Tag: how to be that guy

Always have something to give

PICTURE THIS: you plop down next to a friendly guy on the plane.

After a brief greeting, he asks about your work.

“I’m an author,” you say.

“Cool! What kind of books?” he asks.

So you tell him. And he becomes very excited. Obviously, he’s a perfect reader for you.

“Wow, that sounds great,” he replies. “My entire office needs to read your book! You wouldn’t happen to have an extra copy in your bag, would you?”

“Oh, uh … no. Sorry,” you say. “But I’m sure your local Borders has it in stock.”

“Oh.”

Yeah. “Oh” is right.

LESSON LEARNED: being in the right place at the right time does you no good…

Until you deliver VALUE.

That’s one of the keys to sticking yourself out there: always having something to give.

As an author, I don’t go anywhere without at least one of my books.

Because you never know whom you might meet.
You never know who might ask for one.
And you never know what business opportunities might arise by one.

Of course, this isn’t just about authors.

This is about ANY entrepreneur, artist, solo practitioner, consultant, writer, speaker, performer or musician … who wants to make a name for himself.

Always have something to give.

See, people need visuals. They need proof that you’re the real deal.

Unfortunately, first impressions don’t take very long. That’s why having something to give the perfect shortcut.

I remember a few years ago, I was chatting with a guy while waiting in line at Kinko’s. Turns out he was an up-and-coming DJ.

When I asked him if he had any of his music handy, he said, “Sure, follow me…”

We walked over to his car, he popped the trunk, and this guy had five boxes of CD’s ready to go!

“Here ya go! I always keep a few copies handy, just in case,” he laughed.

Think that guy is going to be successful?

Absolutely!

Because he’s always ready to pitch on a moment’s notice.

Because he always has something to give.

See, Strategic Serendipity is about preparation.

And if you want to make a name for yourself, consider all the potential things YOU could be ready to give!

1. Philosophy cards
2. Tip sheets
3. Demo Videos
4. Copies of your CDs
5. Copies of your books

…all of these items deliver value, support your brand and enable a conversation to go from mundane to memorable.

So whether it’s in person, on the plane or even waiting in line at Kinko’s, remember this:

Being in the right place at the right time does you no good…

Until you deliver VALUE.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Do you always have something to give?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Make a list of 10 potential freebies you could give away at a moment’s notice. Try one a week.

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag

Are you a friend of The Nametag Network?

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Rent Scott’s Brain!
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Make a name for yourself here…

Even when you say no, you’re still marketing

PICTURE THIS: you get an email out the blue from a prospect.

But not just ANY prospect … the perfect customer.

Exactly the type of client you want to work with.

The good news is; they want to hire you!
The bad news is; you’re booked solid.

Looks like you’re going to have to turn down their business.

What do you do?

Well, first of all, saying no isn’t really BAD news. After all, it means…

You’re in demand.
You’re staying busy.
You’re attracting the right type of clients.

That’s a great place for any company to be!

BUT HERE’S THE CHALLENGE: how do you say no to new business … while STILL marketing?

Take a lesson from Progressive Insurance.

In 1994, Progressive became the first auto insurance company to provide its rates alongside the rates of other companies.

That way, consumers could easily compare and decide … even if they didn’t use Progressive!

I remember when their commercials first came out. EVERYBODY was talking about them.

“So, Progressive will give you the insurance rates of their competitors? That’s so cool!”

Cool, indeed.

Not what you’d expect from an insurance company, right?

Exactly. Which is precisely why that sentence became their widely recognized tagline.

Also, I snooped around online and found this great excerpt from their annual report:

“Fast. Fair. Better. That’s what you can expect from Progressive. Everything we do recognizes the needs of busy consumers who are cost-conscious, increasingly savvy about insurance and ready for easy, new ways to quote, buy and manage their policies, including claims service that respects their time and reduces the trauma and inconvenience of loss.”

Wow.

Progressive LOVES and RESPECTS their customers SO MUCH, they’ll do whatever it takes to make them happy.

Even if it means forfeiting new business!

See, Progressive found a way to say no to its potential customers … while STILL maintaining (and reinforcing) brand integrity.

That’s the way the game of marketing should be played.

So, if you find yourself in a situation where you just HAVE to turn new business away, remember this:

Don’t just say no and then hang up!

“Well, we’re sorry sir. Can’t help ya out today. But, we wish you good luck fishing that dead raccoon out of your chimney. Bye!”

If you were that customer, how would YOU feel?

INSTEAD, TRY THIS: create a policy, procedure or protocol for saying no. Have options or a decision tree on-hand. Find a way to STILL serve the customer, even if he’s not your customer. Position yourself as a resource, and they’ll come back next time!

THEN, TRY THIS: consider your network of colleagues to whom you’d gladly refer client overflow. Whoever you think would be a good fit, send them a heads-up email or phone call first. Then offer their name to your prospect. Finally, follow up about a week later to see if it worked out. It’s good karma.

ULTIMATELY, REMEMBER THIS: when you forfeit new business to vouch for a colleague’s credibility, your credibility will increase as well. Clients will respect your discretion, honesty and generosity. And those characteristics will stay in their mind for the next time they (or someone else) needs you.

Because, as I learned from Seth Godin, even when you say no, you’re still marketing.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Do you build marketing in your no’s?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Share an example of how saying NO at one point … enabled a customer say YES at a future point.

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag

Are you a friend of The Nametag Network?

Read more blogs!
Rent Scott’s Brain!
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Make a name for yourself here…

The importance of having a HOT body

The most successful artists, innovators, entrepreneurs and inventors of the world aren’t One Hit Wonders.

Rather: they have HOT bodies.

…of WORK, that is.

Let’s explore five examples across several disciplines and decades.

(Keep your eyes open for commonalities…)

HOT BODY #1
When you think of the word “inventor,” one name comes to mind: Thomas Edison.

Talk about a HOT body! He holds about 1,800 patents. It’s also no surprise that his archives amount to 3500 notebooks and four million pages.

LESSON LEARNED: writing is the basis of all wealth.

HOT BODY #2
Linus Pauling was an American quantum chemist and biochemist.

According to Wikipedia, Pauling is widely regarded as the premier chemist of the twentieth century. He pioneered the application of quantum mechanics to chemistry, and in 1954 was awarded the Nobel Prize in chemistry for his work describing the nature of chemical bonds.

What’s more, Pauling is well known for his philosophy about having a HOT body. He once said, “The best way to have a great ideas is to having a lot of ideas!”

LESSON LEARNED: quantity leads to quality.

HOT BODY #3
Julia Cameron, best known for her book and philosophy, The Artist’s Way, also has one HOT body.

She’s not just an author, either. Cameron works as an artist, poet, playwright, novelist, filmmaker, and composer.

In her book The Sound of Paper, she wrote, “Each day’s work is part of a larger body of work, and that body of work is the work of a lifetime. Unless we are able to take this long view, we will be derailed by rejection.”

LESSON LEARNED: think library, not book.

HOT BODY #4
Mechanical inventor Jerome H. Lemelson was granted over 600 patents, making him one of the 20th century’s five most prolific patent grantees.

In the book Inventors at Work, author Kenneth Moore asked him what his favorite invention was. Lemelson replied, “My favorite invention is always the next one.”

“Sometimes you think you have exhausted your last idea,” he continued. “But you really have an endless stream of ideas in there. You just have to be willing to go in and look for them and bring them out to the light of day.”

LESSON LEARNED: always ask, “What’s next?”

HOT BODY #5
Bluegrass Goddess Allison Krauss has one of the hottest bodies I’ve ever seen.

Her anthology includes dozens of albums, production on countless soundtracks and several live DVD’s. During her career so far (she started when she was 10) she has won twenty Grammy Awards – more than any other female artist in the world.

And she’s still under 40! Which means she’s constantly asking herself, “What’s next?”

LESSON LEARNED: it’s never too early to get started.

Five people.
Five different disciplines.
Five unique ways of delivering value.

And yet, three commonalities exist in each of their HOT bodies:

H – Have LOTS of ideas. Write mass quantities of content.
O – Open your mind’s floodgates. Let the ideas flow.
T – Think about what’s next. Keep a focused eye on the future.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Are you a One Hit Wonder, or are you developing a Body of Work?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Write the phrase, “Library, not book,” on a sticky note and post it on your desk. Look at it daily.

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag

Are you a friend of The Nametag Network?

Read more blogs!
Rent Scott’s Brain!
Download articles and ebooks!
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Make a name for yourself here…

Are you building a following?

Artists.
Authors.
Rockstars.
Cult leaders.
Presidential candidates.
American Idol contestants.

What do all these people have in common?

They’re all building a following.

HERE’S THE GOOD NEWS: so can you!

That’s the beauty (and ironically, sometimes the horror) of the Web: anyone with an idea can share it with the world and build a following around it. And they can do so quickly, powerfully and through a variety of media.

Unfortunately, the idea of “building a following” may sound too grandiose, too celebrity-ish and too impossible to the average businessperson.

“Who am I to build a following?” you think.
Wrong question.

Instead, ask yourself, “Am I being selfish with my knowledge?”

See, the dictionary defines a following as, “A group of people who admire or support somebody or something over a period of time.”

OK. Couple of key points in that definition:

FIRST: “A group of people.”
That doesn’t mean millions, thousands, or even hundreds. Don’t be intimidated by a false necessity to accumulate hordes of followers.

SECOND: “…admire or support…”
That doesn’t mean people are bowing down to you. Building a following isn’t about ego; it’s about shared values and mutual goals.

THIRD: “…somebody or something…”
That doesn’t mean it’s all about one person. It’s about an idea, a value, a movement, a cause and a vision.

FOURTH: “…over a period of time.”
That doesn’t mean you’re a fad, a trend, a hot topic or the new flavor of the month. You build a following one person at a time.

Actually, wait. That last point was wrong.

I shouldn’t have said, “one person at a time.”

I should have said, “one FAN at a time.”

Because that’s what building a following is about: loyalty.

Not just to you, but to the bigger idea.

So, if you want to get started (or continue) building a following, remember three key ideas:

1.Writing is the Basis of All Wealth
You can’t build a following around an idea if you haven’t first expanded, explored and clarified it on paper. Even if you don’t consider yourself a writer, penning your thoughts is the single greatest starting point for building a following.

ASK YOURSELF THIS: If everybody did exactly what I said, what would the world look like?

This question will help you build a template for your philosophy.

AND REMEMBER THIS: Guy Kawasaki, an author/entrepreneur with an incredible following said, “It’s impossible to build community around mediocre writing.”

The more you write, the quicker you uncover your unique VOICE.

2. Fanagement
You can’t build a following without fans. The challenge, then, is creating, maintaining and staying in front of them. Here a few suggestions:

*Ask for their email. The crux of permission marketing is to get your fans to opt-in. Be sure you’re regularly asking new people in person AND online. Now, while giving someone your email address is technically “free,” there’s still the concern of getting spammed. So, be certain people understand your intentions at the onset. Respect always wins.

*Consistently deliver a value message. Whether it’s through an ezine, podcast or blog, you MUST deliver value. Remind your fans WHY they follow you. Also, ask for their input, ideas, feedback and comments. REMEMBER: the more involved they are, the more ownership they take. The more ownership they take, the more people they tell. And the more people they tell, the bigger your following grows.

*Gratitude. Because a following is nothing with out followers, make sure you regularly remind them how much you value their loyalty.

3. Be Approachable
Lastly, members (and potential members) of your following MUST have access to you and your ideas. In order to project approachability, remember these ABC’s:

*Access. Make yourself accessible through several media, i.e., email, phone and instant messenger. See, each of your fans maintains a different communication style. So it’s valuable to offer them several contact options. REMEMBER: If someone can’t come up to you, how will they ever get behind you?

*Boundaries. On the flip side, set realistic expectations and personal policies for the accessibility of your time and information. Every “yes” to one thing is a “no” to another.

*Content. Since you’re writing regularly now (right?) you need to make your content accessible for reading, downloading and sharing. This is ESSENTIAL for building a following. Post your ideas on a blog, website, even on public article databases. (NOTE: if you’re concerned about piracy, relax. Just be sure to write in a voice that is SO unique to you, that you become SO identified with; that someone wouldn’t dare steal it. And if he did, people would know it.)

THE BOTTOM LINE: building a following is not an easy task.

It doesn’t happen overnight.
It doesn’t happen without work.
It doesn’t happen without consistency.

However.

If you regularly deliver value through writing…
If you create a fanagement system for your followers…
If you maintain approachability within your own boundaries…

Then you WILL create a group of people who admire or support you and your ideas.

Even if you’re not a cult leader.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Are you building a following?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Share your best Fanagement Techniques here!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag

Are you a friend of The Nametag Network?

Read more blogs!
Rent Scott’s Brain!
Download articles and ebooks!
Watch training videos on NametagTV!

Make a name for yourself here…

Are you the echo or the origin?

There are no cover bands in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Why?

Because cover bands are imitations.

Copies. Replicas. Fakes. Designer imposters.

In other words, echoes.

An echo is defined as a “repetition or close imitation.”

And if you take a quick look around, you’ll notice a WHOLE lot of companies, products, people and ideas are just that – echoes.

FIRST EXAMPLE: in the mid 90’s when David Spade was a regular cast member on Saturday Night Live, he did a great bit on Weekend Update called “Hollywood Minute.”

My favorite episode from the 1994-95 season featured a picture of grunge rockers Stone Temple Pilots.

Spade’s punch line was, “Yeah, these guys were great the FIRST time I saw them … when they were called Pearl Jam.”

The audience howled!

See, Spade was suggesting that STP was the echo, not the origin. (Don’t get me wrong – I loved STP.)

But this isn’t just about music.

This is about being first.
This is about being unique.
This is about finding your voice.

And it goes for books, movies, products, companies, ideas and services.

SECOND EXAMPLE: a few weeks ago I was flying home to St. Louis after giving a speech in Orlando. The flight attendant took the passengers through the usual preflight routine.

Here’s what she said:

o “If you haven’t ridden in a place since 1957, this handy little tool is called a ‘seatbelt!’”

o “If the person next to you starts freaking out, please don’t be alarmed…”

o “In the event of a water landing, don’t forget to grab your Speedos and bikinis along with your seat cushion!”

The entire plane was laughing. Passengers actually gave her a round of applause after she was done!

NOW, HERE’S MY QUESTION: what airline do you think it was?

(Think of your answer before reading on.)

Most people would guess Southwest Airlines, as they are well known for their fun, casual and mundane-to-memorable customer service.

But it was actually US Airways.

Didn’t see that coming, did you?

Of course not! After all, Southwest was the first airline to actually make their preflight announcements fun.

Which makes them the origin.

But over the years, other airlines (namely, US Airways) have made the connection between Southwest’s philosophy and their profits … and copied their fun announcement idea.

Which makes them the echo.

And that creates a problem.

Because just like in music, the echo is never quite as beautiful, never quite as cool, and never quite as effective as the origin.

To find out which one you are, take The David Spade Test:

STEP 1: Think about a specific idea, product or service your company offers.

STEP 2: Next, imagine David Spade (in his typical wise-ass form), was parodying your company on Saturday Night Live.

STEP 3: Ask yourself, “Who or what would the cynic compare us to?” Imagine how Spade might insert your product or idea into one of the following punch lines:

1. “Yeah, it was great the first time I went there, when it was called…”
2. “Yeah, it was great the first time I bought it, when it was called a…”
3. “Yeah, those guys were great the first time I hired them, when they were called…”

The goal is to come up with nothing.

To find no possible way someone could jokingly compare you to a competitor.

To be the only one who does what you do.

Because if you’re just an echo, you won’t be around very long.

REMEMBER: there are no cover bands in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Are you the echo or the origin?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Complete this exercise and figure out what David Spade would say about you. Then brainstorm arguments as to why he’s wrong.

* * * *
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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13 reasons to be That Guy

That Guy is…

Somebody who reminds everybody of nobody else.

Call it personal branding. Call it USP. Uniqueness. Remarkability. Whatever.

That Guy is…

The best.
THEE, not a.
The only one.
The obvious expert.

The go-to person when it comes to your area of expertise.

That Guy is…

Known FOR something.
Known AS something.

And if you’re NOT That Guy, customers will gladly and easily choose someone else who is.

But that shouldn’t be your only motivation. Here’s a list of 13 more reasons to become That Guy:

1. Clients need to know they’re getting YOU. Because they don’t trust corporations, they trust PEOPLE. Tangibility, not magnitude.

2. We live in a hyperspeed, A.D.D. culture. According to Wikipedia, the average human attention span is six seconds. Which means people need shortcuts. And that’s exactly what personal brands are: shortcuts.

3. Customers crave simplicity.

4. Customers are impatient. And they want the best. The ONE. The Guy. The Man. And people who are perceived as the best get rewards that DWARF the people who are second, third, fourth and fifth. (Thanks for that one, Seth Godin.)

5. Customers have near-infinite choices. Which means they’re only going to do business with you if they’ve heard you, heard OF you, or someone they TRUST has heard of you.

6. We live in a culture of sales resistance. Consumers are skeptical and require confidence before deciding to buy. They’ve been advertised to, marketed to, duped, fooled, conned, scammed, sold and screwed over too many times.
7. “Loyalty” is a joke. Because big companies don’t realize that people aren’t loyal to big companies! They’re loyal to people.

8. The world demands specialists. “Being well rounded is totally overrated,” as Seth Godin says. Amen to that! REMEMBER: More Narrow Focus = More Big Opportunities.

9. Trust is at an all time low. (Thanks to, faceless, scandalous corporate and government monoliths.) But That Guy is approachable. That Guy is familiar. And prospects rely on familiarity. Which is good, because familiarity leads to predictability. Predictability leads to trust. And TRUST is foundation of all business.

10. Transparency is a must. Customers have more acute BS meters than ever before. Only the authentic survive.

11. The world is crying for uniqueness. Just turn on your TV. Open a newspaper. People LOVE That Guy, That Girl, Those Guys, That Company, That Firm, That City, That Hotel, That Bar, That Place, That Band, That Airline, That … you get the point.

12. Acronyms suck. Monograms are NOT brands, and generic names generate generic business. (Thank you, Harry Beckwith.)

13. Nobody notices normal. Fifty years ago? Maybe. But this is 2007, man. The market is cluttered, it is crowded and it is L-O-U-D! Positioning yourself as “normal” is like asking customers to find a need in a stack of needles! NOTE: that doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with being normal. If you want to be normal, that’s totally cool. Just remember: those who get noticed get remembered; and those who get remembered get business.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What makes you That Guy?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Tell us why!

* * * *
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 you know who’s talking about you?

You can’t control your online image.

You can only participate in (and monitor) it.

So, the big question is: How do you know who’s talking about you?

HERE’S THE FIRST ANSWER: Get Google Alerts.

Google Alerts uses its unique Web Intelligence technology to track the entire web for your personalized topics and send you new results by daily email.
You can use Google Alert to keep track of anything, including information regarding yourself, your work, or your interests. (According their FAQ page)

I’ve been using them for a few years now, and have experienced three key benefits:

1. Google Alerts give you a WINDOW into what people honestly think about you and your business. Thus clarifying how your customers, fans and prospects perceive you.

2. Google Alerts give you an OPPORTUNITY to clarify misconceptions, stereotypes and false accusations. Thus protecting your online reputation.

3. Google Alerts give you METRICS to quantify the effectiveness of your marketing, sales, branding and service efforts. Thus validating the success of your hard work.

HERE’S THE SECOND ANSWER: they’re not just for your name.

Consider getting Google Alerts for:

1. Your company name
2. Your biggest competitor’s name
3. Your tagline, slogan, credo or positioning statement
4. The name of your blog
5. Key phrases, one-liners and original quotations you often repeat
6. The names of your products
7. Your job title, moniker or personal brand, i.e., “The Horticultural Guru”
8. Your URL’s
9. Titles for your books, programs, events and company/organization initiatives

IN SHORT: get an alert for everything you are and everything you do.

HERE’S THE THIRD ANSWER: thank people when they talk about you.

When a Google Alert informs you that some random blogger in Tulsa is talking about how much she loves your lawn mower, leave a comment thanking her for the link love. You could also email her personally to introduce yourself. (Bloggers LOVE when you do this!)

NOTE: if someone is talking trash about you or your company, thank him for his feedback as well. If possible, clarify any misconceptions he might have made. Often times this will cause a “One-Hatey,” in which you turn a saboteur into an enthusiast.

Either way, by giving thanks every time someone talks about you, the universe will recognize your appreciation.

“Oh, did you enjoy that?” The Universe will ask. “Well then, here’s some more!”

Sweet.

HERE’S THE FOURTH ANSWER: keep an Online WOM Journal.

Every time you receive a Google Alert, copy the URL of each “Wommie,” then paste it onto a blank document. Over time, keep weekly and monthly records. Look for trends. Notice spikes during critical days, seasons and events throughout the year. Once you’ve been keeping your WOM Journal for a few months, you’ll be able to develop a Critical Number.

For example, let’s say you’ve been consistently receiving twenty Wommies a month. That’s great! Now, use that number as an accountability tool to measure the success of future marketing efforts.

HERE’S THE FINAL ANSWER: you need a system.

It doesn’t matter HOW you do it; it only matters THAT you do it. Customize your own system that enables you to monitor, record and evaluate every time someone talks (online) about you or your company.

Because, as Oscar Wilde once said, “The only thing worse than being talked about is NOT being talked about.”

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What makes you That Guy?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Tell us why!

* * * *
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 if you only sold ONE thing?

Coolest Restaurant Ever: Mama’s Ladas: Downtown Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Here’s why…

When you walk in the door, you see fewer than ten tables.

When you look at the walls, you see traditional Mexican decorations.

And the owner (also the waitress) offers a friendly greeting and tells you to sit anywhere you want.

There are no menus.
There are no options.
There are no specials.

There are only enchiladas.

And when she comes over to take your order, she doesn’t ask, “What can I get for ya?”

She simply says, “Beef or Chicken?”

Because there are only enchiladas.

That’s the ONLY thing they serve.

A business that only sells ONE thing! Brilliant!

AND, IT’S NO SURPRISE: their enchiladas are freaking AMAZING.

AND, IT’S (ALSO) NO SURPRISE: everyone in Sioux Falls has either eaten there or heard someone talk about eating there.

Hell, I’m lactose intolerant and I still ate there!

THE POINT IS: Mama’s Ladas gets it.

Everything I preach about approachability, they do right. For example:

1. THEE, not A: not just a Mexican restaurant, THEE Mexican restaurant for enchiladas in Sioux Falls.

2. Own a word. Every time I hear the word enchilada, I think back to my experience at Mama’s. And I bet I’m not the only customer who does that.

3. Be That Guy. When I told my client where I ate dinner the night before, she said, “The Enchilada People? Nice!” Great example of MINDshare, not MARKETshare.

4. Make the mundane memorable. 99% of the places you eat dinner have some sort of organized ordering system. These guys don’t even have menus!

5. Cool and remarkable. When was the last time YOU blogged about an enchilada?

6. Specific. They specialize and have expertise in a narrow, yet marketable product.

7. FUN! When the meal was over, the owner came over with a big basket full of Halloween candy and said, “Would you like dessert?” Awesome! (I had a Snickers Mini.)

8. About, not from. Every dining guide and restaurant reviewer for Sioux Falls mentions this place. It’s also been written up in several publications.

9. Be (somewhat) predictable. Their consistency and familiarity puts customers at ease.

10. No competition. It’s not like you could go to the “other” enchilada place in Sioux Falls. Mama’s is it!

11. People respond to policies. You get beef or chicken. That’s the deal. Enchiladas or bust. You gotta love that!

Mama’s Ladas, you win the Approachability Award. Congrats!

And if you’re hungry after reading this post, and happen to be in the Sioux Falls area, check ‘em out:

Mama’s Ladas
116 W 11th St
Sioux Falls, SD 57104
(605) 332-2772

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What if YOU only sold one thing?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Share your best “one thing” company 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

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!

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

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!

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

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