People respond to policies

The other day I got a phone call from a guy who wanted me to join his association.

He made a strong case: reasonable dues, good people, great networking.

When he asked for the sale (or in this case, the membership), I paused for a few seconds before responding.

“Mark, my policy about saying no is, ‘I don’t say it enough.’ So, for that reason alone, my answer to you is no.”

Dead silence. I smiled and waited.

“Well um, uh … OK,” he stammered. “I-I guess I’m not going to challenge that.”

Dead silence. I smiled and waited some more.

“OK well, uh, thanks for your time Scott,” he resigned.

“My pleasure!”

I hung up the phone.

Whoa. Where did THAT come from?! I wondered.

That was a first for me. Telling someone my “policy” on saying no.

And I tell ya what; it felt GREAT!

Candid, yet friendly.
Honest, yet confident.

And nobody’s time was wasted.

LESSON LEARNED: people respond to policies.

So I looked up the word policy online. And according to my favorite website in the world, the word first appeared in 1406. One of its origins came from a Lithuanian word, pilis, or fortress.

Fortress. Nice. Talk about standing your ground!

But the definition of policy simply means, “shrewdness or prudence, especially in the pursuit of a particular course of action.” Which means:

You’re not being mean.
You’re not being difficult.
You’re not rejecting someone.

You’re simply sticking to your guns. Telling someone, “Look, this is how I roll. This is who I am. That’s my policy.”

NOTE: I’m not talking about company policy. Different animal.

I’m talking about personal policy.

Knowing thyself. Being the world’s expert ON yourself and confidently articulating that on a consistent basis.

The following steps will help you put this idea into practice:

POLICY PREPARATION
1. Brainstorm a list of 10-15 of your most valued personal policies.
2. Organize and type them out on a small card.
3. Carry that card in your wallet.
4. Look at it regularly.
5. Next time someone challenges one of your policies, whip out that card and ask them to physically read it back to you. (THIS IS CRUCIAL!)
6. Smile and wait for them to respond.

Oh, and they will. Every time.

Because people respond to policies.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What are some of your personal policies?

LET SUGGEST THIS…
Post them here!

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

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Everyone is a…

Everyone is a writer. Writing is the basis of all wealth, as my mentor says. You need to be writing (something) every single day. You can’t keep all that stuff bottled up inside. It’s not good for you. Write, write, write.

Everyone is in marketing. Your words, actions, emails and conversations are either supporting or refuting your brand. Everyone in your company is responsible for marketing your company.

Everyone is in sales. Because people buy people first. Because people aren’t loyal to companies, they’re loyal to people. Because it doesn’t matter what product or service you sell, customers buy YOU before anything.

Everyone is the CEO (of You, Inc.). Tom Peters was the first to coin this phrase. It’s been around for a good 10 years now. There are books written about it, articles explaining it, even experts who can show you how to do it. It’s no longer a fad. It’s just the way it is.

Everyone has a voice. God bless the Internet! With the advent of blogs, social networking and other virtual soapboxes, there’s no excuse for not having a forum to voice your opinion. If you want to say something, say it. Odds are, with the potential audience of billions of people, somebody’s gonna hear it.

Everyone has customers. Sure, you can call ‘em whatever you want. Clients. Members. Congregants. Children. Students. Employees. Audience members. Readers. Subscribers. Either way, everyone has customers. And customers are two things: 1) People that BUY (your products, your ideas, you as a person) and 2) People that YOU SERVE.

Everyone is a leader. I don’t know much about being a leader. But I get the feeling that just about anybody within a company or organization can be one. I once heard leadership defined by author Meg Wheatley as, “Anyone who is willing to help.” That’s you!

Everyone is a manager. Even if you’re not the manager of a team, group, staff, etc., you’re still the manager of your time, life, family, priorities, choices, health, blah blah blah. (Thanks Covey.)

Everyone is an artist. OK, so you don’t paint. Or sing. Or create any other type of artsy fartsy stuff. Big deal! You’re still creating some kind of art every day. Hell, your life is one big work of art! And similar to the word “love,” art is pretty much impossible to define. So, whatever art means to you, just remember that everyone is an artist, and let the definition of art be decided by those who make it.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Everyone’s something, aren’t they?

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Finish the following sentence: “Everyone is a…” and post your explanations here!

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

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When you care the least, you do the best

Let’s say you’re on a sales call.

And in the back of your mind, you don’t care.

Which is not to say you’re apathetic. It’s just that you’re relaxed.

With yourself. With your product. With your prospect. So, you “don’t care” insofar as you’re not negatively affected by the thought of failure.

If I don’t make the sale, no biggie, you think. You do the best you can, be yourself, and if you close the deal, great. If not, it’s cool. Onto the next prospect!

So, what often happens?

That’s right. You make the sale.

Because when you care the least, you do the best.

Now let’s say you walk into a bar.

And in the back of your mind, you don’t care.

Which is not to say you’re being cold. You’re just looking to have a good time, laugh, hang out with your friends; maybe throw back a few pints of Guinness. You’re not actively looking for a date. But if someone cute DOES approach you, that would be great.

If I don’t get her number, no biggie, you think. You act friendly, be yourself, and if you secure the digits, great. If not, it’s cool. Plenty other fish in the sea!

So, what often happens?

That’s right. You meet someone.

Because when you care the least, you do the best.

Lastly, let’s say you attend an industry-wide conference.

And in the back of your mind, you don’t care.

Which is not to say you’re slacking off. After all, your goals are to learn, network with fellow professionals, even have a little fun at the after hours parties. NOT to pound the pavement while dishing out 100’s of business cards trying gain new customers. But you approach that conference with a prepared, positive, (yet peaceful) attitude.

If I find myself a new customer, awesome! you say. If not, that’s ok too. There’s plenty other benefits of attending the event.

So, what often happens?

That’s right. You attract “lucky” people and situations.

Because when you care the least, you do the best.

“Alright, hold on for a sec,” you think. “Scott, are you telling me NOT to care?!”

Of course not! Caring is KING. In fact, the world could use a little more caring if you ask me.

BUT THAT’S THE THING: it’s not about NOT caring.

It’s about relaxing.

Relaxing your mind.
Relaxing your body.
Relaxing your expectations.

Because when you’re relaxed, you become more approachable. To the world. To other people. To ideas and powerful thoughts.

(Thomas Edison said: “When you become quiet, it just dawns on you.”)

AND REMEMBER THIS: It’s not about selling.

It’s about enabling people to buy.

Giving value.
Being yourself.
Positioning (er, broadcasting) your uniqueness.

Because when you enable people to buy, you become more approachable. To customers. To prospects. Even to the competition.

OH, AND DON’T FORGET: it’s not about having a target or a mark.

It’s about becoming less goal-oriented.

Just having fun.
Enjoying yourself.
Focusing on the umbrella.

Because when people discover that you’re not trying to sell them, but rather develop mutually valuable relationships WITH them, you become more approachable.

So whether you’re on a sales call, looking for a date or attending a conference, follow these steps:

1. Slow down.
2. Relax.
3. Open your body and mind to the world around you.
4. Let intuition take over.
5. Be nobody but yourself.
6. Give value.
7. Have fun.
8. Watch success come your way.

Because when you care the least, you do the best.

That’s what I think.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Have you ever achieved something great because you “didn’t care”?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Share your story here!

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

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BEHOLD! The Almighty Philosophy Card

People want to do business with (and be around) other people who have their own philosophy.

Their own unique approach.
To business. To life.

A way to treat customers.
Online and off.

How they roll.
Alone and in front of others.

Your own philosophy = approachable.

For the past seven years, I’ve been perfecting mine.

If this is your first time here, it goes a little something like this:

HELLO, my name is Philosophy
1. People buy people first.
2. Friendly always wins.
3. Make the mundane memorable.
4. Unique, not different.
5. Interaction, not interruption.
6. Be That Guy,
7. Fans, not customers.
8. Don’t sell, enable people to buy.
9. Consistency is far better than rare moments of greatness.
10. If you don’t make a name for yourself, someone will make one for you.

So, since having your own philosophy is such a great example of approachability, I’ve been challenging my readers and audience members to take it one step further by creating their own “Philosophy Card.” (Pictured above is the Philosophy Card sent in by my new friend Mike Morroco from Bella Railings.)

Ready to create yours?

Here’s what it (could) look like:

*Business card size
*Thick, glossy
*Double sided, one side containing your branding, the other containing your philosophy

Here’s what you (might) do with it:

*Give it to everybody
*Use IN ADDITION to your business card
*Leave it behind as a handout

All you have to do is ask yourself one question: “If everybody did exactly what I said, what would the world look like?”

Your answers = your philosophy.

It’s gold Jerry, GOLD!

I submit to you that my Philosophy Card is the single greatest marketing/networking/branding tool I own.

And I know it will work for you too.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s your philosophy?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
I dare you. I double dare you. No, wait. I TRIPLE DOG DARE YOU to create your own Philosophy Card and mail it to my address:

HELLO, my name is Scott!
7563 Oxford Drive #2 South
St. Louis, MO 63105

I’ll post it on a future blog entry for all the world to see!

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

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If you have to tell people you are, you aren’t

The other day I (thought) I was having an epiphany:

“If you have to tell people you are, you aren’t.”

BRILLIANT! I was all excited to write about it, blog it, and eventually take credit for that statement as my own original thought.

But.

The Google informs me that Margaret Thatcher first uttered that quotation like, 50 years ago.

Damn it.

MINI-LESSON LEARNED: Every time you think you’ve said something witty, brilliant and original, google it first. Odds are, someone’s already said it before you.

Anyway, notwithstanding my apparent unoriginality, I still wanted to expound on Large Marge’s profound statement.

If you have to tell people you are, you aren’t.

It’s about humility.
It’s about confidence.
It’s about actions, not words.
It’s about showing, not telling.

First example.

ChefManifesto.com is a project to collect observations from the people on the front lines in the restaurant business. In a recent blog post, one contributor from Colorado shared the following story:

A couple came into our restaurant last night. It was standing room only and an hour waitlist. They heard that and informed the hostess that waiting for a table wasn’t going to work for them because they were “V.I.P’s” I’m sorry, but if you have to tell someone you are a VIP, you probably aren’t.

Thanks, Chef.

Interestingly, this statement can also work when reversed:

“If you have to tell people you AREN’T, you are.”

Second example.

I once had a stalker. Every day for about two months he would leave creepy messages on my voicemail beginning with, “Look Scott, I’m not a stalker or anything, but…”

Yeah.

Seriously. If you have to tell someone you’re NOT a stalker; you’re a stalker!

So, here’s the deal:

If you are, people will know.

And if they don’t know yet, they WILL.

Either from their own experience or from someone (they trust) telling them.

No need to shove it down their throats.

“A city on a hill cannot be hidden.”

(Whoever said that ☺ )

LET ASK YA THIS…
Why do you think people tell other people that they are?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
What could people say (do) instead?

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

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From greet to great

The first words out of your mouth frame the entire customer experience.

Consider these two facts:

1. According to The Wall Street Journal from February 17th, 2006, you have less than five seconds to make a first impression.

2. According to a 2007 report on www.hotelexecutive.com, your greeting influences the customer’s perception more than any other act of engagement.

That’s how powerful your first words are.

With that in mind, let’s explore three ways to master the welcome so you can go from GREET to GREAT.

Phone Greetings
Aaron Jaslow, editor of the networking/marketing publication RainToday, shares a great example. “A family friend once founded a company called Quack Quack Productions. Needless to say, he picked up the phone every day and said, ‘Quack, Quack!’ I would have paid money to work there and answer the phones like that.”

Is your phone greeting that good?

So unique that complete strangers would call just to hear it?

So unique that people would want to work there just to use it?

GO FROM GREET TO GREAT: be unique and unforgettable in less than eight words.

Voicemail Greetings
So you miss a few calls. Big deal. You can still leverage your voicemail as an effective branding and service tool.

My friend Kenny Golde, filmmaker and owner of Fire Breathing Dragon, Inc., ends his voicemail greeting with, “And don’t forget to tell me your favorite movie!”

Callers love it. What’s more, they engage. Clients and prospects alike will go on for minutes. They share movie-related stories, favorites and preferences on a daily basis. What a great technique to get to know your callers!

Is your voicemail that good?

So good that your callers don’t want to hang up?

So good that it helps you learn customer preferences?

FROM GREET TO GREAT: rerecord your voicemail with a question.

Front Door Greetings
In the retail world, greetings are GOLD. As a former furniture salesman, I can attest to that!

Here’s an exercise: think about your store. Make a list called “Top Ten Most Common Greetings Customers Expect to Hear.”

Then make sure NOBODY uses any of them.

FACT: the most effective way to capture customers’ attention is to break their patterns.

The store at which I sold furniture was nuts. City Liquidators had three floors of couches, coffee and craziness. So, I would approach customers as they walked in the door and say, “Welcome to the circus!”

And they loved it.

Is your greeting unexpected?

So unexpected that customers stop in their tracks?

So unexpected that customers are instantly made comfortable?

FROM GREET TO GREAT: when you break a pattern, you make a sale.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Are you a Master of the Welcome?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Post your best greeting here!

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

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7 (more) Unforgettable Follow-Up Strategies

“I’d gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.”

Recognize those words?

Straight from the mouth of J. Wellington, aka “Wimpy,” famous for his appearances in the Popeye cartoons.

Wimpy’s unforgettable character first aired in 1934. Interestingly, 70+ years later, his words still contain a nugget of truth: Tuesday is the day.

A 2007 survey conducted by Pitney Bowes revealed that Tuesday was the #1 arrival day for direct mail for three reasons:

1. It’s the lightest mail day in the U.S.

2. Having your letter delivered to a prospect on the day they receive the least amount of mail boosts your chances of the piece being opened and read!

3. Every other day in the week falls short.

HERE’S WHY: according to a related article in CRM Today, Monday is a bad day for contact because the Monday Blues will be descending and thoughts will be split between the weekend’s activities and the challenges that the week holds in store.

By Tuesday the weekend has quickly become a distant memory and minds are focused.

Any day thereafter, the mindset may be, “Well, I’ll deal with it next week.”

So, Tuesday is the day.

HERE’S THE CHALLENGE: what pieces do you send to prospects, customers and potential clients that are unique, memorable and persuasive?

I’m glad you asked. Here’s a list of seven ways to convert Touchpoint Tuesday into Wealthy Wednesday. (If you haven’t read the first version of this post, check it out here.)

1. Event Postcard. When my St. Louis Cardinals won the World Series in 2006 (woo hoo!) I bought a box of limited edition postcards and sent them out to my top 50 prospects. On the back of the card I wrote “GOOOOOO CARDS!” Half of them called me back within two days. One client even booked me to do another round of training for his hotel! Going…going…GONE!

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What well-known, hometown event/holiday could you leverage to make your prospects think of you?

2. Article. If you come across an article that’s relevant to your prospect, his company or his industry, send that baby out! Emailing a link works best, although snail-mail and faxing works too. Just be sure to leave a little note (on your stationary, of course) that reads, “Thought of you when I saw this!”

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What publications are your prospects reading?

3. (Your) Article. Better yet, send them an article YOU wrote. If it’s online, shoot them an email with the link. If it’s in print, send a copy in the mail. If possible, use your prospect as a positive example in your article. Then highlight that section when you send it to them. Appeal to their ego.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What did you write today?

4. Travel Postcards. Every summer I spend a few weeks in Geneva, Switzerland, speaking at a youth leadership camp. One of my traditions is to stop by the local souvenir shop, pick up a few dozen postcards, grab a seat with a view of the Alps and spend the next half hour telling my prospects, “I wish you were here!” NOTE: the key to this technique is to offer Social Proof. Don’t forget to “mention” in your postcard that the reason you’re traveling is because you’re working with an existing client.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
When is your next business trip? To whom are you going to write home about it?

5. Mindshare. Sales isn’t about MARKETshare, it’s about MINDshare. So, complete the following sentence: “If my prospects saw (x), they would think of me right away.” Now send them one.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What item immediately makes people think of you?

6. Blog Posts. Similar to emailing an article, try sending a blog post to your prospects. I do this every time I return from working with a client. I’ll blog about the speech by showing pictures and sharing stories from audience members. Sometimes my client will even comment on the post! Then I’ll email that blog post to similar prospects and say, “Just got back from another successful program in Pittsburgh! Thought you’d like to see a few pictures…”

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s your excuse for not blogging yet?

7. Pictures. If you store your pictures online at Flickr or Photo Bucket, email the links to your prospects. CAUTION: be sure your pictures are 1) high quality, 2) professional and 3) show you doing what you do. Demonstrate value by sharing pictures of you and your existing clients laughing, having fun and working well together. Think of it as a testimonial, minus the words. Let the picture do the talking. And make your prospect think, “Man, maybe WE should be working with these guys!”

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Do you have pictures that show you doing what you do?

BOTTOM LINE: people who get noticed get ahead. Don’t get caught in the Normality Trap by using the same old, tired follow-up. Make your approach unique and unforgettable, and you’ll be certain to turn Touchpoint Tuesday into Wealthy Wednesday.

Wimpy would be proud.

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Post your most unique, most unforgettable follow-up technique here!

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

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The World is a Mirror, Part 18

A is for ATTITUDE
B is for BREAK PATTERNS
C is for CONSISTENCY
D is for DISCIPLINE
E is for EVOLUTION
F is for FRIENDLINESS
G is for GOOD WITH NAMES
H is for HAPPINESS
I is for IDEAS
J is for JOY
K is for KNOWLEDGE
L is for LAUGHTER
M is for MUNDANE
N is for NAMETAGS
O is for OFF BUTTON
P is for PAINT YOURSELF INTO A (GOOD) CORNER
Q is for QUICK
R is for RUDE PEOPLE

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

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

This list included, but wasn’t limited to:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Who’s the crazy one now?

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

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Post your hypotheses here!

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

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People are only taught to count the big things

People are only taught to count the big things.

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

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

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

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

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

THE LAW OF APPROACHABILITY

Breaking the silence = breaking the pattern

Pattern breaking = mundane into memorable

Memorable moments = increased comfort

Increased comfort = enhanced approachability

More approachability = strangers into friends

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

Fans = people who loyally love your stuff

More fans = more positive word of mouth

More positive word of mouth = more $$$

More $$$ = 🙂 🙂 🙂

Business success is won in inches, not miles.

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

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

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God bless Triple D’s

Potential customers, fans, friends, family members, audience members, readers of your material, website visitors, and pretty much anyone else that comes into contact with your business needs to know three things.

This is what I call “The Triple D Factor.” (And no, it has nothing to do with Dolly Parton.)

PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW WHAT YOU:

i. DO – for a living, as a professional, for companies, for customers. So, is your positioning statement clearly defined and posted where everyone can see it? And if a stranger asks your aunt Patty what you do for a living, will she do your business justice?

ii. DOING – right now, current news and projects, upcoming events. Do you have a calendar, rss feed or “upcoming events” section of your website and ezine? Are people anticipating your arrival?

iii. DONE – past clients, past successes, whom you worked with, how you helped them. How many testimonials do you have?

DO, DOING, DONE. Triple D’s. Got it? Good.

Happy Thanksgiving everybody! See ya next week.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How do you use the Triple D Factor?

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

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