by Kirby Hasseman
I have been talking about the idea of “giving first” in your sales and marketing strategy on this blog for a while. It’s a concept I am passionate about. I believe in it. I have written blog posts about it and I have spoken about it.
As of today, I have written a book about it too! The Give First Economy (and how to succeed in it) is officially available for sale and I would love it if you would check it out. The simple concept behind the book is this, in today’s world I believe the entrepreneurs, sales professionals, companies and organizations that provide value upfront will win. Why? It’s simple. In this “give first economy” we have the ability to build relationships with our prospects and customers. When we do that, we create the chance for long-term success.
And…as a side note…the Audiobook is now available too!
But make no mistake, this path is not easy.
Creating a business that “gives first” will take time and hard work. That is why the 2nd half of the book focuses on the art of getting more done. This part of the book is based on the science of the brain and studies that back it up.
So if you are interested in creating a business or organization that grows by doing business (and life) “the right way,” the first part of the book is for you. If you want to have science based principles that will help you get more accomplished, part two of the book should help you!
Want to get your own copy of the new book? You can get it here!
Are you a person that would rather listen than read? We have you covered. The audiobook is HERE!
And if you want to get your digital copy, the ebook is here (and for this week you can get it for free)
Thanks so much for continually reading this blog and supporting us as we try to spread #MarketingJoy! We really do try to “give first” and hope to help you do the same.
Want to learn more about Hasseman Marketing? Great! Head over to our About us page here!
by Kirby Hasseman
Asking the right questions is incredibly important.
When you first meet with a new prospect, asking the right questions can help you better understand them. (Here are a list of 20 great questions). Asking great questions can help you be a better listener. When you take the time to ask great questions of others, good things can happen.
But it’s important to ask yourself the right questions too.
When you ask yourself a question, you are giving your subconscious mind a puzzle to start working on. In the background of your conscious thoughts, your subconscious brain will keep spinning to think through every potential solution until it reveals itself. That’s why most of us have had an epiphany about solution when we are not thinking about the problem at all. The solution just appears when we are mowing the lawn, or taking a shower, or going for a run. This happens each time we ask ourselves a question.
Thats why it’s important to ask yourself bigger and better questions.
Don’t simply ask, “how can I have enough?” Instead ask “How can I impact my community?”
If you want to have a more vibrant and interesting life, ask bigger and more interesting questions.
We continue to try and ask interesting questions. We cover them here with content on our blog. You can find that here. And if you want to sign up and make sure you never miss an update, sign up for our VIP newsletter here. We send one email per week with all of the content in one place.
by Kirby Hasseman
I wrote a post recently about Colin Kaepernick and the idea that his actions and words did not align. He has been saying (for nearly 3 years) that he wants a job in the NFL, and when given the recent opportunity to workout for teams, he pulled out at the last minute and did a workout on his own. To me, his words were saying one thing, but his actions said another. The lesson for the rest of us, I thought, was that we need to make sure our words match our actions, if we want to be successful in our goals.
While the post was met with lots of positive feedback, the push back came in from the respectful (saying I was misinformed) to the insulting (saying I was a knucklehead and a racist). In short, most of the disagreement came down to a simple message. “It’s not fair.”
Let me be clear, there has been so much bad blood between the NFL and Colin Kaepernick, that I could not cover it in this blog. It would take a book. Kaepernick supporters will tell you that the NFL has not acted in good faith. They were not transparent. Indeed, the NFL had other motives all along. The NFL, after all, is the bad guy here. In other words, “It’s not fair.”
To that I respond with a simple question. “So?”
I stand by my statement that, at the end of the day, Kaepernick says he wants a job with one of the 32 NFL teams. If you really want that opportunity, you do what it takes to get it. You go to whatever interview. You workout when asked. If your words say you want the job, your actions need to match them. That is all.
Life is not fair. If you want to reach a goal, you go after it anyway.
It never seems fair when the largest company in your space has more buying power and more leverage. And yet, if you want to compete, you have to go to market anyway.
When my oldest daughter wanted to be a professional dancer, she drove 2 hours to an audition, was allowed to do an 8 count of dance with 60 other dances, and was dismissed. It wasn’t fair. There is no way they could have really known her ability in those 6 seconds. And yet, if she wanted to be a professional dancer, she had to suck it up and go to the next audition.
It’s not fair that a small local competitor is willing to undercut you on every bid. Despite the fact that you provide better service and quality, it’s not fair that your customer sees you as equals!
You may look at the the system and decide you don’t want to compete. You may feel the need to change the game or get out entirely. A select few might want to re-think their tactics and try to compete in a different way. It’s your call. But the market does not care if “it’s not fair.”
When it comes to chasing your goals and dreams, the lesson is simple (but not easy). Go after it. Show up. Do the work. Or don’t. It’s your call.
Make sure you never miss any content. We have video, blogs and podcasts here on our blog. You can also sign up to be a VIP. Each week we send out an email update with all of the content for the week. You can sign up for that here.
by Kirby Hasseman
I remember being told when I was a teenager, “You would worry less about what people think of you if you realized how little they did.”
This is not an insult to how important YOU are, it’s just an important reminder that we all have a selfish human nature. Seth Godin writes about this in his blog today. That selfish human nature is not inherently bad. It just is. It’s the way we are. On the other hand, it gets me thinking about how useful that is. With everyone focused on their own interest, it gives you the chance to do these three things.
Helps To Silence “That Voice”
If most people are not paying attention, then you can ignore that voice inside your head that says that “everyone will laugh at you.” They won’t even notice you. You have the ability and permission to try new things and fail. You can stumble. You can struggle without the worry that everyone will turn down their nose. If you are willing to put in that work when no one is watching, then they might take notice when you come out on the other side.
Let People Off The Hook (when not listening)
We often get frustrated with other people when they don’t seem to care as much about our project as we do. It must be important, right? We love it! We worked so hard on it. Understanding that everyone is working on their own life, project and world will give you the grace to forgive them. They don’t care as much about your project as you do…and that’s ok. If you work hard and long enough on your project, the people that are truly interested in your passion will show up.
Attention is Kindness
I believe that Kindness can be a Superpower. And if we understand that most people don’t really notice you at all (unless you are in front of them) then you can be kind in a different way. Show people attention. Give them your time. Smile. Look them in the eye. Notice them. In a world that is starved for kindness, giving people your attention can be an act of kindness in itself.
Make sure you never miss an update. You can find a plethora of content each day at our blog here. We also send out one email per week with all of our content. You can sign up for that here.
by Kirby Hasseman
It’s time for Episode 23 of the He Said/She Said Podcast with Hasseman Marketing! This podcast is designed to give an inside look at being married and being entrepreneurs and the projects we are working on and the challenges we are facing! We talk about business, family, community and more. So listen in and let us know what you think!
On this episode we talk about…
Trending Topic
This week Kirby and Amy talk about getting ready to go out of the office. Are they organized? Is it organized chaos? Or will they be packing at the last minute? They talk about that here.
Weekly Whirlwind
This week in the Weekly Whirlwind they talk about getting back in the office after a short week and adding in the stress of leaving soon. In addition, as you will hear, they will be taking the next week or so off to unplug. Don’t worry…they will be back!
Lesson In Life
This week in the “lesson in life” Kirby talks about the idea that sometimes you need to think on something before you unload. He also has a blog about it here. Kirby and Amy chat about those times when the best thing is to not say anything at all.
Shout Outs
Each week we want to give a shout out to an organization or an individual doing good work. This week Amy talks about all of those lineman and volunteers that are getting ready to head into harms way to help with the victims of Hurricane Dorian. Those people who take their time and risk their own safety remind us that humans are good. Thank you!
So that’s a wrap! Thanks for listening to Episode 23 of the He Said She Said Podcast! Any feedback will be welcome as we try to provide you value! If you want to subscribe you can do that where you normally get podcasts…or you can head here to follow on Soundcloud.
Thanks so much for listening! If you have any topics you want Kirby and Amy to cover, please comment and let us know! Oh…and if you like this content, check out this page where you can find all of the content we create!
by Kirby Hasseman
There are so many ways that technology has changed our world for the better. We can communicate with nearly anyone around the world. We can shop anytime. We can donate to causes from our kitchen. We have the ability to click a button and have things delivered to our phone instantly, or to our front door in a day or two. It truly is an amazing time we live in!
The one thing I see as a detriment to this “overnight delivery” culture that we live in, is a pure lack of patience for anything.
In other words, despite the fact that we live in a “microwave society” many things that matter to us need to be cooked in the crock pot.
Things that matter take time. Change can be difficult. As a matter of fact, real progress takes pain (like I said here). Here are some basic examples.
- If you want to change your fitness level, it will not happen overnight. It will take months of real work.
- Want to start a sales career? Get ready for a year to 18 months of building trust and relationships.
- Want to have a relationship that lasts? The foundation will not be created overnight on twitter.
It’s simple…but not easy. The things that really matter in your life take time and work. They take consistent effort. And yes, they take patience.
This does not mean you shouldn’t start now! As Seth Godin once told me, “The best time to plant a tree is 40 years ago. The 2nd best time is now.” If you have something in your life that is worth working for, now is a great time get to work on it. Just know that it will take time. That time won’t make it worth less. It will make it worth more.
You aren’t creating something in the microwave. You are simmering your project in the crockpot. Bon Appetit!
Make sure you be a part of what we are cooking! Join our VIP list. We send out one email per week with all of our content in one place. You can sign up for that here. Also, if you want to learn more about Hasseman Marketing, check out our about us page here.
