Stop Buying Cheap Swag: Branded Merch that Elevates Your Brand with Eric Turney

Is your “swag” secretly hurting your brand?

In this episode of Sales & Cigars, Walter sits down with Eric Turney from The Monterey Company to talk about why your promo gear should do more than just check a box—it should actually say something about your brand.

Eric shares his unconventional path from construction, to almost becoming a physical therapist, to “falling backward” into sales and eventually buying the company he worked for. He and Walter dig into the real differences between being a great salesperson and being a great sales manager, handling customers who only care about price, and why saying “no” is sometimes the most professional move you can make.

They also get into the nuts and bolts of branded merch: why quality matters, how to help clients think beyond cheap t-shirts, and what the pandemic and shipping chaos taught Eric’s team about communication, margins, and long-term customer loyalty. If you’ve ever ordered promo products for an event, trade show, or team—and regretted it—this one’s for you.

In This Episode:

• College vs reality – Why what you learn in college has almost nothing to do with building wealth or becoming an entrepreneur.

• Rich Dad, Poor Dad mindset – The books that shifted Eric’s view of money, business, and long-term wealth creation.

• From construction to custom merch – How a layoff, a false start in physical therapy, and a new baby on the way pushed Eric into sales at The Monterey Company.

• Learning sales on the fly – Word tracks, repetition, and what he learned from a top car salesman buddy.

• The Dutch Bros lesson – Why consistently great experience beats mediocre product—and how Eric trains his reps to “bottle” that.

• Salesperson vs sales manager – Why being good at selling doesn’t automatically make you good at leading a sales team—and what Eric had to learn the hard way.

• Needing to be liked – Staying up late worrying about orders, over-promising, and the shift from “pushover” to respected advisor.

• When to say no – Recognizing problem customers, setting boundaries, and why “if they come for price, they’ll leave for price.”

• Niche focus – How Monterey naturally gravitated to government, military, and public service clients—and what those buyers really need.

• Helping the real decision-maker – Working with marketing coordinators and event planners who are tasked with buying merch but don’t know where to start.

• The Core Four sales process – Call leads quickly, text often, quote fast, and get an art proof in front of the customer ASAP.

• COVID, ports, and tariffs – Container costs jumping 10x, shipping delays, switching to air freight, and choosing to eat margin to preserve long-term relationships.

• Quality vs cheap – Why spending 20–50% more can result in a 10x better product—and how that shows up in customer perception.

• Brand alignment in merch – Walmart polos vs Carhartt gear, why your team’s apparel reflects your brand values, and how “one thing is how you do everything.”

• Upselling the smart way – Medals plus shirts, plus stickers; building better event experiences instead of just pushing more product.

• Lifetime value thinking – Why Eric would rather lose margin on a few orders than lose a great client for good.

• Cigars & solitude – Eric’s “special occasion” approach to cigars and why a great stick pairs well with quiet, not crowds.
  
  

Connect with Eric Turney

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-turney/

• The Monterey Company: https://montereycompany.com/ 

 

Connect with Walter Crosby and Sales & Cigars:

Website: Helix Sales Development

LinkedIn: Walter Crosby

Instagram: @wcrosby248

Facebook: Helix Sales Development

 

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Keep savoring those cigars and stay sharp in sales! Until next time, keep listening to Sales & Cigars—the podcast where the only smoke we blow is from cigars.