Over the course of the past 18 to 24 months, most people’s lives have been changed. Some people have been totally upended, while others have been blessed to have come through the pandemic with just a few scratches. But either way, most of us have had the chance to look at our lives…and decide if we want to re-imagine them. This was not the time to put our head in the sand and “just wait it out.” It was the time to invest in ourselves.
One of the best ways to invest in yourself is by reading (or listening) to books.
When Mike Michaelowicz writes a book, I line up to read it. I am almost never disappointed. This time Mike talks about why using “best practices” is a terrible way to stand out in a crowded marketplace. You can get your copy here.
The High 5 Habit
Mel Robbins has a way of speaking directly to my soul. Her latest book High 5 Habit highlights a concept so simple that it feels silly. But listen to this book and you will realize it’s not. I say “listen to this book” because Mel has a great delivery. She is very real…and I loved it.
Peak Mind
I have been a slow adopter of meditation. I still struggle to practice every day. In her book Peak Mind, author Amishi P. Jha shows the science and studies to help you understand why it’s a must. If we want to succeed in today’s world (and certainly tomorrow’s), we are going to need a Peak Mind.
Premonition
In a word…wow. As I mentioned at the beginning, we have all lived through a crazy time for the last 18 to 24 months. Premonition by Michael Lewis tells the story of the pandemic from behind the scenes. It opened my eyes to some of the challenges we have with public health, but also why some of the solutions can work…and not work. Really liked this one.
Cumulative Advantage
Why do some people succeed and others struggle? For some, they have an early advantage that they lean into. It’s their Cumulative Advantage. In this book, Mark talks about what that is, and how to create it even if you don’t begin with the headstart of privilege.
Promised Land
Let’s not get political here. I just wanted to learn some “behind the scenes” from the man in the White House. This one was interesting (and yes, political) and too long (and this is Part 1). But it does give insight into Obama’s vision for the country, and where he felt he did well…and where he failed. I thought it was totally worth my time. Find Promised Land here.
12 Months To $1 Million
Have you ever wanted to start a business selling items on Amazon? In the book 12 Months to $1 Million, you can learn how from someone who has done it more than once. Ryan Daniel Moran talks about how to find the perfect niche, create the right product, and then how to scale it up with new products. I have recommended this one to several people looking to start a business.
Soundtracks
We all have a voice playing on repeat in our heads…it’s our own. In his latest book Soundtracks, Jon Acuff talks about why that voice can really be our worst enemy if we allow it. And he gives real tactics to take your own voice back over (in a good way). This was probably one of my favorite books of the year…totally recommend this one.
Greenlights
I was a fan of Matthew McConaughey before this book. But the book Greenlights takes it up a notch for sure. McConaughey gives you incredible detail into his life and insights that I found powerful. I found this book to be fun, insightful, and surprising. And for me, the audiobook was the way to go for this. McConaughey narrates it himself and his gift as a performer shines through in the audio.
Think Like A Monk
The final book on my list is Think Like a Monk by Jay Shetty. Shetty tells the story of how he became a monk, and why he left. His insights into training the mind were great. I really enjoyed him explaining why we all need to have more “T.I.M.E.” in our morning if we want to have a more productive day.
This blog was written in November of last year…and has been updated in January of 2022.
It’s affecting all of us…in nearly every industry. We are seeing the challenges in our businesses…and our personal life. Most of us have not spent nearly any time thinking about our “supply chain,” and now we hear about it every day. It doesn’t matter if you are trying to buy a car, a computer, a t-shirt or a loaf of bread. The issues are everywhere.
The Supply Chain is currently broken
I am not interested in placing blame here. There are plenty of theories about that. The problem with just placing blame is, for most of us, there is little we can do about any of that. We are not heads of state. And to be honest, the supply chain is not “owned” by any one organization. So even if you are a “head of state,” that won’t get you very far either. The supply chain is broken…and it’s not getting better soon. It’s an “is.”
So what can we do about it?
If we accept that the challenges are there, then it’s a reality we all have to deal with. So what can any of us do about it? While we can’t really affect change with the problem, there are some things that each of us can do to help our businesses navigate these times more successfully…and with less stress. Here are 7 things you can do to deal with the supply chain challenges that we are all facing.
Expect Price Increases
We hate to be the bearer of bad news here, but it’s coming (or here). With suppliers aggressively trying to bring products into the United States and the port congestion continuing, we will all start to see costs rising on promotional products. We are already starting to hear from customers that products they have ordered previously are higher. Part of this is basic “supply and demand” economics, but it goes well past this. The cost to ship a container of goods into the United States went from $4,000 to $32,000 in some cases. This has a trickle-down effect, that will touch all of our purchasing…not just your branded merchandise.
I know. I know. It’s not what any of us want to hear. But it’s important that we are prepared.
Action Step: Be prepared to either increase your budget on these items or get ready to adjust items or quantities.
Plan Ahead
Updated:Many of our customers listened in the 4th quarter of 2021 and it helped! But here’s the thing…just because Christmas is over doesn’t mean the supply chain woes are fixed. Rush orders are still going to be a challenge to be sure. As we said then, these supply chain issues are not going away on December 25th. Now is the time to begin thinking about your 1st and 2nd quarter (and beyond) initiatives. Just like with the pandemic, “waiting for this to be over” is not a great strategy.
So we all need to continue to plan further ahead. It’s imperative if you want to have items for your next event. The good news is, we are moving back to having events again. But we will need to plan out further if you want to have your branded merchandise in time. As we said last year, if you used to plan 2 weeks out, double or triple that timeline. You will be glad you did!
Action step: Take the time to plan out the events you know are coming next year, and get the ball rolling now.
Have Plan B (and C)
Even if you placed an order when there was stock, that inventory might disappear like manners on Black Friday. We talked about this here. You need to have a few alternative options as you plan out your marketing ideas. If you have selected a plan b and c, then you can move to those without having to start the creative process over again. The fact that the item you really wanted is out will still be frustrating (because it is), but you will be able to move on and still get something in time for your event.
Action Step: When selecting your first option, take a little extra time to select a “just in case” item as well.
Buy What IS In Stock
We have all been at a conference and come across that “perfect pen,” or seen a competitor with the exact promotional item we want for our brand. I have certainly been there. And to be honest, most of the time that is great for us. In those cases, you have done the research for us. All we have to do is go and find it! But this is not the time to search for a specific item to put your logo on. If you are this specific, you are destined to be frustrated.
Instead, this is the time to think about the emotion you want to elicit or the goal you want to achieve. Start there. Then work backward to what you want to achieve…with the items that are in stock. That is why we created our “In Stock and Ready to Rock” shop. We are updating this each week. It’s not perfect because the numbers are changing all of the time. But it’s better than searching for an item that is already out of stock and will not be back in inventory until March (or June).
That leads nicely to keeping an open mind to new ideas. While you might have always used a Nike polo for your sales team, this might be the year you need to think differently. Be open. Who knows? You might find a brand you like just as well. Or, what about a custom apparel piece? If it’s going to take 8 to 10 weeks anyway, this might be the time to think “outside of the box” and create a custom solution.
Action Step: Now is a great time to be open to new ideas that might hit the mark.
Act Quickly
Once you have decided on an option, act quickly. The inventory numbers are not changing day to day…they are changing minute to minute. This is not the time to “take it back to committee.” If you do that, there is no guarantee that what you want will still be there. This is not a sales pitch. You just need to act quickly in order to get the items you want. You need to act quickly and then be patient. It’s not fair. But it’s true.
Action Step: Make a decision.
Be Kind
Being a frontline worker today is harder than ever. These are the folks that are handling the calls and the frustration of the public. They did not cause the issue, and to be honest, they can’t do much about it. So screaming at them does nothing to help you. The good news is, we have been blessed with very kind (and patient) clients for years. We have not run into this. But it’s a real thing that people are dealing with. So please just be kind. You can be “disappointed” and “not a jerk” at the same time.
Those are 7 things you can do to help with the supply chain challenges. If you want to chat further, we would love to help. Head here to set up a time to chat!
When done right, branded merchandise can be an absolute game-changer for your business. Most of us have been on the receiving end of a quality piece of branded merchandise. It can be a powerful bonding experience between you and the brand you love. On the other hand, most of us have also been on the receiving end of a crappy promo experience. You know the one. It’s where someone in the organization clearly decided to throw their organization’s logo on the cheapest item they could find. They might have “checked the box” in having something to give away…but they missed the mark for the brand.
They created “Brandfill.” You don’t want to do that!
This sort of useless, cheap promotional product decreases the brand value in the customer’s eyes. And let’s face it, most of the time it makes it straight to the landfill. That’s why we call it “Brandfill.”
So how do we avoid adding to the noise? How can we make sure that the next branded merchandise purchase is on point? It’s all about being intentional. Let’s get started with 3 questions to ask before you buy branded merchandise.
Where Is Your Perfect Customer When They Realize They Need You?
One of the superpowers of branded merchandise is the fact that they are incredibly targeted. You can use a great promotional product to reach directly into a customer’s office, kitchen, car, or even on their wall. One of the ways that organizations “get promo wrong” is when they create merchandise and just spray it out to everyone. Everyone is not your customer. You want to create branded merchandise that is specific to your prospect or client. That is why we spend the entire first lesson of our 5 Day Marketing Course on defining who that perfect customer is. (You can sign up here for free).
Now that you know EXACTLY who that perfect customer is, it’s time to dig one step further. Ask the question, “Where is my perfect customer when they realize they need me?” Are they in the car? In their office? Once you know who you are trying to reach and where they are…you can really be more specific with a piece of branded merchandise that will actually hit the mark!
What Is The Item’s Perceived Value?
Now that you have your perfect customer in your mind’s eye, and you know where to reach them, you can start to select items. As you begin to narrow them down ask yourself, “What is this item’s perceived value?” In other words, what will my customer THINK I spent on this? In a perfect world, I like to find an item that has a high perceived value. In other words, the customer or prospect feels like you spent more than you actually spent. It increases the value in their mind. That is why I love doing Double Walled Vacuum Sealed Tumblers…and why I have said that you should never buy a branded Yeti.
The goal is to find an item that your customer perceives as a $20 item, but you only spent $15. This is not the only reason to buy a piece of branded merchandise, but it’s a good tool for narrowing your list down.
What Would My Perfect Customer Love?
Finally, if you want to create raving fans, this last question is simple but powerful. When selecting your next piece of branded merchandise, will your perfect customer love it? Will they be over the top excited to receive it? If it’s a piece of drinkware, will it become their favorite? If it’s a t-shirt, will it be the one they always take out of the laundry basket first? If not, why not?
I can hear the “yeah-buts” now. I get that you don’t always have an unlimited budget. That is why finding your perfect customer is so perfect. You are not trying to create an amazing piece of branded merchandise for everyone. You are creating something that your tribe will love.
And if you are not creating something that will elicit a response, it begs the question, “Why do it at all?”
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.”
A week or so ago (as I write this), something happened that rocked a huge group of people to their core…Facebook and Instagram went down for around 6 hours. While you can comment about the addictive qualities of social media and our phones (and that’s a blog for another day), I looked at it through the eyes of a marketer. The fact is, many businesses use social media exclusively to market their businesses. Some businesses talked about losing millions of dollars during that 6-hour stretch because everything they did (marketing, selling, and collecting money) all happen through Facebook.
So it begs the question…what happens when Facebook goes away?
What will you do if the largest social media platform stops? How will you market your business or your organization without Facebook? Now before anyone gets on your high horse, this is not a blog designed to bash Facebook, or using the platform to market. From my perspective, an organization would be crazy not to use this resource. You can find us on Facebook here. For all its faults, I still see Facebook as the number one platform to promote just about anything online. But some of us (maybe me included) have become overly reliant on this one platform to meet our needs.
The most obvious and immediate strategy, if this happens, is to move to another social media platform. As a matter of fact, that’s exactly what happened that day. Twitter usage took off, as did Linkedin, TikTok, etc. And in talking with other marketing experts about this very situation, that was their first suggestion. As my friend Bill Petrie said, “When Facebook goes away it will likely be because another platform became more important.” That’s a great point. So first step…go to where your clients are hanging out.
While this is good advice (and it is), there are challenges here too. What if Facebook goes away quickly? What if the platform that takes on most of the users is not one you have a following on? You have the audience built on Facebook. The challenge, of course, is that you would need to start over to build your audience again. So if you need to build that audience on another platform at some point, maybe you should begin before you need to.
Takeaway: If your audience can only access you on one platform, you might want to consider building another.
Using Physical Marketing
One of the most powerful things that social media has allowed companies to do is to create a real relationship with their customers. Traditional media was one-sided. But social media allows for conversation. While Facebook is a powerful distribution tool, it does allow for you to hear from your tribe. That is really cool. Now that you have done that work, it’s important to continue to solidify that relationship. One powerful way to do that is by using high-quality branded merchandise. Get your brand in the hands of your advocates and let them help you spread the word.
This is what the best marketers did during the pandemic. When there was no way (other than social media) to reach customers, creative marketers started to send boxes of branded merchandise to their employees and their customers to their homes. This created a connection that did not exist in the “real world” because of our isolation. It’s powerful. So why wait? Start a campaign to get amazing coveted merchandise in the hands of your best customers.
Takeaway: Create a quarterly appreciation program targeted at your Top 20% of customers.
Rented Versus Owned Media
Since the early days of marketing, we have become very comfortable with “rented media.” That is when another entity “owns” the audience and we just rent their attention for a short time. We did this with radio, newspapers, and TV. Those companies owned the audience and we paid for access. As social media proliferated, this relationship became a bit more confusing. As we built our audience on these platforms, we got lulled into thinking that we “owned” the audience. But we don’t. If Facebook decides to change their algorithm, they don’t have to check with us. They own the audience. So does every other social media platform. That became incredibly clear when Facebook and Instagram went down. Boom..”our audience” was gone.
That is why it’s so important to create an audience that is actually our own. How do we do this? The best way is to get your fans to sign up for an email or text list. When a customer opts in to receive messages from you, they are really a part of your audience. You have the right to send them messages when YOU want to. While many marketers ruin this by spamming people with too many offers, many do a great job of providing value and giving great offers that the audience is excited to see. Do that.
But we all know that (thanks to those spammers) most people don’t just go around handing out their email address to everyone. Most of us have been burned by that! So it’s important to create an offer of real value so the audience is excited to hand over their information. Then, it’s equally important to value that audience. The audience you “own” is a true value to your company. We do this. That is why we have created this 5 Day Marketing Course. It’s totally free…and we hope it provides you value. Sign up today and join our VIP list!
Takeaway: Create an offer for your customers to “opt-in” to sign up to get emails (or texts) from you.
Have A Website That Works For You
I have repeatedly heard from new small businesses, “Why do I need a website? I have a Facebook page!” Well, my friends…this is why. If that platform goes away, so does all of your ability to tell your story. In addition, though Facebook is a powerful marketing tool, not everyone is on it. That means that even if they WANT to see your message or learn about your service, they can’t. You need a website.
But you don’t JUST need a website. You need a website that works for you. Many companies have what I call a “brochure website.” That is a great start. But if you want to succeed in a world without Facebook, you need a website that can help people find you. That means a website that Google can find. Have you done a search for your service? Not your name…your service. Are you coming up near the top? If you are not in the first few search results, you are effectively invisible to your potential customers.
In addition, your website is a great place to start providing actual value to your clients. You are the expert in your field. Start acting like it on your website. Write a blog that answers questions. Create a podcast. Start a video series that helps clients. Create content and host it on your site. This builds your credibility in the marketplace. It shows that you are willing to “Give First.”
In addition, it’s the place where you can not only sell your service but also have offers that allow customers to give you their contact information and you can build that audience you own.
Takeaway: Create a website that really tells your story and acts as a business builder for your company.
Put It In Writing
We have all heard prognosticators tell us “Print is dead.” But a funny thing happened when nearly everything shut down during the pandemic. Businesses needed an affordable way to tell their story and promote their business. So they turned to print and direct mail. Social media is a great way to promote your organization. But I don’t recommend abandoning all other forms of marketing. If Facebook goes away, you will still need to tell your story…and do it affordably. That is when you might want to turn to print.
And here’s the thing, with many of your competitors moving away from print, it might be a great time to get valuable attention in that same place.
Takeaway: Don’t forget about print to tell your story…today and in the future.
So what can you do if Facebook and Instagram go away? How will your organization tell your story? These are just a few ways you can still stand out. And if they work then…it might be time to start implementing these strategies right now.
