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.
by Kirby Hasseman
We all have “that voice” in our head. I have talked about it before. It’s the voice that says you are not smart enough, or that no one cares what you think. It’s a voice that we all have to overcome if we want to put ourselves out there and live our best life.
Trust me, when I say you can overcome it. It can be done. But even after you overcome the voice at one time, or in one area, it will come back.
When you put yourself out there again, or when you step into a new situation, or push yourself further than you are used to pushing yourself, “that voice” will come back…and be louder than ever.
This happened to me quite a few times with the release of my new book. Let me give you an example.
During the week of the book launch, I wanted to make a big splash. I am proud of the new book and wanted to get it into as many hands as I could. I had even read a book called “Book Launch” so I could be extra prepared with strategies and tactics. So I prepared a “launch date” of January 6th and worked hard to schedule posts, videos, podcasts and more to make sure the new book did a canon-ball in a small pool!
I felt like I was everywhere!
As a matter of fact, after the launch on Monday and a podcast with Commonsku on Tuesday, when Wednesday rolled around and I was posting ANOTHER podcast, “that voice” was screaming at me!
“You are getting over-exposed,” the voice was yelling.
“No one wants to see this much of you,” it continued.
“Who do you think you are?” it bellowed.
To be honest, I was a bit overwhelmed and was thinking of pulling back (3 days into a book launch). Was this all too much? Are people becoming annoyed? Am I overexposed?
Then something funny happened. On that Wednesday, Roger Burnett posted his “So You’re In Sales” podcast to the Promo Professionals Facebook group. I really felt like everyone in this group was tired of me! But in that comment stream a person who I know and respect commented “Oh…I had no idea Kirby had written a book! Thanks for sharing…I will check that out!”
I was totally convinced I was “over-exposed” and a person I know, who knows me, is in the same profession and in the same Facebook group had no idea I had written a book!
That was when I got a powerful reminder. “That voice” is a liar.
If you are on a path of creating something new or pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone, that voice will tell you to stop or that it’s not good enough. Don’t listen to it. Keep going. That voice is a liar.
Thanks so much to everyone that has helped me with the launch of the new book. I sincerely appreciate it. You can find the paperback and kindle version here.
by Kirby Hasseman
I saw a post recently from someone who was celebrating the fact that they had read over 230 books in the past year. They were, understandably proud. But the point of the post was not to be braggadocios, but to make book recommendations. In the lead up to the book list they said, “I’ve been told that I have to say 14 were novellas and 3 were audiobooks and apparently those don’t count but rather then get into a whole discussion of literary snobbery and reading discrimination I’m just going to tell you my favourites.”
To that clarification I have one thing to say, “Says who?”
Who is this person or persons that have been elected the Grand Pubah of “what counts as reading?” This sort of thing makes me crazy, and it is so counter-productive to developing yourself.
Audiobooks Don’t Count: Why not? Are you saying that you don’t learn and grow from listening to a book? If that’s the case, then I can assume we should never attend a lecture again. We should never watch a tech talk or watch a video. There is simply no way we could learn anything, right? That is absurd.
Novellas Don’t Count: Great. Where can I submit my books to make sure they are the proper length? Who decides?
The point is, we need to stop worrying about these unwritten and made up rules. If you are able to grow from an audiobook, do that. If you enjoy reading a novella, go get it. It’s this type of silly rule-making that (I think) hold people back from setting goals to grow. Because of silly rules like this, people are afraid to write down their goals because they think they “will do it wrong.” You will not do it wrong. Your goals and your accomplishments are very personal. They are your own.
So the next time you start down a path and someone brings up one of these rules, simply ask them.
“Says who?”
You can find all of our content in one place on our blog page here. Oh, and if you want to check out my new book “The Give First Economy,” you can find that here.
by Kirby Hasseman
It’s time for Episode 31 of the He Said/She Said Podcast with Hasseman Marketing! This podcast is designed to give an inside look at being married and being entrepreneurs and the projects we are working on and the challenges we are facing! We talk about business, family, community and more. So listen in and let us know what you think!
On this episode we talk about…
Trending Topic
This week Kirby and Amy talk about that post holiday time. We jump in and learn whether they have the post holiday blues or if they are excited to tackle the new year. Listen in to find out!
Weekly Whirlwind
This week in the Weekly Whirlwind Amy gives an update on the building and she is starting to see a bit of progress. That is motivating her to keep rolling. Kirby is gearing up for the PPAI Expo in Vegas and more travel. In addition, he is working to promote his brand new book “The Give First Economy.” You can find that book here.
Lesson In Life
This week in the “lesson in life” Kirby and Amy discuss the concept of “being brave.” As Amy points out, every new venture can be scary. But if you can be brave for a short period of time, you can really create some exciting things. Listen in more here.
Shout Outs
Each week we want to give a shout out to an organization or an individual doing good work. This week Kirby and Amy point out the Township Room, a new location in Roscoe Village that provides meeting space. It’s a cool new venue that is garnering positive attention. Learn more here.
So that’s a wrap! Thanks for listening to Episode 31 of the He Said She Said Podcast! 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
I have been talking about the idea of “giving first” in your sales and marketing strategy on this blog for a while. It’s a concept I am passionate about. I believe in it. I have written blog posts about it and I have spoken about it.
As of today, I have written a book about it too! The Give First Economy (and how to succeed in it) is officially available for sale and I would love it if you would check it out. The simple concept behind the book is this, in today’s world I believe the entrepreneurs, sales professionals, companies and organizations that provide value upfront will win. Why? It’s simple. In this “give first economy” we have the ability to build relationships with our prospects and customers. When we do that, we create the chance for long-term success.
And…as a side note…the Audiobook is now available too!
But make no mistake, this path is not easy.
Creating a business that “gives first” will take time and hard work. That is why the 2nd half of the book focuses on the art of getting more done. This part of the book is based on the science of the brain and studies that back it up.
So if you are interested in creating a business or organization that grows by doing business (and life) “the right way,” the first part of the book is for you. If you want to have science based principles that will help you get more accomplished, part two of the book should help you!
Want to get your own copy of the new book? You can get it here!
Are you a person that would rather listen than read? We have you covered. The audiobook is HERE!
And if you want to get your digital copy, the ebook is here (and for this week you can get it for free)
Thanks so much for continually reading this blog and supporting us as we try to spread #MarketingJoy! We really do try to “give first” and hope to help you do the same.
Want to learn more about Hasseman Marketing? Great! Head over to our About us page here!
