What does your email say about YOU?

Email addresses are VERY telling.

About your personality.
About your creativity and uniqueness.
About your professionalism (or lack thereof).

What’s more, email addresses elicit certain emotions when people first see them.

Let’s look at a few examples.

NOTE: None of these emails are actually real (to my knowledge). I just made them up. However, if any of them ARE real, I don’t mean to offend anybody. My apologies to Kayla.

1. [email protected]

POTENTIAL SILENT DIALOGUES:

o “He’ll never write me back!”
o “Great. Does this email even go to a real person?”
o “Well, so much for getting my problem answered quickly!”

2. [email protected]

POTENTIAL SILENT DIALOGUES:

o “Who still uses AOL?”
o “Who the heeck is Kayla?”
o “I bet SHE works from home…”

3. [email protected]

POTENTIAL SILENT DIALOGUES:

o “Wait, are two people going to read this email I’m about to send?”
o “Why can’t Steve and Mary get separate email addresses?”
o “Will the privacy of my letter be violated?”

4. [email protected]

POTENTIAL SILENT DIALOGUES:

o “Do I really want to do business with someone who has an email like this?”
o “Can’t this guy get a company email, or does he just sell junk cars from his back yard?”

5. [email protected]

POTENTIAL SILENT DIALOGUES:

o “What does 783 mean?”
o “Is Dave so lazy and uncreative that he needed Hotmail to create his email address FOR him? And is that the kind of person I want to do business with?”
o “Who still uses Hotmail?”

6. m_876#[email protected]

POTENTIAL SILENT DIALOGUES:

o “Is this spam?”
o “Is this even a real email address?”
o “Whose email is this?”

7. [email protected]

POTENTIAL SILENT DIALOGUES:

o “If this lady was such a ‘killer’ artist, wouldn’t she have her own website, and not have to use SBC?”
o “Kind of an uncreative email address for a ‘super creative artist,’ huh?”
o “Wait, what was her actual name again?”

– – –

Look folks.

Email addresses don’t need to be works of art.

But at the same time, they don’t need to be boring.

So, evaluate the perception of yours. Ask yourself how professional, accurate and unique your email address REALLY is, and what the first impression is when someone sees it for the first time.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What does your email say about YOU?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Post a list right here called, “Types of Email Addresses that Really Annoy Me,” along with the PSD’s (Potential Silent Dialogues) that accompany each one.

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

Do you have MARKET share or MIND share?

Tune in to The Marketing Channel on NametagTV.com for video lessons on creating unforgettable brands that magnetize more business!

Be SO good that customers can’t even tell

Walk into any Lush store around the world, and most customers will have the same response:

“These guys are SO good, their soaps don’t even look like soap!”

When was the last time YOU took a picture of SOAP?

Probably never.

But the people at Lush are just THAT good.

Tune in to The Ace of Cakes on Food Network (Staring culinary arr-teest Duff Goldman), and most viewers will share the same thought:

“That dude his SO good, his cakes don’t even look like cakes!

When was the last time YOU took a picture of a CAKE?

Unless it was a wedding, probably never.

But Charm City Cakes are just THAT good.

LESSON LEARNED: As Michael Cane said, “The art is hiding the art.”

That’s great advice.

And I think you can apply this principle to a variety of situations:

CREATE marketing that’s SO fun, SO cool and SO participative…
That your fans don’t even realize you’re marketing to them.

SELL your stuff with SUCH passion, SUCH comfort and SUCH service…
That your prospects don’t even realize you’re selling to them.

PERFORM sp effortlessly, SO naturally and SO emotionally…
That your audience doesn’t even realize you’re performing for them.

WRITE so engagingly, SO well-architected and with SO much personality…
That your readers don’t even realize they’re reading.

BUILD community that’s SO organic, SO authentic and SO inviting…
That your members don’t even realize they’re members of an organization.

NOTE: This doesn’t mean tricking, duping or manipulating people.

It just means being really, really good and doing what you do.

That’s what being That Guy is all about.

So good that people get lost in your brilliance and don’t even realize you’re doing what you do.

Never let ‘em catch you acting.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Who do YOU know that’s so good at doing what they do, people can’t even tell?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Share your best example here!

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

How are YOU making the mundane memorable?

Tune in to The Frontline Channel on NametagTV.com for video lessons on creating and keeping ~~satisfied~~ insistent customers!

The advantage of being an outsider

In the month of October alone, my clients include: inner-city librarians, municipal landfill owners, funeral directors, paper shredding companies, school lunch ladies and recruiters.

God I love my job!

Anyway, this made me realize something: objectivity is equity.

And this is GREAT news for you if you’re a consultant, speaker, facilitator or other form of independent contractor.

See, my clients tell me that employees are tired of listening to their bosses.

Same old information. Same old company. Same old industry.

BOR-ING.

They need fresh air.
They need new perspective.
They need someone from the outside.

And that’s where you come in.

SO, REMEMBER THIS: being an outsider is a position of value.

Here’s why:

1. OUTSIDERS … can be truly objective.

o Because they have little or no bias.
o Because they can recognize patterns immediately
o Because they have no stake in the company or organization.
o Because they don’t bring vested interests to an existing problem.
o Because they can explore the structure of an organization with fresh eyes.
o Because they’re not viewed as a threat, which diffuses defensiveness and increases the willingness to listen.

2. OUTSIDERS … don’t face traditional barriers.

o Because they are unaware of common creative blocks.
o Because they’re not subject internal politics of the organization.
o Because they can explore assumptions the organization that were never thought of or taken for granted

3. OUTSIDERS … can deliver independent thought.

o Because their thinking patterns are different.
o Because they’re detached from the outcomes.
o Because they’re not so close to the situation and therefore have limited agendas.
o Because their wealth of diverse background experience applies cross-industrially.

So, next time you’re trying to secure a new client, just remember: it’s OK to be an outsider.

Outsiders observe, think and speak from a position of value and equity.

REMEMBER: it’s a lot easier to break the limit when you don’t know the limit exists.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Are you an outsider?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Post your best story or example in which being an outsider enabled you to help your clients!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag

Are you a friend of The Nametag Network?

Read more blogs!
Rent Scott’s Brain!
Download articles and ebooks!
Watch training videos on NametagTV!

Make a name for yourself here…

Deliver __________ value.

Deliver ADDITIONAL value.
Because it exceeds customers’ expectations.

Deliver BUZZ-WORTHY value.
Because people who get talked about get business.

Deliver CONSISTENT value.
Because consistency is far better than rare moments of greatness.

Deliver DAILY value.
Because nobody wants to read a newspaper (or a website) that’s two years old.

Deliver DOWNLOADABLE value.
Because customers need to be able to take you with them.

Deliver UNEXPECTED value.
Because the most effective way to capture someone’s attention is to b-r-e-a-k her patterns.

Deliver FOCUSED value.
Because niches = riches.

Deliver LOCAL value.
Because everybody loves a homeboy.

Deliver MAXIMUM value.
Because … well, just because.

Deliver ONLINE value.
Because if you don’t exist on the Internet, you don’t exist.

Deliver PREDICTABLE value.
Because predictability creates familiarity, which creates trust.

Deliver SOLID value.
Because content is king.

Deliver SPECIFIC value.
Because credibility comes from specificity.

Deliver UNARGUABLE value.
Because customers can’t object to it.

Deliver UNFORGETTABLE value.
Because being “memorable” isn’t enough.

Deliver UNIQUE value.
Because being “different” merely means to stand out, while being “unique” means to be THE-ONLY-ONE.

Deliver UNMATCHED value.
Because the best way to eliminate the competition is to (not) have any.

Deliver WEEKLY value.
Because branding is about repeated impressions.

Deliver WORLD-CLASS value.
Because, as Seth Godin says, being average is for losers. Be exceptional or quit.

Deliver WRITTEN value.
Because writing is the basis of all wealth.
LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What types of value do you deliver?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Consider this post a checklist. Ask yourself how well you deliver each of these types of value.

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag

Are you a friend of The Nametag Network?

Read more blogs!
Rent Scott’s Brain!
Download articles and ebooks!
Watch training videos on NametagTV!

Make a name for yourself here…

Be UN-

Be UN avoidable.
So customers can’t (not) take a picture of your store.
So customers can’t (not) walk into your store.

Be UN competable.
So you’re the only one who does what you do.
So you’re not only ON your customer’s list, you ARE your customer’s list.

Be UN confusable.
So you’re a category of one.
So you’re the origin, not the echo.

Be UN defeatable.
So you keep showing up.
So you prove your persistence.

Be UN disputable.
So you become THEE, not A.
So you become the obvious choice.

Be UN forgettable.
So your service goes beyond just being “memorable.”
So you stay in customers’ minds forever.

Be UN ique.
So you’re not just “different.”
So you’re somebody who reminds everybody of nobody else.

Be UN predictable.
So you break customers’ patterns.
So you gain customers’ attention.

Be UN stealable.
So if somebody tried to copy you or steal your material, they would fail.
So if somebody tried to copy you or steal your material, people would know.

Be UN stoppable.
So you’re not just another One Hit Wonder.
So you’re constantly expanding your body of work and reinforcing your legacy.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s your UN-?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Make a list of as many UN’s as you can for your business.

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag

Are you a friend of The Nametag Network?

Read more blogs!
Rent Scott’s Brain!
Download articles and ebooks!
Watch training videos on NametagTV!

Make a name for yourself here…

ALL YE WHO ENTER BEWARE!

You’re a creative professional.

That means you make a living off of your ideas.

SO, HERE’S THE BIG QUESTION: how do you deal with people stealing your material?

Tough issue. Has been for a long time.

Plagiarism comes from the Latin plagiare, meaning, “to kidnap.”

It’s defined as “the practice of claiming, or implying, original authorship or incorporating material from someone else’s written or creative work, in whole or in part, into one’s own without adequate acknowledgment.” (From Wikipedia.)

Because idea piracy is such a big issue, here’s a list of seven potential solutions to deal with it:

1. Take legal action. This is an expensive, frustrating and timely pursuit. However, it could pay off in a BIG way if you win. Not to mention, become a deterrent for future offenders. HINT: ask more experienced creative professionals (or lawyers) if you have a case first.

2. Catch it early. You can’t control your online image. You can only monitor and participate IN it. That’s where Google Alerts come in handy. And if you’re tracking the right search terms, you’ll be the first to know when someone is stealing your material. Do you know every time someone is talking about you?

3. Kill ‘em with friendliness. Sometimes “stealing” and “using” isn’t the same thing. Still, it’s your job to find out. For example, last year my Google Alerts informed me that someone WAS using one of my taglines. So, I found they guy’s email, dropped him a line and cordially asked him to stop using my registered trademark. He was totally respectful and apologetic. He had no idea! So, if this happens to you, be friendly first. No need to get nasty or defensive.

4. Karma. Be honest with yourself: have YOU ever stolen someone else’s material? Just something to think about.

5. Protect thy content. On your blog or website, include a piracy notice or reprint policy. Tell visitors they are welcome to use your material if they:

a. Email you to ask for permission
b. Give you full credit with your specified BIO
c. Send you a copy or a link for the inclusion

Most people will respect this, especially if you drop Creative Commons on them.

REMEMBER: people respond to policies.

6. Validate. OK, let’s say someone DOES steal your material. Ask yourself three questions:

a. Will this person’s dishonesty, unoriginality and lack of creativity cause their execution of the idea to fizzle anyway?
b.Is this SUCH a minor incident that I shouldn’t even bother worrying about?
c. Is there really anything I can even do about it?

REMEMBER: Lincoln said, “You can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can’t fool all the people all the time.” Eventually, most thieves get caught.

7. Let it go. The nature of the Internet makes it VERY easy for people to steal material. The question is: how concerned are you?

Creativity Guru Lee Silber says, “Very few people have the intent, ability, follow-through or malice to steal your ideas. Don’t let this fear hold you back. Do what you can to protect yourself and your ideas, and then go out and spread the word.”

So, this isn’t about naivety, this is about reality. Is it really worth losing z’s about? And is it a problem or a predicament?

Those seven approaches notwithstanding, here’s my answer to the idea-stealing issue

The best way to block a punch … no be there.

Those were the words of Mr. Miyagi from Karate Kid II.

IN OTHER WORDS: if you don’t want people stealing your material and using your ideas, make them unstealable.

Create and position your material in a manner that is SO unique to you, your brand and your voice … that nobody COULD steal it.

And if they did, people would know it.

That’s what I would do.

Ultimately, whichever approach you choose, just know this: idea piracy DOES happen.

Your challenge as a creative professional is to create a plan that effectively and efficiently deals with it when it does.

And, if you’re one of those unfortunate artists who DOES get her ideas kidnapped, remember this old scripture: (I learned this from my high school English teacher)

“And let us not be wearing in well doing: for in due season we shall reap a harvest if we faint not.”

Because at the end of the creative day…

People who steal ideas are cowards.
People who steal ideas are unoriginal.
People who steal ideas are uncreative.
People who steal ideas are going to get caught.
People who steal ideas are not going to sustain themselves.

So, don’t let it get you down. Piracy is flattery.

After all, if your idea was so good that somebody wanted to steal it, maybe that should tell you something 😉

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How do you prevent and/or deal with idea pirates?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Share your best piracy story here, along with how you handled it.

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag

Are you a friend of The Nametag Network?

Read more blogs!
Rent Scott’s Brain!
Download articles and ebooks!
Watch training videos on NametagTV!

Make a name for yourself here…

Are you the echo or the origin?

There are no cover bands in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Why?

Because cover bands are imitations.

Copies. Replicas. Fakes. Designer imposters.

In other words, echoes.

An echo is defined as a “repetition or close imitation.”

And if you take a quick look around, you’ll notice a WHOLE lot of companies, products, people and ideas are just that – echoes.

FIRST EXAMPLE: in the mid 90’s when David Spade was a regular cast member on Saturday Night Live, he did a great bit on Weekend Update called “Hollywood Minute.”

My favorite episode from the 1994-95 season featured a picture of grunge rockers Stone Temple Pilots.

Spade’s punch line was, “Yeah, these guys were great the FIRST time I saw them … when they were called Pearl Jam.”

The audience howled!

See, Spade was suggesting that STP was the echo, not the origin. (Don’t get me wrong – I loved STP.)

But this isn’t just about music.

This is about being first.
This is about being unique.
This is about finding your voice.

And it goes for books, movies, products, companies, ideas and services.

SECOND EXAMPLE: a few weeks ago I was flying home to St. Louis after giving a speech in Orlando. The flight attendant took the passengers through the usual preflight routine.

Here’s what she said:

o “If you haven’t ridden in a place since 1957, this handy little tool is called a ‘seatbelt!’”

o “If the person next to you starts freaking out, please don’t be alarmed…”

o “In the event of a water landing, don’t forget to grab your Speedos and bikinis along with your seat cushion!”

The entire plane was laughing. Passengers actually gave her a round of applause after she was done!

NOW, HERE’S MY QUESTION: what airline do you think it was?

(Think of your answer before reading on.)

Most people would guess Southwest Airlines, as they are well known for their fun, casual and mundane-to-memorable customer service.

But it was actually US Airways.

Didn’t see that coming, did you?

Of course not! After all, Southwest was the first airline to actually make their preflight announcements fun.

Which makes them the origin.

But over the years, other airlines (namely, US Airways) have made the connection between Southwest’s philosophy and their profits … and copied their fun announcement idea.

Which makes them the echo.

And that creates a problem.

Because just like in music, the echo is never quite as beautiful, never quite as cool, and never quite as effective as the origin.

To find out which one you are, take The David Spade Test:

STEP 1: Think about a specific idea, product or service your company offers.

STEP 2: Next, imagine David Spade (in his typical wise-ass form), was parodying your company on Saturday Night Live.

STEP 3: Ask yourself, “Who or what would the cynic compare us to?” Imagine how Spade might insert your product or idea into one of the following punch lines:

1. “Yeah, it was great the first time I went there, when it was called…”
2. “Yeah, it was great the first time I bought it, when it was called a…”
3. “Yeah, those guys were great the first time I hired them, when they were called…”

The goal is to come up with nothing.

To find no possible way someone could jokingly compare you to a competitor.

To be the only one who does what you do.

Because if you’re just an echo, you won’t be around very long.

REMEMBER: there are no cover bands in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Are you the echo or the origin?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Complete this exercise and figure out what David Spade would say about you. Then brainstorm arguments as to why he’s wrong.

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

Are you the luckiest person you know?

Watch Scott’s interview on 20/20!

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