Tag: scott ginsberg

How to Care

You can’t bastardize “caring” into a technique.

There’s no formula.
There’s no handbook.
There’s no seven-step system.

It’s not about doing it the right way – it’s more about your willingness TO care, you awareness OF caring, and consistency with which you DO care.

THE HARD PART IS: Caring takes a lot of work.

If you’re up to the challenge, here’s a list of ideas that might help:

1. Bother to do things. To come. To call. To stay. To ask. To reply. To say hi. To clean up. To give it some thought. To include people. To learn their names. (Just to name a few.) Learn to befriend simplicity. You’ll discover that the beauty to caring is found is in the basic.

The challenge is not overlooking these moments just because you think nobody notices. They do. My suggestion is to keep a running list of any time you hear somebody start a sentence with the phrase, “You didn’t even bother to…” Then go out of your way to avoid those things. Do you bother to bother?

2. Mind the ratio. Caring is like epoxy glue: It only takes a few drops to hold something together. Next time you’re debating whether or not to care, remember how beautifully imbalanced the cause/effect ratio is. For example, whenever I would visit my grandma Mimi at her senior living community, she would spend the next three weeks telling everyone she knew – plus a few people she didn’t know – about our time together.

You’d think I discovered the cure for cancer. But all we did was have dinner. That’s when I learned a valuable lesson: It’s SO easy to make people happy. All you have to do is ask yourself: What’s this person’s epoxy?

Of course, then comes the hard part: Taking the initiative to care. And my best suggestion for overcoming inertia is to constantly replay mental reruns of past moments when the caring ratio exploded. That’s all the motivation you’ll need. Do you have the courage to care?

3. Care for the right reasons. I swear: Some people spend an awful lot of time, money and energy trying to convince others that they care. Which, technically, is a form of caring. My question is: Why are they caring? Because it’s (actually) important to them, or because they know it makes other people feel good? Because it’s (truly) an expression of their feelings, or because they have an agenda attached?

I’m not trying to be cynical – just aggressively skeptical. Personally, I’d rather you not care than care falsely.

Then at least you’d be telling me the truth, as opposed to sending me one of those disturbing greeting cards with my own picture on the cover that you “customized” with that phony cursive font so I would think you actually sat down by candle light and used an fountain pen to tell me how much you cared, when what you really care about is recruiting me into the downline of your multi-level marketing company. Do you (really) care, or just care about looking like you care so you can meet your sales quota?

4. Learn from the best. Companies That Care is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the well being of employees. According to their mission, ten characteristics define the standard for all organizations desiring to be recognized as caring, responsible institutions. They include:

*Sustain a work environment founded on dignity and respect for all employees
*Make employees feel their jobs are important
*Cultivate the full potential of all employees
*Encourage individual pursuit of work/life balance
*Enable the well-being of individuals and their families through compensation, benefits, policies and practices
*Develop great leaders, at all levels, who excel at managing people as well as results
*Appreciate and recognize the contributions of people who work there
*Establish and communicate standards for ethical behavior and integrity
*Get involved in community endeavors and/or public policy and finally
*Consider the human toll when making business decisions.

That should keep you busy for a while. How well do you and your organization model those characteristics of caring?

5. Practice selective neglect. If you spend too much time caring about things you shouldn’t care about, the things you should be caring about will fall apart. And then you really will care. It’s all about discretion. For example, I tell the members of my mentoring program, “I care less about where you go and more about who you become while you’re getting there.”

That’s my filter as a mentor. Your mission is to create a similar filter to gauge the “care currency” of your endeavors. You might try questions like: Does this relationship nourish me? Is this experience going to help me become the best, highest version of myself? And ten years from now, what will I wish I had spent more time doing today? Remember: Part of caring is knowing what (not) to care about. What’s your compass for finding what matters?

6. Become an attention expert. Care means paying attention. Period. Simplest definition possible. Here are a few specific suggestions for doing so: First, concentrate attention wonderfully. Example: My yoga instructor often reminds us to pick a spot on the ceiling to focus on during class. This keeps our attention “in the room.” Interestingly, this same practice can be applied off the mat. Challenge yourself to fight those A.D.D. urges during your meetings and conversations. People will know you care.

Secondly, manage attention superbly. Notice where it leaks. Step outside of yourself and watch for when you nod off. Example: I reinforce this practice during the editing phase of my training videos for NametagTV. Whenever I preview a module before its online publication, I spy on myself. If, at any time, I start tuning out, picking my nose or fiddling with my iPhone, I stop and return to center. Practice reminding yourself to manage your attention and people will notice. Are you an expert at your attention tendencies?

7. Show up when you’re scared. This proves to people that you’re a human being. That you’re willing occupy your vulnerability. And that your desire to care overrides your need to be confident. For example, if someone you love is going through a tough time that you can’t relate to (or empathize with), show up anyway. In your pajamas at 2am if you have to.

Then, practice breathing through that fear. Listen loudly. Take notes. Reflect their reality back to them. And remember that it’s okay to say, “I don’t know what to say.” Remember: Presence trumps eloquence. The height of caring is the intersection of vulnerability and naked honesty. Are you willing to sacrifice comfort for caring?

8. Respond to people’s emotions first. Acknowledgement is a universal human need. And listening is (initially) about laying a foundation of affirmation. Your challenge is to make people feel more than just valued, validated and important; but essential.

Before launching into your solutions, try priming your responses with Phrases That Payses like, “Wow, that’s a tough situation you must be going through,” and “You must be so frustrated.” Or, if words aren’t going to get the job done, do what I do: Just give her a hug and stop trying to explain the meaning of the universe. Are you fundamentally affirmative?

9. Make it tangible. Finally, never overestimate the power of the tangible. Even if it’s a scrap of paper with a two-line message that you slip into somebody’s daily planner when she’s not looking. Physically giving somebody something (that you went out of your way to obtain) – even if it only took two minutes to do so – never goes unappreciated.

But I don’t know why. Maybe there’s something especially powerful about tangibility. Maybe people just like stuff. Either way, it doesn’t matter what you bring for someone – only that you bring it. How will you personify your desire to care?

Look, I know it’s a lot to ask someone to care. Even I struggle with this practice myself from time to time.

But, as our world gets louder, as our technology becomes faster and as our lives grow busier, maybe caring is just what the doctor ordered.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Do you dare to care?

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For the list called, “6 Ways to Out POSITION Your Competitors,” send an email to me, and I’ll send you the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Coach, Entrepreneur
[email protected]

Who’s quoting YOU?

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Are You Crossing Over or Fleeing From These Seve Small Business Bridges?

1. Applicability is the bridge between information and insight. Anyone can be a vending machine of good information. Only a true thought leader could bridge the gap. The difference is: Information is just content; insight is a penetrating mental vision. Which one do you deliver?

2. Execution is the bridge between creativity and innovation. Everybody is creative. My five-year-old nephew is creative. That’s the easy part, since creativity is a state of being. Innovation, on the other hand, is a rare bird. It denotes consistent action. And not everyone can pull it off. Only those who impatiently transition from inertia to action. Are you turning your ideas into money or into more ideas?

3. Leverage is the bridge between opportunity and profitability. It begins with the abundance mentality that opportunity knocks all day, everyday. Then, it continues with the leverage mentality that it’s always possible to kill two stones with one bird. The only thing standing in your way is a narrow-minded vision of what’s possible. How big is your thinking?

4. Stamina is the bridge between amateur and master. People often ask me, “As a author, how do you know when your book is done?” My answer is: “When I’ve read it so many times that I hate it.” That’s stamina. This reminds me of what my friend Jim Flowers likes to remind me, “Amateurs practice until they get it right – masters practice until they can’t get it wrong.” Are you willing to go all night until right is second nature?

5. Mindset is the bridge between happenstance and happiness. If you have an attitude of leverage, everything that happens to you is positive. And profitable. And a growth opportunity. And a moment of instant education. It all depends on the way you talk to yourself. Instead of asking, “Why me?” you ask, “What’s next?” Instead of saying, “This sucks!” you wonder, “Now that I have this, what else does this make possible.” Talk like this, and you’ll kill two stones with one bird, every time. Have you mastered the language of leverage?

6. Repetition is the bridge between average and awesome. If you’re a master, you most certainly have some kind of daily practice. It doesn’t matter what you practice – only that you practice. And that you do so every single day, without fail. What do you repeat every day?

7. Platform is the bridge between expertise and audience. It doesn’t matter how smart you are – if you’re selfish with your knowledge, you’re just winking in the dark. Besides, ideas don’t do you any good in your head. That’s the difference between creativity and innovation: One is a noun, the other is a verb. Which one are you?

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Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Entrepreneur, Mentor
[email protected]

The world’s FIRST two-in-one, flip-flop book!

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How to Sell a Commodity and Still Win

Abrasives. Automotive accessories. Bearings. Building supplies. Cattle. Chemicals. Coffee beans. Computer Hardware. Converters. Envelopes. Fertilizer. Grain. Industrial metals. Insurance. Laboratory equipment. Minerals. Oil. Office supplies. Precious metals. Salt. Soybeans. Sugar. Textiles. Wheat. Wool.

These things are commodities.

Common products customers can buy anywhere.

And if you’re in the business of selling them, you’re in trouble.

Especially now, when the available choices for products and services are infinite.

That’s the danger: When presented with an infinite amount of choices, customers (usually) default to the cheapest.

Unless.

Unless you can wield a way to make price irrelevant.
Unless you can devise a plan to deliver with emotion in mind.
Unless you can start a strategy to sell something much bigger than a bag of sugar.

Here’s a list of emotional, remarkable, compelling (and, most importantly, non-price-based) strategies to sell a commodity – and still win.

As you peruse these examples, I challenge you transfer the attributes and plug your own commodities into the generic equations:

1. Make the mundane memorable. Let’s say your company sells marching band uniforms to high schools. What if you held seasonal fashion shows? You could invite start performers and band directors from each district to strut their stuff, represent their school and model their new uniforms down the catwalk – to marching band music.

Every student in town – including their parents – would come to watch. Local media would foam at the mouth. Viral videos would pop up everywhere. And you could even start a program called “Perfect Pitch,” which applies the proceeds from the events to sponsor high-risk students or underwrite sponsorships for low-income schools.

Soon, you’d move from commodity to celebrity, from product pusher to philanthropist. What are the ten most mundane components to your business, and how could you morph them into memorable, brandable entities?

2. Send a continuous flow of education. That way, your buyers always know how to more creatively, efficiently and effectively use what you sell them to grow their business and make their lives better.

The secret is to brainstorm topics and headlines for articles, whitepapers, videos, presentations and other forms of content to be distributed in person, en masse and/or via your Thought Leadership Platform. A few examples:

*10 Questions Every Soybean Farmer Needs to Ask
*12 Secrets Smart Suppliers Know
*7 Words to Eliminate from Your Engineering Vocabulary
*Don’t Start a Business Until You Read These 9 Facts
*How Scrap Metal Companies Can Get Rid of Their Productivity Problems Once and for All.

Notice the patterns. Replicate them in your business. What did you write today?

3. Master the surrounding universality of your product. If you’re a diamond retailer, study the art of the proposal. Learn what makes amazing marriages work. And discover the secrets to sustained physical passion. Customers will buy, and customers will talk.

If you’re an oil distributor, teach wholesalers how to teach drivers how to lower emissions. Educate them on how to protect the environment. And make monthly playlists of relaxing and enjoyable music for stressed out commuters and truckers. Customers will buy, and customers will talk.

If you’re a coffee bean salesman, master the cultural history of its native country. Collect and share pictures of what people see in the morning when they enjoy their drinks. And immerse yourself in the metropolitan coffee shop culture to understand the end user experience of your product. Customers will buy, and customers will talk.

What universal human experiences and emotions surround your boring product?

4. Define the whitespace around your idea. Go perpendicular. Be intentionally and comically counter-intuitive. For example, maybe your website offers job search advice and counseling services for unemployed professionals.

What if you created a series of promo videos or blog posts about what (not) to do? Topics like, “How to Bomb Your Next Job Interview,” “How to Book a One-Way Ticket to the Unemployment Line,” and “How to Make Sure Your Resume Gets Thrown Away, Every Time”?

Or, what if you encouraged visitors to submit their interviewing/job search horror stories? You could then respond to each vignette with a list of strategies to make sure that never happens again. I smell a Bloggie in your future. What could you do – in this moment – that would be the exact opposite of everyone else?

5. Excel at connecting. Connect with buyers – then help them connect non-competing buyers so they can work together. Try this: Every Monday, set an Introduction Quota. Challenge yourself to introduce two people who need to know each other.

Ask yourself: “What two people do I know – who don’t already know each other – would be benefit from a connection?” Introduce them via email with short bios, plus how you know each of them. Then, either leave it up to them to connect, or, set up a Zero Agenda Conversation with all three of you.

Do that fifty times a year and you won’t be a commodity – you’ll be a connector. How many people did you connect to each other last month?

6. Leverage your vulnerability to earn customer trust. My friend Sean sells screen-printed t-shirts. They product is solid, but that’s not why people buy. Instead, it’s more about their approachability through openness to customer feedback. For example, on their website they have an Uncensored Customer Review Widget.

“It’s like an introduction to someone by your friend. Or a conversation you hear when you walk into a neighborhood store,” Sean says. “New visitors to our website see the comments – both good and bad – all of which were posted just moments before they logged on the site. This demonstrates the transparency and honesty of our brand.”

Sure enough, CustomInk sells heaps of t-shirts. More importantly, they also have hordes of fans. Are you opaque?

7. Be genuinely and assertively responsive. Regardless of which commodity you’re peddling, the medium is the message. The speed of the response is the response. Especially when customers want it yesterday.

The secret is using language that promotes urgency to reinforce emotional reliability. My favorite phrase is, “The best way for me to help you the most, right now, is…” It not only promotes urgency, but also promotes the most effective, most efficient solution.

Even if the only urgent action you can take is to ask someone else. By framing your response with this phrase, you pave the way for expedient service. I’ve had upset customers significantly lower their temperature simply because the response to their complaint was so expedient.

Response time goes a long way. Are you getting back to your customers quicker than your competitors?

8. Build in fun. People buy people first. Your job is to lead with your person and follow with your profession. That means: Values before vocation, individuality before industry and personality before position.

That also means: The more boring your product is, the more fun, engaging and memorable your pitch better be. Otherwise your customers are going to default straight to price. And if you can’t match them, there are three hundred other companies – available instantly – who will happily undercut you.

For example, let’s say you sell office supplies to small local businesses. What if you took a six-week course in handwriting analysis and conducted mini-seminars for each of your customers during their lunch break? You give each of them kits of pens, legal pads, sticky notes and tape.

Next, you ask them to complete short, simple writing exercises. Then, you take them through he basics of graphology like stroke, smoothness, spacing and slant. The key is to make it fun, lighthearted and only (slightly) revealing. You don’t want to cause any additional office drama.

All that matters is you get them using your products in an engaging, unexpected and memorable way. How could you turn your sales presentation into a magic show?

9. Packaging wins ballgames. Just ask the farmers in the southern Japanese town of Zentsuji. They’ve figured out how to grow their watermelons so they turn out square. And according to a 2001 article from CNN, it’s not a fad. The technique actually has practical applications.

“The reason they’re doing this in Japan is because of lack of space,” said Samantha Winters of the National Watermelon Promotion Board in Orlando, Florida. According to the article, a fat, round watermelon can take up a lot of room in a refrigerator. The (usually) round fruit often sits awkwardly on refrigerator shelves.

But, clever Japanese farmers have solved this dilemma by forcing their watermelons to grow into a square shape. Farmers insert the melons into square, tempered glass cases while the fruit is still growing on the vine. The square boxes are the exact dimensions of Japanese refrigerators, allowing full-grown watermelons to fit conveniently and precisely onto refrigerator shelves.

Lesson learned: Superior packaging to suit changing customer needs is a tremendous advantage in a commoditized marketplace. And that doesn’t just apply to plastic wrapping, cardboard boxes and vinyl lining. How have you modified the packaging of your product to adapt to your customers’ evolving preferences?

10. Make the intangible inescapable. Here’s the frustrating reality: Your customers only see 10% of the work you do. The final product. The pay off. The money shot. The other 90% of the work you put in – the sweat, the hours, the training, the effort –remains forever undetected.

Unless.

Unless you find a way to visually substantiate it. I recently discovered how to implement this practice in my own business. If you click over to www.WatchScottWrite.com, you can view a series of time-lapse videos, pared down from four hours down to seven minutes. This depicts the naked truth of my writing, content management and creative processes. 100% transparency. It’s what I do all day, every day.

And, admittedly, I only published these videos (initially) because I thought it would be kind of a cool thing to do. But what I discovered was that my readers, audience members and clients loved it. It helped them appreciate the true value of what my unique brain brought to the table. Especially in a marketplace where professional speakers are a dime a dozen.

That’s the real challenge: My profession is approaching commodity status. So, this video series was a huge move in preventing me from become yet another SKU in the meeting planner’s inventory. Your challenge is to take the intangible effort behind your commodity product and make it as inescapable as possible. How could you facilitate a visual understanding of what makes you The Only?

REMEMBER: Just because you sell a commodity, doesn’t mean you can’t win.

It’s not about de-commoditizing your product; it’s about re-optimizing your value proposition.

That way, maybe a bag of sugar will not longer be just a bag of sugar.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Do you have the courage to bet on your artistic vision?

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For the ebook called, “38 Ways to Make Customers Gasp” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Entrepreneur, Mentor
[email protected]

Never the same speech twice.
Always about approachability.

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

Does Your Company Pass The Testicle Test?

“Wow, that takes balls.”

That’s what people tell you.

When you do something crazy.
When you go full time as an artist.
When you take the entrepreneurial plunge.

That it requires balls.

Cujones. Courage. Moxie. The willingness to step up and stick yourself out there.

I agree. I think it absolutely takes balls to change the world.

But.

Having balls (alone) isn’t enough.

As Lawrence Fishburne said in Boyz in the Hood, “Any fool can make a baby – but only a real man can be a father.”

TRUTH IS: Making a name for yourself begins with risk; but the only way to make it last is to blend it with regularity.

Here’s a list of ten strategies to help you hang in there, or, as I like to call it, pass The Testicle Test:

1. Focus is the mobilizing force. In The Tao of Abundance, Laurence G. Boldt reminds us that by learning to do one thing with total focus; you bring a clarity and simplicity to the whole of your life.

The question is: Will you stay focused in the face of incessant distractions trying to pull you away from your dream, or will the beckoning, elusive “door to more” seduce you into walking through?

Don’t let things derail you. Be very careful what you begin. Otherwise, spending your energies on the wrong causes will be the end of you. All that risk will lead to zero rewards, or worse yet, an abundance of rewards that don’t matter. How much money are you losing (not) focusing on your priorities?

2. Call upon untested faculties that await your discovery. Sustainability is a function of adaptability. That is, deploying your gifts in new ways to add new value. A helpful audit is to ask yourself the following questions once a quarter:

*Which of your skills do you rarely get the opportunity to use at work?
*What personal skills have you not tapped into yet to build your business?
*What personal skills have you not tapped into yet to add value to your customers?

Eventually, your arsenal of sustainability tools (backbone) will support your attitude of courageous action (balls). How many new skills have you recently become known for?

3. Mere movement is meaningless. Especially if you’re mistaking movement for progress. On the other hand, if you’re making real advancement – even if you’re moving at a glacial pace – eventually the world is going to notice.

As long as you don’t regret what you have set in motion. Instead, develop faith in the decisions you made. And know every step you take (as long as it’s a smart step) makes the probability of success higher. What are you moving toward?

4. Take personal and proactive responsibility for your own evolution. The first step is learning to recognize and refuse the old image of yourself. That way you’ll know what (not) to regress back into.

Next, be surgical in your improvement. Keep rotation constant. And be willing to trust the process of change. Otherwise, like the phone book, you’ll move closer to extinction with every passing day.

Third, don’t preserve yesterday. Reflect upon it, yes – dwell upon it, no. Learn from it, yes – be shackled by it, no. Remember: No adapt, no advance. You must be a willing participant in that process. What change are you afraid to invite?

5. Deliberately slow down. Success turns into failure when it comes too fast, too early or too abundantly. I experienced this about ten years ago. My career blasted off before I had the chance to get my oxygen mask on. Not surprisingly, my left lung eventually collapsed. Then I really needed oxygen.

That became the lesson about proceeding before you’re ready: Impatience pays off, but only when it’s balanced with intermission. I discovered that all the balls in the world are irrelevant when you’ve got a tube in your chest. Learn to honor what stops you. And if nothing stops you, stop yourself. Are you an expert at pressing the off button?

6. Recognize failure as part of the plan. Otherwise your remarkable inability to learn from past errors will be the seed of your demise. Instead, build the stamina to recover rapidly from disappointment.

Because the question isn’t, “Do you have balls?” but rather, “When the world kicks you in the crotch, how quickly do you get up?” It all depends on your adaptive capacity. Remember: The falling is inevitable – the harm is optional. What gifts have your failures given you?

7. Trust accelerates trajectory. Risk requires trust, and trust requires evidence. That’s the hard part. So, it becomes a process of uncertainty reduction through repeated action. The more venues in which you reveal yourself, the more trust you garner for yourself.

Your mission is to match each moment of risk taking (having balls) with three moments of backbone engaging (sustaining stamina). How did you increase your self-trust this week?

8. Sustaining is a function of restraining. My clients frequently tell me that the discipline that I administer is astounding. To work. To life. To everything. And I’m always grateful for that compliment because most people don’t notice it. They assume boldness solidifies success on its own.

This, of course, is a lie.

Discipline is the hallmark of greatness. The foundation of all creativity. The four-letter word that guarantees success. And it’s the differentiator that will set you apart from all other creative professionals. You just need to ask yourself what you’re willing to give up to get what you want.

Remember: Risky becomes stupid the moment it touches inconsistency. Do it everyday or don’t do it all. What waits you in the refining fire of discipline?

9. Poke savagely away. Genius is a great spark, but rededication is the firewood that keeps that fire blazing. Think Mozart or Beethoven were happy with being one-hit-wonders?

No way. They were hundred-hit-heroes. All because they risked initially, but (also) refused to discontinue the passionate pursuit of their craft indefinitely.

You owe your success to a pattern. Step back from the canvas, step back within yourself and steer clear of complacency. Otherwise you’re just another Right Said Fred: To sexy for your shirt, so sexy it hurts. How many hours did you practice yesterday?

10. Be always planting seeds for the future. Small deposits. Every day. With intensity of desire and consistency determination. And, if you don’t have any options – create some. Map it out. Plan your learning trajectory.

I do this every few years with my own business. I’ll map out where I’ve come, where I am, and where I’d like to be. Then I’ll brainstorm a list of seeds that need to be planted to make my envisioned future a tangible reality. What’s growing in your garden of success?

REMEMBER: Action without consistency always falls short of mastery.

Next time someone remarks to you, “Wow, that takes balls,” silently remind yourself of the following truth:

Yes, it takes balls to stick yourself out there – but it takes backbone to KEEP yourself out there.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Does your company pass The Testicle Test?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the ebook called, “15 Ways to Out LEARN Your Competitors,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

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

The world’s FIRST two-in-one, flip-flop book!

Buy Scott’s comprehensive marketing guidebook on Amazon.com and learn how to GET noticed, GET remembered and GET business!

How (not) to Fade Away

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Will your brand fade away?

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For list called, “26 Ways to Out Brand the Competition,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

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

Nobody seeing YOUR name anywhere?

Bummer. Perhaps my monthly mentoring program would help.

Rent Scott’s Brain today!

How to Stand Your Ground without Stepping on People’s Toes

There’s a fine line between boundary management and self-righteous entitlement.

As Diane Draher wrote in The Tao of Inner Peace, “We must never let a cause, organization or a relationship so complete eclipse our lives that we forget who we are.”

LESSON LEARNED: If you’re going to stand your ground, make sure you’re not stepping on people’s toes.

Consider these ideas for walking the fine line:

1. Commitment can be seductive. The deeper you commit to something, the more likely you are to become so wrapped up and so obsessed with idea of being (and appearing) committed to that something, that your desire actually becomes bigger than what you’re committed to.

And that’s when people start to get hurt. That’s when things start to get broken. There does come a point at which commitment becomes a detriment. After all, what good is being committed if your commitment annoys, harms or offends the people around you? Make sure you don’t become a victim of your own conviction. Is your commitment a detriment?

2. Stop proving yourself and start expressing yourself. Let’s explore the distinction. Proving yourself is doing; expressing yourself is being. Proving yourself is claiming commitment; expressing yourself is embodying commitment. Proving yourself is screaming your truth; expressing yourself is walking your truth. Proving yourself is striving for approval; expressing yourself is allowing for refusal.

What’s more, proving yourself is demanding your rights; expressing yourself is deploying your gifts. Proving yourself is trying to be somebody; expressing yourself is embracing who you already are. And finally, proving yourself is advising people from the outside; expressing yourself is inspiring people from the inside. Which approach do you take?

3. Watch your volume. I don’t drink. I don’t smoke. I don’t do drugs. I don’t gamble. And I don’t go to strip clubs. And admittedly, I used to be a lot more vocal about my choices. But over the years I’ve learned that louder you say no, the more judgmental you sound.

Don’t make a spectacle. If you’re going to abstain from something, just thank people for offering, politely refuse and get on with your life. They don’t want to hear the entire philosophy behind each of your choices. It is possible to say “No” without screaming “No way!” Is the volume of your commitment disturbing the peace?

4. Offer simple, unarguable reasons. Next time someone asks you why you choose (not) to partake in something, try this: Instead of launching into your seven-minute diatribe about why a particular choice goes against your personal constitution or runs crosswire to the grain of your soul, just smile and simply say, “It’s not important to me.”

That’s enough. That’s all people need to hear. Anything more is probably unnecessary. Take it from someone who used to share his personal philosophy on everything, with everybody, in every conversation – even when they didn’t ask. Unless people put in a request for your entire dissertation, keep the explanation of your self-discipline brief and simple. Are you exhausting to be around?

5. Saying no stretches other parts of you. It’s amazing how creative you become once you’d made the decision not to cross a certain line. For example, think about the last time you approached a construction detour in your hometown. I bet you managed to discover several cool, new and exciting shortcuts to get to the same place you’ve been going for years, right?

Creativity works the same way: When you commit to (not) doing something a certain way, your brain immediately searches for alternate routes to accomplish the same goal.

I’m reminded of a time in college when Route 27 was blocked off for severe thunderstorm damage.

Since I was late for a final exam, I didn’t have time to take the detour. So, I revved up my ’95 Grand Am and plowed through the mud like a natural born monster truck. And after a few minutes of spinning my tires and spraying mud ten feet into the air, I actually busted through the barricade and came out on the other side without damaging my car or destroying the land.

Honestly, I don’t know what came over me. I’d never been so impressed with myself. I felt like Chuck Norris in Walker Texas Ranger, but without the tight jeans. Lesson learned: Next time you say no to something, start asking yourself, “What will saying no energize me for?”

It’s almost ironic. Setting healthy boundaries in one part of your life actually stretches you in other parts. Cool. Maybe you’ll discover a new skill you didn’t even know you had, simply by standing your ground. When you stick your stake in the ground, what new terrain might you uncover?

6. Give yourself permission to indulge occasionally. The moment you refuse to do so is the same moment your admirable self-discipline starts to morph into intolerable self-righteousness.

For example, I don’t eat (much) meat or dairy. Not that I’m a vegetarian or vegan. In fact, I’m all for slaughtering animals for delicious human consumption. It’s primarily a digestive issue and a health choice.

Still, don’t put it past me to throw down an occasional basket of buffalo wings like the carnivore I once was. Hey, I‘m realistic. Standing your ground is one thing. But life without buffalo wings? That’s just wrong. Once in a while never hurt anybody. Except maybe the chickens. What did you indulge this week?

7. Bamboo, not wood. As you can tell, I’m a fairly obstinate guy. When I make a certain choice, I stick to my guns. And when I believe in a particular philosophy, I rarely back down. It’s crucial to my value system and central to my fundamental orientation: I practice resolute persistence while staying committed to my boundaries.

Unfortunately, this particular orientation has the potential to alienate people if executed close-mindedly. I’m learning to be more careful. Sometimes a person’s strongest asset can become his deepest liability.

It’s all about walking the fine line between flexibility and determination. Between immovability and adaptability. Because if you don’t, you’ll snap like a twig under the weight of external pressure; when bending like a bamboo would probably be much more helpful.

Remember: Being obstinate is worthless when carried out at the expense of another person’s respect. When you stand your ground, how much foreign terrain are you willing to make room for?

8. Reciprocation is essential. The final component of standing your ground is the respect and openness you must extend to other people when they stand their ground. Even when you don’t agree with them. (Especially when you don’t agree with them!)

You still have to honor other people’s truth. You still have to stand on the edge of yourself to salute them, without the desire to change, fix or improve them. Even if you have to “agree to disagree.”

Truth is: Standing your ground without stepping on people’s toes means learning to allow people you care about to challenge your opinions – without becoming frustrated. Instead, becoming thankful for the opportunity to (either) reinforce your own beliefs and stick to your guns, or to realize when you’ve been shortsighted.

Yes, it’s tough to accept influence from others – especially those you love. But sometimes they can see things you can’t. Sometimes they’re the very alarm clock you didn’t realize you needed. Don’t press the snooze button on them. Are you obstinate, yet flexible enough to bend when needed?

REMEMBER: Beware of excessive restraint.

Yes, constantly remind people of your commitment.

But not for the sole purpose of strengthening your own position.

No need to be a jerk about it.
No need to step on people’s toes.
No need to overlook the possibility of reconsideration.

Otherwise your self-restraint might be perceived as self-righteousness.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What are you sacrificing at the expense of your self-control?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “99 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, Entrepreneur, Mentor
[email protected]

Never the same speech twice.
Always about approachability.

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

How to Start

After an hour of deliberation, I couldn’t come up with a clever way to start this blog post.

So, I’m just going to start.

Hope these seven ideas light a fire under your ass and inspire you to start whatever you’ve been thinking about starting.

1. Poll your past. Think about the last five things you started. From relationships to art projects to work habits to fitness goals. Write the list down. Then, backtrack. Ask yourself three questions:

*How long did it take you finally start?
*What barriers stalled your eventual execution?
*And what actions, specifically, did you take to overcome those obstacles?

When you’re done, step back and look for repeatable patterns based on your learning and personality style. This will provide a framework for future starts. How are you learning from past starting victories?

2. Engage small starts. If you’re at a loss for what to do first, think about three things: What can you do as a beginning? What small part of this could you start doing right now? And what one step could you take – today – to start moving toward to your ideal future?

By achieving small victories first, you create a position of yes. This establishes a proven track record of initiative. Even if it only exists in your mind. Then, that mental state equips you to (eventually) to start something big when the time cones.

Remember: Even if you don’t take a shred of action by asking these questions, your awareness will still increase. And awareness is the gateway to mastery. What small start will you execute before lunch today?

3. Quit something average. That’s the only way to create the space to execute something remarkable. The cool part is, once you stop investing your time, energy and money in the Mutual Fund of Inconsequentiality – by which I mean, “television” – you can redirect those efforts into something that matters.

It’s like my friend Jason once told me, “Sometimes you have to say no to the good to make room for the best.” That’s your goal: Never quit quitting. What could you stop doing today that would help you start something tomorrow?

4. The need for perfection is keeping you from starting. The voice of perfection is piercing and demanding. Unfortunately, perfectionism is nothing but procrastination in disguise.

Nothing by a tired excuse assembled by your ego to prevent execution.

Nothing but a trap set by your neurotic compulsions as feeble effort to prohibit progress.

Nothing but a campaign against creativity, waged by the authoritative voices in your head.

My suggestion: Heighten your tolerance of ambiguity. Exert your flawed humanity and become the biggest imperfectionist you know. And seek progress, not perfection. After all, the word “start” comes from the Old English term, stiertan, which means, “a sudden movement.”

Doesn’t say anything about being perfect, or even good. Just sudden. What are you assuming that is stopping you?

5. Don’t be stopped by not knowing how. The most common excuse for not starting something is ignorance. “But I don’t know what I’m doing!” you cry. What’s your point? Since when is knowledge a prerequisite for execution?

My suggestion: Check inside first. Instead of focusing on how little you know about something; turn inward and focus on how important it is to do that something. You’ll find that “Why?” trumps “How?” every time.

Don’t worry: Confusion is healthy. And “How?” comes eventually. For now, put boot to ass and touch the center of your true intention. How much profit have you squandered because you’re at war with HOW when you should be in love with WHY?

6. Surround yourself with starters. Bikram Yoga is my religion. Literally. The word “religion” comes from the Latin term religio, which means, “to link back.” So, religion is the one thing in your life that every other thing in your life links back to. Regardless of what you believe, or, even if you don’t believe. Everybody’s got something.

Anyway, when I started practicing on January 6th, 2008, I was a beginner in every sense of the word: Never done it, never wanted to do it and never thought I’d actually be doing it. Especially since I heard the classes were ninety minutes in a 105° room.

I shared those exact words with my instructor Rebbecca the first time I walked into the studio. She smiled and said, “Yeah, that’s what I said thirteen years ago.”

And now, here I am, practicing four days a week. Why? Because I initially surrounded myself with veteran starters. What about you? Are you hanging with people who move? Or people who watch Jersey Shores?

Remember: Life’s too short to surround yourself with people don’t challenge and inspire you. Who do you need to delete from your life?

7. Document as you develop. When I built NametagTV in 2006, I started from scratch. I knew nothing about shooting or editing. Nothing about setting up a multimedia studio. And nothing about leveraging video to add value to my clients and grow my business.

Which was fine. Because what I did know was that I had a cool, profitable idea that made me want to get out of bed an hour earlier. So, I started anyway, with the knowledge that it would take 12-18 months to overcome my learning curve.

Which I did. More importantly, which I documented. Everything I learned, everything I tried and everything I screwed up, I wrote down. That way, I could combine learning and doing.

Here are three more questions you can ask yourself to do the same:

*What did I (just) learn from this experience?
*What happened to me during this experience?
*What fundamental principles might be at work here?

Your challenge is to objectively step out of what you’re doing and look at your start-up situation from a different plane of consciousness. This turns the learning/doing process into a self-feeding, self-repeating cycle.

Remember: We learn not from our experiences, but from intelligent reflection upon those experiences – PLUS – consistent documentation thereof. What did you learn yesterday?

FINAL THOUGHT: Just stop waiting.

Stop waiting for permission.
Stop waiting until you’re ready.
Stop waiting until you know what you’re doing.

Otherwise you’ll keep waiting. And waiting. And waiting.

And then, before you know it, it will be too late.

Instead, I challenge you to plunge immediately into action.

Don’t take the guided tour and stall – go get a guest past and start.

Whatever it is. Just start.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
If everything you’ve done up until now is just the beginning, what’s next?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “6 Ways to Out POSITION Your Competitors,” send an email to me, and I’ll send you the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Coach, Entrepreneur
[email protected]

Who’s quoting YOU?

Check out Scott’s Online Quotation Database for a bite-sized education on branding success!

www.stuffscottsaid.com.

Five Things “They” Say, and Why I Disagree

1. “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.”

I say:

“Put all your eggs in one basket, then guard that basket with your life and make sure the savages with frying pans and eggbeaters stay away.”

Meanwhile, make sure you dance the fine line between risky and reckless.

One is sticking yourself out there – the other is leaving yourself out there.
One is adventure accompanied by danger – the other is danger disguised as adventure.
One is increasing the probability of temporary hurt – the other is guaranteeing the promise of permanent injury. Careful.

LET ME ASK YA THIS: How could you bet the farm without losing your ass?

2. “Take everything with a grain of salt.”

I say:

“Take everything with a mountain of salt.”

One grain isn’t going to cut it. There’s just too much bullshit out there. So, don’t be afraid to challenge, dismantle and recast people’s outworn, hidden assumptions. And shrink not from the opportunity to stop in your tracks, tilt your head like a curious Beagle and hold someone accountable for speaking rectally.

Remember: Learn to become aggressively skeptical and you’ll EARN to become progressively profitable.

LET ME ASK YA THIS: Are you on a high sodium diet?

3. “With age comes wisdom.”

I say:

“With page comes wisdom.”

As my mentor William Jenkins taught me, “We learn not from our experiences, but from intelligent reflection upon those experiences.”

That’s the cool part: If you learn to document your reflections, reactions and interpretations of various life experiences, you won’t have to wait until you’re fifty to be a broker of wisdom.

You can start early. And people will listen. Wise beyond your years will be an understatement. Remember: Introspection leads to income collection.

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

4. “The first cut is the deepest.”

I say:

“The first cut is the cheapest.”

Make mistakes early, quickly and quietly. Then learn from them. Then teach the lessons learned to someone else. Then move on. Odds are, you won’t make the same mistake twice. Great way to save your company a few bucks.

LET ME ASK YA THIS: Are you slicing strategically?

5. “The cream rises to the top.”

I say:

“The cream rises to the top, but mediocrity often hitches a ride.”

Marketing overshadows talent. Think about it: Brittney never would have made it in the 60’s. Which kind of sucks, but that’s the reality. So, the secret is to remind yourself of the following scripture from the book of Galatians: “Let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season we will reap a great harvest if we faint not.”

Learned that one when I was sixteen. And it’s guided my life ever since. Lesson learned: Patience, grasshopper. If you’re amazing, your time will come. And so will the people. And will the money. But only if you work hard, long and smart.

LET ME ASK YA THIS: How long are you willing to simmer before the cream rises?

That’s what they say, that’s why I disagree.

What about you?

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What do you disagree with?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the ebook called, “101 Lessons Learned from Wearing a Nametag 24-7,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Entrepreneur, Mentor
[email protected]

Never the same speech twice.
Always about approachability.

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

How to Follow Up After a Job Interview without Coming off Like a Stalker

“Morning Karen! I just wanted to personally thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule yesterday to talk to me about the Senior Toilet Cleaning position with The Packlebush Proctology Clinic.

After speaking with you and the group – and considering the other four loser applicants I saw in the waiting room – I believe I’d be the perfect candidate for the job.

And I hope you don’t mind, but I’m currently camping out in the parking lot of your office, halfway through a two-liter of Mountain Dew and a box of Little Debbie Zebra Cakes. I’m eagerly anticipating your decision. When do I start?”

And you were wondering why you heard police sirens in the distance.

LESSON LEARNED: There’s a fine line.

Between enthusiasm and desperation.
Between needing a job and being needy.
Between demonstrating initiative and deserving a restraining order.

Today we’re going to explore five ways to follow up after a job interview without coming off like a stalker:

1. Be persistent – not pushy. Pushy leads to suspicion. Suspicion lower trust. And lower trust forces people to check you off. Here’s how to make sure this doesn’t happen to you.

First, understand the difference. The word “pushy” actually means “obnoxiously forward or self-assertive.” The word “persistent” actually means “insistently repetitive or continuous.”

Next, the (real) secret isn’t just being persistent – but demonstrating a valid motivation FOR your persistence. Otherwise you come off like a try-hard, working overtime to drum up rapport.

Remember: Following up for the sake of follow up is time wasting and sour tasting. Are you pushy or persistent?

2. Use gentle reminders. You don’t want to be a pest. But you do want to follow up in a non-threatening, non overly salesy and value-driven way. For example, let’s say a certain prospect hasn’t returned your calls or emails. Maybe she’s busy. Maybe she forgot to reply. Maybe she has more important tasks to get to that week.

No problem. Your mission is to gently remind that person who you are and how you uniquely deliver value. Consider sending a link to a relevant blog post you read. Or, better yet, send a link to a relevant blog post YOU wrote.

Wait: You are blogging, right?

Remember: Gentle reminders sure beat leaving another annoying, predictable and unremarkable voicemail saying, “Hey Mark, did you get a chance to look at my resume?” Are you gently reminding people?

3. Strategic subject lines. Since you will most likely be following up via email, remember to use engaging, noticeable and emotional headlines. That’s how people will decide whether to open or delete your message.

Fortunately, that’s also the secret to immediately differentiate your letter in their inbox. Here are a few examples:

*You were right
*I need your help
*I took your advice
*Your ears should be ringing
*I need your opinion on something
*I did what you said – and it worked!
*Somebody paid you a compliment yesterday
*Here are five lessons you taught me during yesterday’s interview…

Remember: The subject line is the most important component of your follow up email. How will your message stand out among the other 397 they received that week?

4. Grow bigger ears. Also for your follow-up thank you note, don’t just gush about how grateful you were to have had the opportunity to connect. And don’t just morph your message into mini-movie trailer summarizing why you’re so awesome.

Instead, PROVE to people that you – unlike every other sub-par candidate they met that day – were the one person who (actually) listened to them. Suggestion: Attach a copy of your notes. I do this daily with prospects who inquire about booking me as a speaker for their conferences, and have discovered several benefits to doing do.

First, taking notes is proof. That you’re actually interested. That you’re actually paying attention. And that you’re actually making an attempt to understand (not just) what they’re saying; but also what they’re trying to communicate.

Next, taking notes honors someone’s thoughts. Because they’re worth capturing. Because they’re worth considering. Because they’re worth saving and revisiting for further contemplation.

Finally, taking notes is respectful and reinforces openness. Because you allow people to see how they affect you. Because you allow people to experience that they can change your mind. And because you allow people to come back to you in the future with their ideas. How will you use your ears as a follow up tool?

5. Amplify your assertiveness when needed. If you’ve attempted to contact someone and that person hasn’t gotten back to you yet, it means one of three things:

(a) He never got your message.
(b) He did get your message, but has been too busy (or forgot) to reply to you.
(c) He did get your email, but chose not to reply to you because you’re not a good fit for the job. Or he suspects you’re having an affair with his wife.

Here’s what I suggest. Send a friendly follow up email or voicemail saying:

“Morning Tom! Looks like it’s been difficult for us to connect lately. Look: I don’t want to be an annoyance. Still, I do want you to know that I’m nothing less than completely professional in my follow up. So, if you would kindly pick from one of the following options – that would be great:

(a) Yes! I would love to chat on the following date
(b) Right now I’m totally slammed, so I’ll get back to you by ______
(c) If I get one more message from you, I’m calling security.

Thanks Tom. I’ll be standing by.”

If, after both of these attempts, you still haven’t heard back, it’s highly probably that Tom doesn’t like you. Or his wife squealed. Time to get over it and move on. How assertive are you willing to be?

REMEMBER: There’s a fine line between following up and stalking.

Don’t violate people’s boundaries.

Otherwise, Senior Toilet Cleaner might be the only position left.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Are you following up or stalking?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “40 Questions Every Unemployed Professional Needs to Ask,” send an email to me, and I’ll send you the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Coach, Entrepreneur
[email protected]

Never the same speech twice.
Always about approachability.

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

How to be Risky as Hell without being Reckless as Hell’s Angels

Being an entrepreneur is risky.

That’s actually the definition of the word: “One who undertakes risks.”

The challenge is negotiating the fine line between riskiness and recklessness.

If you don’t, you may end up going bankrupt.

Today we’re going to explore the distinction between these two ends of the entrepreneurial spectrum:

RISKY is sticking yourself out there.
RECKLESS is leaving yourself out there.

LET ME ASK YA THIS: Are you balancing vulnerability with healthy boundaries?

RISKY is embracing uncertainty.
RECKLESS is rejecting ambiguity.

LET ME ASK YA THIS: Are you comfortable with not knowing?

RISKY increases the probability of temporary hurt.
RECKLESS guarantees the promise of permanent injury.

LET ME ASK YA THIS: Are you willing to sit out one game to avoid sitting out the entire season?

RISKY indicates accountability for actions.
RECKLESS suggests irresponsibility in thinking.

LET ME ASK YA THIS: What are you hesitant to own?

RISKY is growing increasingly mindful of how your pebbles ripple.
RECKLESS is remaining utterly unconcerned about the consequences of action.

LET ME ASK YA THIS: Are you an island?

RISKY is treading on thin ice, trotting atop uncertain ground and gracefully balancing out on a limb.
RECKLESS is jumping on cracked ice, dancing atop broken ground and scarcely hanging by a thread.

LET ME ASK YA THIS: What are you afraid to consider as a sign?

RISKY is succeeding from venturesomeness.
RECKLESS is stumbling from carelessness.

LET ME ASK YA THIS: Who can help you so you don’t make (too many) wrong moves?

RISKY is marked by heartstrong action.
RECKLESS is stained by headstrong action.

LET ME ASK YA THIS: Are you thinking with the right organ?

RISKY is for bad asses.
RECKLESS is for broke asses.

LET ME ASK YA THIS: Which ass are you?

RISKY is enterprising.
RECKLESS is compromising.

LET ME ASK YA THIS: Are you making money, but making your family crazy?

RISKY is on a trajectory for prosperity.
RECKLESS is on collision course with bankruptcy.

LET ME ASK YA THIS: What consumes your time that isn’t making you any money?

Ultimately, taking risks comes with the entrepreneurial territory.

And sure, sometimes you have to go off the high board even if you’re not sure if there’s any water below.

So if you do, just make sure there’s a phone nearby.

Because while drawing a little blood is risky, filling the entire pool with it is reckless.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Are you risky as hell, or reckless as Hell’s Angels?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the ebook called, “45 Recession-Friendly Strategies for Entrepreneurial Evolution,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

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

The world’s FIRST two-in-one, flip-flop book!

Buy Scott’s comprehensive marketing guidebook on Amazon.com and learn how to GET noticed, GET remembered and GET business!

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