(Coshocton, OH)—Coshocton-based marketing firm and promotional products distributor Hasseman Marketing & Communications is growing again. Hasseman Marketing is excited to welcome Briar Swigert to their team. Swigert graduated from Coshocton High School and brings enthusiasm and a hard-working spirit to Hasseman Marketing.
“I am thrilled to have Briar on the team, and cannot wait to see what amazing things he brings to the table,” says Hasseman Marketing CEO, Kirby Hasseman. “Not only does he have a great attitude and is willing to learn, but he is also very diverse in his talents. That will be great for us and our clients!”
In his new role, Briar will lead the print production for Hasseman Marketing and clients as well. This includes business cards, postcards, invitations, letterhead, envelopes, books, calendars, etc. for Hasseman Marketing clients. In addition, Swigert has a creative mind and is learning the digital marketing design side of things as well.
“I am so excited to see what all I get into here,” says Swigert. “I am learning something new each day, and am eager to help Hasseman Marketing and our community with their marketing needs.”
As we approach the New Year, it’s a great time for organizations to take a hard look at their marketing. Do you love your brand? How do you feel about your website? This is why we created HMC Marketing Pyramid. It’s a simple tool that helps you look at your organization and decide where to start. The Coshocton County Chamber of Commerce is one organization that will be starting the new year with a new website.
Coshocton County Chamber of Commerce Website Is Live
We are excited to announce and share that the Coshocton County Chamber of Commerce is starting the new year with a new website to better serve the Coshocton County community and its members.
We were honored to be asked to create this new website and want to thank Amy and the Coshocton Chamber for allowing us to build and maintain their new website. The task was simple. The goal was to create a more modern site that will make it easier for residents, visitors, and tourists in Coshocton County to find and connect with local businesses. Additionally, we wanted to build the website so that businesses and organizations can join, pay, renew membership, and update their profiles.
With the automation built into the website, the chamber can now accept new members 24/7, maintain an up-to-date directory of members, and free up time for staff to do more direct service and less administrative tasks. Are you a member of the Coshocton Chamber (or do you want to be)? Make sure you bookmark the member directory and use it to find your next service, restaurant, or entertainment venue in and around Coshocton. If your business isn’t listed, join today. And thank you so much to the Coshocton Chamber for letting us help you on this project!
There I was, standing in front of a skeptical-looking group of local leaders. They were eyeing me strangely, with heads cocked to one side and eyebrows up because I had just said something strange. What sentence had made them look at me that way? What had I said? Simple.
“The haters help us.”
I was working with this group of amazing local leaders on an issue in Coshocton County. We were placing a tax increase on the ballot to fund a local Justice Center. It was a tax increase. So of course there were detractors! In every community, across the country, new taxes are (and should be) looked at skeptically.
Let’s Define Haters
To be clear, those that simply disagreed with the tax levy are NOT who I am calling “haters.” We have redefined this word to include everyone that disagrees with us. That is not the case. Civil discourse is incredibly important. In addition, for your business, haters are not people who don’t like what you have to offer or those that ask questions. Both of those are important for you to make your offer better. Even those that actively complain about you online can add value if you deal with them properly. I even wrote about 3 simple steps to deal with those complaints (or haters) here.
In this context, I am talking about the trolls. These are the people who are overly negative about any issue, service, or product you are promoting. This group of people is often the smallest but the loudest. They are mean-spirited, caustic, and intensely filled with vitriol and hate. No matter how often you try to (kindly) address their concerns, they keep piling on the negativity. They even sometimes go so far as to create clearly fake accounts so they can make accusations without retribution.
These, my friends, are haters.
So with that definition, you might be asking, “How can the haters help us?” I am so glad you asked. They really can help a cause or an organization, believe it or not. Here are two ways.
They Increase Our Reach
This is just delicious. Here is a simple secret when it comes to social media. Facebook (and other social media channels) want to keep you on their platform. In order to do that, the algorithm works to show you things that it believes you will find interesting. They are in the attention business and in order to keep yours, they want to show you interesting things. How do they determine what is “interesting?” While there are many factors, a simple way it is determined is through engagement. Engagement is measured by likes, shares, AND comments. So when a “hater” goes off on your page by commenting over and over again, they are telling Facebook that this is interesting and important…so it should show more people.
When managing the page, your first inclination might be to block them or delete their comments, I often advise against it. I would rather address any legitimate questions to show them (and the rest of the audience) that I care about the engagement. That shows the algorithm more activity and the audience a genuine desire to address the situation. The only time I delete comments is if they are profane, threatening, or libelous.
So by “hating” on us, they increase the reach of the message they say they are against.
They Decrease Their Credibility
In addition, this type of character is often a bit obsessive. They might comment over and over again on different posts saying the same thing. Or they might attack other people that support your business or offering. Basically, they are a hater to everyone…not just you and your organization. This sort of activity decreases their credibility in the rest of the discussion with the rest of the audience. The more they comment or “hate,” the more they do it.
So if they are decreasing their own influence, and they don’t like what you say, it tends to raise your reputation in the process.
That leads me back to the original sentence. While this type of person can be frustrating, “the haters help us.”
As a side note, congratulations to all of the community members that worked to pass several levies in the Coshocton community. It was a good day and I am proud to have had a small part in helping move these initiatives forward.
(Coshocton, OH)—Coshocton-based marketing firm and promotional products distributor Hasseman Marketing & Communications is excited to announce new digital marketing services for new and existing clients. While Hasseman Marketing already provided marketing services to clients, this new Consolidated Inbox service will help streamline communication for clients and will provide an affordable way for customers to market themselves.
“We offer an all-in-one communication platform for your business,” says Haywood. “That will help you automate your follow-up and interaction with your customers. Leading to more happy clients and more money in your pocket.”
The new consolidated inbox platform solves the challenge that many businesses have in keeping up with communication. When customers and prospects reach out to you on social media platforms, they expect a prompt response. The more platforms you are managing, the harder it is to keep up. And when they don’t get a response, customers often get frustrated, or even worse, move on to your competition.
This helps to keep many of those messages in one place.
In addition, this also provides a platform to reach out to satisfied customers to request Google reviews and build your online reputation.
“We have been discussing the new service with clients and the response has been overwhelmingly positive!” says Hasseman Marketing CEO Kirby Hasseman. “It’s great because it’s not only powerful, but it’s an affordable tool for clients that might not have been able to afford more elaborate marketing services.”
It’s a tradition like no other. For over 15 years, Hasseman Marketing has hosted an “End User” trade show and has invited our customers. It’s evolved and grown over the years and we are quite proud of it. This year’s event will be Thursday, October 14th from 11 am to 3 pm at Coshocton County’s Lake Park! And since we missed hosting the event last year, we are ready to get back after it!
But why should you come? We want this event to be fun AND add a ton of value. Here are 6 reasons to attend The Hasseman Marketing Trade Show.
Incredible Product Access
We invite some of our top (and favorite) supplier reps to showcase their lines at the show. I like to say “There is no way I could fit all of this in my trunk.” You get to see and touch and feel the product and see what it’s really like. We all know that many products look the same online or in a catalog. But when you get them up close you can really see a difference. This is the perfect place to make sure your brand materials are on point.
Idea Generation
As you walk around and see the latest and greatest in Promo, you will come up with some great ideas for upcoming projects. The reality is, the show is at a great time of year for year-end gifts for your team or customers. But some of our best customers come every year and start to plan their marketing for the next year and beyond.
Great SWAG
Nobody leaves empty-handed! We put on a fun event where (with the help of our suppliers) we invest in putting some really cool SWAG in your hands. In addition, we build the event around a theme so you can see how we use a bunch of different items around a theme!
Additional Services
You may think you know all that we do at Hasseman Marketing, but we find that most people discover some new ways to promote their organization! Having all of the ideas in one place can be very illuminating! For example, did you know we do website development or in-house print services? We do. And you can find more about them at the event.
Tasty Food
You have to eat right? We have food and drinks as well. Each year we get compliments about the tasty treats and we know this year will be no different. The event this year is on Thursday, October 14th from 11 am to 3 pm at the Lake Park Pavilion (in Coshocton). Our goal is to create an event that provides value and fun…and you never want to miss.
Things Have Changed
I am not sure if you heard about it, but a lot has changed since we were able to do this event last! And while we are excited to get back together to get back to normal, there are some real business reasons you should attend. Your organization might have changed logos, brand messaging, go-to-market strategies, where people work, and so much more. Or, like some of our clients, you might just need to update your materials because it’s been 18 months since you’ve needed them!
The County Fair comes around each year, and people come out from all around in order to attend and get that “fair” experience. The animals, the food, the games, the rides, the agriculture, the projects, and even the crowds…it’s all a part of the experience.
For many people, the fair is their favorite time of year, and so your brand has the chance to make them feel special. One way you can stand out is by handing out fun, memorable promotional products they can use. Not only does it make people feel appreciated, but it also is a great marketing opportunity for a potential customer in the future.
It’s a win-win situation!
But County Fairs can really draw a crowd! You don’t want to break your marketing budget. So here are a few affordable, useful promotional products that would be perfect to market your brand at the County Fair!
Who doesn’t need a Fly Swatter? This is an inexpensive, taper-shaped 16-inch fly swatter with an easy, clear place to put your logo. In addition, while you are spending time at the County Fair, you will be reminded that, sometimes, pesky insects can be a bother. So your customers and prospects will line up to get theirs. Perfect giveaway choice! Check it out here.
This is not your average drinking cup, it includes the lid and straw, which also have color-changing capabilities. If you put in cold liquid, the cups change color! Super fun for kids of all ages! This 12 oz Mood Changing cup set has lots of different color options to choose from and are dishwasher safe to ensure the best product for you and your customer! Check it out here.
The Yardstick is light, handy, and a great way to get your name out there! A Yardstick can be the perfect gift at the County Fair. Why? They are functional with a large imprint area, and can be seen all of the fairgrounds! This is an item that will draw people to your booth…and they will keep it long after the fair is over. Check it out here.
If you have ever opened a bag of chips and not finished them, you might feel like a quitter! Just kidding! But when you make that healthy choice, you still want to keep the chips fresh for next time. The round bag clip is perfect to help you do just that. Oh…and with a magnet on the back, you will always know where to find it! Check it out here.
Koozie’s are such a fun giveaway for many reasons and so easy to take with you wherever you go! They collapse into as small as you need them, to fit in your pocket, purse, etc. And, there are so many color options to choose from! This is a great, low-cost item to promote your brand at the County Fair. Check it out here.
The original mood cup has been a winner for years. Why? Because it works. It’s fun and functional. This 17 oz color-changing cup comes in a large variety of colors to choose from, for the perfect marketing tool. We recommend getting them in an assorted color range so that each cup is a small surprise for your prospect or customer! Check it out here.
Any of these products would be a good choice to continue to promote your brand and market yourself effectively. And County Fair time would be the perfect time to do so, with so many new and old faces visiting your area, seeking a great experience, why not be a part of that? Enjoying the County Fair, supporting the community, and creating new business relationships…sounds like a perfect marketing situation to me!
For more affordable County Fair marketing ideas, let’s talk. We can help you create the perfect marketing plan for any event on your calendar. Oh…and never miss an update, sign up for our VIP newsletter here.
