Yeah, but is it worth getting spammed for?

The other day I overheard a lady talking about her company website.

“That’s why I don’t list my ‘real’ email on the contact page,” she said, “I don’t want to deal with all that spam.”

Here’s why that comment irked me…

See, I get about 50-100 SPAM emails a day.

What happens is, spam comes in. Gmail nicely organizes them into my spam folder. And the end of the day, I empty it out.

No problem.

In fact, if you google my email, [email protected], it comes up 297 times. Between my websites, articles, blogs, myspace, squidoo and the like, I’d say it’s out there pretty good.

And I think it’s worth getting spammed for.

See, a lot of people complain, “I don’t want to get spam” and “I don’t want my email to be ‘out there’ for the just anyone to see.”

ARE YOU NUTS??!!

Are you saying that being difficult to contact, hard to reach and inaccessible is the price customers have to pay just so YOU don’t receive spam?

Seems slightly selfish and very backward to me. (Similar to the comment, “But I don’t want to wear a nametag because it clashes with my blouse. Or makes me look dumb. Or puts a hole in my shirt.”)

The first four words of The Purpose Driven Life had it right: it’s not about you.

Wouldn’t businesspeople think, “I want to make doing business WITH me and getting in touch OF me as quick and easy as possible for my customers and prospects. Even if that means I get a few dozen extra pieces of spam.”?

So, YES. The answer is yes. It is worth getting spammed for.

Right now, go to your website and remove any of the following things:

1. Catch-alls. Questionable, vague, annoying catch-all email addresses like [email protected], [email protected]. They suck. People need to know they’re getting YOU.

2. Images of your email instead of text. Don’t make potential customers memorize, then re-type your email address because you don’t want spam. That’s just one extra step they don’t have time for. Make it easy for them to cut, copy and paste your address into their email client. Image instead of text = perception of high maintenance.

3. Forms. Please fill out this form with your information and we promise to get back to you. Yeah, right, the customer thinks. Nobody buys that lie anymore. Forms may as well have a disclaimer that says, “We don’t care enough about you to give you our personal email (aka, a HUMAN) to contact. So leave us your information, and maybe in a few weeks we’ll respond.

In closing, I’d like to say this:

[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Do your worst, spam. I’d rather get 100 emails about Viagra than piss off my customers.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How does inaccessible web contact make you, as a customer, feel?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Go to your contact page and give it an “accessible face lift.” Send me the link when it’s done. You have my email 🙂

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

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How to approach different learning styles

People communicate in three different ways.

(Well, actually, people probably communicate in a thousand different ways, but…)

It’s usually visually, auditory or kinesthetic.

And although most people have some combination of all three, one in particular is usually dominant. As a result, match your own words and speed to appeal to their communication style:

1. If you meet someone who is a visual person, they will use pictures, images and graphics to communicate. Words like “see,” “view,” will be in their vocabulary, i.e., “I see what you’re saying,” “I picture this meeting as a roundtable discussion.” These people usually speak rapidly.

2. If you meet someone who is an auditory person, they will use sounds to communicate. Word like “click,” “hear” will be used, i.e., “I hear ya!” and “Sounds good.” They speak moderately and rhythmically, like music.

3. If you meet someone who is a kinesthetic person, they will use touch and doing and action to communicate. Words like “contact” and “hold” are used, and they speak slowly.

NOTE: don’t confuse “communication style” with “type.”

ALSO NOTE: the word “type” is much better as a noun than it is a verb.

In other words, don’t spend all your time “typing” people, trying to figure them out based on what their style or MBTI is. Sometimes you just need to go with your gut. Adapt to each person based on what you feel. Overtyping can result in poor listening skills and, as a result, missing out on important detals. Just be careful.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Does type have an effect on approaching others?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
What type are you? Share with us how you prefer to be approached.

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

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Confessions of a Lunch Whore

Over the years I’ve had so many lunches with so many people, I can’t even keep them straight.

My guess is, it’s probably somewhere around the 300’s.

Many of these invitations come via email or phone; often from people who: (a) sat in one of my audiences, (b) bought one of my books, (c) stumbled across my website or (d) read about me somewhere.

I’m always honored to receive them.

Obviously, people visited my website to obtain my contact information. Which is fine. That’s why I post it there.

Obviously, they understand why I wear a nametag 24-7: to make people friendlier.

And obviously, they feel that I’m approachable. So approachable, in fact, that they say, “What the heck? He’s a friendly guy. He’ll have lunch with anybody!”

Well, yes and no. I wouldn’t go so far as to call me a Lunch Whore. But yes, for the most part, I’ve accepted most of the invitations that have been extended to me in the last 2,268 days. Whether they were breakfasts, lunches, dinners, coffees or after work drinks, I was usually up for it.

Because I believe in serendipity.
Because I believe in expanding my network.
Because I believe in learning from new people.

Over the years I’ve met some amazing people, too.

People like Kristi Govertson. The math teacher who saw me on CNN, went to my website, emailed me the next day and invited me to meet her at Starbucks.

So I did. And we hit it off instantly! We became great friends, and still are to this day. I even remember the time I suffered through a tough breakup and Kristi was the one who dragged me to Ben & Jerry’s to cheer up my broken heart. (Sniff)

Or people like Jim Henderson. The Pastor who read an article about my book, dropped me an email and suggested meeting up.

A few weeks later Jim and I met in person. He happened to be traveling via Portland to Seattle, so the timing was perfect. Once again, we hit it off. As a fellow speaker, Jim and I had a lot in common. And over the years we’ve stayed in touch, shared ideas, even helped promote each other’s work.

And people like Andy Masters. Both of us were members of the St. Louis Publishers Association. Both of us were young authors. And both of us graduated from the same high school, albeit a decade apart.

I’ll never forget our first lunch. We must have laughed for an hour straight! The waitress probably though we were nuts. Our brainstorming session was monstrously productive. Both of us walked away with dozens of new marketing ideas for our respective projects. And today, I consider him to be one of my closest friends.

The list goes on and on. I bet I could write an entire book about people like Kristi, Jim and Andy.

However.

Not all of my coffees and lunches came out that successful.

Like the time I got duped into having lunch with that nice lady, Susan. Who tried to sell me Amway.

Like the time I met up with Jon, who claimed to have “an idea that could help my business.” He turned out to be a tabletop advertising salesman.

Or like the time I thought I was having a lunch meeting with Dick, who said he wanted to book me for a speech. Two painful hours later I realized it was high-pressure sales pitch for a personal banking pyramid scheme.

And then there was the time I agreed to have coffee with Bob, one of my audience members. He not only tried to sell me insurance, but also had the audacity to ask me for ten referrals of friends and family members who “also might be interested in his services.”

Oh, and don’t forget about Julie. We had a great lunch together, sharing ideas about small business success. I thought we would become colleagues. That is, until she suckered me into one of those transformational-learning Jedi-mind-trick-bullshit cult seminars where they don’t even let you leave the room to pee.

Still, my all-time favorite would have to be Edna. She sent me a hand-written letter in the mail, three years after hearing me speak. Edna needed help publishing her book. I agreed to meet her for lunch to offer some advice.

Little did I know that Edna was an 83 year-old paranoid schizophrenic who claimed that the FBI had inserted a tracking device in her frontal lobe in order to control her mind so she wouldn’t blab to the politicians in Washington about the 18 year history of abduction and torture performed on her son by Hilary Clinton’s advisors.

I know. You can’t make this stuff up.

Sadly, the second list goes on and on too. I bet I could write another book about people like Susan, Jon, Dick, Bob, Julie and Edna.

Because apparently, some people aren’t after your friendship.

They’re after your money. Or your connections. Or your secrets. Or your smarts. Or in Edna’s case, your brain itself.

Here’s the thing. I’m grateful for all of the coffee and lunch friends I’ve made since I started wearing a nametag seven years ago. Business. Personal. Whatever. I love these people! Especially the ones who became close friends and colleagues. You can’t put a price on that stuff.

But some people have a lot of nerve.

And I’m tired of being taken advantage of.

Everyone has to draw the line somewhere. It IS possible to be TOO approachable!

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to head over to McDonald’s. I just got a call from some strange guy named Gus. I don’t know much about him other than he was just released from prison on a murder charge. Said he was a big fan of my work. And he asked me to bring a copy of my book, a change of clothes and an ice pick.

Sounds like a nice guy.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Have you ever regretted meeting someone for lunch or coffee?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Create your own “Opportunity Filter” by asking the following four questions to strange people who want to get together: 1) What is your full name? (So you can Google them), 2) Who do you work for and what is your job title? 3) What (specifically) would you like to discuss during our meeting? and 4) What positive motivation do you have behind this meeting?

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

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4 Communication Confidence Builders

Confident communication comes from winning small victories first. Here are 4 techniques to help you gain the edge…

1. Avoid starting your responses or conversations with hedging phrases and immediate personal discounters. These fillers give off the impression the you’re hiding behind your words and refusing to commit. They also have the power to negate whatever you say next. Examples include:

“I was just going to say
”
“I’m not sure if I’m right, but
”
“I don’t know if
”
“This is probably a stupid question
”

State your point confidently. No need to add extra words.

2. Take yourself on a date ALONE. Go to a fun place. Act like a real date. This will build your confidence and boost feelings of independence. (I do this at least once a month – it’s the best!)

3. Use self-disclosure openings as conversation starters. They ease communication apprehension, offer insight into you and appeal to the inherent helpful nature of other people. Examples include:

“Hi, I don’t know anybody here!”
“This is my first time here.”
“I’ve never been to Dallas before.”

4. Avoid the word “interested.” It doesn’t have the confidence and persuasion of “willing.” It also uses more active language because it removes an “-ing” suffix from the sentence. For example, which of the following questions sound more confident?

“Dave, would you be interested in giving me your email?”
“Dave, would you be willing to give me your email?”

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s your best confidence builder?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Make the list grow! Post your confidence builders here.

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

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The World is a Mirror, Part 18

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
K is for KNOWLEDGE
L is for LAUGHTER
M is for MUNDANE
N is for NAMETAGS
O is for OFF BUTTON
P is for PAINT YOURSELF INTO A (GOOD) CORNER
Q is for QUICK
R is for RUDE PEOPLE

This week I gave a talk to a group of business owners at the annual meeting of the National Potato Council. They were an awesome group!

As usual, towards the end I revealed several of the downsides to wearing a nametag.

This list included, but wasn’t limited to:

*Complete strangers making fun of me
*People starting fights with me
*Hate mail, prank phone calls and rude IM’s
*Stalkers
*Anonymous online death threats

The list continues to grow. It makes very little sense. And I’ve been trying to figure it out for years.

Who DOES this kind of stuff to someone whose intentions are clearly positive?

I’ll tell you who: someone who has issues of his own.

Anger. Aggression. Resentment. Fear. Ignorance. Insecurity. Jealousy. Weakness. Whatever you want to call it. These people are just plain rude! (90% of these people are men. Interesting.)

LESSON LEARNED: if someone acts rudely to you, it speaks more about him than it does about you.

A few other gems I’ve learned along the way are…

“Rudeness is the weak man’s imitation of strength.” (Eric Hoffer)

“Fear is the parent of cruelty.” (James Anthony Froude)

“Envy and resentment may be motives for bullying.” (Wikipedia)

“Aggression is directed to and often originates from outside stimuli, but has a very distinct internal character.” (Wikipedia)

“Some people learned their manners from sitcoms. They believe in the myth of the ‘funny rude’ person. These people are those self-appointed clowns who try to get a laugh at any price, and of course the easiest way to get laughs is to insult others. They haven’t yet discovered that the price of rude humor ranges from hurt feelings to divorce proceedings. On television, the victims of insults never get offended, never harbor hurt feelings — how conveniently lucky for the insulters. But in real life, psychology doesn’t work that way.” (J.E. Brown’s paper called Why Are People Rude?)

In the end, some people are just going to be rude to you. Even if it has nothing to do with you. Guess you just have to shake ’em off.

I just think it’s funny that a stranger (who clearly hates my guts) will take a half-hour out of his day to write me hate mail.

Who’s the crazy one now?

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What motivates people to be rude?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Post your hypotheses here!

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

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11 random thoughts on entrepreneurship

1. Does a lower fee make you more affordable, or less attractive?

2. A lot of people I meet ask me questions like, “So, is this all you do?” “Does speaking and writing actually pay the bills?” “Do you actually make a living doing this?” and “So, do you have another job?”

Questions like these are rude, presumptious and demeaning. However, since people ask, I always give them my answer: “Yes,” plus a little bluff-calling back-in-your-face follow up like, “Why do you ask?”

They usually stumble and say, “Well, I
uh
was just curious
” when what they really meant was, “There’s no way someone your age could be making a living doing what you do.” Jerks.

3. TIGER WOODS STILL TAKES GOLF LESSONS.

4. Your clients can get knowledge anywhere. They look to you for WISDOM.

5. People want to hear FROM success, not ABOUT it.

6. Refuse to go away. Persistence is attractive. But don’t be annoying. Or desperate. It’s tough to sell with your tongue hanging out.

7. You need to build a following.

8. If you’re the only one who does what you do, there IS no competition.

9. Just because you know how to use a hammer doesn’t mean you can build a house. Hire a professional designer to do your marketing materials, online and off.

10. Deliver small promises first to build a foundation of trust.

11. There is nothing more convincing than a working example.

That’s all I got today!

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What random thought are you having today?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Writing is theraputic. Especially free writes. And sometimes it’s valuable to have no real topic. So, let’s hear your top five random thoughts that have been on your mind lately. Anything you want. Post away!

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

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Typical O’Hare…

Typical O’Hare. Always causing delays in other cities.

Since my flight was delayed 2 hours last night, I stopped by TGI Friday’s in DFW before returning to St. Louis.

My server threw down a coaster, introduced herself as Erin and asked, “So Scott, how much time do you have before takeoff?”

“Oh, uh
plenty. I’m on a 2 hour delay.”

“Cool, then I’ll start you off with a drink. What’ll you have?”

“Diet Coke.”

“Right away!” she said.

NOTICE: Erin didn’t say, “How are you?” “How’s it going?” or “Welcome to TGI Friday’s.”

She said, “How much time do you have?”

I couldn’t help but chuckle.

What a line.
What a great approach.
What a way to get a huge tip!

Here is yet another minor incident with MAJOR lessons:

1. Ask smart questions. First words make (or break) first impressions.
2. Know your customer. Identify & satisfy their needs as soon as possible.
3. O’Hare sucks.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How unforgettable are your first words?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Post your best “first words” story here!

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

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People are only taught to count the big things

People are only taught to count the big things.

Customers. Sales. Profits. Losses. Stuff like that.

That’s why it’s so difficult to quantify the ROI on something like “approachability.”

Because it’s a just an idea. It varies from person to person.

But businesspeople must believe in the aggregate power of little things. “Do not despise the day of small beginnings,” as the old scripture explains.

That’s why I suggest measuring conversations, not customers. Touchpoints, not touchdowns. As I mentioned in the Mundane to Memorable post:

THE LAW OF APPROACHABILITY

Breaking the silence = breaking the pattern

Pattern breaking = mundane into memorable

Memorable moments = increased comfort

Increased comfort = enhanced approachability

More approachability = strangers into friends

More friends = people who become “fans” of you & your business

Fans = people who loyally love your stuff

More fans = more positive word of mouth

More positive word of mouth = more $$$

More $$$ = 🙂 🙂 🙂

Business success is won in inches, not miles.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What little things are you counting?

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

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Jeffrey Gitomer and The Nametag Guy Team Up Again!

Buy Jeffrey Gitomer’s Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude on amazon.com today and get hundreds of dollars of free stuff from Jeffrey and 27 other top business leaders
around the world
 including me!

The Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude is the newest addition to Jeffrey’s best selling Little Book Series, and gives you the critical tools you need to find, build, and keep a YES! Attitude for a lifetime of success.

I’ve already read this book. Finished it in three hours.

IT ROCKS.

This is Jeffrey’s best work to date, and it’s written for the professional salesperson, the entrepreneur, the small business owner, the sales leader, the sales executive, and anyone who wants to create a YES! Attitude in every aspect of their business and personal lives.

BUY THE BOOK TODAY – JANUARY 9th on amazon.com, send your receipt to [email protected] and you win! You will receive hundreds of dollars worth of downloadable e-books, white papers, articles, audio MP3s, reports, and chapters of best selling books being offered by 27 top sales, marketing, publishing, communications, public relations, and business growth leaders.

It’s that simple, and that valuable.

For more details about the other 26 freebies in this offer, go here.

To buy the book now, go here.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s your best attitude secret?

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

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Here’s my sales philosophy

I’ve never been much for textbook sales methods: 17 kinds of closes, 24 ways to overcome objections, you know, all that stuff.

I’m not saying they’re wrong. Sales is sales. It’s just that much of the salesspeak seems manipulative. And businesspeople shouldn’t spend all their time practicing other existing methods, they should be developing systems of their own.

So here’s mine:

1) Sell yourself to yourself. The sale before the sale: the most important sale of all. It begins when you practice positive self-talk and daily affirmations that flood your subconscious with healthy thoughts. This will reprogram your mind to attract winning results based on your positive thinking. Ultimately, your attitude of approachability will become the foundation from which all future actions are based.

2) Believe in yourself. These thoughts will become beliefs. If you keep telling yourself that you are successful, intelligent, great at providing value, you will become (and do) just that. These beliefs will run through your mind and give you more self-confidence, simply because you kept talking to yourself.

3) Sell yourself to others. Now that you’ve sold you to you, and that you believe in yourself, share it with others. Lead with your person. Put it before your profession, position and title in a unique, unforgettable way. And remember: people buy people first. So, make friends with everybody. Increase your daily level of Zero Motive Interactions, online and offline. Practice interACTION, not interRUPTION. And whatever product or service you’re really selling, it will soon be bought after customers have bought you first. (And customers WILL buy you first because steps one and two make you the kind of person that want to do business with: friendly, attractive, confident and memorable.)

4) Enable people to buy your actual product or service. Notice I didn’t say “sell,” I said, “enable people to buy.” Give value first, project uniqueness by being That Guy and be approachable so you create confidence in the minds of your customers. Make the mundane memorable. Lead, sell and close with VALUE before price, that way when the time comes to write the check, price doesn’t matter.

5) Keep it alive. Become a resource, not just a salesperson. Think long term relationship, not one night stand. Think about the sale after the sale. Turn your customers into fans, and stay in front of those fans by regularly delivering value in your own unique way. Remember that these fans are the most important people in the world. Remember that consistency is far better than rare moments of greatness. And remember to have fun.

(Repeat steps 1-5 daily.)

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s your Sales Philosophy?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Post it here!

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

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