by Kirby Hasseman
Many people in sales are working really hard to “get the sale.” “That makes sense,” you might think. “After all, that is what they get paid for.” It’s true. Sales people are compensated to create sales. It’s important. But I don’t think that should be the number one goal of an organization. Your goal should be to the Re-Sale…or the 2nd sale. When you focus on the sale, you (and your team) focus on the short term. You make short term decisions that create, well, short term customers. You are not focused on the overall experience. You are not focused on the happiness of the customer AFTER the sale. When you focus on the 2nd Sale, you think more long term. You want happy customers. You want delighted customers. And when the customer is not happy, you know you need to make it right. As I like to say, your goal then, is to create 20 year customers. This is the foundation for long term sales and business success. Don’t just focus on the sale. Focus on the 2nd Sale. Make sure you never miss an update! Sign up for our VIP newsletter here.
by Kirby Hasseman
The best thing about the internet, and social media in general, is that everyone has a voice. This brings a very real “power to the people.” If you have a bad experience, or have been really wronged, you have a way to tell people about it. Most of the time, I think this is a great thing. It gives companies the incentive to do business “the right way.” The worst thing about the internet, however, is that everyone has a voice. What Facebook and Twitter and other social media platforms has proven is that if (some) people are able to spew garbage, untruths, and hate, they will. These people have, of course, always existed, but now they have a larger microphone. This makes it incumbent upon the rest of us to do a few things. Don’t Confuse Opinions with Facts: The saying goes that “everyone is entitled to their opinion.” It’s true. But everyone is not entitled to their own facts. For example, if you are frustrated with Coshocton, feel free to say “Coshocton is not what it once was,” or even “Coshocton sucks.” That’s your opinion. I don’t agree with it…but I respect your right to have it. On the other hand, please don’t say “There are no jobs in Coshocton.” That is empirically false. Be Thoughtful About Our Voice: What does this mean? It means you need to think before you hit “send.” Don’t just share any post that comes along (that might agree with your agenda). Do some research to make sure it’s based in any truth before you just share it. If you don’t have time to do that…then just don’t post. To be clear, I think we are living in an amazing time. We have opportunities our great grandparents could never have imagined. We have ways to grow a business, grow our brand, and create influence. We have a great opportunity to have a real voice. Let’s just make sure we deserve it. Make sure you never miss an update. Feel free to sign up to become our VIP. You can do that by signing up here.
by Kirby Hasseman
Yesterday began December with a really cool day of giving. First, my wife and daughter finished up an extremely successful Clothing Drive. The video is here for more details. Then, after the final bit of clothing was dispersed, we headed out of town for a shopping trip for a list of kids in need. It was a long day, but it was hard not to be full of joy as you considered how many people would be affected. But the best part of it was the conversation. Certainly we felt good about “giving” during this holiday season. But our discussion very naturally went to those people that completely give of their time all year round. These are the people that open up their home, every single day, all around the country, to give kids a safe, loving and warm environment. The real superheroes are Foster Parents. During this holiday season, we all feel a tug on our hearts to help each other. These folks do it all year long. Unfortunately, foster parents are more in demand than ever before. If you are feel called to find out more information, here is a link to the program in Coshocton County. Not in Coshocton County? Here information from the National Adoption Center. So during this holiday season, let’s all take an extra moment to help those in need. In addition, let’s take several moments to thank those who do it all the time! You are the superheroes. You are appreciated. Make sure you never miss an update. Sign up for our VIP newsletter here.
by Kirby Hasseman
“I love it when a plan comes together.” This is not just the line Hannibal used to say at the end of the 80’s adventure show, The A-Team. It’s also how I feel today. After months of planning, promotion, and hard work, the clothing drive that my daughter Jade Hasseman helps to organize will happen. Last year, Jade saw a need at her school and decided to start a clothing drive for kids who needed warm clothes. It went incredibly well and this year they decided to do it again. (You can read more about it here). So today, (because it was too much for pick up trucks) a Box Truck full of new and gently used clothing will be heading to Coshocton High School for kids in need. They will be able to take whatever they need…for free. In addition, many generous people donated money so they could provide deodorant, shampoo, soap too. Oh, and it’s worth a shout out to Coshocton Dentistry who is donated Toothbrushes and toothpaste as well! The generosity of the Coshocton County community has been amazing. I am super proud of Jade (and my wife Amy) for helping to make this happen. But Jade would tell you it’s a huge team effort. There are tons of people that have donated, helped to sort and fold the clothing, and (hopefully) lots of people to help load up today. Any effort like this cannot happen without a large group of people that roll up their sleeves. It all started with a simple question. What can I do to help? Make sure you never miss an update! Today is a great day to sign up for our VIP newsletter here.
by Kirby Hasseman
I remember listening to an interview with the late-great Wayne Dyer that really changed my thought process. He was talking to the interviewer about the tremendous power of thoughts. He said, “The thing is, what you really, really, really want in life, you tend to get. But what you really, really, really DON’T want in life, you also tend to get! Your thoughts are very powerful. In both what you want and what you DON’T want, you put your thoughts and attention on.” Then he finished with this. “Once you realize that what you think about shows up in your life, you get REALLY careful about what you think about!’ I was reminded of this at a meeting recently. A group of good, smart people were sitting around discussing the creation of something new. Throughout the discussion, the conversation kept drifting back to the challenges that might be faced, the things that might not work, the obstacles that lay in the way. Those are important to understand and account for, for sure. But one thing we did not discuss…where we wanted to go. I was listening to the book Millionaire Success Habits by Dean Graziosi and it reminded me of this lesson. He talked about a group going on a whitewater rafting trip. The water was pretty rough and the guide was continually giving the group coaching and reminders. He told them that when he saw trouble ahead, he would never point to the trouble. He said if I point to the branch that we might run into (and tip us over), human nature will drive us right at it! Instead, he pointed to the spot in the river that the group needed to go. Focus on where you WANT to go. Stop focusing some much on the things that will get in the way. Now, for those of you “realists” in the audience, this does not mean the branch does not exist. The “potholes” in life are still there. But most people spend all of their time focused on the branches in their own life. Then they wonder why they spend every day running into them. What do you want to create? Spend your time, energy and talent focusing on that. Make sure you never miss an update! Each day we create new content with the goal of providing value to you. You can get one email per week with all of the content. Just sign up here to join our VIP list.
by Kirby Hasseman
This time of year can be hectic. We hear about it all of the time. So much so, it’s a cliche’. It’s the “hustle and bustle” of the holidays. (I don’t even know what a “bustle” is). But suffice it to say, we all have a lot going on during the holidays. But most of the time this is discussed from a personal perspective. We have holiday parties to attend, gifts to give, and food to make. For many of us, though, this time of year is a busy time for business as well. The 4th quarter is when a lot of businesses make or break their year. We are running hard to keep up with orders, keep customers happy and keep cash flow rolling. All of that can create a stress that we want to escape. But let me remind you, when it comes to business, being “busy” is often the point of the exercise! As I always say, “when I am bored, I am poor.” We want the phones to be ringing. We want email requests coming in. We want the work! Right? We work all year to drive business, then we want it all to slow down! It’s human nature, I think. I talk about this concept here. We work hard to raise our game. Then when we do, we get uncomfortable. When we are uncomfortable, we want to be comfortable again. So we work to change our thermostat. Don’t fall for it. So as the holiday season gets into full swing, I want to encourage you to embrace it. There is no growth inside the comfort zone. Continue to work on the activities you know create results. If you do it over and over again, you will create a new level where you are comfortable performing. Remember, you have to make hay while the sun is shining. When it’s busy or hectic, the sun is out! Make sure you never miss an update! Sign up for our VIP newsletter here!
