by Kirby Hasseman
Twas the 4th Quarter of 2020, and like the rest of the year,
The time was filled with uncertainty, frustration, and fear.
Some people were masked up and trying to stay safe
But we all want to get back to life before riding the COVD wave.
And OH the election, the division it creates!
It seems both parties are selling division and hate.
In the midst of this madness, our businesses have a great chance
To show our customers and team members, a grateful stance.
Sending Branded Merch, through the years, has been a part of the map
That help companies all over bridge the appreciation gap.
But there’s a catch in 2020 all you leaders and friends.
It’s going to be harder this year, for branded merchandise to send.
More people than ever are working from home.
So each box of goodness, you will need to send to them, and them alone.
In addition, the Post office, UPS and Fed Ex
Are saying they are running out of delivery muscles to flex.
So what does this mean, and the question is “How?”
Can we show our appreciation in a world that is so crazy now?
While Santa won’t fly in with reindeers to save the proverbial day
We are working very hard to help you find a real way.
So if you want a simple solution, where are the charges are “all in,”
Then you can click on this shop to find options, or simply call in.
But one simple truth (or advice) from this friend.
If you want to order gifts, don’t wait for this year to end.
So click an email, send a text, pick up the phone, or go online to shop.
But let’s take care of our customers and teams and hope this madness will stop!
This little poem I am calling “The Nightmare on Merch Street” is just a light hearted attempt to share some important information. As we said in this blog, this year has been a tough one. We need to show our appreciation more than ever. But it’s a tough time to do it…that’s for sure. So if you are planning to order your appreciation gifts, this is NOT the year to wait to the last minute. Otherwise, you might be facing your own Nightmare on Merch Street!
by Kirby Hasseman
I was sitting at my desk, with the feet up, listening to Mike Michalowicz speaking at a recent Commonsku at Home event. Mike is one of my favorite speakers, thought leaders and authors in the business space. He has written several must read business books including The Pumpkin Plan and Profit First. When he said he is working on a new book about marketing, he had my attention. It was then that he told us about the most powerful word in marketing.
Mike’s new book (still in production) will be called Different is Better. The concept is simple. When there are thousands of options in nearly every business space, how do you stand out? It’s not just about being better (though that is great). It’s about being different. You must do something to differentiate in the customers mind.
Simple right? As we know, simple is not the same as easy.
While I am excited to dig into the book and try many of the tactics Mike discussed, there was one thing that caught my attention. One way to stand out in a sea of competitors is to use the most powerful word in marketing. What is that magic word? What simple word can you put on a piece of marketing that will wildly increase the likelihood that your customer will not only read the piece, but maybe also KEEP it? Let me give you the word…
It’s your customer’s name.
As Mike suggested, we are all attracted to our own name. If we are in a conversation with someone in a crowded room, and someone mentions our name, it will break through the noise. We will hear it. Our name is special to us. It gets our attention. It makes our customer feel important…because they are! If you want a simple way to make your marketing more effective, personalize it. It’s the marketing equivalent of listening to Beyonce and “putting a ring on it.”
The implications of this are simple and powerful. If you are going to create a direct mail piece, you are more likely to get it opened if it actually says the customer or prospect’s name rather than “current resident.” And if you are created a piece of branded merchandise to say thank you to your customers (and you should), what if you personalized that as well? If you create a vacuum tumbler with your logo on it, how much more would it mean if each customer, team member and board member had their own name on it? The effect will be powerful.
And as a side note during this pandemic, it’s safer. If each person has their own tumbler (or other branded piece), then there is a much lower chance of someone drinking out of the wrong tumbler and getting sick.
So now that we are in appreciation season, consider using the most powerful word in marketing to increase the value of your branded gift. Use your customer’s name and personalize your gift for even more affect!
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by Kirby Hasseman
This has been true for years. There is an appreciation gap. It’s the gap between how much companies think they show appreciation…and how much employees and customers feel appreciated. It’s probably always been true. Studies show you that 69% of customers that leave you will do so because of perceived indifference. Nearly 70% of them leave because they don’t think you care!
And that was before a pandemic, quarantine, wildfires, racial injustice, murder hornets, and the Big Ten postponing football! So showing your customers and your employees that you really care about them is more important than ever before.
But let’s be honest, it can be harder now. With those challenges, many events have been cancelled. The places where we saw customers have been shut down. So while we need to say “thank you” more than ever, it’s harder than ever before to do it. That is why some companies are thinking outside of the box with appreciation.
Create A Party In A Box
Many companies are looking at the fact that traditional Holiday parties are going to be difficult this year. We want to show our team appreciation, not get them sick! On the other hand, the holidays is when many of us take the time to show appreciation to our employees and our customers. And since we just said, we need to show more appreciation this year, what can we do?
What about a virtual Party In A Box? The idea is simple. While we might not be able to physically get together, what if we did it virtually? We create a Zoom meeting (or pick your platform) and then ship each of your team a box with some amazing items so you can all celebrate together. Depending on your team (and your budget) you can create a branded package that might include an apparel item you want everyone to wear, a bottle of wine, a set of glasses, some sweet treats to eat, and even hand sanitizer! You could create a “party in a box” that really dazzles. And just think, you won’t have to rent a facility or cater a meal…so you can use that budget to build your team, your culture and your brand.
As a side, many of our suppliers are working hard on drop ship programs so you can do this more efficiently and cost effectively than ever before.
What do you think?
If you are interested in exploring an idea like this to show your team or customers that they are special, let us know. You can reach out to your Hasseman Marketing rep…or you can click here to reach out to us!
by Kirby Hasseman
If you are looking for a great branded gift item for your team or your customers, drinkware is a great category to consider. Why? There are plenty of reasons, but here are a few.
First, no sizing. While apparel is a wonderful item to give your team (and you should) you need to make sure you have the right sizes, or the gift is a waste. Functionality. Everyone uses drinkware. And if you get your team or your best customers a NICE piece of drinkware, they will use yours. It’s Personal. Anything you are putting in your mouth is personal! So tying your brand to something legitimately personal ties them more emotionally to you.
But what piece of drinkware?
At Hasseman Marketing, many of our team lean lean toward the Vacuum Tumbler. A vacuum tumbler (often a Yeti style mug) is double walled and insulated to keep your coffee hot and your ice cold for hours. With that, they are functional regardless of what kind of drink your recipient enjoys. Want to sip on a coffee all day, these work great! And if you like to enjoy a cold beverage by the pool all day, these have you covered as well.
But which Vacuum Tumbler? We asked our team!
Kelly Bowe Says: “The Viking Tumbler is always my go to tumbler. That’s the one I always bought for the hospital and everyone always loved it. The price was right and the quality was top notch.”
Jeff Wickerham Says: “Celeste: I love this tumbler! It is vacuum sealed, but unlike most vacuum sealed tumblers, it is ceramic. The Celeste has the traditional coffee cup feel but keeps my coffee hot, so it is the best of both worlds!”
Kirby Hasseman Says: “I love the Urban Peak tumblers. They have great performance as a tumbler, and the full color decoration is amazing. Oh…and you can personalize it so everyone makes sure they have the right tumbler.” (Yes…I just quoted myself there).
Regardless of what style you like the best, during this time we have a great opportunity to show our team and our customers how much we really appreciate it. Let’s not waste it. Please let us know if we can help. Remember, we have drop ship programs that can help you send your branded merchandise directly to their door!
by Kirby Hasseman
In a world of overnight delivery and immediate gratification, starting a real business can seem painfully slow. We have more tools than ever before to build awareness, and that is a wonderful thing. But I have been reminded lately that a “share” on social media is not the same as a “sale.” When you are working to build a real, long term business, there are not as many shortcuts as we would like to believe. Real brand building takes time. So while you should use all of the new tools in the toolbox, there are 5 timeless rules of selling that still apply.
See The People
Despite the the proliferation of social media, building your sales is not just about having a presence on Instagram. There is still very real value to to getting in front of someone and seeing them face to face when you can. You have the ability to just “be with them.” There is power in that kind of focus. And they get to do the same with you. At it’s very core, we humans trust things that we are more familiar with. So by letting your clients see you, you gain credibility with them. Whether that’s showing up in their office with great branded merchandise, or just being at the events that they frequent, it’s still VERY important to see the people…and let the people see you!
Simply Listen
If this seems cliche, it is. It’s cliche because it’s true. As salespeople and entrepreneurs, we get so excited about what we are selling we forget to learn what our customer needs. It’s so important to ask questions first, then tell our story. We can tell our story SO much better when we understand the audience. For me, listening starts with good questions. Here are some good ones to start with.
Provide Them Value
Once you have listened to the prospect or client, don’t JUST try to sell them something. Of course you want (and need) to make the sale. But it’s so important to make sure you present a solution that actually provides value. If you can’t, walk away. As we talk about at Hasseman Marketing, it’s not about making one sale. It’s about creating 25 year customers. You can’t create that kind of long term relationship if you take advantage of people.
Show Gratitude
If you are blessed enough to make a sale, it’s not time to move onto the next transaction (at least not yet). It’s time to (sincerely) say thank you. The danger of the quick sale mentality is that each sale can become very transactional. You can become so focused on the next customer that you forget to appreciate the one you already have. It’s simple to fix this. Take an extra minute and write a note of thanks. Want to be more “new school?” Record a personal note and thank them on video. Either way, make sure you take the time to bridge the appreciation gap in your business.
Be Consistent
It’s not just about showing up. It’s about showing up every day. So many of us see inconsistency in our sales. It’s often because of inconsistency in our effort. We hustle hard and do the pro-active activities while we are slow (because we have time). This creates sales in our business, so we stop the pro-active hustle while we are tending to the business we created. Then we become slow again…and the cycle starts again. The key to consistent sales is keeping up the hustle while you are busy. It’s simple…just not easy.
These are 5 timeless rules of selling. This is NOT to say you should not embrace all of the new tools of brand building. You should. But don’t forget the foundation, or the whole operation will come tumbling down!
Thanks for reading. Please feel free to share with anyone who is in sales or building a business. If you want to check out all of our content, head over to our blog page.
