End Up in the Trash
- Quality Over Quantity:
- Cheap, easily broken items (e.g., flimsy sunglasses, useless squeeze toys) go straight to the garbage.
- Practicality & Sustainability:
- Choose useful, durable items people will keep (e.g., umbrellas, golf towels, first aid kits).
- Emphasize sustainability—opt for recyclable or reusable swag.
- Memorable & Stylish:
- Impactful, eye-catching, or clever items stick around—and in people’s memory.
- Quote (Heather, 09:17):
“Make sure that you're the best that you can. Make sure that it's high quality.”
Community Visibility: Get Creative!
- Branding Beyond Handouts:
- Place branded wine glasses (“Defending Poor Decisions”) in local bars and restaurants.
- This achieved ongoing exposure and prompted word-of-mouth marketing when people encountered the glasses in unexpected places.
- Quote (Heather, 11:44):
“Thinking outside of the box... we did the wine glasses, but there are quite a few different things you could do.”
- Place branded wine glasses (“Defending Poor Decisions”) in local bars and restaurants.
- Giveaways at Local Events:
- Instead of sponsoring a golf hole, buy and distribute custom golf towels—a practical item that gets reused.
- Examples:
- Umbrellas (everyone needs, few buy for themselves)
- Branded first-aid kits (for glove compartments/purses)
- Combination coolers/stadium chairs (for families at games)
- Tech adapters (lawyers for trial, high reuse value)
Swag For Clients & Referral Sources: Personal, Not Branded
- Don’t Brand Everything:
- For end-clients or referrals, avoid putting your firm’s logo on the gift—make it about them.
- Personalized, high-end, practical gifts (e.g., suede wine bags with a monogram, Turkish towels, custom chef knives).
- Quote (Heather, 16:22):
“You really want them to feel special. You really want them to think, ‘Oh, they put in the extra effort to give me this thing.’”
Creative & Cost-Effective Swag
- Stickers & Temporary Tattoos with QR Codes:
- UV transfer stickers can be customized at very low cost—apply to cups, notebooks, and more for instant, professional branding.
- “Talk to my Lawyer” temporary tattoos with Heather’s firm’s QR code are handed out at bars and places “where people get drunk and disorderly.”
- Quote (Heather, 18:39):
“Those temporary tattoos are so cheap, but they’re super impactful and everybody loves them.”
- Quote (Heather, 18:39):
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On finding the right swag for YOUR audience:
(Heather, 02:38)“So you have to kind of figure out exactly what is your target audience... they also have demographics on gender, regions... a really good resource to figure out what people like.”
-
On working with distributors:
(Heather, 05:01)“They’ll give you 15 different places that you could source that from, different items, different price ranges.”
-
On useless swag:
(Heather, 08:22)“My husband came back from a conference... dumped this stuff in the trash because it was cheap sunglasses that broke... and this weird little squeezy thing that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.”
-
On swag for clients/referrals:
(Heather, 16:52)“When you are giving items to clients or referral sources, do not put your name on it. They don’t want your name on stuff.”
Timestamps for Key Segments
- [01:28] – Why physical swag still has power
- [02:25] – Researching and identifying audience preferences for swag
- [04:00] – Sourcing swag and the value of promotional item distributors
- [08:02] – How to ensure swag is kept, not trashed
- [10:25] – Community visibility: creative placement and useful items
- [13:35] – Community-oriented swag ideas (e.g., towels, umbrellas, first aid kits)
- [16:00] – Swag for clients and referrals: think personal, not branded
- [18:39] – Cost-effective, creative swag: UV stickers and QR code tattoos
Actionable Takeaways
- Spend time understanding your recipients before ordering swag.
- Work with distributors for expertise, deals, and new trends.
- Choose practical, high-quality, and sustainable items—they get saved, not trashed.
- For community branding, think creatively about how your swag can circulate beyond just handouts.
- Gifts for clients/referrals should be personal—not firm-branded—to foster genuine relationships.
- Budget-conscious? Leverage creative solutions like UV transfer stickers and QR code giveaways.
Final Thoughts
Heather Olson’s approach transforms swag from a wasted budget line into a strategic touchpoint that boosts brand recognition, client loyalty, and referral network strength. Her tips encourage law firm owners to rethink what they hand out and ensure every item is a step toward memorable, authentic branding.