Who are YOU calling lazy?

I got an e-mail today accusing me of being lazy... the worst part was, he was right!

I bought Shameless Shamus' Persuasive Selling Skills programme and he sends me (along with his subscriber list) regular e-mails to help me in my role.

Today's e-mail suggested that calling clients to "Touch Base" or "Follow Up" was lazy & lame.

Ouch!

His assertion was that we should contact clients for a purpose.

I have been guilty of using these "excuses" at times and accept that it is lazy, lame and disrespectful. For this I apologise.

Being aware of shortcomings and areas to improve on is an important step on the growth path. Although I could have denied that it applied to me, I will grow and develop by taking feedback on board and using it to improve my skills and knowledge.

Next time you get feedback, think about it before dismissing it, it could be another step on your journey of learning!

Blow 'em away

I was pretty disappointed when the 1 GB memory card I bought for my camera back in August broke recently.

I guess I was disappointed because I had bought it cheaply off the net, and you often get what you pay for.

I e-mailed the seller and explained what had happened and he offered a replacement which I was satisfied with.

Then he sent me a 2 GB card! I was totally blown away with the generous offer and told him I'd be happy to supply a testimonial if he ever wanted one.

It also reinforced the importance of not just putting something right but exceeding expectations.

Small is good

Yes, good things can come in small packages.

If you break your fees or costs down into small 'chunks' they appear more palatable and easier to sell.

For instance, you can advertise your fee in minutes. $2 per minute sounds better than $120 per hour.

Cleaning windows? $2 per window is better than $50 per house.

You can even break a big item down, like a computer. You can buy the screen, hard drive, memory, key board etc... separately enabling each component to look cheaper.

Think how you can make your charges appear smaller and more affordable.

Perception is not reality

I believe perception is just that - perception.

We have the ability to change a person's perception be helping them see things differently. We can do this by providing better or more information that may help the other person see something from our (or a different) perspective.

I agree that there can be different versions of the same reality, but don't believe that you can't change perceptions.

A classic example is in the court room, where jurors may have different perceptions of an event, and as they are supplied with information, their perceptions can change so a decision can be made.

It's "SHOWTIME!"

I often use a keyword before an important meeting or presentation to get me focused and in "the zone" for performing at my best.

The word I chose is "SHOWTIME!". To me it means:

• being on stage


• meeting high expectations


• being the main attraction

As soon as I say the word (normally in my head) I'm in the zone to present at my best.

Try creating and using a keyword to get you in "the zone" when you're next "on stage".

Sorting out the relevant

Each week I send an e-mail to my clients with links of relevant news articles.

The perception is that I spend half my life looking through web pages and on-line newspapers. The truth is much easier. I use Google's news alert service which I highly recommend.

You can click here http://www.google.com/alerts?hl=en to set up an alert. Just type in the relevant words. For instance, if want to know when a news article that features Kevin Roberts from Saatchi & Saatchi hits the news, I would enter [ "Kevin Roberts" Saatchi ] in the "Search terms" box.

You can use the alert service for anything you're interested in and choose the frequency you are sent alerts. If you are getting too many alerts, refine your search criteria to ensure you get the most relevant stories.

Presentations without powerpoint

Today I had a round-the-table presentation where I was going to use bar charts to present some information. My first thought was to use PowerPoint.

Then I thought I'd try something different. Kids building blocks.

When the time came to use them, I felt nervous - not sure whether I would look silly or unprofessional.

I needn't have worried, I could tell by their faces that they were interested and engaged.

Next time I have a presentation, I will use more props and leave the PowerPoint behind!