What’s the potential value of a great idea?

Joey Reiman is the CEO of BrightHouse, an Atlanta-based “ideation corporation.”

According to this article in FastCompany, he likes to boast that his firm conducts “business at the speed of molasses.”

“You can’t hurry great ideas. I tell our clients that we’re the slowest company they’ll ever meet – AND the most expensive,” Reiman says.

“But you only have to see us once.”

And plenty of big-name companies (including Coca-Cola, the Home Depot, and Georgia-Pacific) like what they’ve seen.

HERE’S THE BEST PART: BrightHouse works with only one client at a time.

HERE’S THE SECOND BEST PART: BrightHouse charges $1,000,000 per project.

That’s a million dollars.

For one idea.

And if you think about it, that’s really not that much.

Take the new iPhone, for example.

According to this article in Reuters, Apple moved 700,000 units in the first weekend.

Multiply that by a $600 sale price.

Then factor in six more months left in 2007.

That’s a whole lot of revenue.

THE QUESTION IS: Do you think Steve jobs would have paid a million dollars for that idea?

Absolutely.

Because he’s the kind of guy who understands the potential value of a great idea.

Do you?

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Are you charging enough for your ideas?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Think about the last expensive idea you paid for. Maybe you attended a seminar or bought a training kit. Consider the upfront cost vs. the amount of money you made over time as a result.

* * * *
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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What’s your Noticeable Number?

I’ve been wearing a nametag 24-7 for the past 2,444 days.

That’s my Noticeable Number.

It’s noticeable in a conversation.
It’s noticeable in an interview.
It’s noticeable during a speech.
It’s noticeable in a book.
It’s noticeable in an article.
It’s noticeable in a blog post.
It’s noticeable on a website.
It’s noticeable in marketing materials.

First, let’s talk about the WHY.

In my experience, I’ve found seven benefits of having a Noticeable Number:

1. Remarkability. People tell their friends about it. Because it’s cool. Because it’s intriguing. Because it’s easy. And because it’s worth making a remark about.

2. Memorability. It stands out. During a conversation, for example, a Noticeable Number tends to be the most memorable item.

3. Credibility. Which comes from specificity. For example, which sounds more convincing: “I’ve read a whole lot of books on stress management,” or “I’ve read over 1800 books on stress management”?

4. Commitment. Your Noticeable Number is an observable way to reinforce your dedication. And in a business culture where trust and integrity are at an all-time low, actions that validate your commitment are priceless.

5. Differentiation. It distinguishes you in an otherwise crowded marketplace.

6. Expertise. It’s the answer to the question, “So, what makes YOU the expert?” This is especially valuable when working with (and attracting) the media.

7. Revisitability. Noticeable Numbers make customers want to check in with you (or your website) every once in a while (or, hopefully every day!) just to see where your number is at now. REMEMBER: websites are like newspapers – customers don’t want to read it if it’s two years old. How often is YOUR website updated?

OK! Now, let’s talk about the WHAT.

This is a list of several Noticeable Number examples (some are real, some I just made up):

o Dave has 4,000 hours of practice!
o Aqua Fin is being used in 137 countries!
o Lambert’s Café has thrown over 13,457,991 rolls!
o Over 3,000,000 copies in print!
o Reprinted in 17 languages!
o McDonald’s has sold over 205 billion hamburgers!
o Dr. Jameson has spoken to over 300,000 students!
o Dane Cook has 1,982,811 MySpace friends!

Wow! Pretty noticeable, huh?

OK. Lastly, let’s talk about the HOW.

The last step is to get the maximum mileage out of your Noticeable Number.

Remember these four keys:

1. ASK yourself two questions: “What’s the most remarkable/unique thing about my business?” and then, “How could I quantify that in an easily updatable way?

2. RECORD your number in a journal or online counter. Be meticulous. After all, if you don’t write it down, it never happened!

3. PUBLISH your number on your websites, blogs, marketing materials and the like. Be sure to update it regularly. This makes the media happy.

4. LEVERAGE your number by peppering it into conversations, interviews, blog posts, articles, or any other form of communication. NOTE: no need to make a big deal about it. You don’t want to come off as conceited, but rather, convinced.

THE BEST PART: once you discover and leverage your Noticeable Number, you WILL get them to come to you.

“Them” meaning old customers.
“Them” meaning new customers.
“Them” meaning the media.

AND DON’T FORGET: people who get noticed get remembered; and people who get remembered get business.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s your Noticeable Number?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Share it with us!

* * * *
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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35 ways to leverage your next media appearance

PICTURE THIS: you just secured an interview on the local news station. Or in your town’s daily paper. Or on CNN. Or in a trade publication. Or on the local morning radio show.

Congratulations!

Now all you have to do is remember ONE word.

L-E-V-E-R-A-G-E!!

Without leverage, your interview never really happened.
Without leverage, you may as well be winking in the dark.
Without leverage, you limit the potential audience of your appearance.

Because being That Guy is about repeated impressions.

It’s about credibility.
It’s about staying in front of people.
It’s about getting the maximum mileage out of your media appearances.

For example, let’s say you did a three-minute interview on your local radio station.

You’d want to ask yourself three questions:

1. How many people tuned it?
2. How many people missed it?
3. What can I do to keep that appearance alive?

And that’s the challenge: keeping it alive. Leveraging your interview in as many ways as possible.

Now, how do I know all of this?

Because I’ve done hundreds of them.

Big AND small.

CNN, 20/20, COSMO, WSJ, USA TODAY, The Today Show…

Local news, Internet radio stations, random TV shows watched by 13 viewers…

And if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s how to leverage a media appearance.

So, here’s a list of 35 ways to do so.

(NOTE: not all of these ideas are applicable to every type of appearance. Some are more conducive to TV, radio, print and the like. Pick the ones that work best for you!)

ALSO NOTE: always check to be sure you’re not infringing on any copyright violations before doing any of these.

BEFORE YOUR APPEARANCE

1. Ezine. At least a week in advance, tell everyone on your mailing list to tune in. To keep their eyes open. Remind them to set their Tivos, check the magazine racks and (not) to change that dial!

2. Text. Most cell phones have a feature that enables you to send a mass-text. This is a great way to save time AND contact a large group of people whose emails you might not have.

3. Call. When I was on 20/20, I physically called every single person in my cell phone. Probably about 150 numbers. (It took about two days. Mostly, I just left messages.) This technique is a great way to spread the word to your closest friends, who will gladly help build buzz around your appearance.

4. Email. Personally email clients, prospects, friends, family members and other people with big mouths. If you have a link ahead of time, send that for their reference. Make it SUPER easy for them to tune in so they don’t miss anything.

5. Blog. Make an official announcement on your blog. Think of it as a press release. Make your headline pithy, catchy and detailed enough so that 6 months from now, a total stranger could read your headline and know EXACTLY what to expect.

6. Teaser. At the end of every blog post up until the day your piece airs, include a teaser or a countdown as your signature line. For example, “Watch Sandy on Channel 9 News Next Week!” or “Only 17 more days until Mark’s Oprah Appearance!” Get people excited! REMEMBER: you’re kind of a big deal. (See the bottom of this blog post for a working example.)

7. Schedule. If you have a tour or appearance schedule on your website, include your media spot as one of the dates. For example, “January 13th, 2007: Hear Mark’s Spot on K-ROCK FM!”

DAY OF YOUR APPEARANCE

8. Blog. When your spot airs (or the publication issue hits the racks), tell everyone! Encourage people not only to tune in, but also to do so with friends. Tell them to have listening parties! In fact, if you’re going to appear on a major media outlet, have a party yourself!

9. Media Accessibility. Whether or not you do your interview LIVE, be sure to be accessible on the day of. Media outlets LOVE to tune into each other. Springboard interviews often come about; as do emails, phone calls, instant messages and the like. Be ready! Leverage is about being able to answer the phone five minutes after your TV spot and say, “Sure, Oprah, let me just check my calendar.”

10. Customer Accessibility. In addition to the media, potential customers will (hopefully) be calling and emailing soon after they hear about you. Be ready! Leverage is about being able to answer the phone five minutes after your TV spot and say, “Yes, that was me you saw on the news! Sure, I’d love to take an order. 20,000 books for your employees? No problem, Mr. Gates!”

DAY AFTER YOUR MEDIA APPEARANCE

11. Web. On your blog or website, post a screenshot of the website you were on. Scan a copy of the article. Take an actual picture of the television screen with your mug on it. PROVE to people that you were, in fact, in the news. People need proof.

12. Accessibility. Although #9 and #10 already addressed this issue, it’s worth repeating. Be accessible the day after for the people who might not have seen, heard or read your interview the day of. (Same goes for interviews on weekends: be ready the WEEK after too. Patience, grasshopper. They’ll call.)

ANY TIME AFTER YOUR APPEARANCE FOR THE REST OF YOUR CAREER

13. Images. The pictures you captured from #9 can be used as slides in your PowerPoint presentations. Builds credibility with your audience.

14. Signature. At the end of every blog post (for the next month or so), link to your original “day of” blog post. Include an image of the media outlet’s logo or a screen shot to offer proof and get readers excited. (See the bottom of this blog post for a working example.)

15. Schedule. Be sure to keep your announcement on the “Past Events” or “Past Appearances” page of your website. Five years from now, somebody could accidentally come across it and say, “Wow! Randy was on Fox News? Cool! I think I’ll hire him now.”

16. Cross Sell. In future interviews, speeches, conversations and writings, reference it. Causally say, “When I did a spot on Channel 5,” or “During my interview with Oprah, I learned…” Don’t be shy. You deserve it.

17. Intro. Next time you give a speech, mention your appearance in your introduction.

18. Bio. Add the appearance to your bio sheet.

19. About. Add the appearance to the About page on your website. If you did a TV or radio spot, be sure to have your clip viewable, listenable and downloadable.

20. Author. If you’re an author, include your media appearances in the “About the Author” page of your books.

21. Materials. Add the appearance to your brochure, one-sheet or other marketing materials.

22. Article. Add the appearance to the bio box or byline at the end of your articles. (You DO write articles regularly, don’t you?)

23. Post. If you did a spot on TV, call a clipping service, pay $70 and get a copy of your interview THE NEXT DAY. First, post the video on YouTube. Then, use the tags to embed that video on every other website/blog you have.

24. Mass Email. your next ezine or newsletter, tell people they can watch/read/listen to your recent spot on your website.

25. Personal Email. Send personal emails to clients and especially hot prospects. For example, “Hey Cheri! Not sure if you read the article in the business journal, but here’s the link just in case. Enjoy!” Don’t sell; enable people to by. Just send the article, let them read it, then let them come to you. It works.

26. Tear Sheet. If you did a print piece, get a reprint or really nice copy of it and make it into its own marketing piece. Add it to your media page and press kit.

27. Trade Shows. Take your tear sheet to your next trade show. Give copies to everyone! Make a cardboard cutout of the article. If it’s video, make sure every single person who passes by your booth watches it.

28. Direct Mail. Turn that tear sheet into a one-page direct mail sheet. Send it to prospects, friends, colleagues and other people who know you.

29. Enshrine. Frame the clip or picture of your appearance. Post it in the lobby of your office or on the front door of your store. Make sure every single person who walks in the door sees it. YOUR GOAL: by the time a potential customers comes to your office, she’s already seen proof from a third-party that your company ROCKS. Think Zagat.

30. TV. If you have several clips of video from various appearances, create a montage and make it part of your inner-company closed circuit or lobby TV.

31. Walls. Get a copy of the magazine cover or newspaper article, frame it and stick it on the wall of your office. Every time you look at it, it will serve as a reminder to stay in the media regularly AND to leverage those appearances.

32. Sticker. On your website, book covers and storefronts, you MUST enshrine. It’s all about the sticker.

33. Reference. Write subsequent articles and blog posts that expand on the topic you addressed in your interview. Reference the interview during the piece. Include link to actual interview at the end.

34. Card. Turn your appearance into a Holiday Card.

35. WOM. Have your girlfriend tell everyone she knows. Then tell everyone in your family. Best word of mouth ever.

Ultimately, we’re not talking about MILKING or shameless self-promotion.

This is about L-E-V-E-R-A-G-E!

Because without it, you may as well be winking in the dark.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How many ways do you leverage your media appearances?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Got some other ideas? Share your best tips 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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Do people hear FROM you or ABOUT you?

Harry Beckwith, bestselling author of Selling the Invisible, said it best: “People hear FROM bad companies, they hear ABOUT good companies.”

LESSON LEARNED: about, not from.

See, when customers hear FROM you, it’s usually via:

Cold calls.
Direct mail.
Advertising.
Email spam.
Fancy-schmancy, four color brochures.

Which usually means:

1. No value has been given.
2. No credibility has been established.
3. They feel like you’re “selling” to them.

AND THE WORST PART: you probably spent BIG BUCKS (or MUCHO MINUTES) to accomplish those things.

Vomit.

However, when customers hear ABOUT you, it’s usually via:
Articles about you.
Articles quoting you.
Someone else’s blog.
Conversation about you.
Email recommendations.

Which usually means:

1. Value has been given.
2. Positive reputation = credibility.
3. Instead of selling, you’re enabling people to buy.

AND THE BEST PART: you probably spent ZERO BUCKS (and MINIMAL MINUTES) to accomplish those three things.

Woo hoo!

So, if you want to assure customers hear ABOUT you, not FROM you, consider the following four-part exercise:

1. Brainstorm. Take a look at your current marketing plan. Grab a sheet of paper and make a list of every possible tool you’re using to get the word out about your business. (Wanna see MY marketing plan?)

2. Organize. Next, draw a line down the center of another blank piece of paper. On the top of the left column, write “FROM.” On the top of the right column, write “ABOUT.”

3. Place. In the left column, re-write all of marketing tools from your first list that enable customers to hear FROM you. In the right column, re-write all of the marketing tools from your first list that enable customers to hear ABOUT you.

4. Evaluate. If you have more “ABOUTS” than “FROMS,” good job! If you have more “FROMS” than “ABOUTS,” don’t worry! Re-read this article. Then, come up with three new “ABOUT” marketing tools. Make it your goal for the next 6 months to dedicate yourself to them. Create buzz that enables customers to talk about you, not hear from you.

NOTE: there’s nothing wrong with having a few items in your “FROM” column.

Take an ezine, for example. It comes FROM you, yes, but it still delivers value and enables people to buy. (Which is great!)

LESSON LEARNED: don’t try to eliminate your froms; just try to maximize your abouts.

Because people hear FROM bad companies, but they hear ABOUT good companies.

Which one are you?

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Do you have more FROMS or ABOUTS?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Share your best “about” example 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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Let’s (not) get right down to business

Why do people always insist on “getting right down to business?”

What’s the hurry?

You got somewhere else to be?

HERE’S AN IDEA: try connecting first!

See, sometimes if you get right down to business, you run the risk of:

1. Making someone feel uncomfortable
2. Creating an unnecessary sense of urgency
3. NOT establishing trust

Think of it this way…

You’re on a first date.
You sit down to the table.
You start munching on some bread.

When the drinks arrive, you say, “Alright, here’s the deal, Sandy. We’ve been going out for about 15 minutes, right? Well, whaddaya say you and me get hitched?”

“Wait! Where are you going my love? We haven’t even talked about our kids’ names yet! Look! I brought a list with me. What do you think of ‘Dakota’?”

AND … game over.

LESSON LEARNED: don’t get right down to business.

Instead, get right up to connecting.

Here are three tips to keep in mind:

1. Lead with your person; follow with your profession. Individuality before industry. Personality before position. Values before vocation. Find a way to open your conversation NOT about the weather, NOT about traffic, NOT about work; but rather, about each other.

2. Practice the five-minute rule. The moment you enter someone’s office, shake hands or sit down, start your mental clock. Make it your goal NOT to talk about anything business related for the first five minutes.

3. Establish the CPI. This stands for the “Common Point of Interest.” And it’s absolutely essential in the first few minutes of every conversation. See, people like you when they find out how much they ARE like you. And conversation is about common ground.

So, next time you sit down with a hot prospect, remember:

Friendly leads to familiar.
Familiar leads to comfortable.
Comfortable leads to trust.

And TRUST is foundation of all business.

So, get friendly FIRST.

Then (and only then) should you get right down to business.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s your policy for “connecting first”

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Share 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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The longer they take, the less they buy

PICTURE THIS: you walk into Borders on a Sunday afternoon. You head over to the business section to pick up the latest book on leadership.

Flipping through, you see nothing remarkable … yet.

So you keep flipping. And flipping. And flipping. Frustratingly hoping to come across a poignant sentence, a cool graph or an astonishing picture to use in tomorrow’s staff meeting.

But to no avail.

About seven minutes go by. You reach the appendix of the book, having found nothing that stood out.

Well, back to the shelf this goes! You think.

And then.

Then something else catches your eye.

“Hmm. What’s this…?” you say.

You grab a different book. You lean up against the shelf and randomly open it to page 147.

And within three seconds, you’re smiling. Nodding and affirming and pointing out a piece of leadership advice that’s SO relevant (and SO SIMPLE), you say to yourself, “Wow. That’s goooood! I’m buying this book for my boss!”

So you do.

And it only took … what? A few seconds?

LESSON LEARNED: the longer they take, the less they buy.

In Doug Hall’s (amazing) Jumpstart Your Brain, he shares several brilliant observations on this very topic.

Based on his extensive research with Proctor & Gamble’s retail division, Doug learned three things:

1. Complexity generates contemplation. You lose when your customer has to contemplate your idea. In the process of contemplating, customers start looking at other options.

2. Get them early. If it takes more than ten seconds to explain or grasp, it’s probably not a wicked good idea.

3. Simple ideas are self-evident. And self-evident products make you want to pick them up when you see the name and the front of the package. No additional communication required.

It’s kind of like the end of Jerry Maguire.

Tom Cruise barges into Rene Zelwegger’s house to profess his love for her. He rambles on and on about how she “completes” him. Everyone in the audience is sobbing.

Eventually, she interrupts his monologue and says, “You had me at hello.”

You had me at hello.

That’s exactly what you need to do.

You need to have them at hello.

Because if you don’t, every second that passes decreases the probability of a sale.

The sale of…

Your idea.
Your self.
Your service.
Your product.

LESSON LEARNED: if you don’t have them at hello, it’s already too late.

Because the longer they take, the less they buy.

HERE’S HOW I KNOW THIS: I’ve been wearing a nametag 24-7 for the past 2,431 days.

I do it to make people friendlier. That’s it!

And I’ve probably explained this idea to well over 100,000 people.

Now, according to seven years of non-scientific, empirical data, approximately 10% of the people I encounter will think I’m out of my damn mind.

(Which is true.)

But these people just don’t (and won’t) get it.

They require me to cite scientific data.
They ask me to explain my philosophy over and over.
They argue relentlessly about the validitiy of wearing a nametag.

(And all the while I’m thinking: dude, it’s not that complicated. Nametags = friendlier people)

Which makes me realize something: these people will NEVER, at any point, accept, like or embrace my idea.

Because I never had them at hello.

See, first impressions are based on instinct and emotion. And because they tend to be correct, the first impressions people form about you will probably stay in their minds forever.

After all, people put pressure on themselves to behave consistently with their own existing commitments.

This is known as the primacy effect. Meaning, the information people see or learn about you is more powerful than what is learned later.

IN SHORT: if it takes too long for someone to “get” you (or your idea or your product), they’re probably not going to buy into it. Ever.

The longer they take, the less they buy.

Also, here’s something else I’ve noticed after 2,430 days:

90% of the people I encounter, only SECONDS after hearing that I choose to wear a nametag all the time, will say to me, “That’s the coolest idea I’ve ever heard!”

And they not only embrace the idea, but usually tell at least 10 people about it.

Because I had them at hello.

And it took … what? Three seconds?

Right. Because if the longer they take, the less they buy; then the SHORTER they take, they MORE they buy!

OK. So, here’s what this means for you:

1. KEEP it simple. Say ONE thing. Assure that your ideas; products, services and marketing materials are self-evident. That they need no further communication. That people “get” your stuff right away.

2. MAKE it easy. Ever read a business book without boldface, underlines, italics, font changes or pictures? It’s a pain in the butt! See, few authors understand the value of architecture in writing. So, even if you don’t write books, remember: make it easy. Punch people in the face with what they need to see, hear and know about your business right away.

3. TOUCH it up. If you find that it’s taking too long to convince people, don’t worry! This is your opportunity to tweak your idea, sales pitch or product. Brainstorm several approaches and practice them on friends. If you “get them at hello,” you’re on the right track. Super easy litmus test.

Ultimately, what we’re talking about is a first impression.

Of you.
Of your ideas.
Of your business.

SO REMEMBER: complexity generates contemplation; and contemplation kills sales.

Get them at hello.

Because they longer they take, the less they buy.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Do you have people at hello?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Share an example of someone who had YOU at hello with THEIR business idea.

* * * *
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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Ask; don’t tell.

Sales calls.
Employee meetings.
Interviews with candidates.
Phone calls with the media.

Do you want to appear more approachable these type of situations?

Cool! Then, just remember three important words:

Ask; don’t tell.

Here’s why:

People don’t like to be told what to do.
People will remember something if they say it.
People will believe something if they say it.
People will learn something if they say it.

It brings to mind the words of Aristotle, who once said, “He who persuades me with my own words is the best.”

Ask; don’t tell.

Next, let’s explore the core differences between these two actions:

1. WHAT THEY ARE…

ASKING is curious.
TELLING is judgmental.

ASKING is generative language.
TELLING is retrospective language

ASKING is engaging.
TELLING is one-sided.

2. WHAT THEY LEAD TO…

ASKING leads to goals.
TELLING leads to controls.

ASKING leads to listening.
TELLING leads to talking.

ASKING leads to dialogue.
TELLING leads to defensive responses.

ASKING leads to positive framing of a conversation.
TELLING leads to negative framing of a conversation.

3. WHAT THEY DO…

ASKING shows that you trust others to develop their own answers.
TELLING shows that your answers are the only ones of importance.

ASKING uncovers information that helps you present your ideas in a highly customized manner.
TELLING overlooks information and assumes you already know what somebody needs.

OK. Let’s review:

You understand the value of asking, not telling.

You understand the difference between asking and telling.

Now it’s time to heighten the approachability of your language

Here are several examples of how to ASK instead of TELL:

1. DON’T SAY, “You should sit down and think about…”
DO ASK, “Have you ever thought about…?”

2. DON’T SAY, “I’m upset with you because…”
DO ASK, “Do you know why I’m upset with you?”

3. DON’T SAY, “You screwed up because…”
DO ASK, “Do you know where you went wrong?”

4. DON’T SAY, “Here’s why you need my product…”
DO ASK, “What are your biggest challenges with…?”

5. DON’T SAY, “Your viewers would love…”
DO ASK, “What are the major concerns of…?”

6. DON’T SAY, “I can’t believe you did that!”
DO ASK, “Is that what you were expecting to happen?”

7. DON’T SAY, “You should have been more successful!”
DO SAY, “What else would need to happen for you to accomplish your goal?”

Ask; don’t tell.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Do you ask more or tell more?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Think of the last time you had greater success asking, not telling. Share your story 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!

add to del.icio.us * digg it! * email this post

How to turn pigeonholes into goldmines

The other day one of my audience members asked me, “What do you like LEAST about your job?”

“Stereotypes,” I replied.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, a lot of people think that authors and professional speakers are egomaniacal, self-serving, manipulative BS’ers who do nothing but spit fluff and hawk products from the stage instead of delivering real value.”

“Wow,” he said. “Is that really true?”

“That’s what I’ve heard, not what I believe,” I said. “So, I’d say it’s really more of a pigeonhole.”

Pigeonhole. That’s an important word in business.

See, to pigeonhole someone means “to place him into a compartment or to assign him a category.”

Which means you have a few challenges:

1. To figure out what your pigeonhole is.
2. To disarm it whenever you meet someone who wants to put you in it.

The following five steps will help you accomplish those challenges so you can turn pigeonholes into goldmines:

1. Brainstorm. Create a list called “Top Ten Stereotypes and Pigeonholes about My Job as a(n) ____________.” If you’re having trouble getting all ten, just call a coworker or someone who’s worked in your industry for a while. They should be able to help!

2. Defend. Create a sub-list for each item. Gather three examples, stories, statistics, testimonials or any other sort of evidence that proves those pigeonholes wrong.

3. Post. Share that list with the visitors of your website or blog. They’ll appreciate your honesty, transparency and openness. Feel free to use pictures, customer letters and videos. THAT should get them on your side.

4. Review. Spend a few minutes at the beginning of each day reviewing your Pigeonhole List. Keep it fresh in your mind, especially during conversations with customers and prospects. COOL IDEA: write that list on a sticky note and stick it on your phone!

5. Articulate. As soon as possible during a conversation, speech or sales presentation, address your pigeonholes. Reassure your audience (or customers) that working with you will NOT be consistent with the existing stereotypes of your industry.

FINAL NOTE: the whole reason for this approachable practice is to disarm the immediate preoccupations of your buyers.

THAT is what instills comfort.

Which establishes trust.
Which reinforces value.
Which ultimately enables people to buy.

Start brainstorming your stereotypes TODAY.

And tomorrow, you’ll begin turning pigeonholes into goldmines.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What is the #1 pigeonhole of your industry?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Share your list of three ways to disarm 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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10 different approaches for your 10-second commercial

It’s the most frequently asked question, like, ever.

“So, what do YOU do?”

So many answers, so little time.

THE CHALLENGE: coming up with a memorable, concise and brand-consistent message.

However, there’s no one-way to do it! Let’s explore ten different approaches to answering this question.

1. The Lois Creamer Approach
“I work with (target market) who want to (desired outcome) so they can (benefit).”

EXAMPLE:

“So, what do YOU do?”

“I work with small business owners who want to increase productivity so they can spend more time their families.”

2. The Dick Brusso Approach
“I help (target market) accomplish (desired outcome) through (media through which you help achieve that outcome).”

EXAMPLE:

“So, what do YOU do?”

“I help hotel chains boost their customer service numbers through online training programs.”

3. The John Jantsch Approach
“I (verb) (target market) (benefit).”

EXAMPLE:

“So, what do YOU do?”

“I educate furniture salespeople on closing techniques.”
4. The Gitomer Approach
Just say something funny and confident.

EXAMPLE:

“So, what do YOU do?”

“I’m the greatest valet parker in the world!”

5. The Paul Edwards Approach
(Common Problem) + (Reason Why) + (Positioning Statement)

EXAMPLE:

“So, what do YOU do?”

“You know how marathon runners’ backs always hurt after a long jog? Well, that’s because their vertebrae are out of sync. See, I’m a chiropractor and I help marathon runners get their bones back into shape so they can break their personal running records!”

6. The Joke Approach
Say something unexpected and funny to disarm the situation, then follow-up with a real answer.

EXAMPLE:
“So, what do YOU do?”

“As little as possible!”

(Insert gut-busting laughter here.)

“But seriously, my job is to…”
7.The Steve Hughes Approach
Just pretend you’re talking to a five year old.

EXAMPLE: “So, what do you do?”

“I help grown-ups get better at show and tell!”

8. The Benefit of the Benefit Approach
I make (target market) (benefit of the benefit)

EXAMPLE:

“So, what do YOU do?”

“I make customers breathless.”

9. The Jeff Magee Approach
I do three things…

EXAMPLE:

“So, what do YOU do?”

I do three things: write books, give speeches and conduct teleseminars on how to expand your creativity.

10. The Scott Ginsberg Approach
(“Huh?”) + (Value Statement) + (“Aha!”)

“I wear a nametag 24-7!”

“Huh? Are you serious?”

“Yep! And I write books, speeches and training materials on approachability.”

“Ohhhhh,” she nodded. “I get it. Cool! We should hire you.”

Yes. Yes you should. Here’s my fee schedule 😉

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s your approach to the 10-second commercial?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Share your formula 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 World is a Mirror, Part 22

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
S is for SERVICE
T is for TIME
U is for UNIQUE
V is for VALUE

Went out to a fancy schmancy dinner the other night. Learned a great sales lesson from John, our excellent waiter.

“Our special this evening is pistachio encrusted red snapper, seared to perfection with a caramelized onion glaze, rice pilaf and two garlic butter crab claws.”

Good god. How could I NOT order that?

“Sold!” I said.

“Very good, Scott.”

As expected, the dish was amazing. Probably one of the best meals I’ve had all year.

Then I got the bill.

“Holy crap!” I exclaimed to my girlfriend. “You know how much that snapper was?”

“Thirty-five dollars.”

“Wow,” she said. “Did the waiter ever mention the price?”

“Hmm. I…I don’t think so. I guess the dish sounded so good when he told me about it that I didn’t even consider the price.”

“Yeah, but here’s the thing: would you have ordered the special if the waiter said how much it was?” she asked.

Interesting.

Honestly, I don’t think I would have. If John would have said, “Well our special tonight is thirty-five dollars. It’s pistachio encrusted…”

Um, no. I’ll just have the chicken sandwich.

By the time we returned home from dinner, I figured out the lesson: always sell value before price.

When you sell value first, price isn’t an issue.
When you sell value first, customers will gladly fork it over.
When you sell value first, you appeal to customers’ emotions, not their wallets.

Once the customer sees that you and your product are the perfect fit, price won’t matter.

It reminds me of what Marc LeBlanc says: Get the fist.

“The fist” means someone hears your pitch, your value proposition; then they slam their fist down on the table and said, “Man, we gotta get THAT!”

Always sell value before price. Get the fist.

Oh, and if you ever make it over to Charlie Gito’s, get the snapper.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How do you “get the fist”?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Share your best “value before price” story here!

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

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Tag: don’t sell – enable people to buy

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The World is a Mirror, Part 22