by Kirby Hasseman
We live in a digital age. We have more tools and platforms to be connected with each other than ever before. In most ways, I think this is a really good thing. I do. I am connected with so many more people, from all over the country, than I could have been 20 years ago. Not only have we met at some function, I am able to keep up with their daily lives. I get to see their kids grow up. I see pictures from their vacations. It’s a way of connecting with people we simply could not have done just a few year ago (and we take it for granted). But it’s not the only way to connect. It’s not even the best way. I was reminded of this when Mark and Catherine Graham drove from Toronto Canada to visit with us this week. For those that don’t know, Mark and Catherine own commonsku, which is an order management software program designed specifically for the Promo industry. They are also really nice people. It was great to connect with them…in person. They came and stayed overnight. We had dinner and hung out and they got to see our routines and workflows in person. But why? We communicate with them regularly. We are connected on all of the social media channels. Why make the trip? I even asked them about it. Of course the answer is simple. The best way to connect–really connect–is in person. Not only did they get to learn what it’s like to do business in Coshocton, Ohio, but they got to go over some new changes to their platform that are really cool. And here’s the thing, despite the face that I am on their platform every day, I did not know about most of them! But with them in our office, our team took the time to learn them and learn the reasoning behind them. I had seen the updates and the emails. But I had not take the time to dig in. There is still so much power in face to face communication. It’s easier to send an email. It’s quicker to post it to social media. But so often, the message doesn’t really get through. Leave it to Mark and Catherine Graham, entrepreneurs in the TECH space, to remind me the power of being “social” in person. Make sure you never miss an update! We send out a VIP newsletter once a week with all of the content from the week in one place! Sign up for it here!
by Kirby Hasseman
Yesterday I made an announcement that I didn’t really want to make. I announced that we were closing the Tap Room at Hasseman Brewing in Coshocton. You can read that update here. While I am disappointed with the lack of traffic and support, I am very proud of what we have done with that business. We have created a great product. We have learned a lot. And we have created a small team of people that are really passionate about the journey. In addition, nothing really cool happens without taking a risk. Sometimes risks work. Sometimes they don’t. It’s life. But I think what is important in situations like this is, what do I learn from them? As I said in the blog post, we are not closing. We are changing. We will be selling bottles, kegs and are even exploring the idea of doing Private Label beers (I am really excited about that). As you might expect, there will be more updates on this as we move forward. But what does this have to do with you? Simple. At some point in our lives, we will all have a project that doesn’t work. It is frustrating and humbling when it happens. It’s depressing even. It’s easy to want to crawl into the fetal position and just hide. It’s natural. But it’s not productive. So what do you do when it doesn’t work? Honestly Assess: When something doesn’t go as planned it’s easy (and natural) to look for someone or something to blame. But that’s emotion. It’s important to look at what worked (we got better and more consistent making beer) and what did not (we did not have traffic to the Tap Room). Make A Decision On What’s Next: Once you have that, you can look at the options of what is next. We could have closed completely. But based on what we felt our strengths were, we felt we could keep it going in a more productive way. Execute: Then do. Obviously we are just beginning this stage. I don’t pretend to have that all figured out. Heck…it’s even more obvious that I don’t have it all figured out. But the world lacks people who execute. In my experience, good things happen when people take action. If you want updates on what we do next with Hasseman Brewing, you can sign up here. But if you want to keep up with all of the content we are creating at Hasseman Marketing, sign up for our VIP newsletter here!
by Kirby Hasseman
The Delivering Marketing Joy Podcast is back! Our goal here is to attack 2018 with a vengeance! The Delivering Marketing Joy Podcast will provide some inspiration, motivation and education to make it happen! Consider this your 10 minute “kick in the pants” to get your week started off right! Today on the podcast I talk about the difference between being a “doer” and being a “leader.” I love being a person who gets thing done. I am proud of it. But what do you do when you are put in charge of other people? Are the skills the same? The answer…no. Thanks for listening and digging in here on the DMJ Podcast every week! And a specific and proud shout out to NewPointe Community Church for their work (and leadership) on this great project. You can learn more about the church here. Make sure you never miss an update by signing up for our VIP Newsletter here. Or you can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Sticher, Soundcloud…or where ever you listen to podcasts!
by Kirby Hasseman
Yesterday was my 22nd Anniversary…and my wife got me these shoes. These shoes represent the best kind of gift. They were something that I really wanted, but I had decided that I was not going to buy for myself. So I was really excited when she (quite thoughtfully) surprised me with them. In addition, these shoes represent a lot of what I believe in. Gary Vee’s Shoes: These are the new Gary Vee 003. Gary Vaynerchuk teamed up with K-Swiss to create these shoes, designed for entrepreneurs. If you are regular reader of this blog, you have seen me mention Gary Vaynerchuk…like I did here. Gary has become legendary in the content creation and entrepreneurial world. The short story goes like this: He took over his family’s liquor store and grew it from $3 Million to $60 Million in 5 years. He did it on the back of Youtube and Twitter. Then he left the family business to create VaynerMedia where they work as a digital ad agency with huge businesses to do advertising on line. So what does this mean to you? Why should you care about my shoes? I am glad you asked. 
Gary Vaynerchuk is sold wine…not fashion. Then he left that business and created a Digital Media Agency. He did not create a shoe company. So, why then, is he able to work with K-Swiss and create his own shoe line? Maybe more importantly, how is he able to sell out of them? Why are people buying them, then re-selling them on E-Bay? (Seriously…it’s happening). He is doing it because he has a large and passionate audience. He has a platform. He is an influencer. Over time, Gary has created content and added value…through content. (His Youtube channel is here). Day after day. Year after year. He has taken the time to “Give First” (I talk about this concept here) over and over again. So that when he decides to “ask” people are lined up to buy. So when we talk about creating value online, this is why. It’s about creating value so that you can create an audience. If you have a passionate audience, then you get to decide what to do next. This sort of thing does not happen overnight. It’s hard work. It may seem unreasonable. But in my estimation, it’s worth it. Now for those of us that are willing to grind, it’s time to get back after it. For those that are not, enjoy the view. Oh…and thanks to my wife for awesome anniversary gift. She really is the best. Speaking of value, we are trying to create it for you every day. If you want to make sure you never miss an update, sign up here for our VIP Newsletter. We deliver this value to you each week via email.
by Kirby Hasseman
I love what we do. Whether you call it Promo, SWAG, Premiums, Branded Merchandise, you name it.
We do marketing. We do fun.
And with each month, some of the best and the brightest minds are continually coming up with new and cooler products that all of us can put branded messages on. I just love it.
As I have said before (and I will say again) Promotional Products affect human behavior. If you want to drive people to a website, to work safer, to come to an event or to donate to a cause…the best organizations use Promo because it works. But what do I use on a regular basis? After all, I am in the industry! So what do I find myself using each week?
Though it changes, and I will update this list at some point…here are a few items I find myself using every week!
Clip It Vent Mount:You can find more details here.
12 oz Urban Peak 3 in 1 Insulator: this will be appreciated.
Stay Organized Journal: We did these as a team and I did not expect to like them as much as I do! It’s a great size and it has a great look. And let’s face it, no one ever throws away a journal. So as I use it each day to take notes (including ideas about this blog), I think this is a home run.
Twist Erase Mechanical Pencil: Check it out here.
Mission Pack Backpack: When it comes to backpacks, I know there are a lot of options. But this one just seems to suit me. I love the shape, color and functionality of this bag. I use it for my daily trip to and from the office. And I have even used it on longer, cross country trips as well. Oh…and have I mentioned you can do as few as one with your logo? Well…that’s pretty cool. Get more information here. So those are just 5 Promotional Products that I am using all the time.
Want more ideas that can excite you and your team? Shop here now. Oh…and make sure you never miss an update by signing up for our VIP newsletter here.
