First, someone I barely know called and acted interested in the products I provide.  He had read enough about me (web site, LinkedIn) to know how to make small talk, but [...]]]> I’ve run into a couple of situations with sales folks recently that remind me that common sense does not reign supreme in the sales world.

First, someone I barely know called and acted interested in the products I provide.  He had read enough about me (web site, LinkedIn) to know how to make small talk, but had missed some critical pieces of the puzzle in knowing what makes me tick.  After I had about two sentences out, I was cut off mid-sentence (and cutting me off is hard to do!).  It became a one-way monologue of what they could do for me.  Then right in the middle of the call, his (other) phone rings, and he asks if I’ll hold while he answers “a really important call I’m expecting.“  Who’s this call about again?

Bad etiquette is not confined to cold calls on the phone.

On (Tuesday), January 19th, I got an unsolicited email from a guy who is apparently selling sales (training, methodology, tools, whatever).  His lead paragraph ends with a big IF statement — “If your company is in this situation, how will you make this work?“  We’ll never know — it doesn’t apply to me.  He gave four bullet points — all with made up, meaningless statistics — touting how if I rip the guts out of my current situation, all will be right with the world.  His emails ends with a call to action: “If you’re interested in learning more see this URL.”  Since I had no interest, I didn’t visit the URL. 

Then on (Tuesday), January 26th, I get a follow-up email from the same guy apologizing for the interruption, asking if I got the first email, more wild claims (no stats this time), and a call to action: “If you’d like to know more, just respond to this email or call me at…“  I didn’t want to know more, and I didn’t call.

Today (Tuesday), I get a(nother) unsolicited email from the same guy.  The wording has changed, the message is the same.  The action is weaker still: “We can help you improve” (we’ve gone from stats to unsupported claims to helping me improve).  “To discuss, just reply with YES to this email or call …“  I didn’t call.  Nor will I ever. 

I’m left wondering if he was on vacation last Tuesday.  Or maybe I only rate to get unsolicited emails three of every four weeks from him.  He probably had an important email to send the other week.

Several tips here…

If you initiate the call, it has to be the most important call you can have at that moment.
Give your (potential) clients something of value, not just information about you.
If people aren’t responding, change the message.
“IF” is a weak call to action.  Use stronger verbage.

I watched the very cute movie “Charlotte’s Web” last night with the family.  I was awed by the technical aspects of the film combining live animals, puppets (there’s probably a better term), and virtually generated animals.  But two lines of the film jumped out at me and have a direct impact on our communications.  Today [...]]]>

I watched the very cute movie “Charlotte’s Web” last night with the family.  I was awed by the technical aspects of the film combining live animals, puppets (there’s probably a better term), and virtually generated animals.  But two lines of the film jumped out at me and have a direct impact on our communications.  Today you get two nuggets for the price of one — two for Tuesday.

First, when Charlotte (the spider) was addressing the barn animals, she used some big words.  This helped to develop the character of the runt pig Wilbur and to give the spider some authority in the barnyard.  One of the animals says, “Man, can that spider talk.“  And another responds, “Yeah, but what did she say, exactly?“

My blog title is based on this.  We used lots of words.  We give off non-verbal signals.  We have a plan.  But what do we say?  And does it match?  We drone on and on about our businesses, but what do we say?  We speak things to loved ones, but what do we say? We explain our situation, product, and feelings, but what do we say, exactly?  This is critical stuff, and insight only a cartoon can give.

What are you saying, exactly?

My second moment was after the “Some Pig” message had lost its allure.  The crowds disappeared.  The barnyard loses its life.  The animals all want something amazing to happen.  Narrator: “What was amazing yesterday had suddenly become ordinary again today.“

This is the problem with most of our efforts in life.  We work hard to make something amazing happen, and it is no longer amazing.  We can easily lose our desire to even try to make the next amazing thing.  Yet there are so many things we simply MUST do.  And if we view them as amazing, we are inspired, and can inspire others.

What amazing thing has become ordinary in your life?

Even if you are politically opposed to Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown, you cannot deny that he has burst on the national political scene. It is rare that we get an audience as focused as he enjoyed last night — ‘normal’ Senators share the election spotlight across 50 states and the District of Columbia. [...]]]>

Even if you are politically opposed to Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown, you cannot deny that he has burst on the national political scene. It is rare that we get an audience as focused as he enjoyed last night — ‘normal’ Senators share the election spotlight across 50 states and the District of Columbia. Mr. Brown had the spotlight last night, and his acceptance speech could make or break him. Those are high stakes.

Bert Decker blogged about his impact already.  I value Bert’s insights (he’s trained 200,000 people!).  I enjoyed the video.  I’d offer a few suggestions for Senator Brown:

1. He needs to modulate his voice more and become more conversational.  He has a strong voice.  But he spoke in overdrive the whole time.  I know this is a pep rally, but especially as he talks about personal things, he should let the microphones do its job and not try to push so hard.  I’m sure the adrenaline was pumping.
2. He needs to control his repetitive gestures, especially the banging of the lectern.  Several times he was pointing on every word.  Hillary Clinton used to do this, and was considered “angry” because of it.
3. He should pause a moment more before starting sentences.  He repeatedly started sentences with the conjunction “and”.  His challenge in that environment is the constant interruption of applause, but he should still start sentences cleanly as a new thought.

When I watch good communicators on a big stage, I ask myself, “What would you say?”  That makes me admire such communicators all the more — when you have so much riding on a speech, it is not an easy question.  I thought Scott Brown started very strong.  He has our attention — now is the time for him to step up his communication. 

Like all of us, he can improve.  Like few of us, he had a global opportunity and excelled.

What are you doing to improve?  What stakes are riding on your communication today?

As someone who long ago overcame a fear of presenting in public (now I LIKE it!), it’s hard to remember those fears (the Curse of [...]]]> In a conversation with someone who believes in what I do, they told me, “You are giving people a gift.  You convince them the pain of public speaking is survivable.”

As someone who long ago overcame a fear of presenting in public (now I LIKE it!), it’s hard to remember those fears (the Curse of Knowledge).  But enough students come to me with candid apprehension (worry, anxiety, dread, panic, and even horror) that I cannot ignore the reality that a large chunk of the populous legitimately doesn’t like it.  In a safe environment, I lead them to the other side (I don’t expect or demand they like it, but I do expect and demand that they become competent and influential in doing it).

When I was in grad school, an elderly man lived next door.  A card-carrying extrovert whose wife was bed-ridden, he delighted in the few moments he could get outside and would talk to me about anything and everything.  As a WWII veteran, occasionally he would talk about the war.  I remember one of his comments quite vividly as he related his experience in the Battle of the Bulge.  He said, “That battle taught me something very important.  It taught me how much the human mind and body can withstand.“  If you’re even marginally familiar with the history of that epic battle, you’ll know the Allied forces withstood bitter cold, dwindling supplies, and an entrenched and powerful enemy within earshot. Perhaps their greatest challenge was the dipping morale and the will to push forward.  They did, and a key strategic turning point was affected.

I don’t equate public speaking to war.  I’m fortunate enough to have escaped the latter and fortunate to have engaged the former.  But it really has some parallels.  Our life and opportunities are slipping away.  The enemy (the audience?!) is entrenched and we can see them.  As fear takes its grip, it’s our own will that is challenged most.

But we must win.  The experience is survivable.  And when we know what we can endure, we are able to excel and push to accomplishments and influence we would not otherwise have. 

What do you need to survive and push through?  How will you accomplish it?

This blurb drew my attention: “We (the speakers) judge by intent; they (the audience) judge by observable behavior.  You need to declare your intent to actively influence the conclusions others draw about your behavior, or [...]]]> I listened to an audio summary of Stephen R. Covey’s “The Speed of Trust” today.  There’s some good stuff in there.

This blurb drew my attention: “We (the speakers) judge by intent; they (the audience) judge by observable behavior.  You need to declare your intent to actively influence the conclusions others draw about your behavior, or they’ll make their own assumptions.“

There are two nuggets I regularly teach in there:

1. People make their perceptions and judgments about speakers more from what the speaker does than what the speaker says.  This is hard for really smart people to believe.  They know their stuff and they expect that knowledge to woo the audience.  It seldom does.  In class I have people speak about inane topics like belly button lint, skinny dipping, and cloaking devices.  Once they’ve learned the skills we are working on, they invevitably sound like an expert.  It’s a wonderful exercise that the audience really ‘gets’  — behavior drives impressions.  I teach this daily to my kids as well.  I tell them they can do whatever they want; it’s the consequences and perceptions of others that they cannot choose.
2. Lead with a statement of ownership.  Let everyone know where you stand.  Instead of a dogmatic statement that divides an audience, lead with an owned statement of opinion that promotes dialog and has the audience asking, “Why does he believe that?“  It sure beats them thinking, “He’s an idiot.“

Of course, if #1 and #2 are not consistent, then we have a discrepancy, and what the audience believes is truly a mystery.  The great study by Dr. Albert Mehrabian applies here.  A lot has been written about his study (see here, for instance), but it is misquoted more than it is correctly referenced.  The takeaway: Make your communication behavior consistent with your message.  That’s something we should all agree on.

Lead with your claim — match your behavior to that claim.  Gain the audience’s trust and get their attention and action.