I’ve been to 97 concerts in my lifetime. I know this because every ticket stub of every show I’ve ever seen since I was 12 lay under a sheet of glass on my coffee table. Some of the stubs are signed by my favorite musicians; some are tattered and torn from the pouring rain through which I stood and sung for hours. Some of the tickets aren’t even tickets! They’re napkins or flyers I stole from the venue because I just HAD to get a memento from every event.

And each day when I look at those faded pieces of cardstock, I don’t just think about some of the greatest memories of my life.

I think about being a fan.

A fan who would stop at nothing to watch his favorite bands play live – even if he’d already seen them 8 times before; even if he had to drive three hours each way; even if he had to skip school to wait in line to get tickets; and even if it meant staying out all night and failing his marketing exam the next morning.

Because that’s what fans do.

But does the term ‘fan’ ONLY refer to a music lover, sports enthusiast or dedicated follower of a performing art? What about business?

Let’s ask Webster. It defines a fan as an ‘enthusiastic devotee or an ardent admirer or enthusiast.’ They also have related words for fan like: addict, aficionado, buff, bug, devotee, enthusiast, fanatic, fancier, fiend, freak, lover, maniac, nut, groupie; admirer, collector, connoisseur, dilettante; authority, expert; cultist, disciple, follower, votary; backer, patron, promoter, supporter; partisan, zealot; booster, rooter and well-wisher.

Aha! Interesting. So it isn’t just painted faces and screaming audience members; it’s simply someone who ‘loves your stuff.’ For example, maybe someone’s been to your website before. Bought your products before. Worked with your people before. Stayed at your hotel before.

Then one day they come to you and say, ‘You know, I just LOVE your stuff.’

If you ever hear those beautiful words come out of your customer’s mouth, congratulations – you have a fan. And fans are the most important people in your business.

Fans are better than customers because they’re devoted to you and your company. They stick with you and come back for more. And most importantly, they tell all their friends to do the same.

So the question is: how can companies create and keep their fans?

Well, since the term ‘fan’ is most often associated with music, let’s look at four great musical performers and bands – and see what they do.

Riding with the King
B.B. King has been playing the blues since he was 18 years old. Recently, I saw The King in concert on his 80th Birthday Tour. Wow! That means he’s been creating and keeping fans for over 62 years.

After the show, I figured out why he’s known as ‘The King of the Blues.’ It’s not because he’s a precise, gifted guitar player. It’s not because he sings with more soul than a church choir. It’s because he’s a storyteller. And his stories throughout the concert captivated 5000 screaming fans who will never forget “riding with the king.”

And why? Because it wasn’t a concert – it was an experience. It was unlike any of the other 96 other concerts I’d ever seen. That’s why I’ll go see B.B. next time he comes through town. That’s why I’ll buy his next album. And that why I’m using him as an example in this article that I’ll email to all of my clients and friends.

FAN CLUB RULE #1: Fans crave an experience.

The Best of What’s Around
I’ve been a hard core Dave Matthews Band fan since 1994 when his debut album changed the face of ‘jam rock’ forever. And by hard core I mean: I’ve seen him in concert I-can’t-remember-how-many times; I can play every song he’s ever written on the guitar; I’ve bought every album, every DVD, every t-shirt; even joined his fan club online so I can get advanced notice (and priority seating) for upcoming shows!

But then, in February of 2001, something happened. Something that almost killed me. DMB released their 7th album, Everyday.

And I hated it.

I listened to the CD twice on the day I bought – and never listened to it again. The reviews were terrible. And all of my fan-friends agreed that it was the band’s worst album to date. I was so disappointed, I felt sick. After all, this was my favorite band in the world and they’d let me down!

Were they about to lose me as a fan?

No way.

Because I knew that someday, they’d win me back. Even the great DMB was capable of making a mistake! And sure enough, one year later, they released their 8th album, Busted Stuff. And it was unbelievable. I listened to it over and over again. Then I paid $72 to see them in concert for the umpteenth time.

And why? One word: loyalty.

FAN CLUB RULE #2: Fans will stick with you, even when you make a mistake.

Gimme Shelter
VH1 once did a countdown of ‘The Greatest Rock and Roll Bands of All Time.’ Their number one pick: The Rolling Stones. And I remember watching the program with my dad (another dedicated fan) who said, ‘I can’t believe they beat out the Beatles!’

‘Yeah, but the Beatles’ last concert was in 1966,’ I said. ‘The Stones are in their 60’s are they’re still rockin!’

That why, three weeks later, I skipped school to stand in line outside of a record store for three hours freezing my butt off with $700 worth of my friends’ ticket money in my pocket.

Because it was the Stones, man. THE STONES!

The show was unparalleled to anything we’d ever seen before – or would ever see in the future. My friends thanked me non-stop for three weeks. And I knew that everything I’d gone through was worth it.

Because that’s what fans do.

Come on, you do it too. How many times have you driven that extra few miles just to eat at the restaurant you love so much? How many times have you gone to store after store, looking to re-buy that ONE item you can’t live with out?

Just imagine if your customers did that for YOU.

FAN CLUB RULE #3: Fans will go to the ends of the earth for you.

With Or Without You
I first heard the song ‘Vertigo’ by U2 while driving to a speech one morning. After the song was over, the DJ said, ‘And that’s the new hit single from U2! Their new album just hit stores today. It’s called…’

And that’s all I needed to know.

I immediately exited off the highway and drove right over to my local record store. Within 5 minutes I had their new album in my CD player. I listened to it 7 times that day. Then I called every other U2 fan I knew and told them to go buy it. Then I burned copies for my friends. Then I listened to it three more times the next day. Then I spent $172 dollars to see them in concert when they came through town 9 months later.

Because when it comes to U2, nothing else matters. I just love them THAT much. I’m such a die hard fan that I don’t care what the critics say about the new album; I don’t care how much the ticket costs; I don’t care what else I have to do that day. I need my U2. And that’s that.

Would your customers do that for you?

FAN CLUB RULE #4: Fans don’t need to be sold.

Fans, Not Customers
The business world is obsessed with the word ‘customer.’ In fact, if you type in the word ‘customer’ on Amazon, 174,906 books come up. And if you type in the word ‘fan,’ 5,418 books come up.

My opinion? Customers, schmustomers. You need fans. Fans are people who will do your marketing for you, encourage and support everything you do, and most importantly, tell all their friends to become fans of yours too.

So, if you want to create and keep those fans, remember these four things:

Fans crave an experience.
Fans will stick with you, even when you make a mistake.
Fans will go to the ends of the earth for you.
Fans don’t need to be sold.

That reminds me: I was recently contacted by the Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) to give the keynote address at their 2006 convention. Right before signing the contract, I asked my newly acquired client an important question, ‘Why me?’

And do you know what he said?

‘I love your stuff.’

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Do you have fans?

Ever eat lunch alone?

I know, it sounds contrary to the entire concept of networking and approachability. Especially if you’ve read Keith Ferrazzi’s best selling book, Never Eat Alone. But hear me out on this one. Because eating alone (every once in a while) gives you an opportunity to do something you often forget to do while dining out with a client or coworker: observe.

Now, don’t think of it as eavesdropping, snooping or spying. It’s research. And it’s amazing what you can learn about approachability if you just immerse yourself in it, watch, and then listen.

So, I tried it yesterday. I ate at my favorite lunch spot, all by my lonesome. Just me, some gumbo and a book by John Maxwell. The smell of seafood filled the air, dozens of businesspeople talked about their plans for the week and servers frantically hustled around the floor to deliver their guests’ meals.

And here’s what I observed…

Two businesspeople seated to my left fumbled through folders and papers. The man in the red tie did most of the talking while the woman across the booth hung on his every word. He asked engaging questions. She gave creative answers. At one point, I sensed confusion in the women’s voice, but then felt reassurance in the man’s voice as he leaned closer and softened his tone. I also heard him say ‘Heather’ three times. Nice. Then I heard laughter. Very nice. And of course, I saw smiles on both sides of the booth. Awesome!

At another table I saw two guys carefully examine a spreadsheet. They deeply immersed themselves in the numbers while completely ignoring the poor waitress who worked her butt off trying to deliver their dishes on time. And they barely acknowledged her existence, much less offered a simple ‘thank you’ for their multiple ice-tea refills.

I also noticed five women seated around a booth laughing hysterically with their server. One of them wiped away tears of hilarity with her bev-nap, while two others high-fived each other at a joke I sort of wished I heard.

And on the way out the door I heard someone’s cell phone go off. Oh no! I thought. Sure enough, I watched a woman gave her client the ‘Just A Minute While I Talk To Someone More Important That You Index Finger,’ while she took the call. Ten seconds later she returned to the conversation and said, ‘Sorry, what were you saying?’

I paid my check, took my mint and thanked my server for doing a great job. When I got back to the office I hopped online to see if I could dig up some statistics on lunch meetings. Interestingly enough, I came across a great survey about lunch meeting etiquette developed by The Creative Group. It was conducted by an independent research firm and includes 250 responses from advertising executives and marketing executives among the nation’s 1,000 largest companies.

Respondents were asked, “Which one of the following actions do you think would most hurt a professional’s chances of impressing a current or potential client during a lunch meeting?”

“Displaying poor manners when interacting with the wait staff — or anyone — during a business meeting will prompt prospective clients and business partners to question whether they and their staff members will be treated the same,” said Tracey Turner, executive director of The Creative Group. “Showing up late is a similar sign of disrespect.”

Added Turner, “The key to a successful lunch meeting is making people feel comfortable. Behaving graciously throughout the meal will go a long way toward forming a positive working relationship.”

That was the word I was looking for: comfort. After all, comfort is the axis upon which approachability rotates. Comfort is the reason strangers become friends, friends become prospects, prospects become clients, and clients become fans. And fans are the people who ‘love your stuff,’ tell their friends about you and maintain confidence in your ability to give them unique value.

Still, it kind of made me wonder: ‘What table did I sit at during my last lunch meeting?’

Was I the engaging businessperson at an enjoyable, yet productive lunch? Did I sit across a table from an inconsiderate cell phone junkie? Was I the workaholic who shunned the outside world at the expense of my server’s frustration? Or was I the group of friends who saw lunch as a much needed vacation from the stresses of a typical workday?

Either way, Yogi Berra was right. ‘You can observe a lot by just watching.’ So this week, I challenge you to go out to lunch at the most crowded, popular, loud, and packed-to-the-walls-with-businesspeople restaurant in your area.

And I want you to go all by yourself.

Now, I know that might sound a bit awkward to you. But trust me, it’s great field research. So just give it a shot! You’ll learn a lot about approachability. And if you want, you can even bring along a good book to read during your lunch. If so, I highly recommend Keith Ferrazzi’s Never Eat Alone.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
When was the last time you ate alone?

What’s your favorite thing to do on your front porch?

I love asking my clients this question because each answer, whether it’s sitting, talking, eating, singing or drinking, has one thing in common: approachability. Front porches were originally made popular by the Greeks who used them as gathering spots for public discussions. Then, thousands of years later in the South, the front porch evolved into a symbol of community, hospitality and friendliness

So the front porch is essentially an architectural manifestation of the power of approachability. And for the success of your professional performance, basic to all victory as an effective communicator is your ability to build these front porches between you, your employees and your customers.

What is a Front Porch?
I define a front porch as any object or behavior that makes you more approachable. It can be built by anyone, anytime, anywhere. As a writer and a speaker I often share stories and lessons from my front porch, which happens to be a nametag. I wear it all day, every day to encourage people to be friendlier and more approachable.

Although nametags get a bad rap, they possess tremendous interpersonal value. Their free offering of personal information encourages reciprocal self-disclosure, which builds trust and rapport. So now, let’s examine how nametags will allow you, your employees and you customers to harness the power of approachability and empower successful communication and service.

Walmart was the first business to require all its employees to wear nametags. Sam Walton created this initiative because he wanted his customers to “get to know the people they bought from.” But the value of employee nametags spans far beyond getting to know people, it’s all about being approachable – in other words, inviting customers to step onto your front porch. So whether you work in retail, hospitality, food service or sales, to wear a nametag is to be on stage. To be on stage is to be ready to serve your customers. And to be ready to serve your customers is to do your job effectively.

Here are the five advantages to wearing nametags in the workplace:

1. Accessibility: A nametag makes it easier for customers to gain the attention of an employee from whom they need service. Without it, the customers will either find someone else to help them, or won’t get what they need.

2. Comfort: When it comes to retail, the number one rule is “make a friend in thirty seconds.” The quickest and surest way to do this is to inform and remind customers of your employees’ names. This promotes self-disclosure and creates comfort in the conversation. And when you put your customers at ease, the sales process will be more personable.

3. Synergy: Let’s face it: people are terrible with names. It’s the single context of human memory most apt to be forgotten. Ironically, it’s the one word humans like to hear than anything else. So especially for organizations with hundreds of employees, nametags for your teammates will only ease their pain and contribute to a synergized workplace.

4. Ambassadors: A nametag immediately identifies employees as ambassadors of the company. As such, it keeps them accountable for their behavior while they wear it and promotes good word of mouth for the business. It will also make them walk their talk. Ask someone who works in real estate, they wear nametags every day! Some agents even wear two nametags: one on their shirt and another magnetized to the side of their car!

5. Branding: Your nametag is just like your company’s billboard. (Except it’s free and people will actually look at it for more than four seconds!) So, when customers or clients work with your employees, they will be exposed to your corporate culture constantly. As a result your nametag turns into an effective medium for free advertising! Remember, it’s not who you know, it’s who knows you.

Maximization
Next, it is important to remember your nametag is your best friend. However it’s useless and ineffective if it’s designed and worn without careful consideration. Here are some designing and wearing rules that will help you maximize the approachability of your front porch.

Font Size: How many times has someone rudely squinted at your chest desperately trying to make out those tiny letters? This is self defeating, embarrassing and actually works to decrease your approachability. Not to mention it makes the other person feel ridiculous! So, much like a retail price tag, your nametag must be readable from ten feet away – both the font and the nametag itself.

Clutter: Avoid nametags with overly thick borders, unnecessary clutter or too much text. Make it easy on the eyes. All of the information contained must be readable and memorable in less than five seconds. And although your company name, position and logo are excellent ways to position from a networking standpoint, remember this: they call them nametags because the name must be the focal point.

Placement: Standard business etiquette instructs you to wear a nametag on the right hand side so they are easily visible in the line of sight that correlates to your handshake. However, although horizontal placement of your nametag is an important consideration, vertical placement is the most important visibility characteristic. So, your nametag is pointless if it’s worn below your breastbone. The most effective location is two to three inches below your collar bone on whichever side most appropriate for your function. This elicits maximum eye contact.

The Power of Approachability
In order to achieve the highest levels of performance success, you must begin with effective interpersonal communication. You must welcome people onto your front porch. With properly designed and implemented nametags, you can begin to synergize your employees and make your customers feel more comfortable. And as a result, you will discover that no other facet of communication is more important than the power of approachability.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s your company’s front porch?

You gotta love the opening scene of Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth.

The former presidential candidate takes the stage, PowerPoint clicker in-hand. His famous Global Warming Slideshow appears on the enormous screen in the background. Thousands of bright-eyed college students anxiously await his opening remarks.

The applause fades. The crowd falls silent.

And the first words out of Al Gore’s mouth are, ‘Hello, my name is Al Gore, and I used to be the next president of the United States.’

The students roar with laughter! Cheers, whistles and applause echo from the auditorium for the next 20 seconds. Even Gore chuckles a bit to himself on stage.

At that very moment, you realize something: Al Gore has every single one of those students in the palm of his hand. Instantly, he’s become likeable, funny, and, believe it or not, sort of cool.

BEHOLD! The amazing power of self-deprecating humor:

It neutralizes conflict.
It makes other want to be around you.
It is the fastest way to someone’s heart.
It is a key indicator of emotional intelligence.
It defuses an otherwise tense or difficult situation.
It combines modesty and likeability, while at the same time demonstrating that confidence and self-assurance.

The word ‘deprecation’ stems from the Latin deprecari, which means, ‘to avert by prayer.’ Now, although you probably don’t think of poking fun at yourself as praying, self-deprecating humor does help sidestep three communication barriers:

You avoid offending someone. Let’s face it: people have become WAY too sensitive. It’s almost hard NOT to offend someone! Political cartoonist Paul Rigby said it best: “Everyone is on edge. I think that’s a fault in the human species these days. We are all very scared of critical analysis.”

LESSON LEARNED: use self-deprecating humor as a protective measure. It’s safe, it’s fun, and it works. After all, you’re poking fun at yourself! It’s doubtful that anyone else will be take offense.

You avoid threatening someone. Humans tend to gravitate toward people and situations that are the least threatening and uncertain. This is known as the approach/avoid mechanism. Therefore, self-deprecating humor makes you more approachable, both personally and professionally.

PERFECT EXAMPLE: in the April 1997 issue of Men’s Health, psychologist Michael Cunningham reported, “Self-effacing humor isn’t threatening because it points out that a someone is confident enough to risk looking silly.”

You avoid alienating someone. Even individuals with great power and responsibility use self-deprecating humor to their advantage. Landon Parvin, a former speechwriter for Ronald Reagan, helped George W. Bush write the jokes contrasting Bush’s public voice with his supposed inner thoughts.

AMAZINGLY: Parvin, who was responsible for most of the president’s intentional humor, believed this strategy helped win over skeptical voters by increasing Bush’s likeability. What’s more, CNN and MSNBC reports from the 2004 election indicated that Bush’s approachability surpassed that of John Kerry’s.

Still, self-deprecating humor isn’t all fun and games. It has the potential to be disadvantageous. After spending a few Googleable hours researching the topic, I’ve discovered three caveats you must consider before ripping yourself a new one:

1. Gender. Although it probably differs from person to person, two pieces of research caught my attention on this topic. The first comes from Jan Frankel Schau of the Southern California Mediation Association. She wrote, ‘A woman appears to be lacking in confidence when she engages in self-deprecating humor. This is not to censor her use of humor, but only to enlighten it by pointing out the hidden messages that may be revealed, or that are unintentionally displayed.’

On the other hand, attraction expert and dating coach ‘Swinggcat,’ founder of Real World Seduction, says, ‘A little self deprecating humor can be powerful; but a man who recites an hour-long standup comedy routine about what a loser his is will make women avoid him like a leper.’

According to Swinggcat, self-deprecating humor violates a fundamental attraction maxim: women are attracted to men with ‘prizability.’ If you want to successfully attract a woman, he says, you need to establish the frame that you are the ‘prize’ in the interaction.

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Consider your gender (and that of the people surrounding you) before overdoing the self-deprecation.

2. Intention. Have you ever suspected someone of using self-deprecating humor for sole purpose of getting other people to defend him? According to fascinating report titled The Self-Deprecating Narcissist by Dr. Sam Vaknin, “If a narcissist engages in self-deprecating humor, he expects to be contradicted, rebuked and rebuffed by his listeners (‘Come on, you are actually quite handsome!’), or to be commended or admired for his courage or for his wit and intellectual acerbity (‘I envy your ability to laugh at yourself!’).’

Vaknin concluded with, ‘As everything else in a narcissist’s life, his sense of humor is deployed in the interminable pursuit of Narcissistic Supply.”

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Don’t poke fun at yourself simply so someone else defends the opposite. This will appear manipulative and narcissistic.

3. Frequency. Lastly, offering too many self-deprecating remarks may raise questions about your self-esteem. Famous comedy writer and magician Robert Orben says, ‘Self-deprecating humor should always be two-pronged. It should comically acknowledge a criticism or situation, but also infer that there is no substance to it and that you’re in the driver’s seat.’

Additionally, saturating yourself with self-deprecating remarks can create a negative, circular pattern. See, humans are what they are because of the way other people see them. So, if you keep telling people that you’re a moron, then people will start to agree with you. After a while, you might start wondering to yourself, ‘Huh. Maybe I really AM a moron!’

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Words are powerful. Make sure that everyone (including yourself) knows that it’s only a joke.

Woody Allen, the world’s most notorious self-deprecator, once said, ‘Self deprecating humor is all around. It’s a staple of comedians, and should be a staple of people in general.’

Right on, Woody. Besides, if you can’t laugh at yourself, who can you laugh at?

Ultimately, self-deprecating humor is a potent ingredient to enhance your personal and professional communication. With practice, you’ll learn that when the right amount is applied, and done so within the appropriate context, you’ll be sure to maximize your approachability – one conversation at a time.

Besides, if it’s good enough for Al Gore, it’s good enough for you too.

Email is THE medium of communication for business transactions. Unfortunately, people don’t treat email with the same care as face to face interactions. It’s almost as if we’re so complacent with the speed of email that our ability to use it in an effective manner diminishes with every message.

But even with technology, you must maintain approachability. In other words, you must be capable of being reached. So, email is not unlike any other form of communication in that requires consideration for the message, the sender and the receiver. Here are four critical keys for email effectiveness.

Consistency
Do you check your phone messages every day? Or do you let that blinking red light pulsate out of the corner of your eye for a week before you listen to the recording and call someone back?

Of course you get your phone messages every day! Why wouldn’t you? Besides, there’s bound to be some important calls on there you’d like to return immediately.

Okay, so let me ask you this: When you’re at work, do you look at new papers in your box consistently? Or do you let that bundle of folders, papers and flyers spew out of edge onto the floor?

Of course you check your mail often! You don’t want to miss any important dates or notes.

And yet, some people don’t check their email every day. Why not?! How is email any less important as a form of communication? There’s no reason you should check email with less frequency than any other medium. Even if you don’t consider yourself “an email person.”

Handle the Overload
Have you ever received an email that bombarded you with seven or eight questions, one after another? Letters like these can be tough to reply to, unless you organize your response. The best way to handle the overload is through the following reply process:

1. Start a blank email, either a reply or a new message.

2. Offer an introductory paragraph that thanks the person for his questions and tells him his answers are listed below.

3. Then go through the body text of the original email and locate each of the questions.

4. Cut, copy and paste each question in the blank space of the new letter as a subheading for your response. (It helps to italicize or bold the original question)

5. Under each question, give your response.

6. Offer a closing paragraph and your signature.

Signature
Whatever program you use for email – Outlook, Eudora, Yahoo, Hotmail – find out how to customize your signature. There’s nothing more frustrating than receiving an email from someone who wants to talk further, get together or have you send them something that doesn’t have any personal information in the email. So at the end of every email you send, always cross reference the following information:

Name

Title

Company/Organization

Mailing address

At least two phone numbers

Fax number

Email address

Website

A sentence or two about yourself, your company or your job

Think of it this way: have you EVER received a handwritten letter from someone that had no return address stamped on the envelope?

Email Introductions
A final tool that is beginning to surface more and more in the business world is the email introduction. The purpose of an email introduction is to bring together two people you know who:

a) Should meet
b) Have something in common
c) Can help each other
d) All of the above

Because email is simply another medium of communication, you need to approach it as such. So when you type out this letter, think about the things you would say in person if you were introducing two new people.

Some tips for an effective email introduction are:

Give a short, few sentence background on each person

Offer your relationship with each person

Provide phone numbers, websites and email addresses

Keep it short, casual and friendly

Stress the idea of “helping each other out”

Here’s an example of an effective email introduction:

---

Dear Wendy and Jamie:

Good morning friends! Scott Ginsberg here, hoping all is going well with you both. I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce the two of you – I think you can help each other.

Jamie…meet my friend Wendy. Wendy owns her own IT consulting company called Computers Are Your Friends, Inc. She mainly works with CIO’s of larger firms and speaks to organizations who want to become more efficient with their technology. I had the pleasure of hearing Wendy speak at my Chamber – the audience loved her!

And Wendy…meet my friend Jamie. Jamie coordinates all of the quarterly employee luncheons at SDS Technologies. She is responsible for setting up the speakers for next year and is looking for individuals who would be interested in donating their services. Jamie’s company is one of the more well known firms in the area and has helped my business a great deal.

I hope you two can connect! Here is each other’s information:

Wendy Brubeck: 314/878-9221
[email protected]
www.sdstech.com

Jamie Greer: 314/275-6556
[email protected]
www.computersareyourfriends.com

Have a great week!

Lovin’ life,

Scott Ginsberg
that guy with the nametag
Front Porch Productions
P.O. Box 410684
St. Louis, MO 63141
314/374-3397 I
314/878-5419 (H)
[email protected]
www.hellomynameisscott.com

With these four keys, you will be able to more effectively and efficiently use email as a medium of communication. Remember, email is the way to communicate – so be sure to give it the consideration it deserves.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Are you an effective emailer?

In 20 minutes, you have the biggest sales call of your life.

It could mean your next promotion.
It could mean millions of dollars in revenue.
It could mean a new business relationship that lasts a lifetime.

Are you wearing The Armor of Google?

Huh? The Armor of what?!

You heard me: Google. The greatest thing to happen to the Internet since the Internet. And, your best friend in approaching the sale.

See, approachability stems from confidence. Confidence grows from knowledge. And knowledge is enhanced through preparation. So, what better way to prepare yourself for your upcoming sales call than to spend the next 20 minutes Googling your brains out?

Here are 6 ways turn Google into your secret weapon when approaching the sale.

SECRET WEAPON #1: Google Yourself

If you’re not doing this at least a few times a month anyway, you’re crazy. And this isn’t an ego thing, it’s about visibility. It’s about reputation. You need to know who’s talking about you, where you show up & where you don’t show up.

REMEMBER: every time you encounter a potential client – in person, on the phone, via email – odds are, they’ve already Googled you.

ALSO REMEMBER: if you don’t exist on Google, you don’t exist.

SECRET WEAPON #2: Google Your Company

Find out what customers, clients and the competition are saying about your company. If possible, get involved in chat rooms, bulletin boards and other online networking venues to represent (or defend) your organization.

KEEP IN THE FRONT OF YOUR MIND: you can participate in your online image, but you can’t control it.

KEEP IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND: you and your company are getting talked about, whether you like it or not.

SECRET WEAPON #3: Google Their Company

Sure, you can go to the website of a potential client you hope to work with, but Googling their company name will give you a much broader scope. Find out what other people are saying about them. Especially if it’s negative feedback. See if they’ve been in the news lately, either for something good OR bad.

THINK ABOUT IT: a company’s own website won’t post anything bad about themselves.

AND THINK ABOUT THIS: you might say something stupid or accidentally hit a hot button if you don’t do your research first.

SECRET WEAPON #4: Google Your Prospects

I recently did a conference call with the VP of Marketing from a Fortune 500 company. He was interested in working together, so prior to our meeting, I spent a few minutes Googling his name. I found a great article all about his leadership style; printed it out, stuck it on my wall, then quoted the VP’s own words back to him at the end of our conversation. I complimented his eloquence and then explained how my services connected with his philosophy. He loved it!

YOUR GOAL: preparation, preparation, preparation.

ALSO YOUR GOAL: make that prospect think, ‘Wow, he did his homework!’

SECRET WEAPON #5: Google Alerts

Every time I speak to a group of people, I always ask them, ‘How many of you are using Google Alerts?’ Usually 3 hands out of 500 go up. And I’m always amazed, mainly because Google Alerts are GOLD. They are email updates of the latest relevant Google results (web, news, etc.) based on your choice of query or topic. My suggest to you is, get alerts for your specific areas of expertise. Help enhance your ongoing education. For example, I have alerts on ‘nametags’ and ‘approachability.’ Other items you might want to consider getting alerts for: your name, your company’s name, your product’s name, your website’s name, clients’ names, your competition’s name, etc.

YOU’LL BE AMAZED: about where your name shows up on the Internet.

YOU’LL ALSO BE AMAZED: at what you can learn that you otherwise never would have discovered.

SECRET WEAPON #6: Googling Personal Info

This one is just fun. Try your own phone number, address, or better yet, your email. Try your boss’s or your spouse’s information. It’s wicked cool. Also, Google your OLD personal information, especially out-of-date phone numbers. You can see which websites list you incorrectly. (If you’re really anal, you can call them up and tell them to change it.) That one will blow your mind.

(NOTE: I just Googled my social security number. Nothing came up, thank God.)

TRUST ME: your personal information is out there somewhere.

AND TRUST THIS: the Internet is forever. (Insert spooky sound effect sound.)

Now, one bit of caution: be careful how you reveal this information to your prospect. If you shake someone’s hand, look him in the eye and say, “So I was Googling you yesterday…” that might give the impression that you were stalking him.

I suggest you wait until the moment is right, and casually say “I asked around,” “I was surfing the web” or “I stumbed upon…” Those phrases are a lot less threatening.

Ultimately, when you’re faced with an important sales call, Google is a brilliant preparation tool. It equips you with the information, and therefore, the confidence; to approach that sale like a pro.

Google on!

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How are you using Google to prepare yourself to approach the sale?

Technology has a tendency to be impersonal and unfriendly – if you let it. Think of the last time you received an email from someone, read it, and said to yourself, ‘Boy was that a lifeless, mal-prepared, impersonal message – looks like Randy really cares to stay connected with me.’?

You don’t want to be like Randy. You want to make the recipient feel like you’re right there next to them. You want someone to be excited when they receive an email from you. And you want to reassure people that email can be personable, Viagra SPAM notwithstanding.

Email is one of the major mediums of business communication. As such, treat it with the same level of personality you hope to convey through daily, face to face interactions. In other words, if you think of your emails as real conversations, you will elicit real connections. Here are a few ways to make your emails ‘smile’ so you maximize the comfort and engagement of the recipient.

Write Conversationally
No email will ever beat face to face interaction. But you do enhance the level of friendliness if you write in a conversational tone. Use simple words. They sound genuine. Don’t try to impress someone by thesaurusizing your email with terms you wouldn’t use in person– it sounds diaphanous, limpid, and transpicuous.

Also, don’t be afraid to use one or two word sentences. After all, you use them every day in your face to face conversations – so why is email any different! I suggest exclamations like ‘Wow!’ and ‘That’s great!’ to make the reader feel your presence.

A great acid test for this is to read every email aloud before you send it. When you finish, ask yourself this question: ‘Does my email make it sound like I am personally engaging with the recipient?’ People truly appreciate it when you create a memorable presence.

Use Italics, Boldface and Punctuation!
One of the pitfalls of email its inability to convey emotion. Often your correspondent won’t understand if you are serious or kidding, happy or sad, frustrated or euphoric – unless you are expressive. So use italics to highlight key words that show the person exactly what you want to say. Otherwise, your opinions, statements and stories will be misinterpreted. (The same goes for boldface words)

And no matter what anyone says, exclamation points are awesome! They completely alter the emotion of the sentence. Don’t be afraid to use them. But don’t put one in every sentence! People will think you’re on drugs! And they will freak out! Ahhh!!!!

Subject Headings
If there was ever a place in your email to add personality, it’s the subject heading. After all, people get dozens of emails a day – so what do you do to entice them to read yours first? It’s almost like the first impression or ice breaker of your conversation. So, have fun with it! Put something to grab attention like a joke, quotation or interesting phrase. You have plenty of room too, so don’t be afraid to fill up the space.

One of my favorite subject headings is to pose a question related to the body text such as ‘Why don’t people talk in elevators?’ or ‘Did you see that game yesterday?’ Just like your face to face conversations, the difference between a boring and exciting subject heading is all about engagement, i.e., ‘Hey’ vs. ‘Good morning Paul, how was your weekend?’

Emails Can Smile
The way you write and send your email personifies your attitude, values and interpersonal effectiveness. Unfortunately, friendliness and engagement are the things we sacrifice for technological speed and efficiency. But just because email is faster, doesn’t mean it has to be less friendly. And just because email is sent across the country, doesn’t mean it can’t be engaging.

Therefore, an email that sounds like a person will be treated like a person. If you want illicit excitement, think of your emails as real conversations. Consistently write in a conversational, friendly and engaging tone. Then, the communication within your network will be more personable, fun and memorable – simply because you made your emails smile.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Who’s the most best emailer you know?

I am That Guy.

And I didn’t even mean for it to happen. It just did.

It all started five years ago when I had a crazy idea to start wearing a nametag to make people friendlier. The only catch was, I planned to wear it all day. Everyday. For the rest of my life.

I know.

But it worked. It worked really well. And aside from the obvious jokes about my memory problems, the occasional (by which I mean constant) stares from strangers, and the initial feelings of embarrassment, it was beautiful! People acted friendlier. Approachability was in the air. And strangers said hello who otherwise would have stared at the pavement!

Then, after about 6 months, something happened. People didn’t just call me Scott anymore. They called me ‘Scott, that guy with the nametag.’ And that’s when everything changed. That’s when I became That Guy. And just like all the other business people who once discovered that they too, were That Guy, I never looked back.

And a result, being That Guy has now become the single most advantageous factor of my business.

That Guy is an individual, not an actual ‘guy.’ I ask you to please ignore the gender of the term, even though I refer to him in the masculine. That Guy is someone whose unique personality, values and lifestyle consistently pervades everything he does, thinks and says.

In other words: somebody who reminds everybody of nobody else.

Some experts call it personal branding. Knowing thy self. Starting with your strengths. Differentiation. Keeping it real. Standing out. Being unique.

Whatever.

Same skeleton, different flesh. I like the term That Guy (or if you want, THE Guy) because it humanizes the concept of individuality. You can have lunch with That Guy. You can call That Guy for advice. You can tell your friends and customers to go to That Guy’s website. Because That Guy…is just cool. And he holds permanent shelf space in your mind.

Who is That Guy?
Have you ever heard of Jared Fogel? Of course you have. Everybody knows Jared. He’s that guy who lost over 250 pounds eating nothing but Subway sandwiches for an entire year. But that was only the beginning. Jared has now made a career out of his accomplishments. In addition to being the official spokesperson for the company, Jared is the go-to guy for education about weight loss, discipline and nutrition. As a result, he has a profitable career that helps millions of people each year attain healthy lifestyles.

Not to mention, he probably gets lots of free sandwiches.

The best part is, Jared Fogel used to be Some Guy. But then he found a way to personify his values, uniqueness and talents into a business and life that inspired and helped others. And now, he’s That Guy.

Now, he’s somebody who reminds everybody of nobody.

Why Be That Guy?
Being That Guy is advantageous to your business in several ways. First, there’s the connection. Customers don’t buy products, they buy people they like and relate to FIRST. Then – and only then – do they buy products.

Next is trust. You see, customers no longer trust big companies due to the proliferation of corporate scandals and corruption (thanks Enron!). They want a face. A person. An individual they can confide in. So when it comes down to business, everyone trusts That Guy. Because he’s a human, not a company.

Then there’s credibility, an aura of expertise which is perceived by your customers based on your actions. Not your intentions, your actions. Because people only give you credit for what they see you do – consistently.

That Guy also projects authenticity. This is a characteristic present in any That Guy because he keeps it real. He maintains congruency between what he believes, what he says and what he does. This is essential to business success not only because your customers are smarter than ever before, but also because they have better BS meters than ever before.

Lastly, there’s confidence, the one emotion you want flowing through the mind and heart of every person you serve. Because when you’re That Guy, customers will be confident you’re the best. Confident that you will serve them better than anyone. Confident that you’re so incredibly unique, knowledgeable and valuable, that you become somebody who reminds them of nobody. And in the end, customers want to work with someone who is authentic, real and has passion for what he does. In other words, people want to work with That Guy, not Some Guy.

What Guy Are You?
The good news is, you already are That Guy. You just need to get to know him a little better. Now, although the entire process of becoming That Guy will span over a series of upcoming articles, here are some exercises to get you started.

Every time I _______________, it makes people stop, listen and say WOW
People always remember me for _________________
I’m the first and/or only person to _______________
I’m probably the only person you’ll ever meet who will _________________
If you looked up the word _______________ in the dictionary, you’d see me
If you googled the word ________________, the first ten pages would be my website
If was giving a speech to 10,000 people and I only had three sentences to use in my introduction, they would say _____________________
In my marketing materials, the words or phrases you will find that nobody else uses are ______________________
After saying _________________, I tell customers ‘…because that’s just the way I do business.’
When my coworkers need help with _____________, they always call me
As soon as I leave a conversation with a group of new people, they’re all probably thinking to themselves, ___________________
After people get to know me, they’ll never think about ________________ the same way again
When friends or family members introduce me to new people, they say_________
My whole life, people have always said I was like a _____________________
I stopped _________________, people would be disappointed
When business people introduce me to others, they say ___________________
The most remarkable thing about my life is _________________________
The most remarkable thing about my business is ____________________
When I give my business card to someone, they usually say ________________
I’m known for being ___________________
The compliment I seem to receive all the time is ______________________
There is nobody walking the planet who could share the message about
_________________ better than me

With your answers to the above exercises, it should be a piece of cake to fill out this last one:

I AM THAT GUY WHO ___________________________________________

Once you’ve figured that out, you will be ready for the next step: introducing That Guy to as many people as possible. But we’ll talk about that next time.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Are you That Guy?