Know how to play the Game and Play it Right

Kenny Rogers, the Country Music Hall of Fame singer who recently died in March, signature song was his 1978 hit, “The Gambler”.  It was a cross-over hit that won him a Grammy Award in 1980 and was selected in 2018 for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress.  The song was about a young fellow who was a little distraught about the chaos that was happening in his life, and he came across this wise old man who poetically explained the secrets how to overcome different obstacles you would face.

The very first piece of advice the Gambler gave us was, "If you're gonna play the game, boy, you gotta learn to play it right.”  Sometimes you have to know when to stay the course, sometimes you need to accept a loss and move on, sometimes you need to adapt and move another direction and other times you need to do a complete paradigm shift and alter your course altogether.  Of course the song he expressed these sentiments using the analogy between life and gambling making sure we play our cards right.  He was an expert for sure because at the beginning of the song he let us know that he made a life out of reading people’s faces just by the way his challengers held their eyes.

The Gambler gave us a gem that all business owners should take heed.  He stated the secret to surviving is knowing what to throw away and knowing what to keep.  The best part about his allocution was when he explained that “every hand’s a winner and every hand’s a loser” which I firmly believe tells us that we have opportunities to win no matter what cards we are dealt.  It just depends on how we decide to play the game and are we playing it right.

Business owners, especially small business owners have had unprecedented adversity in the year 2020.  We are in the midst of The 2^nd Great Depression with over 40 million Americans filing unemployment and a real jobless rate over 23.9% (The Great Depression of 1929-1933 was 24.9%), the uncertainty of businesses being able to open up to full capacity, misinformation about a virus that has a 99.9% sure rate, looming trade wars with China and now exploitation by our media and terrorist groups on race.  (As for race relations- it is our position that there is a problem with racial inequality; however, it is by evil people of all colors, races, religions and political ideology.  We believe there are more good people in this world, but they are silenced by the media sensationalizing the bad.  

DeliveryMaxx will always do everything in our power to support those who are suppressed by others and will not stand for bigotry from anyone.)

You have a winning hand and you have a losing hand as it pertains to your business today.  With more people utilizing the internet for their information and purchases, you can adapt and reach your clients with a digital media and marketing strategy.  Understanding that many potential customers and even some of your employees have been frightened by the news media and local politicians should lead you to investing in PPE products giving the perception that your business is truly a safe place to visit.  Being transparent to both your employees and potential customers will be vital for your success, so your online content should be consistent and plentiful.  This can be a bit overwhelming for some, but as long as you are using common sense with today’s technology you will be able to survive, rebuild and ultimately thrive.  As the Gambler said before he drifted off to sleep, “There’ll be time enough for countin’ when the dealin’s done.”

 DeliveryMaxx is a small business that takes pride in helping other small businesses succeed in an increasingly digital world.  That was our mission prior to the outbreak and news stories of racial inequality and continues to be our goal today.  If you need help navigating a transition to becoming more active on social media, building an e-commerce website, or post-sale communication with your clients we are here to help.  Our clients experience positive Online Reputation, stronger SEO, concise content management, increase in social media engagement and advertisement and higher customer retention. See how we have helped clients in multiple industries across the country such as Automotive Dealerships, Real-Estate Brokers & Agents, Churches, Service Industry, Sports Teams, Non-Profit Organizations and more as we utilize our Patent-Pending Program to develop a digital strategy that will meet the needs of sales, service and messaging to your audience.  www.deliverymaxx.com or give us a call at 888-936-6299 today or watch the DeliveryMaxx Introduction Video!

Stay Calm during the Storm

If you were to only get your news via Facebook or Twitter newsfeed which most people do, you would think mask wearers hate non-mask wearers, white people hate black people and Republicans hate Democrats.  In reality there are a few on opposite sides of ideology that truly despise each other, but most people in this world value the same basic things.  They want to have a safe place to live, a way to make a living to provide for their family and watch their children accomplish their goals in life.

Of course, if you travel up the pyramid of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, people want to feel belongingness among their family and friends and have a feeling of accomplishment.  Ultimately, people will want to achieve their full potential including creative activities which usually they will identify with their career.  However, what happens when the basic foundation rests on the unsolid ground?  We all remember the story of the “3 Little Pigs” and how they built their homes.

As business owners, we must understand the current events of the day.  Every story has to have a villain.  If Superman didn’t have Lex Luther or Batman didn’t have to battle The Joker than there would not be a story to be told.  Since the beginning of time, there has always been a battle between Good versus Evil.  The News Media as well as politicians understand this and use this to their advantage.  As long as there is division, there is a story to be told.  However, think about it for a moment.  If you could help out a stranger in need would you?  The majority of readers would give a resounding yes.  Unfortunately, there are many politicians that benefit when a news story is sensationalized.  This allows them to shore up their base and obtain more votes to continue to stay in office.  We The People are the ones who fight their battles for them as they exploit our differences.

Understanding and realizing that when Kingdoms battled in the early centuries, the front-line soldiers were the ones who paid the price showing nothing in return.  When Hitler, Stalin or Mussolini set out to gain more territory; their people suffered.  Yet all of them used propaganda to further their selfish agenda.  Today is no different.  There are evil people in this world that gain by having good people disagree and fight their battles for them.

Knowing these things as a business owner, you have an opportunity to spread your message.  I’m not talking about getting into uncomfortable discussions about Race, Religion or Politics although you should not be afraid to speak out against injustices.  I’m talking about staying calm while the puppet strings are being pulled.  As a business owner, you can utilize your platform to spread a positive message about your company which will draw customers and potential customers to you.  Remember, everyone has basic needs to live.  Everyone wants to feel safe and have a sense of belonging.  If your clients feel that you meet these requirements you will gain a customer for life.  In addition, if you are able to reach more clients by having a strong digital platform, you will gain a larger market share.

DeliveryMaxx is a small business that takes pride in helping other small businesses succeed in an increasingly digital world.  That was our mission prior to the outbreak and news stories of racial inequality and continues to be our goal today.  If you need help navigating a transition to becoming more active on social media, building an e-commerce website, or post-sale communication with your clients we are here to help.  Our clients experience positive Online Reputation, stronger SEO, concise content management, an increase in social media engagement and advertisement, and higher customer retention. See how we have helped clients in multiple industries across the country such as Automotive Dealerships, Real-Estate Brokers & Agents, Churches, Service Industry, Sports Teams, Non-Profit Organizations and more as we utilize our Patent-Pending Program to develop a digital strategy that will meet the needs of sales, service and messaging to your audience.  www.deliverymaxx.com or give us a call at 888-936-6299 today or watch the DeliveryMaxx Introduction Video!

Meet James Schaefer: Founder of DeliveryMaxx

We had the good fortune of connecting with James Schaefer and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi James, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?

Due to the Coronavirus and all of the contradicting information our media continues to give, businesses; especially small businesses will have to make some very difficult choices on whether to keep going or giving up. As an entrepreneur, giving up is not in our vocabulary. Therefore we must adapt to the environment around us. Plato once said, “Necessity is the Mother of Innovation”. As government continues to order businesses to close and people to stay home, as business owners, we have to focus on staying alive. Utilizing common sense and today’s technology is more important now than ever. We know our consumers are online. Therefore, we have to adapt and still find ways to spread our message to the consumer and that means creating a digital media strategy do remain operational until we can get back to normal.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?

DeliveryMaxx has been the leader in this arena over the last decade and continues to help businesses in all sectors reach their potential customers through the most innovative digital strategy utilizing common sense and today’s technology. Our clients experience positive Online Reputation, stronger SEO, concise content management, increase in social media engagement and advertisement and higher customer retention. We are able to customize and create a strategy for any entity that is trying to gain more exposure on the web. With clients in multiple industries and across the country such as Automotive Dealerships, Real-Estate Brokers & Agents, Churches, Service Industry, Sports Teams, Non-Profit Organizations and more; we utilize our Patent-Pending Program to develop a digital strategy that will meet the needs of sales, service and messaging to the masses. James Schaefer started DeliveryMaxx in the last Great Recession of 2008 without government loans or private financing. Utilizing his personal savings, he has poured in millions over the last decade to create a program with will help any one or any business needing maximum exposure on the web. He understands the challenges business will face, especially in today’s environment. Utilizing common sense and today’s technology he is able to help companies overcome the odds through a complete digital media strategy.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

DeliveryMaxx is based in Rockwall, Texas which is a nice lakefront community outside of Dallas. Anyone visiting Texas has to have the best BBQ and therefore we would go to Sideways located at the Harbor on the lake. Sideways is a small business that has live entertainment and the best Texas BBQ in the country. Not to mention, they are a DeliveryMaxx client and the owner, Josh Deaton used to be a partner of mine in DeliveryMaxx. Before we eat dinner, we would have to do a little bass fishing at Lake Ray Hubbard and maybe practice social distancing on the Golf Course.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?

Society has rightly given a shoutout to our Doctors, Nurses, Police, Firefighters and other frontline services who are helping during the Coronavirus Pandemic. On behalf of DeliveryMaxx, we would like to give credit to all of the businesses that continue to have expenditures such as rent and payroll even though they don’t have the same revenue that is coming in. Like DeliveryMaxx, these are businesses that have started from nothing and provide an opportunity for others to have an income that keeps our economy strong. They are having to adapt in these chaotic times, and there are so many inspirational stories that are not being told by the media. Their struggle is real and DeliveryMaxx enjoys helping them provide a digital strategy to help keep their business alive by utilizing E-Commerce.

I would also like to recognize all of the 2020 High School and College Seniors. This is an unprecedented time for each of you. Having a high school senior myself who has missed his high school prom, will have an unorthodox graduation ceremony and the loss of the traditional senior memories so many of us have experienced in the past; my heart goes out to you and your parents. You will never be able to get these back. However, the future of our country will now rely on the decisions each of you make from here on out. Use your experiences to continue to make the world a better place.

Changing your Perspective and Adapting

Albert Einstein, the German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of relativity has been credited and often cited as saying, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.”  This quote has been used in countless arguments to persuade others into gaining a new perspective in the way things are currently being done.  It usually flows off the tongue and the recipient of the phrase has probably failed in their task, but continues to keep trying without adapting to the adversity.  Another of his famous quotes is, “Life is like riding a bicycle.  To keep your balance you must keep moving.”  Riding the bicycle in business is a perfect analogy comparing the two.  However, businesses can also look at the quote penned by Einstein whose name would become synonymous with ‘genius’ is, “Imagination is more important than knowledge.  Knowledge is limited.  Imagination encircles the world.”

Over the last 3 months, America has entered into The 2^nd Great Depression with over 38.6 million people losing their jobs.  Businesses such as Pier 1, True Religion, J. Crew, Neiman Marcus, JCPenney, Tuesday Morning and most recently Hertz.  These are the big names that have been causalities of our reaction to a seasonal virus.  There are a plethora of small businesses that will enter the grave as an unknown.  A virus that has a cure rate of over 99.9% has frightened people into wearing mask and gloves while they are driving as well as terrified people into avoiding eye contact with friends and neighbors at the local grocery store, has presented challenges to many businesses.  Those businesses must change their perspective and quickly adapt if they don’t want to be added to the growing list of companies that will shut their door forever.

·         Change Your Perspective.  Being well-informed can be frustrating.  You probably knew that there was no way that a flu-like virus would kill 2.2 million Americans by April 15 as the famous Epidemiologist Neil Ferguson predicted and so many of our local politicians shouted behind a podium.  You did the simple math and looked at the misinformation that the media published and quickly saw that 6027 people would have to die a day just to hit that number in a year, and over 36,666 people would have to die a day to meet the doomsday prediction of an epidemiologist who has a history of being wrong many times before.  Yet, even though you used common sense, many people do not.  It’s easier to follow than it is to lead.  Therefore, change your perspective to utilizing your business to meet the needs of potential customers.  Your customers are scared and instead of being mad at them, have empathy.  It takes time to research.  There are also many egos involved.  Nobody wants to be told they are wrong (and there are millions of Americans that have fallen for the overhyped rhetoric).  Identify what people want out of life.  They want to be able to have a story of overcoming adversity of some type.  They want to have a purpose that they can be proud of.  This virus, if it lived up to the hype, would have been that perfect story for them.  Therefore, look at ways that you can provide your customers satisfaction and some significance in their existence.  Realize that they want to feel valued and if you show them this they will become a customer for life.

·         Adapt. Remember, your customers have been told they can get the virus which they believe will be deadly just by swimming in a pool.  They have chosen to try to save face by only listening to reports that fit their narrative.  Have you ever tried to make your kid eat a vegetable they don’t like?  It is a battle that you won’t win even if you use logic and common sense.  You will need to invest in PPE products, at minimum hand-sanitizer and cleaning solutions.  Become more transparent with your employees and customers alike.  Let them know you care about their health.  If putting up Plexiglas dividers will allow you to continue to do business than do it.  Also focus on how your customers receive their information.  Our society ingest its information from bold sensationalized headlines, innovative memes and 15-30 second videos.  Leaders will need to make sure their business is able to reach, communicate and provide goods and services using today’s technology.  This includes marketing, advertising, e-commerce and informing your customers and potential customers in the digital arena.  Digital Advertising is less expensive than traditional advertisement, but it has to be done right.

Einstein said, “A man should look for what is, and not for what he thinks should be.”  Our country is divided into those who use logic and those who need to be told what to think, and realizing this will give you a new perspective and allow you to adapt in order for your business to survive.

DeliveryMaxx is a small business that takes pride in helping other small businesses succeed in an increasingly digital world.  That was our mission prior to this outbreak which has now shown it is more important than ever.  If you need help navigating a transition to becoming more active on social media, building an e-commerce website, or post-sale communication with your clients we are here to help.  Our clients experience positive Online Reputation, stronger SEO, concise content management, increase in social media engagement and advertisement and higher customer retention. See how we have helped clients in multiple industries across the country such as Automotive Dealerships, Real-Estate Brokers & Agents, Churches, Service Industry, Sports Teams, Non-Profit Organizations and more as we utilize our Patent-Pending Program to develop a digital strategy that will meet the needs of sales, service and messaging to your audience.  www.deliverymaxx.com or give us a call at 888-936-6299 today or watch the DeliveryMaxx Introduction Video!