Ballard Way Resources Curated by the Ballard Center
In the spirit of sharing best practices, we are publicly sharing some of our helpful processes and systems that we have developed to Do Good. Better. at the Ballard Center.
Feel free to download and use the ideas or documents as templates/inspiration for the work at your organization.
Questions? Contact us at ballardcenter@byu.edu.
Ballard Center Physical Product Proposal
Submit this form to the Marketing and Communications team for manager approval before initiating design, ordering, or promoting any new physical product.
Proposed Item Name: _______________________________________________________
Intended Use Case(s): _______________________________________________________
Target Audience: ___________________________________________________________
Product Description & Specifications:
Size, color options, materials, customization needs ____________________________________________________________________________
Vendor Info: _______________________________________________________________
Quote for Product + Shipping and Fees: _____________________________________
Estimated Cost per Unit: $_________
Quantity Break Points:
- 50: $_______ | 100: $_______ | 250: $_______ | 500+: $_______ | _______ : $_______
Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ): ___________ Proposed Quantity: ___________
Distribution Plan:
How will this be distributed or used? Who is responsible?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Storage Plan:
Where will this be stored, and how will inventory be tracked?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Be sure to include a photo of the product as well as a mockup.
Proposed Item Evaluation Rubric
The table below provides a spot for these 3 items from left to right below:
Category | Description | Score (1-10)
| Mission Alignment | Does it reflect Ballard Center values and identity? | |
| Strategic Purpose | Does this serve a clear strategic goal (e.g., outreach, retention)? | |
| Use Case & Audience | Does the product have a clear use case and audience? | |
| Cost Effectiveness | Is the cost reasonable, appropriate for the use case, and fits our budget? | |
| Teaching Touchpoint | Does it teach or reinforce a principle from our Do Good. Better. curriculum? | |
| Audience Fit & Appeal | Do at least 5 members of the target audience love the item? | |
| Sustainability & Ethical Sourcing | Eco-friendly materials, fair trade, and vendor transparency? | |
| Usefulness & Longevity | Will recipients use and keep the item long-term? | |
| Brand Visibility | Will this increase brand recognition and affinity? | |
| Legal & Trademark Compliance | Is it compliant with BYU’s licensing standards? |
Recommendation: Proceed / Revise / Decline
Total Score: ______ / 10
Ballard Center Physical Products Strategy
Guidelines for creating and ordering physical swag and merchandise items.
Purpose
Our physical products (branded swag and merch) exist to advance the mission of the Ballard Center by enhancing connection and visibility. These products serve as tools for education, celebration, outreach, and identity-association for our community.
They provide opportunities for word-of-mouth advertising and act as conversationstarters that give others a chance to chat about the Ballard Center and what it means to Do Good. Better.
Guiding Principles
Every item we produce should:
• Be excellent and desirable: designed to spark joy and pride in ownership.
• Be mission-aligned and reinforce our Do Good. Better. values and curriculum.
• Be strategically selected based on purpose, audience, and cost.
• Be sustainable: prioritize eco-friendly, fair trade, and ethically sourced options.
• Be strategically distributed: used for relationship-building, outreach, or incentives.
• Be audience-tested by at least 5 target users before bulk ordering.
• Be legally and brand compliant: meet BYU and Ballard Center trademark and licensing standards
Instructions
All Ballard Center branded physical products must be approved by the head of Marketing and Communications. Proposals for physical products must be submitted by completing the proposal form and emailing the proposal to ballarddesign@byu.edu.
Use Cases and Audiences
| Use Case | Audience | Description |
| Promotional Giveaways | General student body | <$5 items like stickers, pens, small plants to raise awareness at booths/fairs. |
| Event-specific Merchandise | Conference attendees, students, speakers | $5–$10 items distributed at events like the Do Good. Better. Conference. |
| Swag Store Incentives | Ballard Center student employees | >$10 items purchased with Ballard Bucks (which are given for birthdays, anniversaries, or performance recognition.) |
| Volunteer & Speaker Gifts | Guest speakers and collaborators | High-quality branded thank-you items that reflect Ballard Center values. |
| BYU Store Products | Broader BYU and Do Good. Better. community | Branded merchandise sold online/in-store via BYU Custom Products. |
Notes on Inventory Management:
The welcome desk team maintains a central inventory log to track existing items, quantities on hand, usage frequency, and restock triggers. This helps reduce waste and ensures availability for priority events.
Resources published and shared by the Ballard Center are not necessarily endorsed by BYU or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.