by Kirby Hasseman
A Good Sales Meeting Can Be A Great Investment. This past week, several members of the Hasseman Marketing sales team (and me) attended an intense, multi-day sales event at the Kalahari Resort in Sandusky, Ohio. It was a “speed dating” style event where we got the chance to meet with a different supplier every 18 minutes. It was fast. It was productive. And…it was exhausting! We left with lots of ideas for our clients and ourselves.
I love to attend sales meetings and events like this because, though they do require time out of the office, they can really recharge your passion. You certainly get new ideas. But sometimes the most powerful takeaway can be an old idea that you have not implemented! Either way, I view these events as opportunities to invest in myself and my business.
But what do you do after the meeting?
One of the challenges I find with events like this is what comes next. We have all been there. After being out of the office for several days, we find that the world did not stop in our absence. As a matter of fact, I sometimes think things get more busy when I am gone! You get back to the office and face a pile of priorities, a mountain of emails and several emergencies. Despite the best of intentions, and tons of good ideas, you get back into the day to day and don’t follow up.
It’s called the Whirlwind…and it’s easy to get lost in it.
That’s why it’s so important what you do after the meeting or event. Remember, the event is an investment. It’s not just about pumping you up (though that’s great). The idea is to create a new and better business that is ready to grow. So here are a few things I try and do to make sure the ideas don’t get blown away in the whirlwind.
Schedule Time for A Debrief
After the meeting, before all of the ideas get lost (or the notes get thrown away) set some time to go over what you learned. By yourself or with the team, look again at some of the ideas that had you excited.
Get Specific Ideas on Paper
This seems obvious, but I often miss this step. I like to get the ideas I want to execute all in one place. Otherwise I spend a lot of time thinking “where did I write that down?”
Schedule Time to Implement
Now that you have gone over the meeting and created a list of “things to do,” put some time on the calendar to actually do them! My role is, if it is not on my calendar, it doesn’t exist. So create the time to make the plans come to life!
I always struggle to get events on my calendar. They cost you time and they cost you money. But every time I take the time to invest in myself and my business this way, I am glad that I did. It’s just important to make sure you take the time to make it worth it!
P.S. Congrats to the OPPA Promotional Group for putting on such a great event! If you want to learn more about us at Hasseman Marketing, check out our About us page.
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by Kirby Hasseman
I am working on a project right now that scares me.
Don’t get me wrong. It’s not a bad project. On the contrary, it’s (potentially) big and exciting. It has generous upside. But it has downside too. In addition, it has lots of moving parts. It is going to make me do things that are new to me. It’s going to stretch the team…and me. It scares me because it’s (just a bit) outside of the norm for us.
But here’s the thing…outside of the norm is where growth comes from.
If you want to grow yourself, your sales or your business, this is the dilemma. You can’t grow (much) by doing the same things you have done in the past. Oh, sure, you can get just a little bit better at the things you already do. But you will never take the big leap that you want to by doing running the same plays from the same playbook. At some point, you need to try something new. You have to try something bigger.
And that’s when the voice kicks in.
The voice kicks in because you are uncomfortable and a little scared. The voice starts telling you all of the things that could go wrong. It fills your brain with worst case scenarios of doom. That voice is fear masquerading as your friend, pretending to keep you safe.
When we hear that voice, we are often convinced to stay where we are.
Here is what I am learning about “the voice.”
The voice shows up precisely when you are doing something cool and new and different. We most often see the voice or the struggle as a sign we are on the wrong path. We have it backwards. The voice shows up when you are onto something! It’s a sign you should keep going…not stop. The thing that has been stopping us is often actually a hint that we are on the right track.
It’s just how we interpret the signals.
As I write this, I am up early on a project that scares me…and I am excited about it.
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by Kirby Hasseman
It’s time for the 7th episode of the He Said/She Said Podcast with Hasseman Marketing! This podcast is designed to give an inside look at projects we are working on and the challenges we are facing! So listen in and let us know what you think!
On this episode we talk about…
Trending Topic
Last week we talked about unplugging from technology. This week we check back to see how that is going. In addition, we talk about the need for taking time of meditation and prayer. Kirby and Amy each talk about their rituals and their struggles with that.
Weekly Whirlwind
This week, Kirby talks about the excitement and challenge of bringing on a new employee. This week, Justin Mullens started with us. You can read about that here. Kirby talks about wanting to do a great job on-boarding new employees…but never being sure if he is getting it right!
Lesson In Life
We started this new session last week with the idea that we are trying to bring value. This time we chat about the notion that “once you find something you love, you will never work another day in your life.” It’s just not true…and it’s dangerous to say it. When you are trying to do something cool, or new there are going to be challenges and tough times. That’s not only ok…it’s a good thing. Listen in to here more on this one.
Shout Outs
Each week we want to give a shout out to an organization or an individual doing good work. This time on the podcast, Amy calls out Libbie and Em in the Hasseman Marketing office. You can find a bit more about them here. They do a great job of keeping the trains running on time at the HMC office! Kirby gives a shout out to his daughter Skylar. Not only is she chasing her dream…but she has done a great job here too!
So that’s a wrap! We will be back…and we will continue to improve. Any feedback will be welcome as we try to provide you value! If you want to subscribe you can do that where you normally get podcasts…or you can head here to follow on Soundcloud.
Thanks so much for listening! If you have any topics you want Kirby and Amy to cover, please comment and let us know! Oh…and if you like this content, check out this page where you can find all of the content we create!
by Kirby Hasseman
Welcome to the 6th episode of the He Said/She Said Podcast with Hasseman Marketing! This podcast is designed to give an inside look at projects we are working on and the challenges we are facing! So listen in and let us know what you think!
On this episode we talk about…
Trending Topic
This time our “trending topic” is unplugging from technology. This is something many of us struggle with. Kirby and Amy talk about his struggle with going on vacation recently without his laptop. It was harder than he thought! Amy talks about what she does when she is bored. Feel free to weigh in with your thoughts!
Weekly Whirlwind
If you have been listening, you know Amy is knee deep in paperwork on the building renovation. We spend a short time on that recap, and Kirby talks about the launch of the new website (yes this one).
Lesson In Life
With the idea of trying to drive value, Kirby and Amy give out some life lessons. This time they each talk about lessons that they received early in life that they still lean on today. Amy talks about “giving to others” and Kirby reminds you to “see the people.” Want a little more? Listen in!
Shout Outs
Each week we want to give a shout out to an organization or an individual doing good work. This time on the podcast, they talk about the recent Clean up Coshocton day and the local Coshocton County United Way and the City of Coshocton…who organize that.
So that’s a wrap! We will be back…and we will continue to improve. Any feedback will be welcome as we try to provide you value! If you want to subscribe you can do that where you normally get podcasts…or you can head here to follow on Soundcloud.
Thanks so much for listening! If you have any topics you want Kirby and Amy to cover, please comment and let us know! Oh…and if you like this content, check out this page where you can find all of the content we create!
by Kirby Hasseman
It was a cold, dark morning.
This morning, when I heard the puppy whimpering, it was early and it was dark. It was about 10 minutes before the alarm was set to go off, so I turned the alarm off and walked out to let the dog outside. I wiped the sleep from my eyes as I tried to attach the leash to Fin’s collar. I would just let him out, but he cannot be trusted. So I hooked him up and walked outside…and wow!
It was cold!
The cold burst of air hit me and I realized I should have put on more than a t-shirt. Then as I stepped off the porch and felt the cold, wet drops on my neck. It was more snow than rain, but either way, it woke me up in a hurry. I was cold. I had no coffee. I was getting wet and standing in the dark. Ah…the glory of owning a puppy!
That’s not what you think of when you make the decision to get a dog is it? You think of taking walks with your new buddy. You envision cuddling up and taking naps together! And don’t forget playing catch. It will be SO much fun! And here’s the thing, you do have those moments. But they are not the ONLY moments. You have to do the cold, wet mornings in the dark too.
Building a Business Is The Same
The same is true for for building a sales career or a business. We often spend a lot of time envisioning how great it’s going to be. We think about the freedom. We consider being our own boss. We run the numbers and think about the big money you are going to make! But we don’t always consider the after hours work. We don’t think about the stress or the number of people that are depending on you. We don’t always think through what happens when the numbers don’t look good.
In those moments, it can feel like you are alone, in the dark with a cold rain on your neck. It’s not always as glorious as people make it out on the internet. Being an entrepreneur can be hard and lonely.
But there’s good news within this dark cloud.
There is Good AND Bad
I am not working to be a downer. In everything there is good and bad. It’s just better to understand that. It’s important to know that there will be times that are tough in any endeavor…and that’s okay! Don’t get down that there are tough times. Just know that better times will come if you keep after it. Which leads nicely into…
Most People Are Not Willing To Deal With The Bad
The fact of the matter is, most people want the puppy but not all of the headaches that come with it. The same is true with building a business. They see the outer success and would love that. But most people are not willing to do what it takes. They are not willing to put themselves out there. So if you are, you are 100% ahead of the game.
Accept that there will be tough times. When you do, they don’t surprise and overwhelm you. Then you have the energy to put in the work that others are not willing to do.
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