Tag: be the world’s expert on yourself

Grill yourself

What enables someone to be relaxed on an interview?

Here’s the way I see it:

Approachability comes from relaxation.
Relaxation comes from comfort.
Comfort comes from confidence.
Confidence comes from knowledge.
Knowledge comes from preparation.

IN SHORT: relaxation come from preparation.

So, what the best way to prepare for an interview?

By asking yourself questions.

Like, hard questions.

Questions like:

1. What are three reasons ANYBODY would want to go to my website?
2. What am I doing to earn my customers’ loyalty?
3. What did I JUST learn from this experience?
4. What do I know now that I didn’t know 12 months ago?
5. What ONE thing do I do great?
6. Who can hurt me the most?
7. Why are customers picking me?
8. Why is my business succeeding?

That’s called grilling yourself.

It challenges your thinking.
It clarifies your beliefs and values.
It prepares you to answer questions (for real) at the drop of a hat.

And if you want to ACE your next interview – for a job OR with the media – consider these three Self-Grilling Techniques:

1. THINK. Because thoughts become things. Period.

HERE’S THE WHY: your thoughts are your most valuable possessions. And when you take the time to grill yourself, your thinking clarifies. Then, those positive thoughts eventually materialize as they align with your actions.

HERE’S THE WAY: try grilling yourself while exercising. High levels of endorphins will pump dopamine to help expand your creativity. You’ll be amazed at the ideas that come about. (Just be sure not to run into somebody else on the track!)

2. WRITE. Because writing is the basis of all wealth. Period.

HERE’S THE WHY: you don’t know it until you write it. So, by regularly writing out your answers to various questions, you not only clarify your thoughts – you learn the material. Cold. And when you know the material, it flows out of your mouth smoothly, authentically and effectively.

HERE’S THE WAY: every morning before work, spend 15 minutes grilling yourself. Pick three interview questions a day. Write your answers in the form of bullet point lists. Then on Friday, re-read everything. Odds are, you’ll go back and say, “Wow, that was actually pretty good!”

3. SPEAK. Because practice doesn’t make perfect, practice makes permanent. Period.

HERE’S THE WHY: speaking is an extension of writing and writing is an extension of thinking. So, by working up to speaking (the most difficult form of grilling yourself), you bring together all three elements.

HERE’S THE WAY: put 20 interview questions on 20 note cards. Everyday after lunch, pick a new one out of a hat. Read it to yourself. Then spend the next three minutes answering it aloud. Be sure to use specific examples that support your arguments. Do it every day until you’re out of questions. Then write 20 more.

Ultimately, grilling yourself is about preparation.

In your mind.
On your paper.
Out your mouth.

SO REMEMBER:

Approachability comes from relaxation.
Relaxation comes from comfort.
Comfort comes from confidence.
Confidence comes from knowledge.
Knowledge comes from preparation.

Grill yourself today.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
When was the last time you grilled yourself?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Regularly practice these three techniques. Consider partnering up with a “grilling buddy” to keep each other accountable. In time you won’t just conduct interviews; you’ll control interviews.

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

Are you the luckiest person you know?

Watch Scott’s interview on 20/20!

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When should you raise your fee?

A few years ago I was hanging out at an art gallery in Portland.

I asked the owner, “How do you know how much to charge for your paintings?”

Without a blink she smiled, “Depends on my rent!”

Wow. I don’t think she was kidding!

Still, whether you’re an artist, writer, entrepreneur or consultant, this is a tricky topic: When should you raise your fee?

Lots of potential answers…

You raise your fee when you raise your value.
You raise your fee when you do something HUGE.
You raise your fee when you increase your costs.
You raise your fee when you write your first book.
You raise your fee when you reduce your client base.
You raise your fee when you want to earn more money.
You raise your fee when you write a bestselling book.
You raise your fee when you want to grow your business.
You raise your fee when you think you deserve more money.
You raise your fee when you are quoted as an expert in the media.
You raise your fee when you have been featured in a major media outlet.
You raise your fee when you’re associated with the best, i.e., opening for U2.
You raise your fee when you want to cut out the bottom 15% of your client base.
You raise your fee when you want to work with fewer clients, fewer days of the year, but for the same or more total income.
You raise your fee when you’ve been getting paid your fee consistently with little or no resistance.
You raise your fee when it’s been at the same level for a long time and you think, “Well, it’s just time!”

It’s different for everyone.

In Alan Weiss’s Million-Dollar Consulting, he states, “The #1 cause of entrepreneurial failure is not undercapitalization or major competition, but lack of self-esteem.”

So maybe that’s our biggest challenge: figuring out what we’re worth.

A few years ago I raised my fee. I was so scared that I actually spent a five minutes every morning staring into the mirror, stating my fee confidently to myself.

I felt like such a putz.

However, later that day when I’d get on the phone and a prospective client asked what my fee was, I would have no problem sharing it.

Confidently, too.

AND THAT’S THE KEY: state your fee confidently and SHUT UP.

Don’t justify it.
Don’t validate it.
Don’t weaken it by saying, “Yeah, but, um, you know, I can always make it cheaper if your budget doesn’t…”

No.

He who talks next, loses.

State your fee confidently and SHUT UP.

And ultimately, there’s probably no one reason to raise your fee.

What’s most important is that when you DO raise (and eventually state) your fee, do so with confidence. And if the prospect has a problem with it, maybe she’s not the right customer in the first place.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How much is one hour of your time worth?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Make a list called “Top Three Reasons to Raise Your Fee.” Post it here!

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

Are you the luckiest person you know?

Watch Scott’s interview on 20/20!

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Observe your future self

ATTENTION ANYONE UNDER 25!

If you’re a “young blade,” as my Grandma likes to say, you need to take a good look at the veterans of your industry.

I suggest:

Meet them.
Observe them
Hang out with them.
Ask questions of them.

THEN: create a picture of the type of person that someone who does what you do often becomes.

This is something you need to know going in. To a new career OR a new job.

FOR EXAMPLE: as an entrepreneur under 30, I tend to work with a lot of people who are sometimes 20 years ahead of me.

And a few of the trends I notice (although not for everybody) include:

o Lack of work-life balance
o Incredible stress, physically and mentally
o Sabotaged relationships
o Absentee fathers and husbands
o Complacency and therefore lack of reinvention and/or expansion

That’s not who I want to become! I think.

I remember last year I asked a friend of mine, “Do you ever come into the office on Sundays?”

He said, “I come into the office when I’m in town.”

Wow.

Sure am glad I realize this now!

So. What about you?

What do you want (and not want) to become?

Even if you’re not under 30, here a few steps to help you find the answer:

1. Observe your future self. Create a picture of the type of person that someone who does what you do often becomes.

2. Self-Assessment. Ask yourself three questions:

a. Do I want to end up like them?
b. If not, whom DO I want to end up like?
c. And what steps will I have to take (now) in order to become that person (later)?

3. Journal. Start a “Don’t Ever Let That Happen to Me” Log. Consider doing it with another person or a mastermind group for accountability purposes.

4. Evaluate. On a regular basis, do a check-in. See where you’ve been, where you are and where you’re going. Be sure your path is consistent with what you’ve observed and what you want.

REMEMBER: you don’t have to become what everyone else who does what you do often becomes.

It’s up to you.

Because you always have a choice.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What are the trappings of your industry?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Start your accountability TODAY. Make a list right here, right now, of three things you DON’T want to become.

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

Are you the luckiest person you know?

Watch Scott’s interview on 20/20!

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Immediate Personal Discounting

The first words out of your mouth MUST project confidence.

That way, you build the right frame for your argument.

In a speech.
In a classroom.
In an audience.
In a boardroom.
In an interview.

When I was a marketing student at Miami University, my professor, Dr. David Rosenthal, stressed the importance building the right frame.

“Avoid Immediate Personal Discounting,” he stressed.

IPD, as we learned, was a dangerous way of opening an argument, question or comment.

For example:

o “I’m not sure if this is right, but…”
o “I could be wrong, but…”
o “This might be a stupid question, but…”
o “I could be way off, but…”
o “I probably shouldn’t ask this, but…”
o “You might think this is dumb, but…”
o “This is going to sound really (x), but…”

No. No, no, no! Immediate Personal Discounting is detrimental to the effectiveness of your argument for a several reasons:

It shows lack of confidence.
It sets the wrong expectation.
It nullifies anything you say next.
It preps people to satisfy your self-fulfilling prophecy.
It usually ends with the word “but,” which deletes everything you just said.

REMEMBER: just because YOU think your comment isn’t correct, appropriate, or brilliant, doesn’t mean other people will agree with you!

So, when communicating your ideas, remember these two keys:

1. Watch your butts. But is a dangerous word. It nullifies anything you say before it and limits positive/creative thinking. Check out this list of 20 alternatives for the word “but.”

2. Sell yourself first. No matter what you’re selling, you need to first sell YOURSELF. On yourself AND on your ideas. Otherwise nobody is going to listen to, agree with, or buy from you.

A powerful, yet practical technique to accomplish these three ideas is to use affirmations.

(I know. They’re totally cheesy. But that doesn’t mean they don’t work!)

CONSIDER THIS: prior to your next meeting, interview or appointment, affirm the following phrase over and over: “I always communicate persuasively, effectively and confidently … I always communicate persuasively, effectively and confidently … I always communicate persuasively, effectively and confidently …”

Then, let people decide for themselves. Trust your gut and trust your words. Articulate your thought, idea or question in a confident, approachable manner.

Ultimately, if you can avoid Immediate Personal Discounting, and you will get them to come to you.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Are you shooting yourself in the foot before your opening sentence is complete?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Keep track of any time you hear someone use an IPD, for one week. When your list is done, go back and think about the Phrases That Payses someone could have use instead.

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

Are you the luckiest person you know?

Watch Scott’s interview on 20/20!

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54 questions every entrepreneur should ask

1. What’s next? Keeps you productive. Keeps you in motion. It keeps you thinking about the future. Helps avoid complacency.

2. What did you write today? Writing is the basis of all wealth. Even if you’re not a writer, you’re a writer. SAY IT WITH ME: Writing is the basis of all wealth.
3. If everybody did exactly what you said, what would the world look like? Helps you clarify your philosophy. Plus, once you discover the answer(s) to that question, you now have a framework. Now all you have to do is make sure you’re giving your people (customers, staff) the tools to build that world.

4. What do you (really) sell? For example, if you work at Hertz, you’re not selling people a car. You selling people a way to get the heck out of the airport! So, ask yourself “What do I sell?” over and over and over. Make a list of at least ten different answers.

5. Is everything you know written down somewhere? If you don’t write it down, it never happened. That which goes unrecorded goes unmemorable.

6. What highly valuable activities did you accomplish today? If you can go to bed every night knowing that you achieved three highly valuable activities during the day, everything will be gravy.

7. Who else lives there that you can see when you’re in town? Helps you keep your network alive.
8. What’s the stupidest thing you could possibly say? Then, don’t say that. Don’t be ashamed to ask your clients or customers this question. They’ll appreciate your willingness to learn what to avoid.
9. How can you be visible to the highest number of people? Especially if you’re at a conference with lots of people.

10. What’s the universal human emotion of this story? That way it connects with everybody.

11. Why are you even telling this story? Don’t tell it just to tell it. Have a point. A lesson. A takeaway.

12. Are customers asking to buy a product or service you don’t presently sell? If so, maybe that should tell you something.

13. What are the best possible questions I could ask this person? Questions are the basis of all cooperation. And he who asks the best questions wins. It’s a perfect way to be that guy.

14. How does that relate to me? There’s a lesson in everything. The challenge is figuring out what you’re supposed to take away from a specific incident.
15. What industry do you want to dominate? Because niches = riches.
16. When was the last tome you were featured IN the media? About your business, about your philosophy and your products. Because anonymity is the greatest barrier to business success.

17. When was the last time you were interviewed BY the media? Because you need to be perceived as an expert.

18. What did I JUST learn from this experience? Because we learn not from our experiences; but from intelligent reflection upon those experiences.

19. Who else can I talk to about this? Make a list of every possible person that would be a good source of advice or help on a challenge.

20. Am I really the best person to be doing this? If not, find someone who is and recommend her. Don’t worry. The world will pay you back.

21. Am I giving away enough stuff for free? Because the more you give away for free, the wealthier you will be.

22. What’s the ONE thing I totally forgot to pack? I ask this to myself right before I leave for the airport. I usually helps out.

23. Is what I’m doing right now consistent with my number one goal? This question made me more money and helped me become more focused than anything. Ever.

24. Is what I’m doing right now leading to a sale? Just like the above example but more focused on selling. (Put this one on a sticky note!)

25. Did you get their email? It’s the single most important piece of information you need to obtain. Because everyone is in the name-accumulate business.

26. Did you listen enough? Twice as much as you talked.

27. What lesson did you learn today? Before you go to bed, take 30 seconds to jot this down on a note card. One sentence, one lesson from one day. At the end of the week and month, re-read them. Then share them with your employees, kids and friends. Encourage them to do the same.

28. What are you thankful for today? Developing an attitude of gratitude will attract more good things in your life because the universe is responsive and participative.

29. When did you say no today? Your time isn’t just valuable; it’s billable. And most entrepreneurs suck at saying no. Consider keeping a No Journal to make sure you’re saying it enough.

30. What (small) victories did you have today? Any victories build confidence and skill. Keep a Victory Log. (And if you don’t feel like keeping a bunch of journals or logs to answers these various questions, go back and read #2 again.)
31. How many new ideas did you come up with last week? The best way to come up with great ideas is to have a LOT of ideas.

32. Are you able to speak on your expertise at the drop of a hat? That’s how good you need to be. That’s how smart you need to be.

33. Can you speak on your expertise forever? If not, that’s cool. Your customers will find someone who can.

34. Do you really want to make this a career? If not, don’t bother. Hobbies aren’t enough. You need to make this a business. (Whatever “this” is.)
35. What did you read today? Every. Single. Day. And not the newspaper or magazines. Positive, healthy, enriching stuff.
36. How many books did you read last year? I read about 300. What about you?
37. What’s the stereotype of your profession? Know this at the beginning (of your career, of your sales calls and of your days) so you can address it early, disarm people and earn their trust.
38. Have people heard about you? Because the only reason anyone will do business with you is because 1) They’ve heard you, 2) They’ve heard OF you, or 3) Someone they trust has heard of you.

39. Are people talking about you? Because word of mouth is the most honest, most effective and most sincere marketing medium. Also, Oscar Wilde once remarked, “The only thing worse than being talked about is NOT being talked about.”

40. What do you do? Be prepared to answer this question confidently, uniquely and quickly. Have several versions ready to go for various situations.
41. Are you talking to the right person? Find the economic buyer. Don’t waste people’s time.

42. What if you got sick? Would you still make money? Would your business function by itself?

43. What if 9/11 happens again? Will you still make money? Can your business thrive without travel?
44. Do people know what you do? If you successfully answered #40, this shouldn’t be a problem.

45. Do people know what you’re DOING? Publish an ezine, blog or calendar that keeps your network in the loop. Makes it easier for them to refer you.

46. Do people know what you’ve DONE? Because there’s nothing more persuasive than a working example. Also makes it easier for them to refer you.
47. What type of marketing will you use? Remember, there’s like 46 different ways. Consider using all of them.
48. What have you done in the last 24 hours to promote YOU? Tom Peters asked this question in his awesome book The Brand You 50.

49. What have you done in the last 24 hours to increase your credibility? Because complacency is the enemy of growth.
50. Have you googled yourself this week? Becaue you can participate your online image, but you can’t control it. Because if you don’t exist on the Internet, you don’t exist.

51. Why are people picking you? The media, your customers, etc. Constantly ask them, “Why me?” Figure out the answer; repeat often.

52. What is today’s creative opportunity? There will probably be more than one per day. Still, the world is filled with them. Listen closely.

53. If you were to close your doors TODAY, what would you customers miss most? Hopefully there’s a good answer (or answers) to this question. Because a LOT of entrepreneurs out there are quickly and easily replaceable.

54. What’s your guarantee? Have something cool, remarkable and unexpected. When you remove risk from your transactions, it sets you apart, earns trust and stimulates word of mouth. For example, my guarantee to any of my customers is, “If you feel that any of my products suck, call my cell phone and your money will be refunded.” Nobody’s ever called me on it. Yet.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Who’s the luckiest person you know?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
What do they do that nobody else does?

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag

Watch Scott’s interview on 20/20!
Tune in here!

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The Nametag Guy is featured in the premiere issue of Escaping Adulthood!

Growing up?

Ha!
Once a kid, always a kid.

And my friends Kim and Jason agree. They’re two of the coolest, most creative and folks I know.

That’s why I’m proud to be featured in their brand-spankin’ new publication, Escape Adulthood.

Download a PDF of the issue here.

They even included a picture from when I was seven years old! Try not to laugh too hard…

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s your favorite childlike quality … to practice as an adult?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Share them here!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag

Download Scott’s new book!
Right here, right now, for FREE, no strings.

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The Nametag Guy’s final post of 2006

So, I was hoping to have this AMAZING year-end post that (a) wrapped up everything I learned in 2006, (b) left you with a poignant point to ponder or (c) was really, really funny.

But I got nothing.

It’s been the busiest, craziest, most fun and most educational year of my life. And I’m tired.

However, before I call it a year, I wanted to share one final story.

On October 20th, I received an email from a meeting planner at a Fortune 500. For the record, I changed the person’s name and sex. Here’s what it read: (emphasis mine)

Dear Scott,

I’m trying to figure out how to incorporate you into our world. Annually my group has a national meeting. In the past speakers have not really added ROI for the $$$ we pay to have them.

Have you spoken for any pharmacy companies before? Although I love your “down to earth” approach, you would have to tone that down a bit due to all of our inhouse redtape (diversity, etc.).

Sincerely,

Jackson Green, CMP

* * * *

OK. Here’s what I wrote back to him:

Morning Jackson! Great to hear from you.

I actually just took on a new client in the pharmacy industry. Approachability is huge for reps in that arena, so I would love to be a part of your annual event.

However, while I respect the culture of your company, it’s important for you to know something: I never tone down who I am.

If you think the type of style I bring to the stage will offend people or make them uncomfortable, that’s totally cool. I understand and I don’t expect everyone to like me! But if that’s the case, then I’m probably not a good fit for your company.

Take care.

-Scott

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Do you think he wrote me back?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
If someone asks you NOT to be yourself, screw ’em.

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

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Boys are stupid throw rocks at them

Perhaps the folks at David & Goliath were right.

I was googling “how to approach” and “approach tips” last night, and I couldn’t help but notice something:

Most of the hits were articles about seducing, picking up and getting numbers from women.

Actually, they weren’t even articles. Most were one page sales letters or extended pictches for seduction ebooks, 6 CD or 12 DVD attraction kits, workshops and the like that promise to teach you How To Approach Any Woman, Anywhere And Know Exactly What To Say To Get Her To Give You Her Number And Go On A Date With You – NOW.

Don’t worry. I’m not player hating. If this stuff works, good on ya.

BUT HERE’S MY THEORY: ever since the release of Neil Strauss’s (amazing) book The Game, the underground world of pick-up artists, seduction gurus and attraction experts has TOTALLY exploded.

I’m not saying this is bad. Most of the information published on seduction-based approachability (most, I say), is well researched, lucid and thought provoking.

But here’s what I think is really, really funny:

If you google the phrase approaching women, 101,000 hits come up.

But, if you google the phrase approaching men, only 16,000 hits come up.

Hmm. Interesting.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What do you this that means?

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

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Stand out without selling out

Five down, one to go.

I was so close to getting the job I could taste it!

All I had to do was ace this last interview and I was a shoe-in for my new position at the Ritz Carlton.

“OK Scott, this last question is kind of a tough one. Most applicants usually have trouble with it, so just take your time:

Do you have any weaknesses?”

Damn. That IS a tough question.

Should I lie?
Tell him I don’t have any weaknesses?
Or give him the answer he wants to hear?

Well, here goes nothing…

“Sure, I’ll give you four of them,” I said confidently.
“Number one: I’m not a great driver. I know I’m applying for a valet position, but sometimes I make stupid decisions behind the wheel. Heck, I can barely even drive stick!

Number two: I have big eyes. What I mean is, I will scope out every girl that walks through the lobby without realizing that I’m staring. That might get me in trouble with the guests.
Number three: I’m not the most punctual employee. Now, I’m not saying that I’ll be late every day, but you’ll rarely see me come in early.

Number four: I have a big mouth. I often say silly things that might come off as offensive to others.

But the truth is, sir, all four of those weaknesses I just listed – they can be changed. But the one thing about me that will NEVER change is my honesty, and THAT is exactly why you should hire me to work at this hotel.

The next thing I heard was the sound of his jaw hitting the carpet. He looked at me like I just told him I was abducted by aliens from planet Zantar.

After a brief silence, he wrote something down on his legal pad, shifted his weight and leaned back in his chair. He grabbed a quick drink of water and crossed his arms.

I thought I was a goner for sure.

He responded with four words: get outta my office!

I’m just kidding. What he really said was: you got the job!

Initially, I couldn’t believe that answer actually worked. But in retrospect, I realize what happened:

I stood out without selling out.

Interviews. Performance evaluations. Meetings. All that stuff. These are opportunities for you to stand out a make a name for yourself.

Which means (as usual) you have a choice:

1) Sacrifice who you are and what you believe, shrink from the opportunity to showcase your individuality and give the guy on the other side of the desk the answer he expected to hear. Or,

2) Summon the courage to be yourself, say how you really feel, fly in the face of convention and stand out like the unique person that you are.

Do. Not. Go. Quietly.

Ever.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
When was the last time you stood out without selling out?

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

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Interruption sucks, interaction rocks

Radio ads. Billboards. Wall Posters. Yellow pages. Pamphlets. Leaflets. Brochures. TV commercials. Newspapers ads. Magazine ads. Pop ups. Fax Outs. Hiring a fat guy to stand out on the street corner during traffic with a big sandwich board three blocks down the street from your restaurant. Pitching the media to do stories about you. Standing at a big flashy booth at a trade show giving away free pens. Blinking web ads. Direct Email. Cold calls (pictured). Direct Mail. Driving down the street, slowing down in front of pedestrians, rolling down your window and asking them, “Hey, you wanna buy a home stereo?”

That last example actually happened to me last week while walking down the street in downtown Chicago. It was ridiculous!

And it got me thinking: what do all of those marketing techniques have in common?

Not all the time, but for the most part:

• They suck
• They annoy people
• They cost money
• They waste money
• They waste trees
• They are antiquated, boring and ineffective marketing channels created around interruption

Interruption, I say!

And they don’t work any more.

Because people are tired of being interrupted and being YELLED AT to buy stuff.

Bestselling author Seth Godin first noticed this trend in 1998. His revolutionary interview in FastCompany magazine quoted him as saying, “There’s too much going on in our lives for us to enjoy being interrupted anymore. So, our natural response is to ignore the interruptions.”

Gets worse.

In 2004, a UCLA study reported that the average consumer sees 3000 marketing messages in one day. Course, that was a few years ago. By now, I bet it’s well over 5000.

Interruption.

This word has been on my mind a lot lately, and here’s why…

See, tomorrow is November 1st. Which means my company will celebrate its four-year anniversary in a few months. (Woo hoo!)

Now, I will tell you that, for the few years of my company’s existence, I didn’t make much money.

OK, fine. I didn’t make ANY money.

However, 2006 was a stellar year. I almost tripled my projected revenue. I surpassed most of my year-end goals by October. I even managed to take some time off! (Double woo hoo!)

And so to me, I take this as a sign that my marketing efforts are (finally!) paying off.

But, I have a confession to make. In fact, I have three of them.

In the history of my career as an entrepreneur:

1) I’ve never made a cold call.
2) I’ve never run an advertisement.
3) I’ve never “pitched” the media.

I know. Doesn’t seem normal, does it?

Well, that’s just the way I do business.

Because any day of the week, I’d rather: concentrate my marketing efforts on creating a sense of attraction, a sense of gravity; that magnetizes customers, prospects and fans toward my company through a process of delivering value in the vehicle known as my brand…

…than run some crappy ad. Or interrupt someone’s day with an annoying cold call. Or send out a direct mail piece. Or…

You get the point: interruption.

Therefore, if interruption is the enemy of successful marketing, what’s the ally?

My theory: interaction.

Look. I’ve been wearing a nametag 24-7 for just over 6 years now. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned from tens of thousands of encounters – with new people I otherwise never would have met – it’s this: interruption sucks, interaction rocks.

Now, what exactly do I mean by interaction? I’m talking about direct contact with your customers and prospects. Building community. Making friends. Creating and keeping fans. Hanging out. Delivering value. Developing relationships.

Specifically, stuff like…

Posting on your blog. Commenting on somebody else’s blog. Publishing articles in your community’s newspaper. Giving speeches at Chamber meetings. Lunches with friends. Lunches with customers. Lunches with potential customers. Publishing an ezine. Doing an audio podcast. Chat rooms. Bulletin boards. Speaking at trade shows. Attending networking functions. Doing a video podcast. Posting your pictures on Flickr. Instant messaging. Widgets. RSS feeds. MySpace. MyYearbook. Tagworld. Digg. Delicious. Squidoo. LinkdIn. Flickr. Wikipedia. Friendster. Facebook. LiveJournal. Match.com. Online discussion boards. Facilitating word of mouth. Throwing an open house or party at your office. Doing an interview on the radio. Going on a talk show. Talking to strangers!

And the list goes on an on.

So. Big question of the day: what do all of those marketing channels have in common?

Not all the time, but for the most part:

• They’re fun
• They connect with people
• They cost little or no money
• They save money
• They save time
• They are fresh, cool and effective marketing created around interaction

Interaction, I say!

And they work. They work really, really, really well.

Because customers are excited about interacting and participating with cool stuff, people and ideas that make them feel comfortable and respected.

So, I said it once and I’ll say it again: interruption sucks, interaction rocks.

(This post was inspired by Andy Sernovitz’s kick-ass new book.)

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Is your marketing interrupting or interacting?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Make a list of 10 possible interaction marketing channels. Post them here!

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

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