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!
“Our job is to buy other people’s mistakes and remarket them as opportunities.” –Mark Ginsberg, President, 
“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, 
What happens when we know we who are?