Tag: scott ginsberg

There’s only ONE man who would DARE give me the raspberry!

Marketshare is overrated.

What’s (really) important is MINDSHARE.

The shelf space you hole in people’s minds.

So, if you want to become That Guy – that is, if you want to become the go-to person that customers, employees and the media seek out for answers – remember three words:

Mindshare, not marketshare.

Kind of like in Spaceballs, when Lord Helmet discovers his radar has been “jammed.”

He exclaims, “There’s only ONE MAN who would DARE give me the raspberry….”

“LONESTAAAARRRRRR!!!!!”

That’s mindshare.

Now, in my experience as an entrepreneur, I’ve discovered four variations to this concept of “mindshare.” Let’s take a look…

1. When you’re the FIRST person that comes to mind.

That means you have “Immediate Mindshare.”

Because customers don’t even have to think twice.

“Employee engagement consultants? Oh, sure. I’ve got the perfect person for ya. Call Jack Harrison!”

Nice.

SO, ASK YOURSELF:

o Are you the expert, or the perceived expert?
o What are you recognized as being the first at?
o What happens when someone googles your name?

2. When you’re the OBVIOUS person that comes to mind.

That means you have “Duh! Mindshare.”

Because customers don’t have to waste (much) time searching.

“Sir, we’ve been brainstorming for about an hour now, and it looks like the answer is obvious: we’ve GOT to bring in Steve Jackson to consult on this project!”

Sweet.

SO, ASK YOURSELF:

o Is your brand unconfusable?
o Are you the obvious expert?
o What are you the answer to?

3. When you’re the ONLY person that comes to mind.

That means you have Sole Source Mindshare.

Because customers don’t have to waste (any) time searching!

“Well, anytime we need help on marketing, we work with our guy Andy Marson – and ONLY Andy Marson.”

Word.

SO, ASK YOURSELF:

1. What are you THEE expert on?
2. How could you have zero competition?
3. How easily can someone else imitate you?

4. When you’re the BEST person that comes to mind…

That means you have Number One Mindshare.

Because when customers DO search around, you dwarf the competition.

“I made a few calls and did some Googling around. It looks like Carol Webber is the BEST in the business when it comes to non-profit finance. Let’s get her.”

Hell yes!

SO, ASK YOURSELF:

1. What are you specializing in?
2. What one thing do you do great?
3. What are you recognized as being the best at?

Mindshare, not marketshare.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What are you the answer to?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Mindshare comes from presence. WEB presence. So, if you want a list called “101 Ways to Create a Powerful Web Presence,” send an email to [email protected] and I’ll share the secrets!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag

Want people to put YOU at the top of their list?

You’ve come to the right place.

Rent Scott’s Brain today!

10 Reasons Why You’re Not Blogging Yet

After speaking last week at the St. Louis Business Expo, a lot of people came up to me afterward with questions about blogging.

Naturally, those questions came with a fair amount of reasons for NOT blogging.

All of which were the work of the notorious Bloggie Man.

So, that inspired me to write this list…

10 Reasons Why You’re NOT Blogging Yet

1. You don’t know how.
That’s cool – you can learn the basics in about 20 minutes. Or you could read Naked Conversations and The Cluetrain Manifesto for a more philosophical approach.

The rest you’ll figure out as you go along. Don’t be stopped by not knowing how, or else you’ve NEVER start.

2. You’re scared of technology.
Oh, get over yourself. There are 50 million blogs already out there and 80,000 new blogs popping up everyday! If your nine year-old daughter can do it, so can you. Don’t be held hostage by the generation gap.

Suck it up. Education is the key. Just ask questions, poke around the blogosphere and give it a try. You’ve got VERY little to lose.

3. You have writer’s block.
Bullshit. There’s no such thing as writer’s blocl. Writing is an extension of thinking. You don’t have writer’s block, you have THINKER’S block.

So, try taking some time to just THINK, every single day. You’ll be amazed at what you come up with.

4. You have no discipline.
According to Naked Conversations, 50% of most blogs are abandoned in the first few months. And why? Because people don’t have the discipline to keep up with them.

So, what’s stopping you? Kids? School? Job? Time?

And are you coming up with a “good story” as to why you can’t blog, or it REALLY a valid reason?

REMEMBER: Leo Tolstoy had 13 kids when he wrote War & Peace. What’s YOUR excuse?

5. You have no patience.
Here’s the reality: nobody is going to read, know about, care about or even comment on your blog for at least 3-6 months. And that’s if you post every single day.

SO: Are you willing to stick it out? Are you willing to (not) be validated for a long time?

Sure, it’s a blow to your ego, but it will also grow your patience, stamina and stick-to-it-ive-ness. And it will be worth it. (Eventually.) At the lowest common denominator, at least you’ll have all those great posts and a LOT of practice.

6. You don’t want put out unready or unfinished material.
That’s understandable. The Perfection Trap is common for a LOT of writers. So, here’s my suggestion: post it unfinished. Let the world be your editor.

Sure, not everyone who comments or contributes will give you GOLD, but you never know. There are some smart folks out there. Especially if you position your post in a way that elicits comments, shared stories and contributions.

Consider having a Call to Action at the end of each entry. (See the bottom of this post for a good example.)

7. You think you have to be really insightful and profound.
Nope. I make a living writing about my observations of the world through the lens of WEARING A DAMN NAMETAG 😉 Not exactly Shakespeare.

REMEMBER: Your everyday life is what people will relate to. You don’t have to say anything big and profound.

8. You don’t get it.
Writing is the basis of all wealth. Writing is the basis of all wealth. Writing is the basis of all wealth. Writing is the basis of all wealth. Writing is the basis of all wealth. Writing is the basis of all wealth. Writing is the basis of all wealth. Writing is the basis of all wealth. Writing is the basis of all wealth. (Got that?)

9. You are afraid to stick yourself out there.
Fine. Consider these three suggestions.

ONE: Channel your fear into your writing. Creativity is about being uncomfortable.

TWO: If you’re scared that your stuff is too personal, consider blogging anonymously. That will give you a few small victories, which will boost your confidence. (Heck, I blogged anonymously for 6 months before I ever DARED to put my real name on anything!) And now, 5 years later, my blog is one of the Top 100 Business Blogs on the Web. Coincidence?

THREE: It’s ironic, but the more personal your writing is, the more people will identify with it. And by “more people” I mean “higher numbers of people” AND “more identification.”

10. You don’t think anybody will read your stuff.
You’re right. Nobody WILL read your stuff … IF YOU NEVER POST IT. Look, the Internet is a pretty big place. And there’s a market for just about everything. So, just post anyway. You’ll be amazed.

My philosophy is, “Whatever you have to say, there’s probably 1000 people somewhere on the Internet who agree with you.”

– – –

No more excuses. The Bloggie Man shall not prevail!

Start your blog TODAY.

Right now.

Seriously, stop reading this post and GO!!!!

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Why aren’t you blogging again?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
If I still haven’t convinced you to start blogging, send an email to [email protected] and I’ll tell you how I made $150,000 from a single post.

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
[email protected]

Scared of the Bloggie Man?

Tune in to The Entrepreneur Channel on NametagTV.com!

Watch video lessons on blogging for bucks!

NametagTV: Notice the 95%

Video not working? Click here for Adobe Flash 9!

Click here to watch the original video on NametagTV!

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What are you doing that 95% of the other salespeople AREN’T?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For a list called “71 Things Customers Don’t Want to Hear You Say,” send an email to [email protected] and I’ll hook you up.

* * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
[email protected]

Sick of selling?
Tired of cold calling?
Bored with traditional prospecting approaches?

Buy Scott’s new book and learn how to sell enable people to buy!

Pick up your copy (or a case!) right here.

Creativity is about NOTICING

NOTICING … ancillary answers.
Because their unintended, incidental nonchalance might be exactly what you didn’t realize you were looking for.

NOTICING … anomalies.
Because NOT questioning or challenging standard scripts is dangerous.

NOTICING … happy accidents.
Because making mistakes has proven to be a leading cause of creative breakthroughs.

NOTICING … how quickly people understand your idea.
Because if they don’t “get it” right away, they never will.

NOTICING … how people respond to your idea.
Because if everybody loves if, or nobody wants to steal it, or if you continuously get shot down at “Why?” it’s probably not that good of an idea.

NOTICING … internal comments.
Because creativity is about listening to your heart, your gut and your inner voice.

NOTICING … what’s around you.
Because innovation is all around an ideas are just WAITING for you to capture them.

NOTICING … when things don’t work.
Because then your mind can search for solutions.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What do YOU notice in your creativity practice?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For a list called “9 Things Every Writer Needs to Do Every Day,” send an email to [email protected] and I’ll give you the write stuff!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag

Want to learn more about pumping up your creative prowess?

Cool! Perhaps I could help on a more personal, one-on-one basis. Rent Scott’s Brain today!

Writing is the Basis of All Wealth, Part 3

First, you write out a description of your perfect customer.
THAT will enable your Target Marketing Scanner to be on high alert.
Which will filter out the WRONG customers.
Which will make room to attract the RIGHT customers.
Which will enable you to focus your time and efforts on serving a specific niche.
Which will enable you to charge a higher fee, because people demand specialists.
Which will not only increase your bank account, but also earn you the FREEDOM to work according to your own pace and not have to kill yourself all the time.
Which will give you more free time to spend on non-work stuff.
Which will make you really, really happy.

Writing is the basis of all wealth.

Read part one and part two of this series!

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

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the #1 way to avoid writer’s block, send an email to [email protected] and I’ll help you unblock yourself!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
[email protected]

Want that customer to return with three of his friends?

Tune in to The Frontline Channel on NametagTV.com!

Watch video lessons on delivering unforgettable service!

5 Ways to Make Opportunity Knock More Frequently

CONSIDER THIS PHRASE: “Opportunity only knocks once.”

OK.

Now, let tell you why that sentence is a big, fat LIE.

See, opportunity knocks all the time. All day. All afternoon. All night.

THE PROBLEM IS: Most people don’t know how to SPOT opportunity.

And, as we all learned from GI-JOES, knowing is half the battle.

So, here are five practices to help make opportunity knock more frequently:

1. Look and listen. Adopt a more proactive, mindful and curious posture as you venture out into the world. This means combining any (or all) of the following sub-practices:

*Become a giant question mark
*Recognize when things go wrong.
*Study ordinary things intently.
*Find interest in almost anything.
*Actively seek out anomalies in the world.
*Operate on multiple planes of consciousness.
*Soften your eyes – see more by striving less.
*Listen to what the world is trying to tell you.
*Be not satisfied with what others take for granted.
*Grow your ability to detach and view an idea or a situation objectively.
*Break your patterns daily and critically evaluate everything your encounter.

(Got all that?)

2. ASK YOURSELF: Is this an opportunity or an opportunity to be used?

Sometimes it’s a hard distinction to make. Still, you must educate yourself on your boundaries. Because if you don’t set them, other people will set them FOR you. And then they will violate them. And that will set the precedent that it’s OK for others to do the same.

3. ASK YOURSELF: Who’s my perfect customer? (Or, if you’re single, “Who’s my perfect partner?”)

Start by making a bullet point list of 5-7 characteristics of this individual. Next, write it out on a little card. Laminate it. Carry it in your wallet. Then, read it to yourself every single morning.

See, when you focus your mind on exactly what you’re looking for, you will attract it that very thing. Or, at the least, you’ll recognize that opportunity when it crosses your path.

4. Separate Serious and Non-Serious Buyers. Fold a sheet of paper in half. On the top of the left column, write the heading, “Serious Buyers.” On the top of the right column, write the heading, “Non-Serious Buyers.” Then, consider all the characteristics, telltale signs, words, phrases, questions and actions of each type of individual.

This will do two things: 1) Speed up your sales cycle by making qualification a LOT easier, and 2) Focus your efforts on the right people, as opposed to wasting your time playing to the wrong crowd.

5. Develop and perfect your filter. It’s (really) easy to spot opportunities when your filter is on high alert. This filter is defined as, “the unique lens through which you evaluate and categorize the world.” So, remember to ask yourself these questions as you look around for opportunities:

*What does this have to do with me?
*How does this have to do with my expertise?
*How could I use this as an example in my work?
*How does this fit into my picture of the universe?

With these five practices, spotting opportunities will become a LOT easier.

And you’ll discover that it really DOES knock all the time!

All YOU have to do is answer the door.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How are you making opportunity knock more frequently?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Share your #1 best practice for becoming the luckiest person you know!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag

No luck with leprechauns?

No worries. I can teach you how to be luckier.

Rent Scott’s Brain today!

10 Reasons Handwritten Nametags are Better

I’ve been wearing a nametag every day for the past 2,695 days.

And I’m often asked WHY I choose to wear the simple, plain-white, handwritten nametags that only display my first name.

Why don’t you put your last name on it?
Why don’t you get a nice, permanent nametag?
Why don’t you put your logo or company name on it?

Those are all fair questions.

Unfortunately, I can’t offer a simple answer, since there IS an entire philosophy behind this choice.

Not surprisingly.

Anyway, I’ve given this issue a lot of thought – eight years’ worth, in fact – and I’ve come up with ten reasons handwritten nametags are the best way to go:

1. HANDWRITTEN is simple and vague enough to start or advance the conversation. So, it allows people to guide the encounter into whatever territory they wish by asking open ended, get-to-know-you questions. (Hopefully NOT, “So, what do YOU do?”)

2. HANDWRITTEN IS manages the environment, not the people in it.
The nametag is like a little, friendly nudge forward into the direction of human conversation. It doesn’t control or limit people’s actions or words. It just lets things organically and naturally occur according to their own pace and instincts.

3. HANDWRITTEN is human. Free from the corporate touch. Which means there’s no way to commoditize someone. Just a nametag that suggests the dialogue, “Hello, my name is Scott!” That’s it. Not, “Hello, my name is Scott … and this is what I do for a living.” Not, “Hello, my name is Scott … and this is what I’m selling.” And not, “Hello, my name is Scott … and here’s what I want from you.” Just, “Hello, my name is Scott.” Period.

4. HANDWRITTEN is pure. No logos. No job titles. No “HELLO, my name is…” (Isn’t that kind of repetitive?) No acronyms, degrees or designations. Just the name your mama gave you.

5. HANDWRITTEN is non goal-oriented and outcome independent. So, it’s not about making a sale, scoring a date or converting a stranger. It’s about (actually) practicing friendliness. It’s about sticking yourself out there for the benefit of others. Creating an approachable, safe environment in which friendly conversation naturally emerges. That’s it.

6. HANDWRITTEN leads with your person, NOT your profession. Values before vocation. Individuality before industry. Personality before position. After all, not everybody is defined by his or her jobs. That’s why it’s called a “name” tag, not a “job title” tag. Not to mention, most people don’t (really) care what you do for a living. They care what you’re passionate about. They care who you ARE.

7. HANDWRITTEN doesn’t pigeonhole you. See, as soon as people find out where you’re from, what you do, what your job title/position is, or what your last name is, stereotypes are likely to surface. “Oh, she’s a banker…” “He’s a Mormon…” “Look out! “Eep! His last name is Hussein!” Dude, who CARES? That’s why a plain, nice, white tag with a simple colored border and a singular moniker like, “Scott” allows people to know you first as a HUMAN, not a statistic.

8. HANDWRITTEN is enough. It shouldn’t make a difference if you’re the company president or the summer intern. It shouldn’t make a difference if you’re in sales or management. It shouldn’t make a difference how many years you’ve worked somewhere or belonged or been a member. Let’s just be people!

9. HANDWRITTEN is comfortable and non-threatening. Whereas (some) nametags may be intimidating, i.e., nametags for people in positions of authority, nametags for professionals of certain industries or nametags for members of controversial organizations.

10. HANDWRITTEN is less likely to create negative silent dialoguing. If someone sees you wearing a simple, handwritten, one-name nametag, all they can really say to themselves is, “Well, I guess that guy’s name is Scott!” As opposed to, “Oh, great. looks like Scott works for that big insurance company. I bet he tries to sell policies to EVERYONE he meets. Better not make eye contact!”

Handwritten is better.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What type of nametags do YOU prefer?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Share your philosophy here!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
[email protected]

Sick of selling?
Tired of cold calling?
Bored with traditional prospecting approaches?

Buy Scott’s new book and learn how to sell enable people to buy!

Pick up your copy (or a case!) right here.

NametagTV: The Point of Dissonance

Video not working? Click here for Adobe Flash 9!

Click here to watch the original video on NametagTV!

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
When someone asks, “So, what do YOU do?” what’s your reply?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Share your Point of Dissonance here!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
[email protected]

SEE SCOTT LIVE TODAY! Come to the St. Louis Business Expo and learn how to enable people to buy!

AND, get a free copy of Scott’s new book, The Approachable Salesperson!

Writing is the Basis of All Wealth, Part 2

1. You start by posting a few dozen articles (better yet, a few HUNDRED articles!) on your website, blog or on www.ezinearticles.com.
2. Thousands of people will read and share them.
3. Which will boost your Google rankings.
4. Which will make YOU the easy-to-find, obvious expert on your niche topic.
5. Which will cause media outlets to contact you for interviews (since Google is how they find their experts.)
6. Then, your media appearances can then be leveraged into your marketing materials, i.e., “Featured on 20/20!” or “Quoted in The Wall Street Journal!”
7. Which will boost your credibility.
8. Which will support a higher fee.
9. Which will increase your bank account.

Writing is the basis of all wealth.

Read part one and part three of this series!

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

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the #1 way to overcome writer’s thinker’s block, send an email to [email protected] and I’ll help you unblock yourself!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag

Tired of selling? Come to the St. Louis Business Expo and learn how to enable people to buy!

See Scott LIVE and a get a free copy of his new book, The Approachability Salesperson!

NametagTV: Overly Approachable Service

Video not working? Click here for Adobe Flash 9!

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Which company do you think “over does it” when it comes to service?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Share your examples here!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
[email protected]

Afraid to bend the rules a little?

Tune in to NametagTV.com for an interactive learning experience!

Stick yourself out there!

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