Entries from June 2007 ↓

It dawns on me after listening to years of talk radio and listening to callers - most people have absolutely nothing interesting to say, or nothing new to offer. Sometimes the hosts don’t either.

This is not unique to radio or other commercial media. It can also be true of bloggers and commenters.

Maximum caffeine. More power. Jolt cola. Jolt = to jar, shake, or cause to move by or as if by a sudden rough thrust; shake up roughly. Sales and marketing are best done when people figure out the power of jolting. Most people don’t change until they’re jolted - shaken up and forced to consider something new.

Every week I seem to have multiple conversations with sales professionals who talk about trying to get to a C-level executive so they can “make a sale.” Time and again sales professionals tell me that they’re objective is to get the executive prospect to just “give them a chance.” Often they don’t have a compelling story and I’m left asking, “Why should the prospective customer give you a chance when they’re perfectly satisfied with their present supplier? What are you hoping to accomplish with a mere chance?” I’m reminded of that ancient axiom - hope is not a strategy. Even so, it’s the only strategy some salespeople have. And it dawns on me they aren’t sales professionals at all. In fact, most aren’t professional at all. Doh! Do you think that has anything to do with their frustrations and failures?

A jolt isn’t necessarily painful, but it must be uncomfortable. If it’s not, then the prospect can easily toss you aside and continue with their present supplier. The discomfort or pain of not doing business with you must be more painful than doing business with you. It’s simple. You have to find the jolt spot (that’s a noun) - that spot where they know it’s more painful to kick you out than to listen to your idea.

Here are my top 3 thoughts about using the process of the jolt:

1. Be creative and engaging immediately. You’ll never find the jolt if you go in behaving like all the other salespeople who make canned pitches. Go in, hand them your business card, and tell them you’d like to talk with them about whatever service or product you’ve got and the jolt is on you. You’ll find yourself on the sidewalk kicked out of their office like a drunk from an old west saloon. That isn’t creative or engaging.

There are countless ways to exercise creativity so you be engaging. Bring a gift. Comment about a personal item in their office and get them to tell you a story about it. Don’t go in acting like Rodney Dangerfield and do your amateur stand up comedy routine. It’s not about you. It’s about them. It’s about what you can do to make their life easier and more productive.

2. Don’t jam features or benefits down their throat. FAB selling is what most of us were taught. Features, Advantages, Benefits. Well, it won’t work. Nobody cares. You don’t care. I don’t care.

Tell me a story instead. When the Mazdaspeed 3 came out this year I was rather taken with it. I have an affection for 4-cylinder rockets. Oh, I knew all the specs on the car, but when I begin to read stories of test drives - it was compelling. I even ordered one (and a sales professional screwed the deal so badly that I actually backed out and refused to take delivery of the car because he made the experience so painful). I wasn’t smitten with specs or features. I was smitten with how much fun it would be to drive one every day.

Put the FAB in story form. Keep it short and make it compelling. Nothing sells like a great story. Nothing.

3. Expose yourself. No, don’t drop your pants and get arrested. But show them you’re vulnerable. Put yourself out there. Time magazine did a recent story on Bruce Willis. His new movie, Live Free or Die Hard, is due out today. The story pointed out that Willis’ popularity is based on his vulnerability in being like your buddy. He’s cool. He talks and acts like your buddy. He’s disarming because he’s not pretentious or too caught up with himself. Your popularity as a salesperson will hinge on having that same ability.

Taking risk and being vulnerable isn’t the same as begging or removing all the risk for your prospect. Nobody wants to buy from somebody who is willing to give away their product or service. They’ll assume it’s worth what they’re paying for it - nothing. Rather, make a compelling offer that demonstrates your faith in making your product/service do more than you promise. It makes you real and proves that you’re putting your money where your mouth is.

JOLT. Jolt your prospects into the realization that if they don’t do business with you, then their pain and suffering will be made worse. Jolt them into the realization that their present solutions are inferior to those you offer. Jolt them with creative ideas that make them think.

We’re all comfortable with whatever works for us - even if it’s not working terribly well. It’s easier to keep doing what we’re doing with even limited success than it is to change. If I have to fill out a bunch of paperwork and jump through hoops to change - count me out. I’m sticking with what I’ve got because it requires less work on my part. That’s a negative jolt - “Here, just complete this 6 page form and we’ll get started right away.” A positive jolt would be - “You don’t need to do a thing except tell me I’ve got a green light. I’m going to do the work for you and this will be seamless for you and your organization. If at any point you’re disappointed - kick me out and you owe me NOTHING.”

Jolt your prospects into doing business with YOU.

I have little interest in writing these days. I have continued to read some blogs. I’m still partial to Dumb Little Man and Ririan Project. They’re among two of my favorites. Lately, I’ve not been reading many blogs though - and I’ve sure not written anything worthwhile (in the blog) for as long as I can remember. I just have no interest in it.

Some bloggers report spending no less than 4 hours a day on their blog. Many spend more than that. Sorry, but I can’t figure out how or why a person would do that. Well, one instance makes a little bit of sense - compensation. If a person is a paid blogger I get it. But, web space is full of amateurs (non-professionals who earn nothing) who spend hours and hours on their blog daily.

When you check the subscriber count on some sites (Dumb Little Man currently displays 73,557 subscribers) it certainly makes sense that a person, or group of people, will spend some quality time on the content. Thus begins the debate - must you devote those hours to the content in order to get subscriber rates into 5 digits, or must you devote those hours to please all those subscribers? I suspect Dumb Little Man has always given substantial resources (including time) to the creation of their blog. I’m glad somebody did because the content is worthwhile.

Then, there are the millions of blogs that nobody reads because nobody cares what you had for lunch, or what movie you saw last, or who you’re dating, or what your vacation plans are. And there are innumerable blogs like this one - blogs about nothing! We’re the Seinfeld of blogs.

Why do we keep them going? I have no idea. I did have a purpose when I began - and much of that continues to this day. It began as an exercise to learn a bit about website creation, design, FTP, SEO and all the other nuances of websites. In the course of a few years I’ve learned a lot.

I don’t earn my living in web design or any other Internet-type industry. When I began blogging it seemed the space was primarily filled with web designers, IT guys, and other technical people, or so it seemed. Some of the best designed blogs are about blogging, blogging technologies, CSS and other elements of design. Go figure.

My desire to unclutter my life plays a major role in my current state of dissatisfaction. My physical space is full of too much clutter. So is my cyberspace. My bookmarks alone testify to the fact that I’ve got too many websites stuffed in folders that I never visit. At the time I bookmarked them, they surely seemed valuable. But not really. My mind, like so many others, often thinks, “Interesting. I may want to come visit this again.” But I rarely do. Because most sites aren’t worth visiting once, much less again.

I may disconnect this blog. I’ve not yet decided. I surely have much to learn about CSS, and other website design technologies. But I’m bored. And tired of the clutter. And Moleskin notebooks are still one of my favorite ways to write - or should I say, one of my favorite mediums on which to record my writing?

Funny thing is…nobody is reading anyway. So if a blog dies on the Net and nobody is reading, does it really make a sound? Likely not. Silence. The sound of death. The sound of apathy. The sound of indifference. No sound whatsoever!

I’ve grown to hate blogs and blogging. So I haven’t been writing. I have, however, been reading - books. It’s a much better investment. Maybe one day I’ll care about all this web stuff - but not today!

Even TV is more interesting these days - and we’re in the land of nothing but repeats. No good sports are on - baseball is NOT a good sport. The NBA sucks wind. Hockey - my beloved sport - is dying at the hands of a plastic lawyer. We’re hard pressed to find any TV worth watching. If I see one more commercial for a new reality show (whether it’s about pirates or bingo or anything else) - I may surrender to my urges for serial killing.

Blogging in all its variations (Facebook, Xanga, MySpace, WordPress, Blogger) is wearing me out! Books never wear me out. My loyalty to books shall remain even though bad books can exist along side good books. The cost of entry with a published book is still much more difficult than the creation of a blog. That alone ensures the quality is likely to be worth a cursory look. If not, toss it aside and reach for another. Besides, you’ll often come across an author who knows more than you do - something rare in the world of blogging where every man is a king of dunces. Including me.

Gary Bettman is the worst professional sports commissioner on the planet. I’m among the very rare people who love hockey. Saturdy’s game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals on NBC brought a record low rating for NBC’s prime time broadcasting history - a 1.1 national rating and a 2 share. The rating is the percentage watching among all homes with a TV. The share is the percentage tuned in among those households with a TV on at the time. A ratings point represents 1,114,000 households. The NHL is a game that nobody cares about. The NHL is a game run by a clueless commissioner.

Gary Bettman, like most commissioners, is an attorney with labor relations expertise. He served under David Stern at the NBA. Stern suggested the NHL hire him as the first ever commissioner. Both men are made of plastic. Yes, the NHL had leadership before the establishment of the office of the commissioner. It was the president of the league. Bettman entered as head poopa of the league in 1993. And he’s done very little to help the game since. In 1992, 1994 and 2004 the league experienced a lock-out. Millions, if not billions, have been lost by teams. Four teams went bankrupt. With the current salary cap things may be in the mend as far as profits go - but the game is in dire straits.

Last evening during the second intermission of game 4 Don Cherry, the greatest promoter of the game north of the border, made his debut on American TV. Cherry is well-respected in hockey circles. He’s outspoken, opinionated and brash. Much of the time he’s even correct.

Cherry commented how hypocritical it is for TV networks and others to claim that fighting needs to be eliminated from the game so it can grow. MMA (mixed martial arts), ultimate fighting, boxing, American football and other violent sports are experiencing tremendous growth. Fighting in hockey is at least honorable because rarely do the combatants disrespect one another. Fighters in hockey fight other fighters. It has its place in the game - no matter what people think. Cherry appropriately pointed out that all successful promotions of the game focus on fights. He held up a full page Buffalo Sabre’s ad for this year’s playoff games. Virtually every photo in the ad depicted fights or big hits. Cherry believes fighting will help the game on the ice - and it will help bring fans to the sport. He’s right - on both counts. But I digress…

The NHL is poorly marketed and even more poorly operated. Last night’s game is a perfect illustration. During the first period numerous penalties were called. Most of them phantom calls created by diving - the NHL equivalent of faking it. Seasoned referees look like novices under the guidance of the NHL. No doubt they’ve been told how to call the game. It’s as though they’ve never worked a hockey game in their life. At the end of the second period the captain of Ottawa shot the puck at the captain of the opposing Anaheim team after the buzzer. A scuffle followed with the Ottawa captain punching another player. No call. Nothing. Bogus calls all game long. Things that should have been penalized were not. Thanks to the commissioner the league is losing the luster long created by good, strong physical play. Thanks to him we’ve got a moronic instigator penalty, too. Few in the game think it should remain, but Bettman insists it will make the game more marketable. He’s wrong. It’s not working. Few things in the league are working these days. Even hardcore fans are finding the game tough to watch at times.

There are so many problems with the NHL that it would take weeks to merely catalog them all. But, it should be done. It must be done. The problems need to be listed, addressed and solved. The owners will have to lead the way. Bettman and the front office work for them - at least that’s how it’s supposed to work. General managers will have to be involved. Head coaches, too. Officials as well. Ex-players and ex-coaches (think Wayne Gretzky and Scotty Bowman) need a place in the room, too. Broadcasters and newspaper writers have a place, too - they’re the ones covering the game. They’re the ones the fans hear most. They ought to have a voice, too. Don Cherry, Brett Hull and Bill Clement should be among those who help address the league problems.

How could that be accomplished? By a commissioner with the courage, skills and desire to make the game great! Not by a commissioner with the desire to collect another few million bucks year after year. The sport needs a person with a passion for the game. The sport needs a commissioner with a drive to make the game more successful. The game needs a top-notch salesperson - an advocate.

The NHL should terminate Bettman immediately and begin a serious search for that person. Gretzky should make the short list. Eddie Gossage, the current President of the Texas Motor Speedway should also make the list. He was once rumored to be courted by the NHL. Gossage is a crackerjack promoter of NASCAR. If there was ever a sport that the NHL should study - it’s NASCAR. Gossage also has hockey in his background and admits he loves the game. There are many others who could do the job. For the millions paid to Bettman, the NHL can find the right person. The game deserves it. The fans deserve it.

The NHL has no more urgent agenda than to find a competent leader to drag the sport out of the crap heap and onto the forefront of American/Canadian sports entertainment. The NHL should not be dying. But it is. Bettman is killing the game by not leading it properly. The rules need tweaking. The marketing needs to be blown up - with a fresh start. The stars of the game need to be properly exhibited. The number one player, Sidney Crosby, played in Dallas this season, but he’s not due back for 3 seasons. Stellar scheduling by the league. The owners need a person they’ll trust to make the game great - a leader who will tell them what must be done.

We’re into game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals. It happens tomorrow night and I have little doubt the ratings of game 5 will be as dismal as game 3 - even though it’s a game that could see the Ducks of Anaheim hoist the Cup. Nobody other than those of us who love the game will watch - or care. Bettman will be there because he has to be. He’s the commissioner - of a dying game with no clue how to fix the problem and insufficient courage to walk away so somebody else can lead the way.

Mr. Bettman, how does it feel to be killing a league that is over 90 years old? What a legacy. What a disaster. What a shame!

I love the game. I want a commissioner who loves it, too.

I have clutter, but it’s limited to my house - not my car. I hate it. It drives me nuts. Yes, I have a compulsion for neatness and orderliness. Even so, I don’t often live up to my expectations. Frequently, I succumb to just going with the flow and before you know it - crap is everywhere. Usually books and magazine. Sometimes CD’s. Sometimes various papers. Clutter causes mental anxiety. Chaos.Every now and then I grab a Hefty Bag and sit in the floor with piles of magazines and other items surrounding me. I go through them and rarely keep anything. A recent exercise of this made me wonder, “Why am I hanging onto this in the first place?” I mean, if after weeks I sit down to sort through it all and end up keeping none of it - then why did I pile it up to begin with? Makes no sense. But then again, clutter rarely does make sense.We get a magazine. We scan it, set it aside vowing to read it later. Fourteen magazines later we realize we are so far behind we’ll never catch up. I sit in the floor, thumbing through countless magazines searching for articles that I simply “can’t live without.” But I hardly ever find them. In almost every instance, I throw them away. I’ve conned myself into thinking I’ll make time to read them later. If I don’t read them within an hour of first seeing them, I rarely will get around to it. But, I’ll still hang onto them - in hopes that I’ll eventually do something I’ve never done.

Self-deception is at the heart of my own clutter. Among the acts of self-deceit are these:

1. I need this. Usually, I don’t need it. I just want it.

2. I can use this. Maybe so, but sometimes I never use it. It just piles onto the other things that are of little, or no use.

3. It seemed like a good idea at the time. I’ve got more stuff that seemed like a decent purchase at the time - but I’ve long forgotten why I thought so.

I don’t often lean into the notion that something is such a great buy that I must purchase it because of the savings. I’m foolish. I’m not an idiot.

These 3 ares of self-deception are easily combated when you’re in the mode I’m in right now - de-cluttering. But unless you’ve got that focus, you’ll likely end up driving the clutter bus pictured above. Or worse yet, you’ll live in the clutter bus.I need it. No, I really don’t. Rarely do I actually need whatever it is that beckons my purchase or collection.

I can use this. Perhaps, but for how long? And what lasting value with this item have on my life? Will my life be made more full for having it? Likely not. It’s likely that it will merely add to my anxiety and chaos. It’s likely that the money would be better saved, or invested. Or spent taking friends or family out to lunch. What I can always use is more experiences with those I care about? If the item won’t help bring that about - I should rethink it hard before doling out the cash.

Most things seems like a good idea at the time. People engage in all sorts of poor behaviors only to realize that, “It seemed like a good idea at the time.” Apply that logic to most anything people do and you’ll quickly realize how crazy people are. Getting drunk, being unfaithful to a spouse, committing a crime - they may have all seemed like a good idea at the time. That just proves how stupid we can all be sometimes. Just because it seems like a good idea doesn’t mean it qualifies. Maybe your brain is defective and you’d think hitting yourself in the head with a brick is a good idea. Best ask yourself, “What about this seems good?”

My quest to de-clutter is going quite slowing, but I’m purposed to accomplish it. Ridding my life of stuff is exhilarating. Some things are harder to part with than others. Some things of valuable and I’m struggling to assess their value - not in dollars, but in why I value them so. For instance, I bought a killer set of headphones a few years ago. I have probably invested no more than 20 hours in listening to them. They’re awesome. They were expensive, but they’ve been stashed in their box for so long I wonder why I keep them. I should eBay them and recoup some money that would be better spent or invested elsewhere. BUT. That is the worst word to deal with as a de-clutterer. But…

But what if I need a killer set of headphones one day? What if I want to hear what a high dollar set of headphones sounds like?

You know. It’s not happened in two years. It’s likely it won’t happen. If they’re gone, I’ll likely never miss them. They’re not part of my life so they should go. I have so many things that are really not part of my life. They simply exist in my life. To clutter it up. To create chaos. Physically and mentally.

And that is my conclusion. If something isn’t an ongoing part of my life - why do I need it? Why shouldn’t it go? Thankfully, eBay and Craigslist are nearby. I’m only a few clicks away from de-cluttering and recouping a bit of the expenditure on all this stuff.

The quest continues. I’ll keep you updated on my slow, but hopefully - sure - progress.