by Kirby Hasseman
This past week, I had the opportunity to attend the largest trade show in the Promotional Industry in Las Vegas. The PPAI Expo is the industry’s premier event and features education, networking and a huge trade show full of “trade show items.” I love this event. First of all it’s become a yearly class reunion for me because of the wonderful, diverse and dynamic people I get to call my peers. In addition, I get the chance to learn the latest and greatest going on in the industry. Oh, and the PPAI Expo would not be the same if I did not attend Skucon, the coolest conference in our industry as well. It was a lot to get to, so I wanted to share some trends and themes I noticed at the event. Tariffs are a huge concern: The Promotional Products industry is a 24-Billion-dollar industry built on the back of importing. A huge number of “imprint able items of awesome-ness” come from China. The impact of tariffs on the industry could be big. The cost of many promo items are likely going to be effected. With that in mind, let’s have the conversation and a plan. I think this means that products that are already domestically produced will see a boost in the coming year. Dream Teams are being built: There is a ton of consolidation in the promo industry…and quite a bit of concern about it. But that is not what I am talking about. Though some Venture Capital Groups are acquiring some awesome brands, I am noticing individual teams that are creating “dream teams” of talent. These are the brands that I see making huge gains in the coming year. Commonsku, Starline, and Snugz are brands in our industry that come to mind as talented, cool teams that I (and many in the industry) admire. Good Seems To Be Winning: As I walked the enormous show floor, I found myself saying “she is a great person,” or “that is a great guy,” a lot. Not coincidentally, these are the companies I am looking for opportunities to work with. In an industry where we can often source the same (or very similar) product from multiple vendors, the quality of the people really matter. The same is true, I think, for nearly any industry. Despite the concerns surrounding tariffs, I did notice an air of positivity in the industry. My hope is that this is a good sign for the economy in general. Time will tell. Either way, here’s to a happy and healthy 2019! Make sure you never miss an update. Sign up for our VIP list today.
by Kirby Hasseman
There is a correlation between Fear and Fire. I heard a great analogy about fear from Grant Cardone. Grant is a hard charging sales trainer and real estate entrepreneur and author. He has penned several books including the 10X Rule. Grant compares Fear to Fire. Fire is powerful and is fueled by oxygen. The more oxygen a fire gets, the more likely it is to grow. But if you cut out the oxygen, the fire goes away. No oxygen = no fire. Fear is powerful as well. It can drive us or stop us. The fuel for fear is time. The more time you give fear, the bigger the fear gets! So the way to cut out fear is to cut out time. When you have that urge to make that next sales call, or go to that next conference, or go up to that stranger and introduce yourself, your brain will try and talk you out of it. It wants to keep you comfortable. So, it gives you fear. In response to the fear, our natural response is to wait. We have to wait until we are ready, or until the music is right or the script is better or until the website is complete. We feed the fear with time…and the fear gets bigger. So the next time you have that urge to do something you know you need to do, don’t wait until you are ready. Take advice from Nike. Just do it. Don’t wait until the time is right…it never will be. Don’t wait for the script to be perfect, it can’t be. Just act. Take away the time…and you will choke out the fear. Now might be a great time to act for you. Join our VIP list. We send out an email once a week with all of our content in one place. You can sign up here.
by Kirby Hasseman
In a few days, Kelly Bowe and I (and thousands and thousands of other marketing professionals) will descend upon Las Vegas for the PPAI Expo. It is one of the largest trade shows in the United States.
Imagine, if you will, the ultimate trade show of trade shows.
Though the event is amazingly well run, hugely helpful and a wonderful thing to attend, it can also be totally overwhelming. My guess is, regardless of industry, you have events like this too. So here are some simple tips and tricks to making the most of your big trade show.
Comfy Shoes: Though there are still plenty of people that look sharp, business attire has become less formal. Regardless of how you feel about that, this is one time to make sure you have comfortable shoes. Make sure you have shoes you can walk and/or stand in for hours. You don’t want to be missing out because all you can think about is your aching feet.
Lots of Water: At many events, plenty of people drink. They just don’t drink enough water! These events can strain you both mentally and physically. Make sure you take the time to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Many events have hydration stations. Take a re-usable water bottle and drink the H20.
Have a Plan: When I first starting attending events like this, my plan was “I want to see everything!” As I know now, this is not a plan. It’s a recipe for being overwhelmed and exhausted. Before you leave for the event, make a list of people you want to meet, projects you want to research, and things you want to do. Keep this list close at hand to make sure you stay on track.
As a side note, for education conferences, I like to think “what is the one thing” I want to take away from this? It helps me focus in and not be so distracted by all of the concepts I am hearing. For example, this year at Skucon, my goal is to make in person connections with as many people as possible. Regardless of your event, have a plan and a goal. It will help you make the most of your event!
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by Kirby Hasseman
“Most people,” Steven Covey writes, “do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.”
We have two ears and only one mouth, so we should listen twice as much as we talk.
Ironically, we’ve been told to listen so much that many of us have—well—stopped listening to the advice.
You probably understand, at least intellectually, that you need to listen “with the intent to understand.” But what are you listening to?
From my perspective, one of the best ways to become a better listener is to ask better questions. When you get someone talking passionately about themselves and their company, it can be easier (and more interesting) to just sit back and take it in.
So, with that in mind, here are 20 examples of the types of questions I ask when meeting a new client or customer for the first time. My goal is to get them talking about themselves, their company, and their industry.
Building a strong rapport with them builds a foundation of trust between us. And in building trust, attentive listening is essential.
20 Open-Ended Rapport-Building Questions to Help You Build Better Relationships with New Clients
- What is the goal/mission of your company?
- Tell me more about your organization.
- What is the BEST thing about your organization?
- What are you most proud of?
- When it comes to your field, why you (instead of someone else)?
- Who is the “go-to” person to learn about…?
- How did you get here? Tell me about you.
- Why did you choose to do this?
- What is your biggest concern moving into the new quarter/month/year?
- What is the biggest challenge you have right now?
- Why does your organization do this?
- Why is your company the best?
- What do many people think about your company that is not (completely) true?
- How can I help you?
- How do customers (donors, etc.) find you?
- If I could give you three wishes, what would they be?
- What keeps you up at night?
- What gets you going in the morning?
- What is your company’s “why?”
- When is your team at its best?
These 20 questions will get you started—but, of course, questions are only the beginning.
It’s amazing how thoughtful questioning and attentive listening lead to mutual understanding and better, stronger business relationships. Business-to-business partnerships thrive when we just stop and take the time to listen.
Which questions do you use to spark meaningful conversation? Let me know!
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by Kirby Hasseman
Since my treadmill broke, I have had a tough time consistently working out in the morning. It’s not that I never work out anymore. I have made the conscious effort to do it. I have worked out in the morning and I have gotten in steps in the evening. At times, I have even done more…but it’s not consistent. It’s not a part of my morning routine. And I was trying to figure out why. Knowledge: I mean, I know I need to do it. Intellectually, I know it makes me healthier and it makes me feel better all day. I have the knowledge that it needs to happen. I even know how to get it done. Options: In addition, there are plenty of other options. I could walk outside. Though I don’t like the cold temperatures, I could certainly do it. I could go for a run. I could go to a local facility called Kids America and walk around the track. In addition, I have a DVD routine called P90X3. I even kind of like that workout routine! So while I know I should do it, and I know how to do it, I am struggling to make it happen! It comes down to two reasons for me. The First Step: While I know I need to workout, and I even like the workout, I do know it will be hard! P90X3 is a pretty intense program. So while I can do it in my basement, I need to get myself to go to my basement to get started. Once I am in the basement, no problem. It’s getting myself from upstairs to downstairs. It’s simple…but not easy. So many mornings, it’s just easier to hit the snooze button or decide to do it later. It’s the first steps to go down the stairs that trip me up. No Routine: This is the power of a routine (and why I talk about them a lot). When the treadmill was there, I had a routine. I did not have to think about it. It had become a part of my morning. I did not have to “make a decision” each morning to work out. And since I did not have to burn mental calories, I almost always found myself on the treadmill. That is why I talk a lot about creating positive routines in our lives. If we create them intentionally, then our subconscious mind can steer us (on autopilot) the direction we want to go. “Great,” you might be thinking. “But what if I don’t have a routine now?” It’s time to start creating one. We all have routines in our lives. Most of the time, though, they are unintentional. So now is a great time to start creating a positive routine, on purpose. If you want a great book to help you get started, check out the “The 5 Second Rule,” by Mel Robbins. So regardless of what you want to create in your life, start to work toward it today. It can happen, one small decision at a time. As for me, I need to go work out. Make sure you never miss an update. Sign up to be a VIP today. You can sign up here.
