by Kirby Hasseman
Okay, so maybe that was a bit of reverse psychology. If you are reading this, though, it must have worked. But I promise there is a point to this exercise. Many of you know that we have been creating content for quite some time now. I have created hundreds of podcasts, probably over 300 videos, and well over 500 blog posts.
I have committed to the idea of creating value through content, because it’s the right thing to do. (And it’s working). But one thing I have yet to REALLY learn is what will work. I talk about this a bit here.
What I mean by this is that sometimes I write a blog that I think is really good. I am excited about the topic and I think it will add value to a lot of people. I am fired up to push publish…and…nothing. Often, those sure-fire hit blog posts don’t seem to resonate. Then, especially as I was committed to writing a blog every day, I might crank out a quick one with very little thought and BOOM, that article takes off.
When I blogged about this in the link above I got quite a bit of feedback that I needed to see what my audience was passionate about, and stick with that. So I tried. I noticed that sometimes I wrote specifically about a marketing topic, and that did well. For example, this blog about how to deal with Haters online was read quite a bit. So I decided to write another article like that. Here is a one that discusses treating social media like a cocktail party.
The results? Meh.
Okay…maybe it’s about “real” stories and authenticity. This is a word everyone throws around a ton, so that must be true! I wrote this article saying “I am NOT for everyone” and it was one of the most read blogs of 2018. It was written out of a moment of frustration.
So what if I shared those moments more? I wrote this blog about being overwhelmed and…well…the results were okay. I have had the same results with video. I am excited about my Day in the Life videos. For example, this one where we lost our Drone got over 500 views pretty quickly. But we have others in this series that (it feels like) no one watches.
Just currently, I am excited about this video we created that’s a little more inspirational. It’s gotten some great feedback, so I am thinking of creating more things like that. The point of all of this exercise is that it’s a work in process. Even the best content creators have pieces of content that flop.
It happens in Hollywood all of the time! The best studios, producers and actors team up on a project…and no one cares. So if it happens to the best, don’t worry when it happens to you. It’s important, I think, to just keep showing up. Keep pushing out your message and your value into the world. You probably won’t know when something will flop.
But you also might be delighted when something really takes off and makes a difference. Oh…and the same is true for sales too. You never know if THIS will be the sales call that helps you break through. Go get it.
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by Kirby Hasseman
It’s Monday. Many people start off the week with a feeling of dread. But it doesn’t have to be that way! How can you get your Monday (and ultimately your week) off on the right foot? Here are a few simple tips that will help you start to love Monday!
Own the First 60 Seconds: The fact is, most of us start our day living in the past. We wake up and are immediately worried about the actions of yesterday or the problems coming up. That’s no formula for happiness or success. Take a deep breath and bring yourself into the now. Read more about this here.
Have a Good Routine: We all have routines that govern our life. Studies will tell you that between 60% and 70% of the decisions you make each day are on auto-pilot. So spend some time to create routines that serve you. Drink water. Exercise. Read. Whatever feeds your brain and your soul. Make that a part of your every day. Put IN Some Good: Which leads you to get some sources of inspiration that help to feed that brain first thing in the morning. My sources include Gary Vaynerchuck, Seth Godin, Ed Mylett and more. But if you need another, check out my Youtube Channel and subscribe. Our goal is to provide some education and inspiration as well!
Push Out Some Good: Another great way to get your mindset kicked off in the right direction is to simply do some good first thing. For me, it might be writing a blog post. My creative juices get flowing and I hope to affect some positive change. It might be sending a thank you card or email or text. Push out some good…it will make you feel great!
Chart a Course For Action: Now it’s time to be intentional. Don’t just let the day happen to you. Spend some time and chart a few things you want to get done today. Creating a short list of “must do’s” can help keep you on track when the whirlwind of the day hits! It’s time to take Monday back! Try a few of these simple steps to get you off on the right foot to attack your week! Now…let’s go do this!
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by Kirby Hasseman
One question I get regularly is “how do you stay positive?”
Most of the time I struggle to really answer this question. There are several reasons why. 1. I don’t always “feel” positive. I have the same negative voices that everyone has. They are constantly in my head, reminding me of my failures and frustrations. 2. It’s who I am.
On the other hand, I have been working on being more positive for a long time. At this point, I don’t know if it’s genetic, or if it comes from a long focus. But it is (now) my default position. So it’s a little bit like asking someone “why do you like food, or running, or whatever?” The answer is often, “I don’t know, I just do.”
With that being said, I was thinking about this question the other day and realized that I do one thing that does help me set my mind right first thing in the morning. The concept is simple and foundational. Just like in a house, the foundation of your day is super important. It doesn’t matter what your house looks like. It might be straight out of a movie. The house might be huge and have all of the amenities in the world. But it doesn’t matter if you have heated floors, huge windows and a 5 car garage, if your foundation is not done right, that house will crumble.
The same is true for your day.
That’s why it’s so critical for me to own the first 60 seconds. Most people wake up and immediately start to relive yesterday. They look back at the stresses and failures of yesterday and their heart starts to race. Their mind starts to fill with dread and stress and BOOM…you are done. You are living in the past. The day is no longer yours. (The same is true if you immediately jump to the stresses of the upcoming day). I have those voices too. But when I feel that stress start to flood my mind when I first awake, I do two things.
1. I take a few deep breaths to calm myself.
2. Then I go through a simple gratitude exercise.
I think of the things in my life that I am grateful for or excited about. They might be my daughters or my co-workers or my wife or my bed. They might be projects at work, or people who have helped me. Whatever. I take a full minute to try and re-calibrate my mind and get it ready to attack the day with a different, more productive, mindset. For me, this is the foundation of the day. So try it for the next week and let me know how it works for you. Set the right foundation and the rest of your day will improve.
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by Kirby Hasseman
So there I am. It’s early in the morning and I am having my first cup of coffee. I am using my time to go through social media accounts to check for people that I need to respond to, or to connect with. I go through and comment on a few posts and congratulate connections on birthdays or work accomplishments.
My mouse hovers to Linkedin and I check to see if there are notifications there. I love Linkedin and I enjoy the engagement there. In addition, I do want to grow my network there! So when I notice there are notifications in the “My Network” tab I quickly go to check them out. Who might be reaching out to connect? If I know them, the decision is simple. Click a button and expand my network. Done.
But what if I don’t know them? Do I so quickly connect? Wait…let me see what other mutual connections we have. Hmmm…just a few. Do I accept? Do I move on? What am I afraid of? The goal is to grow my network, right? We never know what person might be THE person that helps to grow my business!
So I click “Accept.”
Then…ding! A message instantly comes through Linkedin! Damnit. THAT was what I was afraid of! The instant sales message. I don’t even have to look to know it. This is the person who assumes that since you have accepted their connection, it’s time to put on the full court press. It doesn’t matter that they don’t know if you need it. It doesn’t matter that they don’t know what other solutions you have. They have a quota and a goal and they are coming for you!
This, my friends, is the problem with a short term sales vision.
It’s the reason why it matters that you have a “long term” focus in sales. As I say all of the time “I am looking for 20 year customers.” When you are in sales, it’s hard to focus on the long term. The fact is, you need to sell something in order to make ends meet. That’s not only your goal, it’s your mission. I have been there. But having made some of those short term mistakes, I want to challenge you to think bigger.
Here are a few reasons that focusing on long term success helps you in sales and entrepreneurship.
You Look Less Desperate: What short term salespeople don’t understand is, they will sell less for less money. As consumers, we can smell it. We know when someone is just pushing for the short term sale. They don’t take the time to develop a relationship. They don’t take the time to really explain. They are too busy trying to sell me now. Oh, and if you are in that big a hurry, usually the only thing you have to sell is price. As Seth Godin says, that’s a race to bottom…and that’s a race you don’t want to win.
You Have Time to Push Out Good: People who are focused on long term success understand that a good marketplace leads to good sales. If your customers and community are doing well, you will do well. So it allows you to take the time to help. It will come back.
You Get To Say No: When you are not focused ONLY on this next sale, you get to decide if the prospect or customer can help you create a long term business. When the service or product or values don’t line up, you can politely move on. There is a true power in that.
The reality is, focusing on long term success is how you build relationships and a business that lasts. It’s harder. Sometimes it takes longer. But what are you trying to create? It’s up to you to decide.
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by Kirby Hasseman
When it comes to personal improvement, moving forward is a constant. When I want to stop, I hear those words ringing in my ears, “You are either improving, or you are getting worse. There is no staying the same.” With that in mind, my goal to read (and listen to) books has been consistent. So here are a few of the books that have had my attention so far this year. This Is Marketing: If you read this blog at all, you might know that I am a fan of Seth Godin. I am a fan because of books like this. Seth has a way of looking at the world and distilling thoughts about business, culture and marketing into ways that make sense to me. “This Is Marketing” is great and worth the price of admission just based on his take on the difference between “brand marketing” and “direct marketing.” Oh…and he was also kind enough to be a guest on Delivering Marketing Joy about the book. Game Changers: This was a gift from a friend that thought I would enjoy Dave Asprey’s take on how to improve…he was right. In the interest of transparency, I am still finishing this one, but Dave talks about lessons he has learned and interviewed 100’s of leaders and influencers about how to get more done. UnF@ck Yourself: I had seen this book around for quite sometime and never pulled the trigger. I am glad I did. I listened to the audio book on this one and I really enjoyed it. Sometimes you listen to a message just when you need to hear it. This was one of those books for me this year. 59 Seconds: This book is designed to help you change your life in simple ways. Essentially the book is full of psychological studies that show easy ways you can shift behavior to help you improve. Sometimes the shifts are obvious and sometimes counter-intuitive, but always thought provoking. Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life: This is an audio book that I am still working through. These types of simple books are good breaks for me. Though I did not get a lot of tangible takeaways, it still got me thinking. Can’t Hurt Me: In a word…wow. This book by David Goggins is a powerful story about what you can do with an iron will and determination. By chapter 2 of this book, I said to those around me “I will never complain about my circumstances again!” I listened to the audiobook version of this one…and I recommend it. The book is read by David’s ghostwriter and they take regular breaks in the book to discuss (podcast style) the stories and lessons therein. Really enjoyed this one. So if you are looking for some new reading material to push you further, here are a few that have been on my mind so far in 2019. Now…let’s get back after it! Make sure you never miss an update! Sign up to be a VIP here today.
