by Kirby Hasseman
So there I am. It’s early in the morning and I am having my first cup of coffee. I am using my time to go through social media accounts to check for people that I need to respond to, or to connect with. I go through and comment on a few posts and congratulate connections on birthdays or work accomplishments.
My mouse hovers to Linkedin and I check to see if there are notifications there. I love Linkedin and I enjoy the engagement there. In addition, I do want to grow my network there! So when I notice there are notifications in the “My Network” tab I quickly go to check them out. Who might be reaching out to connect? If I know them, the decision is simple. Click a button and expand my network. Done.
But what if I don’t know them? Do I so quickly connect? Wait…let me see what other mutual connections we have. Hmmm…just a few. Do I accept? Do I move on? What am I afraid of? The goal is to grow my network, right? We never know what person might be THE person that helps to grow my business!
So I click “Accept.”
Then…ding! A message instantly comes through Linkedin! Damnit. THAT was what I was afraid of! The instant sales message. I don’t even have to look to know it. This is the person who assumes that since you have accepted their connection, it’s time to put on the full court press. It doesn’t matter that they don’t know if you need it. It doesn’t matter that they don’t know what other solutions you have. They have a quota and a goal and they are coming for you!
This, my friends, is the problem with a short term sales vision.
It’s the reason why it matters that you have a “long term” focus in sales. As I say all of the time “I am looking for 20 year customers.” When you are in sales, it’s hard to focus on the long term. The fact is, you need to sell something in order to make ends meet. That’s not only your goal, it’s your mission. I have been there. But having made some of those short term mistakes, I want to challenge you to think bigger.
Here are a few reasons that focusing on long term success helps you in sales and entrepreneurship.
You Look Less Desperate: What short term salespeople don’t understand is, they will sell less for less money. As consumers, we can smell it. We know when someone is just pushing for the short term sale. They don’t take the time to develop a relationship. They don’t take the time to really explain. They are too busy trying to sell me now. Oh, and if you are in that big a hurry, usually the only thing you have to sell is price. As Seth Godin says, that’s a race to bottom…and that’s a race you don’t want to win.
You Have Time to Push Out Good: People who are focused on long term success understand that a good marketplace leads to good sales. If your customers and community are doing well, you will do well. So it allows you to take the time to help. It will come back.
You Get To Say No: When you are not focused ONLY on this next sale, you get to decide if the prospect or customer can help you create a long term business. When the service or product or values don’t line up, you can politely move on. There is a true power in that.
The reality is, focusing on long term success is how you build relationships and a business that lasts. It’s harder. Sometimes it takes longer. But what are you trying to create? It’s up to you to decide.
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by Kirby Hasseman
In today’s culture, it feels like “headline reading” is an Olympic sport. Every day we are bombarded with the salacious, sensational headlines that predict the doom of one thing or another. Then, to compound the problem, most people never seem to read the article! So we live in a time when people are under-informed and over-reacting.
One of the headlines that I have seen parroted quite a bit is the idea that “direct mail is dead.”
The idea behind the headlines and the article is that direct mail has lost its effectiveness over the past 10 years. Here’s the problem with this rationale. It’s not the medium. It’s the execution. This is true of any marketing technique or platform. If you are not executing well on the idea or the platform, the marketing will not work. In those moments, marketers and entrepreneurs will throw up their hands and say “direct mail doesn’t work.”
Maybe it’s you. Here are a few ways to improve your direct mail impact quickly and easily.
Make it Colorful
We are proud of a simple direct mail piece we did recently for one of our clients. The Physicians and staff were moving to a new location and they wanted to let the community know. We helped to craft a plan that included social media, press releases, and direct mail. We opted for a colorful postcard that included good-looking images and graphics so they would not be missed in the mailbox. The results were sharp and got attention.
Make it Bumpy
Bumpy mail (or dimensional mailers) are packages that are odd-shaped or bumpy. This unique shape calls to the customer or prospect “open me!” Curiosity will help you “kill the cat” because your potential client will want to know what is in the package. But don’t just take my word for it! Let’s take a look at a study done in 1993.
This study, done by Baylor University, sent packages to 3000 school administrators. They were divided into three groups. The first group received an envelope with a sales letter, sales collateral, and postage-paid business reply card The second group received an envelope with similar contents plus a promotional product. The third group received all of the contents listed above, delivered in a box with a die-cut slot, instead of an envelope. The results (as you might expect) were impressive.
- Those who received a promotional product in a dimensional package responded at a rate that was 57% higher than those who received the same promotional product in an envelope!• Response rates for the dimensional package recipients were 75% higher than for the group who received only a sales letter! In case you were skimming, you might want to read that last line again. Response rates for the dimensional package recipients were 75% higher! Wow!
Add Value
As we look at the postcard we sent out for Coshocton Regional Medical Center, you will notice a magnet too. We wanted to provide the information AND an easy way to keep it handy! So we added that simple attachment to add value to the recipient. It’s a simple, cost-effective, and powerful way to make your next mailing more impactful. So Direct Mail is not dead. As a matter of fact, done well, you can really stand out in a sea of “blah” in the mailbox.
Want to learn more about direct mail or our print capabilities? Head to our print page here…and contact us with questions. Make sure you never miss an update! Sign up for our VIP newsletter here.
by Kirby Hasseman
One of my goals with this blog is to provide value to those that read it…and make sure we, as a company, help to keep you informed. Whether we show the latest promotional merchandise, or keep you up to date on trends, we want to help you in your marketing and branded merchandise efforts.
That’s why I want to talk about Tariff’s today. Wait! Don’t click away or fall asleep! I will keep it brief!
As I mentioned in this recent blog, at the PPAI Expo (the largest promotional trade show in our industry) Tariffs were the talk of the show. Everyone is talking about them, worrying about them, and asking questions about them. Why? Because when it comes to branded merchandise, a huge percentage of the items that are sold in the industry are imported from China. This is such a concern that there are suppliers in our industry that have printed their entire catalog without putting in pricing! Why? Even those that have included pricing have included less information or large disclaimers saying that “pricing could change.”
So what does that mean to you?
It means, quite simply, if you use branded merchandise, your budget very likely could be affected. This is not a threat or a political statement. It’s just a fact. If the tariffs continue, the price of your promotional material will go up.
So what can you do?
There are a couple of things I am recommending.
1. Begin to adjust expectations. As you move into 2019, just understand that the pricing for promotional items are in flux. If there are items that you order regularly, you might want to stock up a bit or check in on pricing.
2. Consider domestic options. Though I do not expect to see American manufacturers of promotional items start popping up everywhere, I do expect an uptick for those that already are here. When you are creating a marketing plan, make sure to include something made in North America. This is not the end of the world and the sky is not falling. I just wanted to spend a few moments to put this trend on your radar.
If you have more questions, please feel free to reach out to us and we can discuss it! Make sure you never miss an update! Sign up to become a VIP 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
I believe we are living in a “Give First Economy.” What I mean by this (and I talk about it more here) is that the best and most successful brands, salespeople, entrepreneurs, etc. provide value up front. They “give” before they go for the sale. This is great for people who want to “do business right,” because they are poised to do this anyway. They want to help. But there is one mistake that I see people make all of the time around this “give first” economy. They want to say “thank you,” but they mix it up.
Let me explain. I got a box in the mail the other day from one of our suppliers. They are a great company, and we do a decent amount of business with them. The box said it had a gift inside, so I was excited to break it open. Let’s face it, it’s always nice to get a “thank you gift.” However, when I opened the package, there was a sales flyer and samples. Don’t get me wrong. They were nice samples. They even had good information on the sales flyer. It was a quality sales piece…and it got me to open the box.
But it was NOT a thank you gift. It was a sales pitch.
I immediately felt duped. I was a disappointed. I went from being excited to being (mildly) annoyed.
It was not the most egregious mistake in the world. It’s not like I won’t forgive them. But I guarantee you it was not what they wanted me to feel (at least I hope not).
So just a quick word of advice for Succeeding in the Give First Economy; don’t mix up appreciation and sales. If you want to say “thank you,” then just do that. Show the appreciation. Be sincere. Give first. Don’t work in a sales pitch. You are smart enough to see through that…and so are your customers and prospects. It takes away from the original intent. It also decreases the likelihood that I open the next package.
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