Today could be the best business day of your life! It just depends on how you're spending it. I'm observing lots of people "being turtles" (crawling into their shells and waiting for the storm to pass and the noise to stop). What does that mean for you? They aren't making cold calls, follow-up calls, setting appointments or pounding the pavement. Problem is, when the storm passes, those turtles will be poised for ... exactly nothing! What are you poised for?
On the flip side, there are those that are creating their futures right now! Are you one of them? Are you a 1%-er? Are you out there MSH (making sh*t happen), eating the low-hanging fruit, capitalizing on opportunities and setting yourself up for success when the sun comes out again?
Now is the time to downshift into 4th gear, grit your teeth and go for it! There are insurance policies being bought, homes being listed and sold, wealth being invested and estate plans being created. Business is still being transacted and if you're in the right place at the right time, in front of your potential clients and strategic partners on a regular basis, they will think of you when their time is right.
Be Ready to Pay
I got a call a few days ago from someone who is venturing out into executive coaching. We have a mutual friend who suggested she reach out to me to ask for any advice I might have to give her. Not that I don't want to help, and I am always surprised when someone wants to know my methods, insights and strategies but doesn't offer to pay for my time. We all have a finite amount of time, and it's only polite to be aware of that before you ask for something, right?
I've had this happen a few times and I'm not only surprised, but confused. I would never call a competitor and ask them to help me compete with them. Again, not without paying their standard fee.
My mom always said, "Never ask anyone to do something for free that they do for money." You can ask your friend who is an attorney for advice on their yoga practice, and a yogini for legal advice, but be prepared to pay the yogini and the attorney for advice in their respective fields. (This advice is out the window if that person is your very best friend, and only if they are your very best friend.)
Note: depending on their schedules, these pros may offer to give you a few free nuggets. Just in case this happens, have a few quick, specific questions for them to answer. If the answer turns out to be long and complicated, send them some cash or a gift card anyway.
Get it Right!
Don't you just hate it when people mangle your name? Me too -- along with just about everyone else on the planet. Why? Because nothing sounds as sweet to our ears as the sound of our own name. Even in a crowded room, we'll hear our name and turn to see who called it.
Say a person's name correctly and often, and you'll have his attention. Contort or truncate it beyond recognition and you'll lose him, maybe for life. I know someone isn't paying attention when they call me Honor-eeee instead of Honor-ay. It makes me want to not pay attention to them!
Getting someone's name right is one of the simplest ways to establish a good business relationship, yet so many people mess it up. Don't be one of them. Instead, take the time to listen and observe. It's a moment very well spent.
Here are some suggestions on how to do this:
• Take careful note of how the other person introduces herself (read: listen). If she says her name is "Elizabeth," call her "Elizabeth", not "Liz". If she says her name is "Liz", don't call her "Lizzy". Pay attention to whether someone's name is Kim or Kimberly. If you're not sure, ask!
• Repeat any unusual pronunciations you hear to make it stick in your mind. If the other person hands you a business card, make a note on the back of their particular articulation so that you can say it correctly the next time you talk to that person.
• Don't assume familiarity. Call the other person by his or her formal title until they invite you to call them by their first name. If you have difficulty doing that, if "Mrs. Skrybailo" just isn't rolling off your tongue, no matter how hard you try, for example, ask permission to use the first name. Never assume it.
One of the most important things which determine success in business is attention to detail. Make sure you've got it!
Say a person's name correctly and often, and you'll have his attention. Contort or truncate it beyond recognition and you'll lose him, maybe for life. I know someone isn't paying attention when they call me Honor-eeee instead of Honor-ay. It makes me want to not pay attention to them!
Getting someone's name right is one of the simplest ways to establish a good business relationship, yet so many people mess it up. Don't be one of them. Instead, take the time to listen and observe. It's a moment very well spent.
Here are some suggestions on how to do this:
• Take careful note of how the other person introduces herself (read: listen). If she says her name is "Elizabeth," call her "Elizabeth", not "Liz". If she says her name is "Liz", don't call her "Lizzy". Pay attention to whether someone's name is Kim or Kimberly. If you're not sure, ask!
• Repeat any unusual pronunciations you hear to make it stick in your mind. If the other person hands you a business card, make a note on the back of their particular articulation so that you can say it correctly the next time you talk to that person.
• Don't assume familiarity. Call the other person by his or her formal title until they invite you to call them by their first name. If you have difficulty doing that, if "Mrs. Skrybailo" just isn't rolling off your tongue, no matter how hard you try, for example, ask permission to use the first name. Never assume it.
One of the most important things which determine success in business is attention to detail. Make sure you've got it!
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