Tell Them About It
Billy Joel sings a song called, “Tell Her About It,” meaning that if you don’t, she’ll never know. If you don’t do the same for prospects, how do they know you’re there and valuable? Here are my suggestions:
1. Don’t be bashful about telling influential people how you help others (not how you do it but what results you accomplish). I mentioned this to the general manager of the Baglioni Hotel in London, one of my very favorite places, and on my last trip he asked me to run a strategy session for his top team.
2. Be bold in disagreeing with conventional wisdom. I think that human resource departments are largely disempowered and don’t have the money or initiative to purchase consulting services. I think attempting to market to senior corporate buyers on social media platforms is a waste of time. A lot of people don’t like those positions. All I care about is if they spell my name right and mention me in their outrage.
3. Have a thick skin. Most people reviewing on Amazon.com for example, have never written a book and a lot of them don’t even read the books they review. Don’t allow “smile sheets” or poor reviews from unsolicited sources to bother you. Find people whom you trust and listen to them carefully.
4. Associate yourself with the best of the best. I talk about “three Bs” as symbols of high-end success in any economy: Baume & Mercier, Brioni, and Bentley. As it happens, I’m often using all three products at the same time.
5. Accessibility and privacy are two different things. It is easy to contact me and get a response. I’m a private person, but as a public figure I believe that people have the right to a fast and accurate reply, so long as the inquiry or request is polite and reasonable. I’m probably easier to access than most people in my position. While I run some very expensive experiences, you can also hear me speak for only $100 in an upcoming LA event, and I have hundreds of free audios and videos.
6. Gracious hosting. Share the spotlight in terms of good ideas and new approaches, but not the tab. Always pick up the bill.
7. Get out of the house. I try to replicate all of my successful experiences in the states in both Sydney and London, and occasionally elsewhere. You don’t become a global name by hiding in the house.
8. Expect others to make it work for them. I treat everyone as an adult. It’s up to them to make things work. I provide education, information, techniques, feedback, and so on. But if someone else doesn’t have the volition, that’s not my problem.
9. Attack multi-media. My app should be out shortly. Take advantage of all the diverse media outlets that exist and come into being.
10. Change your mind. If someone is successful doing something that doesn’t make sense to me, I acknowledge it and try to incorporate it into my thinking.
11. Change THEIR minds. Use clients as evangelists to “sell” prospects. Arrange and host events where they can interact.
© Alan Weiss 2012. All rights reserved.
