Marketing lessons learned from the dating world

I have this theory that marketing and dating are the exact same thing.

(I posted a podcast about this a while back.)

Now, as a single guy (by which I mean, “not married”) I’ve been on my share of dates.

And as a marketing guy, I’ve seen my share of unique ways to spread the word about ideas, products and websites.

Not it’s time to merge the two and see what’s been learned:

1) I was once introduced to a girl named Karen by a mutual friend. She and I clicked right away. We discussed sushi. She said she “always wanted to try it.” I made a mental note. The following week I found out where she worked and stopped by her office with a little card, the front of which which had a picture of a box of California Rolls. On the inside I simply wrote, “Sushi?” and left my businsss card. I handed it to the receptionist. By the time I returned home, there was an email from Karen. She was ecstatic. We went out the next night, then dated for a few months.

LESSON LEARNED: unexpected + unique = unforgettable.

2) I’m big on gifts. Nothing fancy, just something cute to start the first date off on the right foot. More importantly, something unique. Not flowers, candy or a mixed tape. Something memorable. Now, I’d been talking to this particular girl for a few weeks. I knew that she loved (more than anything in the world) her soaps. One Life to Live, Days of Our Lives, all that stuff. So, I stopped by Walgreens to pick her up a copy of Soap Digest. I wrapped it up and had it waiting on the seat of my car when she stepped in. She almost cried when she opened it and told everyone she knew about it.

LESSON LEARNED: listen to and remember your target market’s needs, then give them what they want. WOW them on the first try, and they’ll tell everyone.

3) I’ll never forget my first night in Portland. I’d just moved in, didn’t know a soul, and wanted to meet people ASAP. My neighbor and I went to a local Karaoke Bar. We noticed a table of cute girls in the front. He said he didn’t feel like talking to them. I said I would do it. So, when one of the girls from the table went up to the bar, I approached her and asked what her friend’s name was sitting next to her. “Tammy, her name is Tammy. Are you going to sing to her?” she asked. “You’re damn right.” I put in a request for “My Girl,” and ended up serenading Tammy in front of the entire bar. I was down on one knee, substituting “Tammy” for “My Girl,” in the chorus. By the end of the night, I’d made friends with the whole table. Now, I didn’t actually end up dating any of them, but we’re still friends to this day!

LESSON LEARNED: ballsy wins the day.

4) Dating customers probably isn’t a good idea. But when this sassy redhead came into my store to buy a couch, I had to at least try. So, when I packed her order for delivery, I “accidentally” forget to include her pillow. Two days later she called the store not upset, but in this sort of playful, flirtatious, “I’m pretending to be mad, so what are you going to do about it?” way. I explained to Amber that I’d overnight her pillow right away. Attached to the pillow was a note from me that said, “I’m really sorry about the mess up. I’d be happy to make it up to you by taking you out to dinner.” We got together the next week and had a blast. Of course, this would have worked out a lot better if she wasn’t dating a player for the LA Kings. Woops.

LESSON LEARNED: recoveries from a messed up sale often come out better than your original plan.

5) After a long night of striking out with every girl we approached, my friend Aaron decided to call it quits. “No, we’re not giving up. Come on, let’s try something else,” I said. We went onto the floor all by ourselves and started dancing like complete idiots who didn’t have a care in the world. (And at this point, we really didn’t.) Before we knew it, girls were actually coming up to US and saying hello. A few hours later we ended up at a 24 hour diner on an impromtu double date. One of the girls is still a good friend of mine today!

LESSONS LEARNED: don’t sell, enable people to buy; don’t market, position yourself

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What marketing lessons have you learned from dating?

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
Author/Speaker/That Guy with the Nametag
www.hellomynameisscott.com

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Find out where you suck

When I submit a book manuscript to my editor, I hope she uses up an entire red Sharpie marking up my draft.

Because I want to know what sucks.

Sure, it hurts. But I’ll take hurting over sucking any day.

Also, notice I said to find out “what” sucks, not “who sucks.”

Don’t take it personally.

It’s not the author who sucks; it’s the writing that sucks.

It’s not the speaker who sucks; it’s the delivery that sucks.

Therefore, it’s not about you. It’s about the work.

So, plain and simple: you need to find out what sucks.

Take it as free advice to help you improve. Sure, it’s harder to ask people to point out the negatives. But this is the only way you’re going to get better.

HOW TO FIND OUT WHAT SUCKS

1. Pick the right person. Not everyone possesses the candor to tell you what sucks, i.e., family members. Be careful who you select.

2. Set ground rules first. Tell your friend, colleague, etc., that you’re looking to improve in certain areas. Ask that they be completely honest and direct with you. Promise there are no hard feelings and that nobody gets defensive.

3. Take it slow, take it small. If you saturate yourself with too many “suck points” all at once, eventually it will start to wear on you. So, agree to accept feedback in small doses.

4. Apply and Reply. Don’t expect to put everything to use. Apply several of the ideas you feel are valid, throw out the ones that don’t work.

5. Gratitude. Thank your partner for helping you find out what sucks. Show him how your work has improved by applying his feedback.

6. Offer to reciprocate. Be willing to help your friend find out what sucks with his work too. Offer to follow the same guidelines as discussed previously.

Ultimately, I think Jerry Seinfeld said it best, “There are only two types of feedback in life: “That’s great!” and “That sucks!”

If you want to make a name for yourself, you better ask for both.

(Oh, and if you think there’s something I’ve done that sucks, super! Email me. Thanks in advance.)

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Who’s your go-to person that tells you where you suck?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Have at least three people on your Board of Suckers. Get their feedback regularly.

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
Author/Speaker/That Guy with the Nametag
www.hellomynameisscott.com

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Adventures in Nametagging: Jurni Style

This week I was back in Vegas working with Jurni, the best travel agency consortium in the world!

These guys know how to party! To kick off another great year, they put on a spectacular event including a 50’s sock hop, poodle skirts and all.

I may or may not have eaten an entire meal comprised of juice-filled wax bottles, candy cigarettes and strips of colored dots.)

They were an awesome group. I don’t think I’ve ever spoken to an audience filled with so many people who loved their jobs so much!

Apropriately, Jurni had custom made nametags for all of their employees available after my speech.

Nice segeuy!

Special thanks to GM Scott Koepf and “Queen” Kathy Humen for making this an unforgettable event!

Now…

…go out there and sell those vacations!

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s been your experience working with a travel agent?

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
Author/Speaker/That Guy with the Nametag
www.hellomynameisscott.com

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Walk with the wise

Absolutely the best business/life decision I’ve made in the past few years was to start hanging out with people who are smarter than me.

It’s like Proverbs 13:20, “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.”

If you want to make a name for yourself, you must make friends, hang out with and learn from other people who have already made a name for themselves.

Here is the process I’ve been following for years:

STEP ONE: Initial Contact
Call or email someone you’d like to glean valuable advice from. Introduce yourself. If you have a mutual friend or contact, say that immediately. Explain to the person that you’re “young” (in age, job, career, etc.) and would greatly appreciate the opportunity to pick their brain. Suggest a breakfast or lunch meeting.

STEP TWO: Initial Meeting
Look sharp, arrive early and be prepared. Bring something to take notes with and any relevant items you’d like to share with your wise friend. Have a list of questions prepared. Shut up and listen. Take notes furiously. And when the check comes, insist on paying.

STEP THREE: Thank You
The minute you get back to your office, write a thank you note either via email or handwritten. (Handwritten is better.) Promise to keep your wise friend updated on your progress.

STEP FOUR: Progress Report
On a frequent, yet not too annoying basis, call/email the person with an update on your progress. Be sure to tell he or she which pieces of their advice you actually used. If by using that advice you’ve won an award, made a sale or received any kind of visual representation of success, send them a copy.

This post dedicated to my wisest friend, Shep Hyken.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Do you walk with the wise?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Contact five new wise people in the next month. Let me know what you learn!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
Author/Speaker/That Guy with the Nametag
www.hellomynameisscott.com

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So this is what happens when you’re not tainted by the corporate world…

Alright. Something weird is going on here.

In the past few weeks, I’ve had three different people make almost the exact same comment to me.

First it happened in Salt Lake City. I was recovering from a multi-speech day, resting in my hotel room, watching Anchorman. I checked the voicemail on my cell. It was from a strange guy named Mike. His message explained that he’d read my first book and would love to chat sometime.

Cool, I thought. And since I’d already seen Anchorman 73 times, I decided to return his call. A few minutes later, I dialed his number from my cell phone ID. He picked up and said hello.

“Hey Mike, it’s Scott, The Nametag Guy!”

“Really?” he asked, followed by a brief silence. “Oh. Hi. Wow, I…uh…really didn’t expect you to actually call me back.”

Hmmm…

And so I said to him (in slight confusion), “Mike, why wouldn’t I call you back?”

“I…I don’t know, I guess. I just didn’t expect it.”

We talked for a few minutes. Pretty cool guy, too. Turns out one of my newest clients was Mike’s former boss at the University of Delaware. Small world, huh?

Anyway, after I hung up, I sat there and wondered: Wait, why wouldn’t Mike expect me to call him back? Isn’t that what you do when you get a voicemail?

We’ll come back to that in a minute. Check out what happened the next day…

I got an email from a potential client who was interested in booking me for an upcoming conference. Excited about the opportunity to work together, I emailed her back two minutes later (like I usually do) with my fee schedule, program description and availability.

Sure enough, later on that afternoon, she wrote back to confirm the engagement! Excellent! I thought.

Then – and I kid you not – the exact words in the body of her email: “Wow, I can’t believe you actually emailed me right back! Are you sure you’re a speaker?”

Yes. She actually said that.

And again, I was thinking, But why wouldn’t she expect to get an email right back from me? Isn’t that what you do when a potential customer inquires about hiring you?

But wait. It gets better.

Last week I was working in Toledo at an entrepreneur conference. The night before my speech, I went out to dinner with my client and a few of her colleagues from the organization.

“Scott, meet Laura,” my client said, “She told me the two of you have already spoken, right?”

“Oh yeah, right. I remember! Nice to meet you in person Laura,” I said.

“You too Scott,” she said. “And by the way, I was really impressed that you actually picked up your cell phone when I called last week. I wasn’t expecting that!”

“Really? But why wouldn’t I pick up the phone?” I asked.

“Oh I don’t know, I…just…didn’t think you would.”

OK. Just stop right there. I gotta figure this out.

I pondered for a minute. Scratching my head like I’d been doing something wrong this whole time.

And then it hit me. Holy crap!

All of these people expect to be ignored because that’s the attitude they have developed after working in the corporate world.

The world of unreplied emails.
The world of unreturned phone calls.
The world of unapproachable professionals.

And I never worked in the corporate world. That’s why this is news to me. How am I supposed to know, right?

Never had a cubicle.
Never had an office.
Never had to fill out TPS reports.

See, I started my company right out of college. No experience. Fresh meat. Untainted by the cruel hands of the white-shirted, red-tied corporate drones a la Dilbert cartoons.

I guess I just don’t know any better.

And I say that in a good way.

See, I return calls and emails right away because, well, that just seems like the right way to do business.

Like the right way to treat people.

Like the same way I would treat my friends.

Like the same way I would want to be treated.

Now, maybe I’m naïve. Sure, I’m 26 years old. I don’t know much.

But I DO know that the one compliment I seem to get more than anything is, “Gosh Scott, you’re so easy to get a hold of!”

And the sad thing is: that should NOT have to be a compliment.

That should be standard operating procedure for all professionals, regardless of age, industry, annual income or job title.

Something weird is going on here. And I don’t think it’s just me.

Ain’t no hollaback girl? Not for this guy.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Have you ever “surprised” someone by being easily accessible?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For one week, try returning calls and emails within five minutes of receiving them (if you don’t already). See what happens. I Triple Dog Dare you.

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
Author/Speaker/That Guy with the Nametag
www.hellomynameisscott.com

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Adventures in Nametagging: WEN Style

I ventured back to Toledo last week for a few speeches…

First I worked with WEN of Toledo (Women’s Entrepreneurial Network). It was excellent. There were a lot more men than I expected! I gave away a few free books to my “homeboys,” aka “The MEN of WEN,” who clearly stood out from the crowd!

When people walked into the break out session room, I collected business cards for my Top Secret Exercise. As you may remember from last year’s most popular blog post, I walk around the room and flash the cards, challenging the audience to pick 1-3 that stood out the most.

Can you guess, based on the poster, which cards stood out the most?

Also, a quick side note: my apologies to the people who had to sit on the floor. It was a crowded session! And I wanted to thank the Hilton Dana Conference Center for not slapping me with a fire code violation, because I’m pretty sure we went WAY over capacity.

Woops.

Directly after the WEN Conference, I drove out to Cedar Creek Church to work with the YMCA of Toledo.

The room setup was very cool: open, sunny, spacious and great acoustics. I’d definitely add it to my list of Top 10 Venues I’ve Ever Spoken At!

Next, I learned upon entering their meeting that Toledo is one of the top branches in the entire country! Well done!

We had a great time during the training session. Once again, we discussed the OING Model as it pertained to member/guest approachability.

We also spent some time discovering obscure CPI’s between staff members. It’s a great exercise: everyone grabs their copy of The Power of Approachability and asks each other Let Me Ask Ya This questions from the appendix.

Many of these CPI’s I was told NOT to repeat 😉

And of course, everyone’s favorite exercise: Three Word Job Titles. This is when we stand in two lines, five feet apart, face to face. Everyone wears a nametag bearing their brand new job title. Then, they all close their eyes and I walk around reading aloud everyone’s label.

Since it was such a large crowd, our lines spanned across the entire church lobby!

The winner for Most Memorable Job Title unanimously went to the staff member whose nametag read: YMCA Money Spender.

All in all, it was an awesome week. Big Ups to CNP Guru Debby Peters for setting everything up!

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s your job title?

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
Author/Speaker/That Guy with the Nametag
www.hellomynameisscott.com

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But deep down, he’s a really good guy…

He might be a jerk…
He might be a lazy, unmotivated cheater…
He might instigate fights with all the people from accounting…
He might screw around and get into trouble a lot…

…but deep down, he’s a really good guy.

Right.

Let me tell you something: deep down doesn’t matter.

People only give you credit for that which they SEE you do consistently.

Think about it: if someone says, “Yeah, but deep down, he’s a really good guy,” that probably means: “up front, he’s a real asshole.”

I once contributed to an article for the Wall Street Journal. According to their research, someone you’ve just met will form a first impression about you in two seconds.

TWO SECONDS.

Which means:

Deep down, even if you are a “really good guy,” most of the people you encounter are never going to have enough time to figure that out.

So, you have a choice:

1. Maintain unity and congruency in your personality at all levels
2. Or deep down, just be a really good guy

Face it: it’s just not cool to be an asshole.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Do you know someone who, deep down, is a really good guy?

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
Author/Speaker/That Guy with the Nametag
www.hellomynameisscott.com

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You’re young enough to be my kid!

Being a 26 year old professional speaker sucks.

Actually, not really. I love my job. You couldn’t pay me NOT to do it.

But picture this: you’re about to walk on stage to address hundreds – sometimes thousands – of seasoned business professionals who are twice your age, have three times your knowledge and four times your experience. Every one of them watches you with skeptical eyes and crossed arms as if to say, “What?! This kid’s young enough to be my son! What the hell is HE gonna teach ME?”

Yikes. Talk about stage fright.

In this situation, what you’re faced with is called Immediate Audience Preoccupation. In other words, the answer to this question: “What skepticisms are running through the minds of my audience members before I open my mouth?”

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to disarm it.

Now, this isn’t just about speeches. This applies to any form of interpersonal communication: conversations, sales presentations, interviews, dates and the like. The following list offers five strategies to disarm immediate audience preoccupation so you can win over skeptical clients and prospects.

Honesty First
My conversation partner’s arms are crossed. He’s questioning my credibility. He’s just waiting for me to prove to him that I’m not the right person for the job.

Tell the truth, tell it all, and tell it now. People will appreciate your honesty, especially when you offer it immediately. What’s more, you will validate the credibility of everything you say thereafter.

PERFECT EXAMPLE: Think Peter from Office Space.

Provide Social Proof
My price is too high. They’re never going to buy. My fee is WAY out of their budget.

Consider sharing testimonials from past clients who have paid the full amount and received outstanding ROI as a result. Instill confidence via social proof that working with you will be worth it.

PERFECT EXAMPLE: Think about the (real) families being interviewed on home security commercials.

You’re Young Enough to be My Kid!
I’m just out of college. Everyone I work with is twice my age. My clients are going to think I’m just some kid.

“A chicken ain’t nuthin’ but a bird,” my Dad always says. Likewise, age is nothing but a number. You’re only as old as you act. Remember, you are a professional. Project maturity. And show (don’t tell) others your accomplishments which have enabled you to achieve success. When they see that you know what you’re doing, they won’t care how old (or young) you are.

PERFECT EXAMPLE: Tiger Woods. I think he won his first major at…um…21?

Do Your Research
This isn’t my industry. This person or audience is completely different than me. I’m clueless about the way they do business.

Google everything. Interview similar people and ask the question, “What’s the one thing I could say to someone in your position that would totally piss them off?” Then say the opposite. Oh, and don’t forget to share your research EARLY. Make people think, “Wow, she did her homework!”

PERFECT EXAMPLE: Any Major League Pitcher Before the Big Game.

It’s Not the Years, It’s the Mileage
I’m new to the industry. I’ve only been working here a few months. I’m the most recent hire in the entire company.

So what. When he was new to the business, Tony Robbins would give three speeches a day for years so he could exponentially increase his speaking ability. My suggestion: take inventory of your experiences and figure out what unique lessons you’ve learned and why those lessons benefit your clients. It’s like Og Mandino said, “Multiply your value.” Remember, people don’t care what you’ve done, they care what you’ve learned.

PERFECT EXAMPLE: Tom Cruise in A Few Good Men.

Look. Every audience (one-to-one, one-to-many) has some form of immediate preoccupation. If you want to communicate effectively and project approachability – on stage, in a meeting or even on a date – your duty is to make your audience feel comfortable and confident by disarming that preoccupation as soon as possible.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What is the most common audience preoccupation you face?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Using these five techniques, come up with 10 different ways to disarm that preoccupation.

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
Author/Speaker/That Guy with the Nametag
www.hellomynameisscott.com

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The World is a Mirror, Part 9

A is for ATTITUDE
B is for BREAK PATTERNS
C is for CONSISTENCY
D is for DISCIPLINE
E is for EVOLUTION
F is for FRIENDLINESS
G is for GOOD WITH NAMES
H is for HAPPINESS
I is for IDEAS
J is for JOY

1. You HAVE to write all of your ideas down on paper. Get a notebook, a journal, a jotter, a dry erase, whatever. Write it on your hand if you have to. But you’ve got to capture the information.

2. Unrecorded = unremembered = unleveragable.

3. Read books on creativity at least once every few months. I suggest Sam Horn’s new book, POP! Read it on the plane yesterday. It’s amazing.

4. Don’t be afraid to share your ideas with people. Even if they think you’re out of your mind. Especially if they think you’re out of your mind.

5. Which reminds me of what Jack Canfield says, “If everyone thinks you’re out of your mind, you just might be onto something!”

6. Use venues like blogs, forums and bulletin boards to test your ideas. Throw ‘em out there and see how people respond. You can even do it anonymously if you want.

7. It’s tough to be creative alone. Find an idea partner.

8. Especially a partner who’s willing to tell you if your idea sucks.

9. There is no such think as a Natural Idea Guy. Those who come up with the best ideas study and practice and get better at coming up with cool ideas. They aren’t born that way. Get that out of your head. If you’re not coming up with great ideas regularly, it’s your fault. Not your DNA.

10. Crazy, remarkable, cool, hilarious, exaggerated and ridiculous ideas are the ones that spread and last and get supported. For example, here’s today’s number one movie on YouTube. This is SO cool:

11. Kant’s philosophy mentions the “Universalized Maxim,” in which an idea generator asks, “What if everybody did it?” Lesson learned: start asking yourself this question. All the time.

12. Google your idea before you go any further. See if it’s been done before. If so, don’t get mad; get connected. Email the person who thought of it ahead of you and join forces. If not, get the domain name. Today.

13. Lists are your friends. They boost creativity, force you to come up with a quota and organize your thoughts. Just read any of Tom Peters’ books, he’s got this list stuff down. Lists work.

14. Ideas are only as strong as the people (other than you) who support it. Get a fan club. Stay in front of them. Get feedback from them.

15. Like I said, find out where you suck. This is key. It’s the only way your idea is going to get better.

16. It’s not the idea; it’s how you leverage it.

17. If you explain your idea to a stranger and they don’t respond with some permutation of, “Hey, that’s cool!” then it probably won’t spread.

18. Is your idea simple enough that a five year old could understand it?

19. Here’s a common idea-related phrase: “Man, I wish I would’ve thought of that!” My question for you is, are you the person who says that, or the person other people say that to? Hopefully the latter.

20. Ideas might thrive in one environment and die in another. Be sure to frequently displace yourself.

21. I once read that Walt Disney would ask 10 people what they thought about his new idea. If the majority of them said he was out of his mind, he would say, “Great! Let’s get to work.”

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s your best idea about ideas?

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
Author/Speaker/That Guy with the Nametag
www.hellomynameisscott.com

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The Word of Mouth Gods have shined down upon me!

You can’t deny it: word of mouth works.

And the most fascinating about WOM are the little stories, encounters and contexts in which it is spread. Me, I monitor my company’s word of mouth in a WOM journal. (I suggest you do the same with your company.)

Anyway, the WOM Gods have been good to me this year, so here are 11 recent encounters that have boosted sales, increased visibility and enhanced crediblity. Enjoy!

JANUARY 18, 2006: Today I did an interview on my local FOX affiliate. How did I secure that spot? Well, the lead anchor for the network was getting his hairs cut by the fiancé of a client of mine. He was telling her a story about a nametag, which prompted her to spend several minutes telling him about my business.

THE WORD: it’s not about sneezers, mavens or specific people – everyone spreads WOM. Everyone. All the time. And they do so when you own a word in their minds. Remember: mindshare, not marketshare.

APRIL 1, 2006: According to one of my clients, the reason she hired me was: her boss left my business card on her keyboard with a sticky note that read: get this guy!

THE WORD: make your business card SO good, that people not only keep it, they show it to their boss.

APRIL 12, 2006: Went to the new Busch Stadium yesterday. Everyone was excited about the Text Message Board. For $2.99 you could send a text message to the number 78364 and minutes later it would appear on the screen for 50,000 people to see. So, on opening day I messaged, “HELLO, my name is Scott!” Unfortunately the screen malfunctioned and I never saw my brand name during the game. However, today my parents went to the game and during the third inning, they saw my message. They called me right away to give me the exciting news. After they hung up, the man sitting next to them said, “Wait, The Nametag Guy is your SON?”

THE WORD: word of mouth thrives in serendipitous “No shit?!” moments.

APRIL 22, 2006: After hearing me speak at a BNI meeting last night, my friend Curt had lunch with one of his out of town colleagues who said, “Hey, have you heard about this guy who wears a nametag all the time?” Curt then spent the rest of the meal reading his speech notes to his colleague!

THE WORD: the best spreaders of WOM are your fans. Again, that’s FANS, not customers.

MAY 7, 2006: Today my friend Ed invited me to be a guest at his church. During the sermon his pastor asked everyone in the congregation to “greet their neighbor.” When I introduced myself to the guy next to me he said, “Oh yeah, Scott! I know you! You’re Ed’s friend who wears the nametag.”

THE WORD: word of mouth isn’t limited to business hours, or even to businesses! It happens everywhere.

MAY 25, 2006: Last week I emailed my friend Karen with a link to the story I contributed to in FastCompany. As a writer for the St. Louis Post Dispatch, she unexpectedly posted my story on her Business Connections Blog. Today my picture and website appeared on the front page of the paper. Wow.

THE WORD: coverage online often leads to coverage in print.

JUNE 19, 2006: Last night during dinner with my friend and fellow speaker Jeff Magee, I told the story about getting a nametag tattooed on my chest. A few minutes later, the women at the table next to us said, “Excuse me, but, aren’t you that guy who wears the nametag all the time? Yeah, I saw you give a speech once! You were great!”

THE WORD: you never know who might be listening, so you better be honest, consistent and authentic.

JUNE 20, 2006: After my speech in Ellensburg, WA today, a woman from the audience told me that she’d just had dinner the night before with a woman who’d seen me speak before. Her friend said, “You’ve got to get that guy to come to Washington!”

THE WORD: if people say, “Your ears must be ringing!” well done.

JUNE 23, 2006: Attended a wedding in Chicago this weekend. My childhood friend Andrew introduced me to his girlfriend. She asked why I was wearing a nametag and I told her. She then responded by saying, “Wow! That’s so funny. Have you heard about that guy who wears a nametag all the time?” I asked her if I was the guy she’d heard of. She said, “No Scott, it couldn’t be you – this guy’s CRAZY! He’s even got a nametag tattooed on his chest!” I showed it to her. She was speechless. Like, for the rest of the night.

THE WORD: if somebody doesn’t believe you’re the person they’ve been hearing about, you better be prepared to prove it to them!

AUGUST 12, 2006: Today I got an email from a woman who said, “Scott, I was reading your books on my flight to Houston yesterday. The guy next to me asked about them, so I spent the entire plane ride talking about you! He’s going to order several copies for his business!”

THE WORD: is your idea cool enough that complete strangers would ask someone sitting next to them on a plane what it’s all about?

SEPTEMBER 5, 2006: Spoke at a college in Santa Barbara yesterday. My client asked me, “Hey Scott, did I ever tell you how I came across your name? Well, my former partner from Delaware was a big fan of yours. He actually created a program at his university based around your first book that won him an award! He let me borrow it, I went to your website, and three years later, I booked you!”

THE WORD: it takes time. Sometimes years. But when it catches up with you, it does so in a BIG way.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How is WOM working for your business?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Keep a WOM journal. Date it. Localize each entry. Figure out the trends, the lessons, the stuff you did right. Repeat often.

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
Author/Speaker/That Guy with the Nametag
www.hellomynameisscott.com

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