Tag: scott ginsberg

The Problem with Compartmentalization

How do we balance it all?

It’s not just productivity, creating environments free from distraction that open up our capacity to start and finish what matters.

It’s not just structure, building regiment and blank time into our schedule that allow us to alternate between focus and freestyle.

It’s not just energy, expanding our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual bandwidth so we can support the exertion life requires.

It’s not just permission, refusing to addict ourselves to preparation, planning, perfection, proficiency and permission.It’s not just identity, knowing who we are, what we do and why we matter, so decisions are easier and quicker.

It’s not just commitment, jumping in with both feet and playing for keeps so discipline becomes a non-issue.

It’s not just persistence, relentlessly ignoring voices that don’t matter and feedback that isn’t helpful to our journey.

It’s not just diversification, allocating our creative attention to a broad range of symbiotic endeavors.

The big win is when we stop with the boxes. When we realize that living a logically divided, perfectly compartmentalized existence isn’t sustainable or realistic.

That way, everything is everything, all the time, everywhere.

And there’s nothing to balance.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What boxes do you need to eliminate?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “26 Ways to Out Brand Your Competition,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting
[email protected]

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

Let me give that no thought.

We shouldn’t have to talk ourselves into opportunities.

It’s more exciting to just say yes, and then ask what it is.

That’s how I’ve run my business since day one: I don’t have a target market, a positioning statement or an elevator speech. Instead, I make myself highly yessable by positioning myself as a resource who does a lot of different things for a lot of different clients through a lot of different media.

Some commission me for writing projects. Others book me a speaker or on-camera talent. Many retain me as a mentor. Plenty hire me as a content provider. And others bring me in as a strategic planner or small group facilitator. It all depends what the client’s needs are.Either way, when an opportunity for new work comes in, my gut response is to say:

“Let me give that no thought.”

And I don’t see this approach as spreading myself too thin, becoming a jack-of-all-trades or lacking focus. In fact, it’s the exact opposite.

Instead of telling people how to consume my work, I let them target me. Instead of demanding that people come do my thing my way, I meet them more than halfway. And instead being stringent about what I do, I just focus on who I am, and let the marketplace fill in the blanks.

Just seems smarter.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What are you afraid to say yes to?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “8 Ways to Out Give Your Competition,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting
[email protected]

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

The Nametag Manifesto — Chapter 4: The End of Human Commoditization

[ View the infographic! ]

“Everyone should wear nametags, all the time, everywhere, forever.”

That’s my thesis, philosophy, dangerous idea and theory of the universe.

My name is Scott, and I’ve been wearing a nametag for past four thousand days.

And after traveling to hundreds of cities, a dozen countries, four continents, meeting tens of thousands of people, constant experimentation and observation, building a enterprise and writing a dozen books in the process, I believe, with all my heart, that the societal implications of wearing nametags could change everything.

This is my manifesto:

4. The End of Human Commoditization
If everybody wears nametags, it’s impossible to put each other into boxes.

We no longer have to address each other by a label, job, condition, color, ethnicity or role. We simply say the name and honor the truth instead of degenerating into depersonalization. We unite through personhood, not position or preference.
Nametags enable a greater sense of comfort, connection and humanity in our relationships. They remind us to treat people like people. They enable us to make a name for ourselves before anyone else gets a chance to.

Our answer to the question, “What do you see when you see people?” has changed forever. Now, we see humanity before statistics, personality before position and individuality before industry. We stop viewing certain people as a separate category of people, and start seeing everybody as a member of the same family.

They’re humans, just like us. In fact, they are us. And we are them.

If everybody wears nametags, no more judgmentalism, no more hierarchy and no more robbing people of their humanity.

# # #

You are now ready for chapter five.

You can read The Nametag Manifesto, in full, for free, right now, here.

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

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “10 Ways to Help Your Customers Know You,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
[email protected]

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

Brandtag 002: Class Is The New Quality

“Our job is to buy other people’s mistakes and remarket them as opportunities.” –Mark Ginsberg, President, CWC Inventories.

The company a long and prestigious history in the closeout industry. Frank Ginsberg, a discount retail pioneer, founded the original business in 1973. He made it possible for manufacturers to rid themselves of problem inventories quietly, without fanfare and affect to their mainstay distribution channels. Now, nearly four decades later, Closeouts With Class remains a global leader.

I sat down with their team to build a Brandtag Strategic Planning Crusade. This case study will dissect their award-winning philosophy, culture and approach to human interaction:“Closeouts were historically thought of as junk,” they said. “But everything we have is gorgeous. Even though we never fall in love with our own inventory.”

“The only thing classier than our products is our people,” Frank said. “Their excitement makes customers want to buy, and their commitment gives customers confidence to buy again and again.”

“We’re not paralyzed by the fear of failure,” Frank said. “When you believe in the business, you overcome everything. Besides, the first hundred years are the hardest.”

Whether it’s a recession, a flood, a shift in the industry or a lost palette of goods, CWC knows that you can’t eat like an elephant and poop like a bird.

“Because we’re willing to share in almost every direction, we build a bridge to our competitors,” Jim said. “We keep them in business. And by treating them like partners, they become a power source. If it was just us, it would be hard to survive.”

According to Mark, “We wanted the typo in there to make sure our customers didn’t think we were perfect.”

“A few years ago, part of our warehouse collapsed and flooded after a big storm. I was the lucky one who go to dive down under six feet of water to unplug the drain,” Tom laughed.

“When we share a personal side of ourselves,” Bruce said, “it makes customers want to pay us. If you want them to spend, you’ve got to bend.”

“Do us a favor once and we’ll be loyal forever,” said Jean. “We’ve had employees make sales from the nursery home and receive commission checks from the grave!”

“There’s no job too menial for anybody,” Jerry commented. “Every gear matters to the whole package. Independent we’re fine, but together we’re fabulous.”

“We’ve never sacrificed integrity for profit,” Frank said. “Class is a word we’ve earned by live up to it in each and every transaction.”

Big thanks to my client, Closeouts With Class! Their Brandtag Identity Collages currently hang in their front hall, board room and show rooms.

Their mission is clearly more than a statement.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How classy is your service?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
To learn more about creating a Brandtag Strategic Planning Crusade for your organization, download the workflow at www.brandtag.org!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting
[email protected]

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

Brandtag Strategic Planning Crusades: Make Your Mission More Than A Statement

What happens when we know we who are?

Everything.

Decisions are easier. Because we know what really matters. Postures are sturdier. Because we know what we stand for. Interactions are warmer. Because we know how to relax. Relationships are healthier. Because we know who to look for.

Risks are smarter. Because we know what we’re willing to lose. Transitions are smoother. Because we know how to flex. Failures are faster. Because we know what rekindles our fire. Commitments are stronger. Because we know why we stand for it.That’s the upside of identity.

Knowledge isn’t just power – it’s the engine of more.

Thanks to my design team, Chris from Simplifilm and Tennyson from Rog Designs, now anyone in the world can download an overview of The Strategic Planning Crusade.

2012 is the year of the Brandtag.

And if you’re ready to make your mission more than a statement, I’m your man.

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

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “8 Ways to Out Give Your Competition,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting
[email protected]

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

Never Curse An Emtpy Calendar

Our desire to perform is not reason enough for people to hire us.

If we’re not willing to do the work to sell the act, if we’re not willing to dedicate as much time – if not, more time – to finding an audience for the act, it doesn’t matter how good we are. It doesn’t matter how much we love it. We’re still winking in the dark.

We can’t curse an empty calendar. After all, we alone control the amount of work we do. We alone determine how busy we are. If we’re not happy with how our schedule is shaping up, we ought to spend less time voicing our excitement for the work, and more time verifying people’s investment in the work.That’s the only way we get the chance to do what we were born to do.

Because somebody, besides us, believes.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How does your calendar for 2012 look?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “157 Pieces of Contrarian Wisdom,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting
[email protected]

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

The Nametag Manifesto — Chapter 3: The End of Anonymity

[ View the infographic! ]


“Everyone should wear nametags, all the time, everywhere, forever.”

That’s my thesis, philosophy, dangerous idea and theory of the universe.

My name is Scott, and I’ve been wearing a nametag for past four thousand days.

And after traveling to hundreds of cities, a dozen countries, four continents, meeting tens of thousands of people, constant experimentation and observation, building a enterprise and writing a dozen books in the process, I believe, with all my heart, that the societal implications of wearing nametags could change everything.

This is my manifesto:

3. The End of Anonymity
If everybody wears nametags, nobody is winking in the dark.

Namelessness ceases to exist. Everyone feels seen. Everyone feels witnessed. Nobody is given the chance to be forgotten. We are promiscuous with the deliverance of psychological visibility. And we elevate each other by assuring that nobody’s life goes unnoticed, unaffirmed or misunderstood.
This is especially helpful for Alzheimer’s sufferers, memory loss patients and people battling dementia or multiple personality disorder. Nametags are reminders, visual cues and memory triggers. They work because our brains store words and images easier than a string of seemingly unconnected numbers.

Point being, most of what we do in life has no witness. But it is the sum of our witnesses that creates the complete picture of who we are. By wearing nametags, we now treat everyone we encounter with a spirit of acknowledgement. We give the gift of namaste.

If everybody wears nametags, no more invisibility, no more insignificance and no more nameless faces in the crowd.

# # #

You are now ready for chapter four.

Or, you can download The Nametag Manifesto, in full, for free, right now, here.

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

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “10 Ways to Help Your Customers Know You,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
[email protected]

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

Are You Sneaking Up On The World?

Clarity is overrated.

The better our work is, the harder it should be to talk about.

Because if we can explain it, if we can write down a step-by-step process of how we did it, and if we can find other people to do it faster and cheaper, then it’s not really art. It’s just a task.

Our goal is to become unclassifiable. To become somebody who reminds everybody of nobody else. And to express ourselves in a way that, when people tell their friends about our work, all they can say is:“Look, I can’t really explain it. Just go to the website. You gotta see this.”

That’s the mark of a master.

Not the one with a polished positioning statement.
Not the one with a clearly defined target audience.
Not the one with a perfectly crafted elevator pitch.

The one people aren’t sure about. The one who sneaks up on the world.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Are you too clear?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “12 Ways to Keep Your Relationships Alive,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
[email protected]

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

What Small Business Can Learn From Artists

Not every businessperson is an artist, but every artist is a businessperson.

Whether they’re performers, painters, writers or sculptors, they can teach all of us key insights to help grow our business. Straight from my regular column on American Express Open Forum, consider these ideas:
1. Access. It’s impossible to matter in a void. If we want to win, we need an audience. Otherwise we’re just winking in the dark. Fortunately, our work is no longer limited to living in one place. Thanks to the web, access is the new currency. Thanks to the web, we can reach anyone, anytime, anywhere.

Artists who used to be chained to a single gallery now have multiple entry points to their marketplace. Businesses whose sole distribution used to be limited to a few channels now have the advantage of infinite digital shelf space. Foundations whose financial support used to flow from a few wealthy donors now have access to social microfunding worldwide. Access doesn’t lead to the value – access is the value. Are you offering it?

2. Audience. Shakespeare didn’t open in twenty countries. He had one theater, one audience. The people cherished the art. The artist cherished their attention. And together, they made something magical. Outside of that sacred space, nothing else mattered. Of course, that was four hundred years ago. A lot has changed since the Renaissance.

Or has it? Maybe not as much as we want to believe. Because when you consider what technology has enabled, what culture has created and how information has evolved, Shakespeare’s artistic approach is more relevant than ever. Now, we can figure out which of the mainstream hoops are not worth the time, money and effort to jump through – then forge ahead without stopping. Just ask Derek Sivers of CD Baby. Now, we can stop buying tickets for the starving artist lottery and go out and create the market for what we love – even if it’s a small one.

Just ask Hugh McLeod of Gaping Void. Now, we can run into the corners, nooks and crannies, make something we love for the people who love us – and do pretty well. Just ask Kevin Smith of Smodcast. Now, we can focus our time on creating brilliant work that speaks to people in a way they have never been spoken to before – and change everything. Will you continue waiting around for the masses, waiting for the revolution to begin?

3. Costs. Art is expensive. Not for the customer to buy, but for the creator to make. It costs more time than we’d like to devote, more friends that we’d care to lose, more sweat than we’d expect to wield, more money that we’d wish to spend and more annoyances that we’d care to put up with.

It costs more anxiety that we’d prefer to manage, more uncertainty that we’d care to tolerate, more money that we’d wants to spend, more criticism than we’d choose to draw and more blood that we’d hope to shed. It costs more pain than we’d like to endure, more pressure than we’d prefer to absorb, more expectation than we’d care to handle, more energy than we’d want to invest and more bandwidth than we’d wish to consume.

And we never see it coming. There’s no manual, no class or no college degree that forewarns us about the gory realities of professional artistry. It’s easier to romanticize an idealized lifestyle than confront the hell of taking the road less traveled. But if want to play for keeps, we have to know what’s at stake. We have to understand what our art expects of us. And we have to prepare for the inevitable waves of complexity that come our way. If it were cheap, it wouldn’t be art. What costs is your business unwilling to incur?

REMEMBER: Just because you’re not an artist, doesn’t mean you can’t think like one.

Make your business a masterpiece today.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What makes you an artist?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “50 Questions Every Entrepreneur Should Ask,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
[email protected]

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

Do You Perfect the Performance or Extend It?

It’s not just about perfecting the audience experience.

It’s about extending it.

Right before Bruce Hornsby sits down at the piano and dazzles the crowd with his famous spider fingers, he walks over to the edge of the stage and scoops up a fresh pile of handwritten song requests, art pieces, love notes and other messages from the very audience he’s about to play for.

Because while he was in the green room relaxing, individual fans got up from their seats, put down their drinks, walked up to the front of the stage and personally delivered a gift that they spent time preparing for the man himself.That’s anticipatory engagement.

Right after Henry Rollins finishes one of his trademark spoken word shows – none of which last less than two hours themselves – he towels off, chugs a few bottles of water and heads outside to the tour bus where he shakes hands, answers questions, signs autographs, snaps pictures and has a real conversation with every single person in line.

Because while he was on stage sharing eclectic stories, dropping disturbing ideas and asking hard questions, listeners dreamed of nothing more than to look him in the eye and tell him that his voice was the music they’d been waiting their whole lives to hear.

That’s the second bite of the apple.

If we want to extend the life of our act for the audience, we need both.

Because the best performances are the ones that start long before the audience gets to the theater, but last long after the audience has left.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Are you perfecting or extending?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “19 Ways to Build Buzz about Your New Website,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
[email protected]

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

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