by Kirby Hasseman
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.
I have talked quite a bit about game-changing books on this blog. Here is a list of 29 that I think everyone should check out. So what books have had my attention in 2021? Here are 10 of my favorite books from 2021.
Get Different
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.
So that is my list of 10 of my favorite books from 2021…so far. I have a few more I hope to finish (including the new Will Smith memoir) soon. If you want to keep learning and growing, how about one more book to consider? You can get the ebook version of my book “The Give First Economy” here. I would love for you to it check out…and share it with your team! Oh…and feel free to sign up for our weekly VIP newsletter here.
by Kirby Hasseman
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.
Make sure you never miss an update by signing up for our VIP newsletter here. Oh…and as always, we have all of our content here on our blog page…check it out!
by Kirby Hasseman
I love blogs, podcasts, and videos. Each of these has the chance to inspire me and lift me up. I have created time in my morning routine to put some good into my brain each day…and these are often my tool of choice. But if I really want to take a deep dive into a topic, I still am inspired by books. Whether I read a physical book or simply take a walk with the author (in audio form), books help me grow (and level up).
Over the course of the last 10 years, I have had the chance to read hundreds of books. Some have been forgettable. Others have been what I needed to hear at the moment. But here is a list of 29 Game-Changing Books for Business that have impacted me. I wanted to share them with you.
The E-Myth Revisited
This is one of the best business books ever. I have bought countless copies and have recommended it more times than I can remember. I have probably read it 10 different times and have found myself in a different place on the journey each time. If you are in business or want to start a business, this is awesome.
Profit First
When I first listened to Profit-First, I thought author Mike Michaelowicx was following me around. It spoke to the challenges I was having in my business’s cash flow right then. We tentatively adopted the philosophy and have not looked back. It’s been a game-changer for us. Mike’s goal is to “eliminate entrepreneurial poverty,” and for many in business, that is a real thing. Love this book.
Start with Why
You know a book is powerful when it becomes something that everyone else repeats. It seems every business leader discusses the need to find your WHY now. Sinek created the conversation and it is an important one in today’s business world.
Leaders Eat Last
I think each one of Sinek’s books has gotten stronger. And while I really enjoyed “Start with Why,” I thought “Leaders Eat Last” was even better. Sinek goes into what makes a great leader and even the biological reasons for it. Powerful information…and super interesting too!
Infinite Game
As you might expect, this is my favorite of Simon Sinek’s books. He explains the difference between a finite game and an infinite game and why it matters so much to know what kind of game you are playing. For me, it crystallized the idea of playing a “long game” in business. It’s what I have long believed and discussed, but Sinek does it in a much more articulate way than me!
The Thank You Economy
I love Gary Vaynerchuk. I am a fan. But while I love his content, his energy, his speaking, and his philosophy, I don’t always LOVE his books. But The Thank You Economy was different. Gary talks about using social media to create appreciation, value, and connection at scale. Loved this one.
Pumpkin Plan
This is the second Mike Michaelowicz book on the list. I am a fan of Mike’s work and this is a powerful one about differentiation. He says “The Riches are in the Niches” and explains how to find your niche and grow into it. He even spends a bit of time explaining how to “fire a client” which just seems so hard for some entrepreneurs. The Pumpkin Plan is worth harvesting.
Purple Cow
I am an unapologetic fan of Seth Godin. He is a thought leader in business and marketing. And he has the ability to say things in a way that is simple, yet powerful. “If you want to be remarkable, you have to do something worth remarketing about.” Read this one if you want to stand out in a crowded marketplace.
The Dip
While this is probably not Godin’s most famous book, it is the one I find myself quoting the most often. It’s short and powerful. When you start something new, you will be learning fast and your improvements will be fast. Then, that will excitement and progress will slow down. It will not be as exciting. This is the Dip…and it’s when most people quit. Get through the Dip…and you become the expert.
The Practice
His most recent book (as I type this), The Practice is a powerful reminder about how we get better at anything. If you want to build a career, a business, your fitness, content, or a life…creating a Practice will help you do it.
Ultimate Selling Machine
If you are an entrepreneur or are in sales (and we are all in sales), this book is powerful. There are strategies for everything from creating a sales process to building real relationships. Love this one.
High Trust Selling
I read this one a long time ago, and it was one of the first books that changed my business. Duncan’s observation is that 80% of our results in sales come from 20% of activities. But as salespeople, we tend to focus on the wrong part of the business. We need to hire out the 80% that does not make us money.
The 5 Second Rule
File this under “simple but powerful.” Mel Robbins gives you a 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 solution for procrastination. Along the way, she gives powerful insights into performance and life. Oh…and this is a great audiobook if you enjoy those.
Finish
Jon Acuff is a great writer and speaker. His sense of humor helps me get lessons I might otherwise miss. While I love his book Start (Punch Fear in the Face), the book Finish was more powerful for me. I have never had problems starting things…but finishing? Squirrel! He gives some great tips on getting your project to the finish line.
7 Habits of Highly Effective People
I talk about this book as a foundational book for anything. I find myself referencing it years later. If you have read it. Read it again.
The Goal
I got this book recently at the recommendation from a friend. It’s a great look at how to improve a bottleneck and flies in the face of traditional manufacturing policy.
Known
Want to build your personal brand? I really enjoyed this book from Mark Schaeffer on how to make it happen. In this book, he outlines the 5 steps you need to take to build your brand and become Known.
Building Your Storybrand
Donald Miller wrote this gem that outlines why most companies get their marketing wrong. It was a real “a-ha” moment for me and shined a light on why sometimes messages work and sometimes they don’t. Who is your marketing making “the hero of the story?” Most of us make ourselves the hero. The customer needs to be the hero. Miller explains why in this wonderful book.
Marketing Made Simple
Now that you understand that the customer needs to be the hero of your marketing story, Marketing Made Simple digs into the tactics of how to make that happen. This book outlines a step-by-step process to create a marketing machine that works for your business.
Dare To Lead
Most of us are afraid to put ourselves out there. We don’t want to be completely authentic because it doesn’t feel like “what a strong leader would do.” Brene Brown breaks down those myths and challenges us to lean into them. I feel like this book made me a better leader by making me a better person.
Extreme Ownership
And speaking of leadership, it’s hard to learn from better teachers than Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. These two team up to give amazing lessons in leadership combined with stories from leading teams in combat. Oh…and if something is going wrong in your company, or division, or family…you should take extreme ownership. Good one here.
Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics
Everywhere I looked, I saw people telling me I needed to meditate. But I didn’t know how to do it. I felt like I was doing it wrong. It felt strange and weird. This book breaks down some of those myths and gives you permission to get started with “just one minute” if that’s what you need to do. This is a good introduction for someone that feels they might need meditation in your life…but does not know where to start.
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck
If you are offended by strong language, this book is not for you. However, if you can get past that, there is a zen-like quality to much of this book that really connected with me. One of my favorite lessons, which I talk about here, is the idea that successful people are willing to “suffer through” things to get to what they want. Not everything will be easy. If you want to reach your goal, you need to decide what you are willing to suffer through.
Scrum
This book is sort of the bible for Agile productivity. We read it as a team. If you want to get more done as a team, this book is a must-read. Can you break down tasks into small enough pieces so that every member of the team can help? You probably can…and SCRUM lines up how.
4 Disciplines of Execution
Let me see if you have been there. We come back from a conference (or read a book) and want to implement a great idea. We start strong, but then the “whirlwind” of business and life gets in the way. The 4 Disciplines break down how to identify the Wildly Important Goal, and create a process to make improvements with your team.
Epic Content Marketing
If you want to do content marketing “right,” this is your manual. Joe Pulizzi talks about the start of his company and how creating compelling content (for the customer) works. He shows you how to create an audience and story-tell in a way that will build your brand. Loved this one.
Hug Your Haters
So you have created a social media following that is worth having. What do you do when “the haters” show up? Jay Baer says you need to “Hug Your Haters” in this book about dealing with tough comments on social. Jay gives the playbook on what to do when complaints happen (and they will). Most of us want to ignore the comments so they go away. Jay explains why that is the wrong play…and how doing it right can change haters into fans!
Never Split the Difference
Life is a negotiation. If you are in business, you already know this. In this powerful book, Chris Voss takes us inside some amazing stories from a hostage negotiator…and how many of them can apply to you.
Living With a Seal
And I wanted to end with a fun one. Jesse Itzler tells the story of how he invited the “toughest man on the planet” David Goggins to live with him for a month and train him. When I listened to this, no one knew who David Goggins was…but it all makes sense now. While there are some sincere lessons here about how far we (as humans) can go, this one was fun.
So there you go. Here are 29 game-changing books for business and personal development. These are books that have helped me level up in business and life.
If you enjoy reading and looking for ways to grow and level up, you might want to learn more about our new Better Business University. We are creating an affordable online learning platform that can help you take your career to the next level.
Make sure you never miss an update by signing up for our VIP newsletter here. Oh…and as always, we have all of our content here on our blog page…check it out!
by Kirby Hasseman
At Hasseman Marketing, we are all about creating content that provides you value, inspiration, entertainment, and (hopefully) some joy! It’s about “Giving First” and we are big believers! But we have heard that sometimes, it’s hard to keep up. We get that. And while it’s totally okay if you are not able to see every piece of content we create, we don’t want it to be because of a lack of effort on our part. So I wanted to take just a moment to highlight a few pieces of content we are consistently cranking out.
Oh, and if you want to sign up for our VIP newsletter, you can do that here too.
The Monday Minute
Each Monday we create a motivational video for PromoCorner. The idea is to give you a quick boost of motivation to start your week off on the right foot. And because it’s quick-hitting…we hope you can find the time! If you have never taken the time to listen, you can find them all right here. Feel free to binge-watch them all and get fired up!
In Stock and Ready to Rock
As we write this, inventory is a challenge in nearly every industry. We have been talking about it a lot because we want to spare you some stress and headaches. But we didn’t want to just complain…that’s not our deal. So we created the “In Stock and Ready to Rock” shop. Each week we will feature one item that has deep stock and is ready to be branded with your organization’s logo! Click here to check out the latest!
The Kirby Hasseman Blog
Each week I work to create a personal development article that might help you move your business in the right direction. I often file these under “messages I need to hear,” as they resonate with salespeople, entrepreneurs, and leaders that want to level up. Here is my most recent (as I write this) about 3 Things To Do Every Day if you want to be more productive and happier. If you enjoy that one…there’s plenty more where that came from!
Delivering Marketing Joy
This is what I call the “OG” of our online content. With over 350 episodes, that means we have been doing Delivering Marketing Joy for nearly 7 years. Every Wednesday we interview leaders, marketers, entrepreneurs, and authors from (quite literally) all over the world. This is one of the pieces that updates to our blog page each week, but you can head here to binge hundreds of episodes on PromoCorner.
Thirsty Thursday
One of our newest pieces of content has quickly become one of our most popular! Each week we try a mystery drink in a different piece of branded merchandise. Sometimes the drinks are good…but not often! The reactions and the cool branded merchandise make it all worth while. This is posted on our Facebook page and is just one reason why you should follow us if you are not already. Watch the latest episode here!
Oh…and if you are interested in any of these pieces of drinkware for your organization, you can head to our shop here!
Fashion Friday
Each week we have some fun featuring a simple apparel piece for our Fashion Friday! This is another Facebook/Instagram exclusive, so head here and give us a follow.
Ohio’s Heart
Finally, I want to highlight Ohio’s Heart. Some of you may remember that we created OhiosHeart.com to highlight positive things going on in our region. While I have been a bit distracted from this site, I still believe it has a great opportunity to spread the good word! So we have been posting more to it recently (like this drone footage of a local expansion)…and I want to continue that trend. So if your organization has some good news, please feel free to share with us! Please add us to the list of press releases you are sending out to lift up the good news!
Whoo! That’s a lot of content…but we do it for you! If you want to have most of this content delivered directly to your inbox, join our VIP list here. Each week we send ONE email to the members of our list so you have it in one place!
by Kirby Hasseman
Stop me if you have heard this before. “I went to buy something (anything), and it was ‘out of stock’, ‘back-ordered,’ or ‘more expensive.'” Yeah…us too. The fact is, we are living through a trying time in our economy where supply chain issues and labor challenges are affecting nearly every sector. And the marketing and branding sector is no different. We have been talking about this since early this year.
While you can still get some amazing branded items for your organization, it’s more important than ever that you plan ahead. That is why at Hasseman Marketing, we are making a fairly bold recommendation. It’s July as I write this…but it’s not too early.
You should start thinking about your 4th quarter gifts now.
Don’t get me wrong. This is not some crazy upsell. I am not suggesting you should buy more than normal. No one is trying to trick you. But in case you haven’t noticed, the past 18 months have been a bit different. If you are planning to do year-end gifts this year, you need to get the ball rolling.
Here are two quick tips on buying 4th quarter gifts in 2021.
Order Way Early
If we have said it once, we have said it 20 times…plan way early this year. If you normally plan to order items 4 weeks in advance, plan 12. Seriously. Can you get things faster than that? Yes…sometimes. But more often than not, we are seeing clients have to scramble to get items in time…or not get them at all. That adds a ton of stress to you and your organization. If you know an event is coming, do yourself a favor and order early. Update: We have created this shop based on items with deep inventory. Check it out.
Select More Than One Option
As you are going through your ideas for branded merchandise, we recommend you have a plan A, B, and C! Yes we will work to check stock in advance, but things are changing quickly. One day an item may have “plenty” of stock, but then a big order comes in and it disappears. While you are doing the research, just pick a few backup options that are in the same price range. This will keep you from having to start over if you run into challenges.
There are plenty of things we cannot control in today’s economy. So many things seem to be in flux. That’s why it’s so important to control what we can. And while it might seem crazy to think about ordering year-end gifts now, we can assure you it’s not. If you want to discuss your year-end options, please contact your Hasseman Marketing Account Executive. If you don’t have one, click here to set up a time to chat with one!
by Kirby Hasseman
If you have been paying attention to our communication lately, you might have seen the conversation around a new program called Better Business University. We are extremely excited about the new platform. And while you might have heard about it, many people still have questions! We get that. So in this blog, we wanted to address the top 5 questions we are getting about Better Business University.
What is Better Business University?
Better Business University is an online platform of business education that is real-world-based and very affordable. We will have a yearly subscription and give people complete access to all classes. The classes are video-based, so you can watch at your pace and on your schedule. As we add more classes…no more cost. Our goal is to reach 10,000 entrepreneurs, leaders, and sales pros to help them elevate their game.
Why Is Hasseman Marketing Involved?
At Hasseman Marketing, we have always been about helping other organizations grow. That might mean assisting you with a marketing campaign, or helping guide our prospects and clients to grow personally. That is why we spend so much time and energy creating content! We feel that Better Business University is the perfect next step to help our prospects and customers level up!
What Courses are Available?
As of this writing, there are 5 robust video courses. The courses available now include:
- The Give First Economy
- How To Get More Done
- Create a Website That Works
- How to Market like a Rock Star (on social media and through content)
- Build Your Brand with Branded Merchandise
We will be adding more courses soon, and there will be no additional fee for subscribers on the platform.
Who Is Better Business University For?
We are calling Better Business University the “Entrepreneur’s MBA.” We have created the program for entrepreneurs, leaders, freelancers, sales pros, and anyone else interested in leveling up their skills and their career.
What is the Cost?
The goal of BBU is to help 10,000 entrepreneurs and leaders level up. In order to do that, we have made it very affordable. The yearly subscription will be only $249 for the entire year…and you will have access to all classes. As we add more courses, there will be no additional cost! We think that is an incredible value. But during our launch week (May 3-7) we will have a special offer that is even better.
If you are interested in learning more about Better Business University, please check out the Facebook page here…or head to the website here.
