by Kirby Hasseman
With some extra time on your hands during the pandemic, many people have decided to create content for their business and personal brand. I am excited to see the increase in activity in video, podcasts and blogs all over the business world. I think it’s a great use of time, and a great way to use this time to create long term business value. But as you start on your content journey (or if you are just considering it now), it’s important to not just “run and gun” your content. Here are a few questions to consider to make your content marketing pop.
Does This Answer a Question Or Concern of My Customers?
When I speak to business leaders, marketers and entrepreneurs about creating content, one of their concerns is where to start. What topic should I cover? What should I write about? The easiest place to start is to make a list of questions that your customers and prospects ask all of the time about your product or service. You probably already have the answers, because you handle them all of the time. If you can write a blog or create a video that answers that question you probably have a good piece of content.
But I think it’s important that this is not just a sales video. It’s not an ad. So many people create videos that say they are answering a question, but it’s really a full blown marketing pitch that only sells their own product. The idea is that you create value by answering a real question and add value to the customer. Once you have created value in the customer’s mind, and built trust, that is a great time to offer your product or service as a potential solution to the customer’s problem.
Does This Have a Point of View?
The famous Sports Talk Radio Host Jim Rome has a mantra he says to his callers. “Have a take…and don’t suck.” That might be good advice if you are calling a radio show, but these are great words of wisdom if you are creating content. Have an opinion. The idea of content marketing, in many ways, is to establish you or your brand as the expert. We go to experts for their opinion on matters. These experts have earned the right. That’s you. You have put in the work to be the expert in your area. So if you are going to take my time with a piece of content, have a point of view. Have a take. And don’t suck.
Is This Created With My Customers in Mind?
Many marketers and entrepreneurs have a “Toby Keith” problem with their marketing. They “wanna talk about me” all of the time. When we focus all of our marketing or our content on our own company, we lose sight of what is important…meeting the needs of our customer. The best content is created wit the customer in mind. It answers a question they need. It educates them to help them do their job better or make their lives easier.
Donald Miller talks about this in his great book Building Your StoryBrand. Many companies make themselves the hero of their story. It’s a mistake. As Miller says, in your marketing (and your content) you should position the customer as the hero of the story and your company should be the guide. So your customer is Luke Skywalker and your company is Obi Wan.
These are just a few questions to consider when creating a piece of content…and you want to make it pop. I think questions can be very powerful to lead us the right direction (I talk about more good questions here). If you have more questions about Content Marketing, check out Joe Pulizzi’s great book Content Inc on the subject here.
Thanks for reading! We will keep the content coming for you! If you want to catch up, you can head to our blog page here.
by Kirby Hasseman
For over 3 years, Bill Petrie and I have been sharing our opinions on the marketing, branding and promotional products world on the unScripted podcast. Every Friday, Bill and I connect through the magic of technology, and discuss trending topics in our world. We call it unScripted, quite simply, because neither of us knows what the other is going to bring up so you get an honest, unedited view of our opinions and takes on industry topics.
I am proud of the podcast for several reasons. We have been recognized with awards (humble brag). We have received kind words from our peers. And hey, it’s been fun! But the journey has taught me quite a bit as well. So, if you are interested in starting a podcast or any other kind of content, here are some lessons I have learned from doing the unScripted podcast with Bill Petrie.
Consistency is King
One of the things I am probably most proud of is that we push play each week. As I write this, it will be week 162 of the unScripted podcast. That means we have put out a podcast for 162 weeks in a row. It’s a commitment. But it’s that consistency that has not only built an audience but has helped Bill and I grow. We got better at podcasting. We got better at choosing topics. It’s just like exercise. It’s about stretching and working those muscles that make you stronger.
Have Someone Who Pushes You
I am a believer in consistency. But we would have never made it through this many episodes without Bill driving me. It’s so powerful to have someone who helps to keep you on track. Bill has been an incredible teacher, coach and friend through this and I appreciate it. If you want to try something big, and crazy and hard (and you should), it’s great to have someone who pushes you and lifts you up. Thanks Bill.
Be Authentic and Transparent
I almost did not add this one because it’s almost cliche at this point. But if you want to create something long term, it’s nearly impossible to be someone you are not. Sooner or later, your real opinions will come through anyway! So be willing to put yourself out there.
Have the Courage of your Convictions
Some of the most interesting discussions we have had on the podcast (and then after) have been when Bill or I said something that upset people. While that is certainly NOT our goal, we do want to create discussion and thought. Whenever this happens, Bill and I both take the time to be introspective about our statements. Do we really think that way? If not, I think both of us are willing to say “Nah…I was wrong.” On the other hand, if we still feel strongly about something, I think that’s important too. Despite the reactive culture we have right now, I think we need to stand up for what we think as well. Trust me when I say, sometimes that is easier said than done.
Lift The Other Person Up
Partnerships of any kind can be hard. With that in mind, remember if you start something like this that “you are in the service industry.” It is really important that neither Bill nor I worry too much about credit. That is easier said than done! We all have healthy egos…and we all want recognition. But if you want a partnership to last remember that it should not matter who gets the credit.
Continue to Try New Things
If you create something that requires consistency, there is the chance you can get in a rut. That’s why it’s so important to be willing to try new things. Be willing to experiment with your format. Be willing to try new things and fail in order to find new things that work. If you don’t…it’s easy to get stale.
Keep Going
And that leads nicely to my final lesson…keep going. If it gets stale, or you get tired, it’s super tempting to think “maybe now is the time to quit.” And while it’s important to keep evaluating (in all things) I would recommend to keep pushing on. Most of the time that is the voice of comfort in your head. It’s easier to quit than to persevere. Most of the time, however, you are glad when you keep moving forward…even if it’s just for one more day.
Those are my lessons from the unScripted podcast. Again, thanks to Bill for helping me keep this train rolling! If you have questions about content marketing, please feel free to reach out to me. And if you want make sure you never miss a piece of content head to our blog page.
by Kirby Hasseman
Podcasting has become an amazing and popular way to communicate your message and build your brand. It’s easy to get started. And, when done right, it is an extremely personal way to communicate to your audience. They really get to know you and your point of view. So how do you get started podcasting? Today we will cover some basics…and what has worked for me.
I started podcasting nearly 3 years ago. Though I have done podcasts on my own, I have found the most success with other people. I enjoy the interaction and it helps to keep me accountable to be consistent.
Promo UpFront Podcast
For years, I have recorded a podcast with my buddy Bill Petrie every week. First it was called unScripted and can be found here. For the last several months, we have shifted a bit. It’s called the Promo UpFront podcast. You can find that one here!
We talk about topics in the marketing and branding world and release the podcast every Friday. The unScripted podcast is designed to give our honest, unedited opinion on the topics that are relevant at the moment. What I love about this podcast is that it truly is off the cuff. I don’t know what Bill is going to bring up and he is in the dark about my topics. It’s fun. And the audience seems to respond to this authenticity as well. We have won a few awards for the podcast, and that is rewarding. But it’s a fun and fairly easy way to create conversation and to build our brand.
He Said She Said Podcast
More recently, my wife Amy and I have started a weekly podcast called He Said She Said. Because of our diverse interests, people are often curious about what we are doing. We thought this might be a way to give people a “behind the scenes” look. Amy and I talk about a “trending topic” each week and give people insight into what we are working on. We also try to provide a lesson of some kind and we give a weekly “shout out” to someone we are inspired by. It’s a fun new podcast and you can find it on our Soundcloud channel or just simply come to our blog each and every week.
Delivering Marketing Joy
Delivering Marketing Joy is the “OG” of content for me. Each week I interview a different leader in the business and marketing space. DMJ started as a web show, and it still is and can be found here on PromoCorner. But as it went on, people asked for me to provide them a podcast version of the show! I obliged and you can find that here on Soundcloud!
So those are our current podcasts…so how do you get started? Let’s dig into that.
Equipment
One thing that hangs people up on podcasting is the idea that you need a ton of equipment to get started. You don’t. Sure, the better the equipment, the better the sound. The better the sound, the better it is for your listener. That is true. But don’t let that stop you from just getting started. Your laptop has a microphone built in. That’s not the best, but it records! If you want a better microphone but do not want to break the bank, the one I recommend is the Blue Snowball USB microphone. It plugs right into your computer and gives really good sound. There are always ways to upgrade. Now that I have been at it a bit longer, I use this Yeti Blue Snowball and I love it. But to get you off the ground, this is a great start!
Recording Platform
While there are plenty of options when it comes to the platform you use to record your podcast, I use Zoom. It’s become ubiquitous, so nearly everyone you want to interview will know how to log in and use it. In addition, I find that the overall quality of video and audio is solid. You can even break the video and audio tracks apart if you want.
Editing Software
The other concern I hear from people who are interested in starting a podcast is, “will I need new software to get started?” The answer is “yes” and “no.” You will (most likely) need something to edit your audio file. But the level of editing will vary greatly depending on the kind of podcast. If you are doing something like our unScripted podcast, we pride ourselves on the fact that editing is minimal. If you do a quick google search you can find all kinds of audio editing software. But I like to keep it simple. We have Final Cut X, so that is what we use. I have talked to many people who can get started by using iMovie or Moviemaker to get their podcasts off the ground. Again…keep it simple. Get started and you will learn what works and where you need to upgrade.
Hosting
Once you have recorded your podcast, and then edited it into a finished product, you will need to host it somewhere. In other words, where will you upload it so someone can find it and listen. Again, there are lots of options. The one I use the most is Soundcloud. We upload most of our content there and then we have set up rss feeds to send the podcast to Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and other places where most people listen. The other app that I kind of like is Anchor. What I like about that format is, they make it easy to record directly to your phone and upload directly from there. Although that won’t create podcasts that are nearly as produced, it does get rid of some of the production hurdles that stop so many people.
Point of View
Beyond the equipment, I think it’s even more important to establish what you are going to talk about. Do you have a topic where you are a true expert? Are you in an industry where you can help people? Do you want to highlight your community? Whatever your topic is going to be, I think it’s important to have a clear direction. No one wants to listen to someone drone on with no coherent thought. Think out what you want to cover. In addition, have an opinion. You don’t need to be a “shock jock.” But so many people are afraid to say anything that might be perceived as controversial. So…they say nothing at all.
Length
There is no set answer to how long a podcast should be. That’s the beauty of podcasting. People listen to it as they have time. Think about how you listen to them. You might be in the office, or in the car, or you might be working out. I generally am a fan of brevity…especially when starting out. You don’t want to make something longer just for the sake of it. Say what you need to say…then stop talking.
Getting Started
The biggest lesson I would like to share with you is, you need to get started. So many of us wait until the mythical time when everything is perfect. We don’t want to start until we have everything figured out. That time will never come. In addition, the way you “figure it out” is by starting. You create a podcast. You listen (and you might even cringe a bit). Then you adjust and get better. Rinse and repeat.
If I can help you or answer any questions on how to get started, please email me here. I am happy to help. I can’t wait to hear about your podcast…and your journey along the way.
P.S. As a cool side note, I was invited to be a part of the 100th Episode of the Your Living Brand podcast. You can listen to that here.
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by Kirby Hasseman
(Coshocton, OH)—Coshocton based marketing firm and promotional products distributor Hasseman Marketing & Communications is growing again. Hasseman Marketing is excited to welcome Justin Mullens to their team. Mullens joins Hasseman Marketing after working for the last ten years at Spectrum Cable and will take over a new position called Digital Brand Manager.
“We are so excited to welcome Justin to the team,” says owner Kirby Hasseman. “He has a great personality and I am excited to have him start working with our clients to help them grow their brand.”
The Digital Brand manager is a new position for Hasseman Marketing. In his duties here, Mullens will work with clients that utilize marketing services and social media management from Hasseman Marketing. He will manage social media accounts, create video content and work to “story tell” online.
Justin has been a resident of Coshocton County his entire life. Justin Mullens has completed his third studying Digital Marketing and is starting his senior year at Full Sail University. Fueled by his outstanding work ethic and desire to learn more, he enrolled into an accelerated bachelor’s degree program. Throughout his high school learning, Justin worked at the local bowling center developing the communication and personable skills required to work with the public. From there, he became a technician with Spectrum Cable and has obtained superior communications, leadership and problem-solving skills in high pressure situations.
“It is an honor to be joining Hasseman Marketing, and I am excited to work with such a wonderful team. The “Marketing Joy” Kirby and team delivers is second to none, and I am excited to surround myself with that energy. As a team, great things happen, and great things are ahead at Hasseman Marketing!”
Hasseman Marketing headquarters is located at 432 Main Street in Coshocton, Ohio. They can be found online at www.HassemanMarketing.com. In addition, you can follow them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/hassemanmarketing.
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by Kirby Hasseman
We are so excited to welcome you to our new and improved website! At Hasseman Marketing, we work hard to provide our customers and prospects value, and we hope our new site is better designed to do just that. On the other hand, we wanted to keep some of the personality that made our old site fun! So let’s talk a bit about what you are going to find today…and moving forward!
We Are A Media Company: I talk all of the time with our clients that “everyone is a media company” today. I wrote this post last year and talked about my commitment to that. But the fact is, though we create more content than most companies, we had it all over the place on the web. This new and improved site has nearly all of our content in one place. We have our blog on the site, which we have always had. But you can also find Delivering Marketing Joy, my Day in the Life VLOG, and several podcasts…all right here! My goal is to have a new piece of content on this page nearly every day!
Showcasing Our Services: Believe it or not, our old site did not have all of the things that we offered on it! We want to fix that. Now each of the areas where we can serve your business, has a dedicated page on the site. Want to learn about our in house print offerings? You can learn about that here. Want to know how we can help you with video? You can find that here. And new to our services, we are now offering Web Development Services too! We are excited to have Eric Dingler help us with this new service. If you want to learn about this, you can find more information here.
As a side note, each of these services needs more detail…but that will be coming soon!
Contacting Our Team: We always have fun with our About Us page, and this one is no different. We included some testimonials from some great clients AND we have information about each of our great team members…and how to contact them! You can find that page here.
So that’s what I think! What do YOU think? Let me know. We are excited to continue to evolve and grow to serve you better!
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