March 5, 2010
- 093 The Invisible Touch – The Eight Keys to Lasting Relationships
The Eighth Key: Passion
We've reached the end of this blog series: The Invisible Touch (patterned after the terrific book by Harry Beckwith).
And what a great way to end it: talking about passion.
Dictionary.com says this:
–noun
1. any powerful or compelling emotion or feeling, as love or hate.
2. strong amorous feeling or desire; love; ardor.
3. strong sexual desire; lust.
4. an instance or experience of strong love or sexual desire.
5. a person toward whom one feels strong love or sexual desire.
6. a strong or extravagant fondness, enthusiasm, or desire for anything: a passion for music.
7. the object of such a fondness or desire: Accuracy became a passion with him.
8. an outburst of strong emotion or feeling: He suddenly broke into a passion of bitter words.
9. violent anger.
10. the state of being acted upon or affected by something external, esp. something alien to one's nature or one's customary behavior (contrasted with action).
11. (often initial capital letter) Theology.-
a. the sufferings of Christ on the cross or His sufferings subsequent to the Last Supper.
b. the narrative of Christ's sufferings as recorded in the Gospels.12. Archaic. the sufferings of a martyr.
Take your pick of the definition YOU want.. but here's what I'm talking about.
Passion:It's what keeps you driving forward in your life, energized, excited to "get at it," ready to jump out of bed early in the morning because sleep has kept you from accomplishing some of your tasks (even though you really need the sleep!).
It's that inner voice that says "I LOVE what I am doing" and you want to share that feeling with others.
It's a never-say-stop attitude that won't allow set-backs to keep you from accomplishing all you know you need to do in life.
It's an attitude that says what you are doing is important, fulfilling, fun!
Its what keeps you going when things are a bit tough and it keeps you going even through 93 "chapters" of a blogging book where you want to share your ideas with the world.
It's the energy of life, the tonic for what ails you, the formula to achieve all your goals, and the long-range laser-focus on your personal summit of achievement.
Wow… I really got wound up in that!
Passion: it's life itself… and I feel blessed to have an abundance of it.
Epilogue… Thanks for reading this. What a thrill it's been for me to complete this whole new book on The Invisible Touch… MY way. I appreciate your taking time to share it.
And now – leave me a comment here to tell me what YOU feel about this!
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March 3, 2010
- 092 The Invisible Touch – The Eight Keys to Lasting Relationships
The Seventh Key: Magic Words
We each have our list of magic words that propel us in life, business, our family… hey, everywhere.
Here is my list of those important words:
Thank You
It's amazing to me how many times people forget these two words – like forgetting to signal when they turn left or right in their car: they know they SHOULD do it, but sometimes they forget… and when they forget, they get out of the habit and eventually stop doing it.
A Thank You can go a long way: here's an example that touches my heart every time I think about it.
When my younger daughter, Liz, has been in the hospital (she inherited her dad's penchant for trips to the emergency room: kidney stones and appendicitis), she always thanks the nurses. After getting her temperature taken: Thank You. After a shot: Thank You. After giving blood: Thank You.
She's not thanking for the PAIN or the inconvenience… but for the personal care that will lead to her getting well.
It hurts me to see her in the hospital. I've had SIX kidney stones, an appendicitis, a gangrenous gallbladder so I know what the inside of an emergency room likes like. It pains me to see my daughter in the hospital.
But it warms my heart to hear her say Thank You so freely. Hey, she's a great young woman… and I love her very much.
Use it: it goes a LONG way!
You're Welcome
Wait… we have to thank people for thanking us? Isn't that really what You're Welcome is?
Sort of…
But it's more than that. At the heart of things, it shows people that you care. You did something for them that elicited a Thank You and now you are showing (again) that you care.
"Oh, it was nothing…" really puts down the person saying Thank You… as if to say "there's no reason to thank me." But hey: LET them be grateful for your help and then acknowledge them for saying Thank You.
If nothing else, you will encourage them to keep saying Thank You: and what a nicer world this will be!
It's Great To See You
Have you ever greeted a friend who gave you a bear hug and showed clearly how thrilled s/he was to see you?
THAT'S what It's Great To See You can do (verbally) if it comes from your heart. Just starting off you made it clear to the person you are speaking with that s/he really means something to you… and don't we all feel better knowing that we mean something to the person we're about to spend some time with (even if it's only a few minutes in a chat)?
I have a few friends who make me feel great every time I see them. They are warm, caring, listen to me, share their ideas, are slow to ask for my help because they spend so much time sharing in my ideas and thoughts.
When you start every conversation by showing you really care about the person you're meeting with, each conversation will go better than you could have imagined.
Try it…
What Can I Do To Help You
Have you ever heard the expression "we all listen to the same radio station in our minds… not matter WHERE we are in the world, we all listen to that same station: WIIFM (What's In It For Me)."
MOST people don't really care that you didn't sleep well, the toast was burned, or the guy in front of you cut you off today as you raced to work.
MOST people care about THEMSELVES… so turn that to your advantage and ask about THEM!
Working with clients I always say, "My job is to find out what YOU want and then help you to get it." I do NOT say, as many people say (whether they know it or not), "Here's what I have to sell and you should want to buy it."
Before every Dan Kennedy – Bill Glazer local chapter meeting (GKIC-Philly), I stop at a local pizza shop. I take some work but since it's known that I will be there, friends often stop before the meeting. Maybe it's just to chat… but maybe they are working on a project and want another set of eyes. Maybe they want to chat about a marketing campaign they've started. Maybe they are wondering what new business to get into and want a sounding board.
I remember one meeting when a friend, Dan, and I were chatting with another friend, Jay. Jay brought in a sales handout he planned to use the next day at a huge conference.
The material wasn't very well-written. It was hard to figure out what he wanted people to do. We had many suggestions that piqued Jay's interest.
Jay didn't make our GKIC-Philly meeting – he went home, edited his material, and had a successful conference.
So what did I get out of that?
I helped another human being who asked for it. I sharpened my own skills by seeing Jay's work. I shared camaraderie with Jay and Dan. And in many ways, I felt like I was the biggest winner there, though it was Jay's work that improved.
When you ASK what you can do to help someone and then you DO… life's pretty great!
I'm Great
Whoa, there… maybe this needs to be explained.
This is a response after someone asks, "Hey, Charlie: how are you?" This is NOT a statement that I am better than someone else.
Here again, people don't really want to learn about what went wrong in my day… they generally ask this question because they feel it's the polite thing to do.
But when I answer "I am GREAT" they seem to come up to my level of enthusiasm (and I'm nothing if not a very enthusiastic person).
People often want to know WHY things are great. And again I think that has less to do with ME and more to do with how THEY can be at a level of GREAT too.
People are looking to be led. Some have gone as far as to say that people are walking about with their umbilical cords in their hands looking for a place to plug in: yep… they really do miss the care their mommies gave them and they want someone to help them and protect them.
These Are Some Of Mine… What Are Yours?
So… what do YOU think? What words are special to YOU?
And now – leave me a comment here to tell me what YOU feel about this!
Read more on 092 The Invisible Touch – The Eight Keys to Lasting Relationships…
February 5, 2010
- 091 The Invisible Touch – The Eight Keys to Lasting Relationships – Completeness Makes A HUGE Difference
The Sixth Key: Completeness
Years ago when I first worked with my very close associate, Cheryl, she said something to me that I never forgot.
I’ll tell you that in a minute. First some background.
Cheryl and I first met at a local theater where I was starting to direct musicals and she loved behind-the-scenes work, such as costuming. She worked at Franklin Mint in the ceramic figurines area making sure that all the details of a project were finished – from concept to getting it shipped for sales.
I could tell with my first interaction with Cheryl that she was a GREAT manager of a myriad of details.
So when my first production was over and I was pulling my team together for the next year’s production, I asked her if she’d like to work with me. (We then worked together in my photography business and my online business for about 20 years.)
One day at the theater I went to Cheryl to ask if she had completed what we agreed she’d do by that date.
And here’s what she said to me (that I’ve never forgotten): The first time I don’t complete something we’ve agreed I’d get done, then please start asking me about things; but just assume when I say I’ll get something done, I will… you no longer have to worry about whether or not it is finished.
WOW!
Someone after my own heart.
Can you see why we because fast friends and worked so long and so well together?
And I never DID have to ask her again.
She was absolutely complete in everything she did.
Phew…. how many times have I wished that she had not retired to the New Jersey shore… we’d STILL be working together.
Something about the trust I felt from that first moment. She said it, she did it. How much more complete could I ever ask for?!
And now – leave me a comment here to tell me what YOU feel about this!
February 4, 2010
- 091 The Invisible Touch – The Eight Keys to Lasting Relationships – Completeness
The Sixth Key: Completeness
Have you ever noticed that when you ask for things from a restaurant and EVERY little detail is attended to how impressed you are with the place?
I guess we’re so impressed because it doesn’t happen too often.
But here’s a time that it happened for me.
My wife, Pam, and I loved to go to a place in the North Carolina mountains called The Swag. It’s a 5-star boutique cabin-hotel 5000 feet up the mountain next to the Great Smoky National Park. (When I say next to, I mean walk out the main building and walk about 20 feet and you’re at the dividing fence between The Swag and the National Park.)
The Swag is near Waynesville, NC USA which isn’t far from Asheville.
On our first trip there, they asked us to fill out a questionnaire where I listed that I’m allergic to onions. At about 3:30 in the afternoon the phone rang and it was the chef:
“Mr. Seymour I see you are allergic to onions and our salad dressing has a hint of onion in it…” and he went on to suggest another type of salad and dressing.
When we got to dinner, the hostess met us and mentioned that the chef had told her about “no onions” for me. And just to be safe, we were seated next to a couple who didn’t want onions either (not that I’m THAT allergic to them).
Now THAT felt like I had been heard and understood. THIS place really cared about me.
Usually I have to tell restaurants NO onions in my salad but then when my steak arrives it has an onion ring on the top (or onions in the vegetables).
There’s something about someone following up COMPLETELY that shows us uncommon respect.
And that feels great.
And makes us want to tell our friends about the place.
As I just told YOU about The Swag. It’s terrific!
And now – leave me a comment here to tell me what YOU feel about this!
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February 3, 2010
- 090 The Invisible Touch – The Eight Keys to Lasting Relationships – Sacrifice
The Fifth Key: Your Clients’ Sacrifices
OK… so you busted your butt for your client but you get the feeling she just isn’t satisfied. Why does that “crazy person” act like that anyway?
Did you ever stop to think, from your client’s perspective, what she feels SHE sacrifices when it comes to your relationship.
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She has agreed to spend money.
She trusts that what you have done in the past you will do again.
She feels that her loss of control over the project is now on YOUR shoulders, and it makes her nervous.Can you see that even as your relationship is just starting, your client feels that the balance of sacrifice is heavily weighed in HER favor and not yours?
So all he work you have to do on her project must tip the scales the other way. You must show that you are the best. You must get your work done with great quality and on time. And you must show you’ve sacrificed to make things work exceptionally well for your client.
Then… and only then… will she feel that YOU have the balance in YOUR favor. And then she will feel obligated to work more with her.
So… quality, timeliness, and sacrifice – they go a long way toward getting your client to want to work with you again. And let’s face it, after all the work you’ve put in, it is MUCH more economical to retain a client than to get a new one… so you WANT this one to stay.
Show that in everything you!
And now – leave me a comment here to tell me what YOU feel about this!
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February 2, 2010
- 089 The Invisible Touch – The Eight Keys to Lasting Relationships – Sacrifice
The Fifth Key: Sacrifice
People want to work with us when they trust us. People are glued to us forever when they see the sacrifice we incur for them.
When you promise something, deliver it. Don’t promise something you don’t think you can deliver, because people will no longer trust you to get it done.
However, when they see the sacrifice you go through to help them, when they see you have given it your all, they will be indebted to you and that feeling or reciprocity will be a powerful motivator to them to keep them working with you over and over again.
Have you ever had a time when someone working with you really gave all he or she had. Did you sense the extra effort, the long hours, the time away from family that went in to getting you what you needed on time and with the quality you require?
How did you feel?
Were you impressed? I can understand that. Were you feeling “this is a really good person”? I can understand THAT too.
And then did you work with that person again when the opportunity arose.
THAT is the key.
When you really sacrifice for your client, he or she will want to work with you again and again.
So – promise, deliver, and give it all you have to make things the best and most timely possible. Your clients will love you for it.
And now – leave me a comment here to tell me what YOU feel about this!
Read more on 089 The Invisible Touch – The Eight Keys to Lasting Relationships – Sacrifice…
February 1, 2010
- 088 The Invisible Touch – The Eight Keys to Lasting Relationships – Apparent Expertise
The Fourth Key: Relationships – Get To It
When you produce marketing materials, don’t “bury the lead.” Here’s what I mean.
Don’t wait to tell your prospects/clients/customers/patients why they should work with you. Say it early and make it clear.
And always phrase it from THEIR perspective.
Remember: people really don’t care about YOU… they care about themselves. They want to know how YOU and help THEM; why YOU are the best person to help THEM; why what YOU have is exactly what THEY need.
Delay in explaining it to them, hold out and make them read, study, hunt for what you do that is perfect for them and you’ll lose them.
And their business.
So… get to it: tell them clearly, and do it from THEIR perspective.
And now – leave me a comment here to tell me what YOU feel about this!
Read more on 088 The Invisible Touch – The Eight Keys to Lasting Relationships – Apparent Expertise…
January 8, 2010
- 087 The Invisible Touch – The Eight Keys to Lasting Relationships – Apparent Expertise
The Fourth Key: Relationships – Communicating Your Special Expertise
Little did I know when I started this blog (with the intent that I’d finish with a complete book of my own) that Dr. Marc Kossmann and I would begin PersonalSuccess Marketing together (PersonalSuccessMarketing.com).
Dr. Marc is a psychologist from NYU and Widener by training and I’m an MBA marketer from Tufts and Wharton by training. He’s a clinical psychologist with patients and Adjunct Professor in Psychology and I’m a video-producing, audio-creating blogger and marketing consultant with clients and products of my own to market.
So What Is Our Connection AND What’s The Connection To This Topic?
Marc and I both love the psychology of marketing, why people buy, how they need to market, and we love telling stories to showcase our examples.
He was buying, fixing up, and selling houses for “fun” and additional income and I was a pro photographer.
But we both love marketing, how to do it best, and want to share our knowledge with others so they don’t have to go through what WE went through to learn all of it.
We met in a small business development group. We got to know each other over many months and learned how the other functioned. We liked each others’ sense of humor and dedication to getting the job done with no excuses for late or poor service.
OK… so he rides a motorcycle and I drive a small SUV, but we’re so alike in lots of ways.
Dr. Marc and Charlie Plan Their New Business
One of the first things Dr. Marc and I did was to write our own Legends. Before the next meeting, we had to put on at least FIVE sheets of paper what we’ve been doing with our lives and what really excites us.
I think Dr. Marc had 7 pages in a small font (all told in a narrative… and WELL told) and I had 11 (in a more chronological, list form). It was interesting to see HOW we each approached this assignment – we both had the task, both knew what was expected, yet our end results were created very differently.
But what we had when we finished was a detailed list of all of our skills and past activities.
Now we can use this information to marketing to various specialists who need what we have to offer. (We’re showing mid-life and mid-career professionals that they can get off the plateau in their business and in their life, create some true value in their businesses, and provide for themselves passive income that will keep flowing money to them well after they sell their businesses and retire.)
And since one of our goals is to show that we are “one of THEM” (whatever group we’re going to), knowing our backgrounds will let us show people how much we are like them.
People like to work with people they like. People like people who are like themselves.
We’re on the road creating marketing lessons and marketing plans to show people how we can help them. And with all the apparent expertise we have, we can show several niches of people that we are “just like them.”
Have YOU taken an assessment of what YOU have done over the years? You may be missing lots of opportunities until you do!
And now – leave me a comment here to tell me what YOU feel about this!
Read more on 087 The Invisible Touch – The Eight Keys to Lasting Relationships – Apparent Expertise…
January 7, 2010
- 086 The Invisible Touch – The Eight Keys to Lasting Relationships – Apparent Expertise
The Fourth Key: Relationships – Communicating Your Special Expertise
When I sold investment real estate (along the East Coast of the USA) I specialized in major office towers, large apartment complexes, and life care centers.
Not shopping centers or malls, not doctors’ offices or hospitals, not ocean resorts or hotels.
And I sold $247,368,657.97 worth of it (plus managed the marketing for about a billion more).
When I started my photography business, I specialized in family portraits, bat and bar mitzvahs, and weddings. All ON location (not in a cold, eerily-familiar studio). Every image was unique. The environs were unique to the family involved. And I came up with the phrase that I was “creating the heirlooms of tomorrow, today.”
Think about that for a moment – photographs of you on the beach as a kid or at an early birthday party seemed so ordinary when created but with the passage of time, they are all now special treasures.
And I knew all of mine would be as well.
Do you see how specializing helped me earn high fees?
In fact, there are photographers in my market who get half what I get paid for photography yet people walk past them to come to me.
Why?
Because I’m a specialist.
And I TELL people I’m a specialist (and then prove it with the type and quality of my work).
You Cannot Be All Things To All People
Many people believe that if they specialize (or as many of us in marketing say, “niche”), they will cut down the number of prospects and reduce their income.
That’s backwards (well, up to a point – I’ll explain that in a moment).
I always advise my consulting clients that their business should be “an inch wide and 20 miles deep.”
Here’s what I mean:
You should specialize and then do everything you can in that specialty.
To earn the highest fees, a doctor should be a specialist and know EVERYTHING about, say, the heart, the lungs, or the kidneys. She should be the go-to person when anyone ever needs that specialist. She should be the top-of-mind person when the need arises, so people naturally think of her when they need that specialist.
For my photography (I’m doing less and less with photography because my marketing business has increased so much) I have separate websites for each of my specialties. Let’s face it: a bride doesn’t want the best Bar Mitzvah photographer for her wedding. She wants to know that I understand the pressures she’s under, the joys she wants captured, special moments to look for, and how to work congenially with her family (and her NEW family).
So for ME, one website wouldn’t do that.
Charles Seymour Jr, Photographer is NOT the website that will convince that bride that I know what I’m doing (and give her the reason to pay me 47% more than she might pay someone else) but WeddingPhotographySecretsRevealed.com IS.
There’s a story I love (and it makes this point about “specialty” even clearer):
For years a local company went to a printer for their stationery. The owner did a great job for them in quality, timing, and price. And when they added a new employee and needed more stationery quickly, the printer was always quick to respond, showing great customer service to this client.
One day the client walked into the printer to order some more stationery and showed the printer her new business card, printed at another print shop.
“Why didn’t you ask ME to do that?” asked the printer.
“Oh, I thought you just did stationery. This printer told me he specialized in business cards, so I went there.”
So… while I always suggest people specialize and then make clear what that specialty is, you might specialize in SEVERAL things, and you want to be sure that you tell your prospects and clients what you do.
Just as I do. The last wedding I photographed was for the sister of a young man for whom I was the Bar Mitzvah photographer. The family loved my work, learned about my wedding photography from me after they were thrilled with the Bar Mitzvah album, and then asked me to present how I photograph a wedding.
And I got that business with NO new client, NO new marketing, and NO learning curve for the family – they knew they could trust me and the wedding went GREAT.
So… find your specialty and be sure to market it clearly!
Oh, yes… I promised to tell you why that was backwards: If you are a generalist and sell yourself like you can handle EVERYONE’S problems, no one will “see” you as the right person to help them.
Sure… you might FEEL like everyone is your prospect, but none of them will feel you are their solution to their problem.
But if someone would say to me, “Hey: 5’8”, bald, hazel-eyed, mustachioed men outside of Philadelphia, PA USA: I have something for YOU!” I would HAVE to pay attention.
See what I mean?
And now – leave me a comment here to tell me what YOU feel about this!
Read more on 086 The Invisible Touch – The Eight Keys to Lasting Relationships – Apparent Expertise…
January 6, 2010
- 085 The Invisible Touch – The Eight Keys to Lasting Relationships – Apparent Expertise
The Fourth Key: Relationships – Words
For years I’ve been comfortable with words: speaking, writing, broadcasting, even singing.
But not everyone is.
Have you ever received an email from some one and wondered what the sender’s first language was?
I have.
And usually the native language has been English – American English.
Yet many of our children (and our adults) really have trouble putting a clear, complete sentence together.
It doesn’t help that terms like LOL, BRB, and BFF are now part of our language (Laughing Out Loud, Be Right Back, Best Friend Forever).
So what are people to do?
If you have computer problems, you get an expert to fix it for you. If your car needs work, you probably go to someone who knows what he’s doing. If you need good writing, get a writer to do it (not the person who happens to have some free time or wants to earn some money).
How do I do it?
I write most of my own posts, like this one. But even I call in some experts when I have lots of writing to do.
Sometimes I will “talk” my article into a recorder. Not dictate it… just talk out loud about what I want the article to say.
Some people can dictate well… I used to do it a LOT when I worked in corporate America… but I find not that my THINKING is halting as I compose a sentence in my mind before dictating it.
And sometimes I do a rough draft and send it to a writer-friend who listens to my basic description (I usually send an MP3 recording along with my draft) and sees what I’ve written. She then reworks what I’ve done and then I polish what she submits to me.
Why do I go to such lengths to get my writing in the shape I want it? Because even with the explosion of video and MP3 on the Internet, words are still King!
So… when YOU have something important to say, make sure it is said well. If YOU are good at writing, great. If not, get some help!
And now – leave me a comment here to tell me what YOU feel about this!
Read more on 085 The Invisible Touch – The Eight Keys to Lasting Relationships – Apparent Expertise…
January 5, 2010
- 084 The Invisible Touch – The Eight Keys to Lasting Relationships – Apparent Expertise
The Fourth Key: Relationships – You Only THINK You’re Being Clear
“So… was that clear?”
“Oh yes,” says the prospect, not wanting to admit she had NO idea what was just said. And even when she DID know what was just said, the salesman asking “was that clear” really only gets a reply that says “what I understood was clear to me the way I heard it… but maybe not the way YOU said it!”
When I coach people about their presentations and sit through them, some people have been highly trained to check in every few paragraphs. “Don’t you agree” or “Do you see what I mean?”
Clearly the prospect sitting there can only reply as to the way SHE heard it, so the salesperson has to think of a different question to ask.
Have you ever “barked” at your dog after he’s done something wrong. Have you found, as I have, that the WORDS mean nothing because the dog only understands (as much as a dog CAN understand) what your emotion-level was.
“Good Dog” in an upbeat tone means the same as “Bad Dog” said with the same inflection.
And whether you know it or not, that’s how your clients often hear you.
Her mind is on getting home for dinner, racing for some errands, or playing back what her boss said to her earlier in the day.
Self-talk is often MUCH louder than the volume of people talking AT us.
My daughter, Liz, once told me what Oprah has said about how she talks with Stedman, her man for many years.
“I need you to hear me,” Liz would say, using her right hand to gesture to me.
I’ve always known that when I fully concentrate, time and noises zoom by me and I am oblivious to them. I’m focused on what I am doing.
So if my wife, Pam, says something to me (and then later says “I told you about that!”) and she didn’t get my attention first, more than likely, I missed what she said.
Have you ever had a chat with a prospect, felt things went really well, but didn’t get the assignment when you really thought you had it?
There can be MANY reasons why things didn’t work out, of course… but, communication is usually a big part of it.
Avoid the jargon, use concrete metaphors to relate what you will do for your client, and ask LOTS of questions.
Questions let you know what’s really going on in your prospect’s mind… and never take the replies as a problem when your client gives you an objection: only people with some interest give you some objections – those who agree with you fully probably aren’t interested at all.
And now – leave me a comment here to tell me what YOU feel about this!
Read more on 084 The Invisible Touch – The Eight Keys to Lasting Relationships – Apparent Expertise…
January 4, 2010
- 083 The Invisible Touch – The Eight Keys to Lasting Relationships – Apparent Expertise
The Fourth Key: Relationships – The Power of Clarity
Have you ever had a chat with someone and walked away and said, “HUH?!!”
If that were your client walking away, you just missed a sale.
Often when I’d photograph Young People’s Theatre Workshop and hear my younger daughter, Liz, talk to the young kids in her classes, I’d think “Wow, she makes that so clear to them.”
How did she do it?
She used age- and skill-appropriate metaphors.
She explained what she needed them to do in terms of something else they already knew.
“I need you to walk down to the edge of the stage as if you were a duck waddling in thick, sticky mud.” (Who couldn’t understand THAT! Can’t you just see a 6-year old doing exactly that?)
And notice that Liz’s explanation wasn’t filled with philosophical ideas or vague descriptions that her students wouldn’t understand.
We need to talk with our clients the same way.
And let’s face it: you can be the BEST at what you do but if you can’t tell others about it, you’ll never make a sale.
Let people join you in your enthusiastic ideas and they’ll line up to buy from you!
And now – leave me a comment here to tell me what YOU feel about this!
Read more on 083 The Invisible Touch – The Eight Keys to Lasting Relationships – Apparent Expertise…
December 31, 2009
- Charlie Seymour Jr's 10 Tips for Marketing Success
If You're Like Me, You Like To Save Time By Learning From Others
I've been in the marketing business my whole life, or so it seems. I've had a lot of successes along the way and my share of failures.
In those 35 years since college, I've learned what works and what doesn't in the areas where I specialize. Some things I studied and tried on my own, some I had to learn the hard way, and some things were pointed out to me.
If you’re like me, you like to save time by learning from others who have “already been there.” Why reinvent the wheel when it’s already been invented.
Here are some ideas that can help you save time and make more money.
1. One Small Step Can Change Your Life
The number one thing I've learned in all my years as a marketer is that one small step can work wonders. It's all about learning a new habit, a new way of being.
You've got to ease into any new behavior gradually and then keep at it.
I knew a woman who wanted to quit smoking. She'd tried many times but failed. She just couldn't get up in the morning without having a cigarette with her morning coffee, it was that deeply ingrained in her.
She couldn't do it on her own, so she took a program at a local hospital. She was taught, over the course of eight weeks, to gradually wean the cigarettes from her life.
The first morning, she had a whole cigarette with coffee, the next week, she only smoked ¾, the week after that, she had ½ a cigarette at breakfast.
She followed this regime, and at the end of eight weeks, she didn't want to smoke at breakfast. She had quit smoking with no withdrawals, no cravings, no hair pulling.
It wasn’t easy, but she did it.
Ease into your new behaviors gradually, in increments that you can handle easily.
Don't start contacting 100 people on the first day. Start off with 10. Move up to 20 the second week, 30 the third week and so on.
Before you know it, you'll have developed a new, constructive habit that will help you grow your business to amazing heights.
2. Nothing Substitutes For Experience
Nothing beats experience. And the only way to get experience is to get out there and DO IT.
You can only read so much about maximizing profits, driving more traffic to your site, and having successful affiliate programs. At some point you've got to experience it for yourself, see what it's like to set up you own site, and start the ball rolling.
Just get out there and go for it.
Remember: I'll always be here to help you through the tough spots.
Think of this site as an oasis of support. Come back here with your questions (and believe me, you'll have questions) and I'll get you the answer as soon as possible.
Leave comments here on my blog – I read them all and comment back. Let the community know how you're doing. Tell us about your successes as well as the things you'd do differently next time.
And if you find you want MORE help, maybe you’re ready for my next website with Dr. Marc Kossmann: PersonalSuccessMarketing.com – Click Here To Learn More!
3. Copy Successful Businesses
Is there a website that you admire? One that seems to be successful, one that provides a valuable service, one that you'd like to imitate?
Read more on Charlie Seymour Jr's 10 Tips for Marketing Success…
December 18, 2009
- 082The Invisible Touch – The Eight Keys to Lasting Relationships – 4. Apparent Expertise
The Fourth Key: Relationships – Apparent Expertise
I have a long family history in theater: I know what it takes to "play the part."
Have you ever seen a politician on TV delivering some really sad news but he seems to be smiling? YIKES… what mixed signals that delivers!
We must be careful in our businesses to deliver a consistent message in everything we do… and then we must "look the part."
We must have the real expertise AND the appearance of the expertise.
For example,
- A very overweight person might look like a great chef, but perhaps not the dietitian.
- A young woman with bright orange hair and a pierced eyebrow might be a terrific rock singer, but she'd have a tough time convincing middle-aged woman that she will deliver a decent haircut.
- A doctor can dress in a sportshirt on a TV show, but studies have shown that most of us have more confidence in our doctors when they dress in their white lab coats (with their names embroidered on them).
Silly?
Perhaps.
But the expression, "You can't tell a book by its cover" came about because that is exactly what people DO.
We all make judgments all the time. And when the physical look equals what we expect, we feel more confident in the person delivering the service to us.
Keep that in mind next time you meet a client. Do you look the part?
And now – leave me a comment here to tell me what YOU feel about this!
December 17, 2009
- 081The Invisible Touch – The Eight Keys to Lasting Relationships – 3. Speed
The Fourth Key: Relationships – Speed
Speed kills – on the highway, anyway. And put a bit of ice on the road, and it doesn't even have to be all that fast.
But in business, sometimes speed is needed.
You know: when a client wants an order right away… or a proposal… or a referral.
In today's Internet world, people often expect things at the speed of light.
So when someone sends you a fax or an email, they often want the answer immediately.
Whoa – Set Proper Expectations
How Available Are You To Clients?
Clients learn from me very quickly that they cannot "get to me" at a moment's notice. Some of my friends are horrified at that, but once my clients understand that if I allowed everyone with a whim to interrupt me, then they'd see that I wouldn't be able to get THEIR work done.
Phone calls are scheduled.
Email is answered twice a day.
I don't give out my cell phone except to clients with paid agreements (who must know how to contact me in case an appointment or meeting out of the office is changed) and to my family. Others can leave messages on my main number (610.572.2581) or email me (Charlie @ 'CharlesSeymourJr.com)
It used to be when people could first send a fax that they'd press the "send" button and then begin to wonder why I hadn't called with the answer. It didn't matter that I was out of the office and never saw the fax, they wanted their answer.
Email and texting has made that even more complicated.
Here's My Advice In The 21st Century Of Communication
Set expectations.
Tell your clients WHEN they can contact you and WHEN they can expect a reply.
Teach them to respect your time – if your work is excellent AND they understand the ground rules, they will quickly learn how to comply.
Oh, sure: perhaps the old saying "Under Promise and Over Deliver" is still good. But be sure to set expectations so that you can deliver on what you promise.
Forget that faxes and email and texting are immediate; forget that FedEx and UPS can deliver over night.
Decide how you want YOUR business to act, and then live up to that.
Set your guidelines, communicate them well, and stick to them. You'll have loyal clients when you do.
And now – leave me a comment here to tell me what YOU feel about this!
Read more on 081The Invisible Touch – The Eight Keys to Lasting Relationships – 3. Speed…
December 14, 2009
- 078 The Invisible Touch – The Eight Keys to Lasting Relationships – 2. Trust
The Fourth Key: Relationships – What Produces Trust? Predictability
My younger daughter is planning her wedding (as I write this).
It's never easy to tell someone how to get things "to work out" between any two people, but I found myself giving her a bit of advice the other day.
I told her how Mom and I just started taking responsibility for certain things around the house… and it's been working pretty well for 28 years of marriage.
Pam, for years, has worked OUT of the house and my office is IN the house. So I told her than no matter how much of a super woman she is, she isn't SuperWoman.
She just could NOT do all the (to some people) typical female activities around the house.
Every Monday, I do the laundry – wash and fold and put it in a basket on our bed so when she comes home, she can put her clothes away. Her pants are hung over the railing outside the laundry room next to our bedroom so she can put them on pants hangers.
Pam does the grocery shopping and when I'm here, I help her put it away.
She usually cooks one roast or chicken a week and we both then prepare our own dinners and salads (and usually eat them together). And if she cooks, I clean up (well, most of the time – especially for a dinner like Thanksgiving when we host our extended family).
I vacuum the upstairs weekly – my office, the hallway, our bedroom, our bathroom, the walk-in closet. That way any cat litter the cat has tracked into our room will be cleaned up. And any dog hair on my office carpet will be vacuumed before my computers suck it into their processors.
So… what's the point here?
If either Pam or I one day just STOPPED doing what has fallen naturally to us OR if either of us gets erratic in how we accomplish our chores, we'd lose faith in the other one and we'd lose all sense of predictability.
This doesn't mean that Pam brings home the same food every week or that I have to clean exactly the same clothes every week.
We still have choices in what we do… but we've come to rely on the other to get things done.
Makes for a good marriage, good partnership, and good client/owner relationship.
I THINK that helped my daughter understand our relationship better… time will tell!
I HOPE it helped YOU!
And now – leave me a comment here to tell me what YOU feel about this!
Read more on 078 The Invisible Touch – The Eight Keys to Lasting Relationships – 2. Trust…
- Successful Entrepreneur – No, You Don't Need A College Education to be Successful
Soar Above The Rest By Design
[Note – Please know that I am NOT against college or graduate level education. I have both a BA and an MBA myself. But if you do NOT, don’t let it hold you back!]
So you're thinking about joining the world of the self-employed but you're concerned because you don't have a college education. How can you compete against people who have gone to some of the best business schools in the country? In the world?
Relax.
Some of the world's most successful businesspeople grew their empires without the benefit of higher education.
Let These People Inspire You
When you think about it, one of the big things you've missed is paying 100 grand (or more) to have some professor tell you how to fit into a box. Perhaps for YOUR life, you're much better off being a free-thinker like the following movers and shakers:
Diana Spencer never attended college and wasn't a very good student, but there was something about her that grabbed the attention of the world.
Diana supported charities that brought attention to health matters such as AIDS and leprosy. She was a patron of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, and that work still goes on today in her name.
She was kind, beautiful, and empathetic, and when she died in the Paris tunnel, a little part of all of us died with her highness.
Peter Jennings, the urbane ABC news anchor, dropped out of a Canadian high school at the age of 17. That didn't prevent him from becoming one of the most famous foreign correspondents in the United States.
After over ten years abroad he returned stateside to act as the anchor of ABC Evening News. Who can forget his coverage of the World Trade Center collapse, or the night he announced lung cancer was forcing him to retire?
Wanna travel into space? Well, you might give Virgin Galactic a call. That's one of Richard Branson's companies. Sir Richard never went to college, but Virgin is one of the most recognizable and popular brands in the world.
And he's a Knight of the British Empire. Not bad for a high school dropout.
F. Scott Fitzgerald, one of our most celebrated novelists, dropped out of Princeton because he wasn't a very good student. That didn't stop him from writing The Great American Novel.
Although not very popular when first published, The Great Gatsby is number two on Modern Library's list of 100 Best Novels of the 20th century. Another of his books, Tender is the Night, is number 28 on the same list.
Another great American writer, William Faulkner, dropped out of high school in his sophomore year.
Faulkner, too, has two books on Modern Library's list: The Sound and The Fury at number 6, and As I Lay Dying at number 35. (By the way, number 1 on the list is ULYSSES by James Joyce.)
In 1949 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. Pretty good for a man with no formal education.
When Henry Ford landed in Detroit, cars were built by hand, one-by-one. He figured out how to speed up the process using an assembly line and interchangeable parts.
He also advocated high wages for his employees, which lessened turnover and improved the workers' quality of life.
Read more on Successful Entrepreneur – No, You Don't Need A College Education to be Successful…
December 12, 2009
- Successful Entrepreneur – The Phoenix Way to Unlimited Success And Happiness
Soar Above The Rest By Design
You're familiar with the myth of the phoenix, the legendary firebird that dies every 500 years only to be reborn from its ashes, more beautiful and resplendent than ever before?
That's what you're looking to do, isn't it? Rise from the ashes of your old life and be reborn as a successful businessperson?
Fortunately, the way has been traveled before. Many folks have had to start from scratch and grow a business from the ground up. I call them the Phoenix Entrepreneurs.
The Phoenix Entrepreneur Rising From The Ashes
Just like the bird, Phoenix Entrepreneurs rise from the ashes of an old life, a life that was no longer viable.
In the beginning, they felt just like you probably do now: scared, unsure, and probably pretty alone.
Yet they made it.
They created businesses that have withstood the test of time and nourished not only their own families, but the families of hundreds (if not thousands) of employees. If you don't believe me, just read No, You Don't Need a College Education to be Successful And that's just the tip of the iceberg.
There are Phoenix Entrepreneurs all over the place. It's an illustrious group and one you can join! All it takes is following a few simple steps and thinking a certain way.
If you need a point clarified, just ask. Leave a message on the blog and you'll get not only my years of experience, but the experience of all the others who respond to your question.
Ready?
Keep reading to find out how Phoenix businessmen and businesswomen think and act to grow a successful business.
Think Like The Phoenix Entrepreneur To Succeed
Read more on Successful Entrepreneur – The Phoenix Way to Unlimited Success And Happiness…
December 11, 2009
- 077 The Invisible Touch – The Eight Keys to Lasting Relationships – 1. Natural Affinity
The Fourth Key: Relationships – Faux Relationships
It's amazing to me how much good information some companies have about their clients and customers but how poorly they use it.
I'm pretty good friends with the owner of a large car dealership in my area. I admire him, his family, and what he's been able to do with building a good business. (And to preserve this, I won't identify him specifically – HE is not what matters nor does his dealership; what matters is how he responds, which is similar to what many businesses do… so I hope you can see the lessons here.)
I get my car serviced in his shop, I've purchased several cars from him, and I've recommended him to others (which has resulted in more purchases).
But I can't get him to send me a personal note no matter what I tell him.
Understand this: the "itch" cycle for someone in the US (for buying a new car) begins around 30 months after a purchase.
That's right – people start thinking about a new car after about 2.5 years of driving their present car.
[OK... so in the 2008 - 2009 Worldwide Economic Meltdown timetables have been stretched as the economy is tight... but go along with me so you can see the point I'm making.]
Don't get me wrong: I get LOTS of mail from the company (the manufacturer of the car). Brochures, mass-produced mailings, even some letters and postcards that pretend to come from the dealer, but it's so clear that everything is sent from corporate headquarters, not my friend.
He has never once asked me to buy another car from him.
His service technician is the person I've stayed most closely in touch with, yet this guy isn't compensated in a way to encourage his asking me about buying a new car, so he doesn't.
How easy it would be for my service writer to tell me about some of the improvements made to the most recent version of my car – he doesn't need to "push" – I have great faith in this guy who continues to get my car to the front of the line when I need service.
And every time I get one of those "corporate" letters that "seems" to be from my dealer, it gets me angry – "Do they really think I'm so stupid that I can't tell that this wasn't sent to me by my friend," I think.
And that's what YOUR clients think, too, when you personalize a mailing (in name only).
Send a brief note to your best clients to stay in touch.
Building PersonalTouch relationships takes time and care – hey, that's how YOU want to be treated, right?
Do the same for your clients and they will reward you with years of doing business together.
And now – leave me a comment here to tell me what YOU feel about this!
December 10, 2009
- The Magic of Marketing to Magicians – Watch Brad Ross To Learn!
When You See Something Magic: Tell People
Brad Ross is that unique combination of performer, salesman, marketer, and carnival barker. Up close and personal he's a helluva guy: to his audiences he's a master.
Just watch this short video to see how well he markets to his audience of magician, requesting that they join us on a Webinar to talk about how to set up themselves online.
Brad is a guy to watch by MORE than creative performers.
He's a guy to watch if you want to be successful!
Brad Ross – Go to MakeMagicMoney.com to learn more about Brad – Click Here Now!
Read more on The Magic of Marketing to Magicians – Watch Brad Ross To Learn!…
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