by Kirby Hasseman
As you might expect, my team and I get to see the latest and greatest promo! We have a ton of great suppliers that work with us to make sure we have “seen it all.” With that in mind, sometimes I become jaded. I feel like I have seen every t-shirt, tumbler and cooler in the world. I mean, why would I need another? Recently I had the opportunity to work with one of our great clients (McWane Ductile) on their vendor golf outing. They always create a first class event. In order to make the event extra special, we partnered with our supplier Imagen Brands to create a “Hit it to Win it” contest on one of the Par 3’s on the course. The concept goes like this, we have some amazing logo’d products and we place them all over the green. (No, we did not impede a hole in one). Then if the participant hits one of the items, they get them! It was a lot of fun. (And yes there will be a video soon). I tell you this story to tell you this one; I found my new favorite cooler in the process! This is the cooler I did not know I needed. But I do! The Coleman 36-Hour 42 Can Marine Soft Cooler has an awesome look (that’s what got my attention first). The logo just pops off here and gets your attention right away. But in addition, I love the size! It’s just right for a trip out in the woods, at the golf course or out on the boat. In addition it keeps the ice in the cooler for up to 36 hours! Finally, I dig the top hatch for easy access to those cold beverages on a hot day! So take it or leave it. But I love it. As I said, I didn’t know I “needed” this cooler. But I know now! For more information on the cooler, check out this link. And make sure you never miss an update. It might be content. It might be product. But we hope to bring you value every day. Sign up for the VIP newsletter here. Oh…and shop for more products here.
by Kirby Hasseman
My youngest daughter Jade is getting ready to start her Senior Year. As a parent, this is an exciting, bittersweet, scary, fun and surreal time.
Yes. All of those. As many of you know, it’s also the time when you have to start talking about “what’s next.” With that in mind, there are the obligatory college visits, discussions about the future, and the ACT test. This is the test, of course, that helps colleges and universities decide whether your kid is good enough to pay for the opportunity to attend their school. If you think you detect a hint of negativity about the process, you are right.
Unfortunately, on the first time out, Jade felt the same way.
She was not sure what she wanted to do. She did NOT want to take this test. She did not want to get up early. She was pretty much “all out” on the whole process. Her results showed it. She did not do well on the test. But as is nearly always the case, the failure is not nearly as important as the response to it. Jade went back to work.
First, she adopted a better attitude about the whole process. That is SO important. Studies tell you that when you have a positive attitude, your brain functions better. So that alone might have helped. But that was not all. She also started working with a coach. Elaine Smith worked with her over 5 sessions. Not only did she give Jade tips and tricks for attacking the test, but (maybe more importantly) she gave her the confidence that she could do well.
She studied. She worked on it . She had a better attitude. Her results showed it.
I am very proud to report that Jade’s overall score went up quite a bit. Several sections of the test went up even more. It’s great news. But to me, this is not the best part of the story. The reality (as I see it) is that this is just one standardized test. It’s one of those things that seems important in the moment. But it’s not. Not really.
What IS important is that Jade learned how life works. When you try something new, you might do poorly. You almost certainly will do poorly if your attitude sucks. But if you learn from it. You readjust your attitude. You work on it. You get a coach. You will get better. Now THAT is a lesson I can get behind.
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by Kirby Hasseman
The Delivering Marketing Joy Podcast is back! Our goal here is to attack 2018 with a vengeance! The Delivering Marketing Joy Podcast will provide some inspiration, motivation and education to make it happen! Consider this your 10 minute “kick in the pants” to get your week started off right! Today on the podcast I talk about the difference between being a “doer” and being a “leader.” I love being a person who gets thing done. I am proud of it. But what do you do when you are put in charge of other people? Are the skills the same? The answer…no. Thanks for listening and digging in here on the DMJ Podcast every week! And a specific and proud shout out to NewPointe Community Church for their work (and leadership) on this great project. You can learn more about the church here. Make sure you never miss an update by signing up for our VIP Newsletter here. Or you can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Sticher, Soundcloud…or where ever you listen to podcasts!
by Kirby Hasseman
It’s easy somedays to say “I just don’t have time.” I was at a work event all day yesterday. I am leaving early to do manual labor today. I don’t have something pre-planned or pre-written. On a day like today it would be easy (and fair) today “I don’t have time to write a blog.” We all have days like this. But…I have time to do something. It might not be the normal length. It might not be my best work. But if it always has to be perfect, there is no way to keep it up. Sometimes “done” is better than “perfect.” So whether it’s a sales call, a piece of content, or a work out, you might still have time to do “something.” Do that. Make sure you never miss an update! Sign up for our VIP newsletter today!
by Kirby Hasseman
Yesterday was my 22nd Anniversary…and my wife got me these shoes. These shoes represent the best kind of gift. They were something that I really wanted, but I had decided that I was not going to buy for myself. So I was really excited when she (quite thoughtfully) surprised me with them. In addition, these shoes represent a lot of what I believe in. Gary Vee’s Shoes: These are the new Gary Vee 003. Gary Vaynerchuk teamed up with K-Swiss to create these shoes, designed for entrepreneurs. If you are regular reader of this blog, you have seen me mention Gary Vaynerchuk…like I did here. Gary has become legendary in the content creation and entrepreneurial world. The short story goes like this: He took over his family’s liquor store and grew it from $3 Million to $60 Million in 5 years. He did it on the back of Youtube and Twitter. Then he left the family business to create VaynerMedia where they work as a digital ad agency with huge businesses to do advertising on line. So what does this mean to you? Why should you care about my shoes? I am glad you asked. 
Gary Vaynerchuk is sold wine…not fashion. Then he left that business and created a Digital Media Agency. He did not create a shoe company. So, why then, is he able to work with K-Swiss and create his own shoe line? Maybe more importantly, how is he able to sell out of them? Why are people buying them, then re-selling them on E-Bay? (Seriously…it’s happening). He is doing it because he has a large and passionate audience. He has a platform. He is an influencer. Over time, Gary has created content and added value…through content. (His Youtube channel is here). Day after day. Year after year. He has taken the time to “Give First” (I talk about this concept here) over and over again. So that when he decides to “ask” people are lined up to buy. So when we talk about creating value online, this is why. It’s about creating value so that you can create an audience. If you have a passionate audience, then you get to decide what to do next. This sort of thing does not happen overnight. It’s hard work. It may seem unreasonable. But in my estimation, it’s worth it. Now for those of us that are willing to grind, it’s time to get back after it. For those that are not, enjoy the view. Oh…and thanks to my wife for awesome anniversary gift. She really is the best. Speaking of value, we are trying to create it for you every day. If you want to make sure you never miss an update, sign up here for our VIP Newsletter. We deliver this value to you each week via email.
