Talk to the Human™

This last year I’ve read a ton (at least a few pounds) of books, especially on marketing, the web, consulting, writing and speaking. I created some reviews on this website, but I think it’s time to highlight the best for those of you just getting on board with this whole 21st century reading-thing.

This list presumes you are looking to become successful at speaking and/or consulting about something you are good at. Of course, you also need to be up to date on whatever subject you are choosing to speak about.

Speaking
World Class Speaking – Craig Valentine and Mitch Meyerson
Money Talks – Alan Weiss

Writing
Six-Figure Freelancing – Kelly James-Enger
Made to Stick -  Chip and Dan Heath

Marketing
Guerrilla Marketing – Jay Conrad Levinson
Permission Marketing – Seth Godin

Consulting
Million Dollar Consulting – Alan Weiss
Book Yourself Solid - Michael Port

Web
The Zen of Social Media Marketing – Shama Hyder Kabani
WordPress for Dummies – Lisa Sabin-Wilson

Ideas
What the Dog Saw – Malcolm Gladwell
SuperFreakonomics – Steven Levitt & Stephen Dubner

As I made this list, I did realize there were still a couple of book reviews I could do, for those rare (!) weeks when I don’t finish a book.

Also, I know Made to Stick isn’t so much a book about writing, but it is a book about making your ideas worth remembering. And that is a great skill to have as a speaker and as someone who writes down what they are going to say.

If you are behind on your reading, pick up something off of this list. They are all worth your time…

Have you ever wondered what magic words you could use to get better customer service?

I seem to remember, in the good ole days, my Grandfather telling me about a phrase that worked really well for him. It was “I’ll just take my business elsewhere.” Is there a single company in America that would even bother to respond to something like this? I’m reminded of a Simpson’s episode a few years ago called “Flaming Moe’s” where Homer invented a new drink, and Moe (the Bartender) stole the formula and kept the profits. There is a scene where Homer is saying “You just lost a customer.” Moe is so busy serving Flaming Moe drinks, and the crowd is so noisy that Moe can’t even hear him. After Homer repeats it a few times with no effect, he just leaves in disgust.

I’ve seen a lot of use of ”I’m going to tell on you.” This in the sense that if I’m unhappy with your product or service and you don’t remedy the situation, I’ll tell two friends and they will tell two friends (and so on). I’m starting to think this is becoming our generation’s “good ole days” story line. I’ve been keeping up with Alan Weiss’ blog, Contrarian Consulting. He had an issue with Saks Fifth Avenue in New York a while back. In this thread, he talks about not getting much help (he does point out a specific bright spot in the service too) and posts it for the world to see. It’s an understatement to call Alan’s work a well-read blog. A few days later, he posted an update, including a reference to a direct e-mail he sent to the company with no results. Today, he posted another follow-up about a reader who works there who left him a message that has proven difficult to return. If a well known author and general big-whig like Alan can’t get improved service (or even a reasonable response) with the “tell on you” model, how far can you or I get?

Maybe the new mantra is “I’m going to tell on your competition.” Instead of announcing where the deficiency is, perhaps it’s time to tell the world “Hey, I went to Macy’s. Not only were the shirts just as good as the other guys, but the staff made me feel like they were glad to see me.” Note: this is not so much a threat as it is a true course of action. You don’t say it so much to get better service, you use it once you get the service (like a tip). Case in point, there’s a guy at Dillard’s here in Wichita that aways finds me as I approach his department. He’s helpful, pleasant, and now I find myself looking for him when I go in. He’s not an isolated case there.

This leads me to some possible advice for Alan (although I’ sure he’s used this tactic as well); Now that you have pointed out the deficiencies at Saks (which made some great reading, by the way), maybe it’s time for a “Try Sears, where the salespeople care about helping you and you’ll feel so good with that Craftsman wrench in your hand that you won’t care what color your shirt is” post. It’s just a thought…

In the final analysis, maybe there are no magic words for better customer service. I think we are at a point where the best customers find the best service (as Alan did in his post) and if you don’t keep looking, you get what you accept. What does your experience tell you?

The E-Myth Revisited is a book by Michael Gerber that is based on his many years of experience in helping small businesses see success by realizing the difference between the Entrepreneur, the Manager, and the Technician. This is the overarching theme of his book, and you’ll hear (or read) it a lot.

What’s great about this book:
If you are wondering why, as a great technician, you can’t seem to see success as a small business owner, this book will open your eyes to what you may be missing.

One piece that really caught my attention: The Technician looks at the customer and asks, “why won’t they buy my product?” The Entrepreneur looks at the customer and says, “what product or service can I provide to you?” If you can’t make that transition, now you know why you won’t be successful.

There is some interesting content at his site: http://www.e-myth.com/

Limiting Factors:
I have to admit, the author’s voice made this one tough on me. This may not have been a good “Reading while Driving” choice.
Very Repetitive. You’ll definitely walk away knowing that there is an Entrepreneur, a Manager, and a Technician.

Recommendations:
If you choose to read nothing else about starting a business, this may be a good choice for you. For consulting work, I’d steer you toward Alan Weiss, Michael Port, and Seth Godin for better advice all the way around.

Rob’s Rating system (bolded, the rating is)
Buy now at full price
Buy if you get a discount
Wait for the paperback
Wait for someone else to be done with the paperback (at least don’t overpay for the CDs like I did)
If you’ve read my review, you got the jist of it

Sometimes, you need to look at that goal, plan, or new years resolution and renew your commitment. In the spirit of not missing any opportunity, here is a look at some posts that can help you focus on your future in the month where most folks lose that momentum.

Are you finding ways to succeed, or are you stuck looking for no? After reading Alan Weiss’ website, I had an immediate “ah-ha” moment when I read about how some people saw good news as simply a prelude to coming bad news. They see every turn representing potential trouble, every new person as a threat, and each new request as a burden. Read the post to get some ideas on how to work with the nay-sayers.

Remember the 37-second rule: Based on the way the human brain is wired, you only have 37 seconds to capture an idea before it’s lost…possibly forever. Don’t lose those opportunities! Read the post for some tips to capture those ideas.

Stay on course. This time of year it can be easy to get distracted. The holidays are over and the resolve to keep that resolution is replaced by the resolve to slip back into old habits. Give yourself a check-up. Read the post to learn how to identify the signs and keep moving toward your goals.

Finally, don’t forget to relax once in a while. It’s okay to take a break and recharge the batteries.

Don’t let the new year slip by without achieving some of your goals. Hopefully you’ll find some useful tips in these posts, and you’ll find the resolve to keep moving forward each and every day…

Every now and then, a good book may be a reference book you can turn to again and again. If you are a person who writes or speaks, you need to have a reference of great quotes handy all the time. Seriously.

The Harper Book of Quotations, Third Edition was published too early to include any George W. Bush gems, but contains over 6,500 quotes from both the famous and obscure.

What’s great about this book:
Sorted by topic, such as Adversity, Education, England and the U.K., Honesty, Sport, Success, Work and 194 more catgories.
Fully indexed by source, so you can find, say, all 40 of Oscar Wilde’s quotes, or just the one by former President Clinton.

Limiting Factors:
It would be nice to have a fourth edition out soon. There were a few good things said in the past few years.
You’ll have to search the web for more contemporary quotes from greats like Seth Godin, Alan Weiss, or Craig Valentine.

Great Quotes:
“Life is what happens to us while we are making other plans.” – Thomas La Mance
“Everything is funny as long as it is happening to someone else.” – Will Rogers
“See everything: overlook a great deal: correct a little.” – Pope John XXIII

Recommendations:
This is a reference book that would be useful on your shelf. You should have no trouble getting it for less than the $14.95 retail price.

Rob’s Rating system (bolded, the rating is)
Buy now at full price
Buy if you get a discount
Wait for the paperback (and it’s already in paperback/discounted)
Wait for someone else to be done with the paperback
If you’ve read my review, you got the jist of it

Ready for another dose of quality quotes for your fantasy football draft? Here are some that you may find useful, along with one perception of what they mean:

Gerald Ford
“I’ve had a lot of experience with people smarter than I am”
My thought: I love this. Sometimes people forget that no matter how smart or important they are, there is always (a) someone out there who knows more, and (b)  something that every person knows that you (or I) don’t.

Douglas MacArthur
“You are remembered for the rules you break”
My thought: Don’t confuse breaking the rules with not knowing the rules. If you want to be remembered in a positive light for the rules you break, know the rule and why you’re breaking it.

 Dwight D. Eisenhower
“An intellectual is a man who takes more words than necessary to tell me more than he knows”
My thought: The wisest speakers are the ones who say what needs to be said, not everything that can be said.  

Alan Weiss
“The first sale is to yourself”
My thought: You’ll never be able to convince others of a course of action that you do not believe in yourself. 

Are you wondering how I can have a back cover to a book that isn’t written yet? Some folks will tell you that it’s an important exercise to write the back cover first for a couple of reasons:

1. Coming up with what others will say about your book can help you focus on what will actually go in it.
2. It can serve as a catalyst for the process of putting your actual content together.

Please note: The quotes in this post are (currently) fictional. They are representative of who/what I’d like to see on the real back cover of my book, but I may only get my wife, son, and a cousin or two to endorse it. You never know.

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Talk to the Human – real world techniques for getting communication off-line and on-point.

Here’s a taste of what you’ll learn from Talk to the Human™:

- Leading-edge tactics for turning leading-edge communications into real, live results-driven dialog

- 3 Keys for developing better communications by building a better foundation, preparing for success, and succeeding in the moment

- Dozens of methods to get results today in your business through better communication

What real Humans are saying about Talk to the Human™:

“Get off of the E-train and back to real life dialog. If you’re looking for a strategic advantage in your live business communications, read this book” – Business Week

“If you’re looking for real methods to be successful in face-to-face communications, this book is a must read” – Bruce Tulgan, author of Not Everyone Gets A Trophy

“If you buy only one book today, this is the book!” – Scott Adams, cartoonist, author, and creator of Dilbert™

“Rob does a masterful job of teaching you methods to know and understand your audience, prepare your message, and deliver it professionally and memorably. If I would have had this 10 years ago, I’d be $1,000,000 ahead today.” Alan Weiss, author of Million Dollar Consulting

“Rob is very Funny” – Darren LaCriox, comedian, 2001 World Champion of Public Speaking, and author of  Laugh and Get Rich

“Rob’s lesson’s resonate with the speaker in all of us.” – Darren Hardy, Publisher and Editorial Director of Success Magazine

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Clearly (to me) this needs work. I’ll probably refine it as I go along, and when it’s a bit better, I’ll post a new version (maybe as a .jpg to add some color and realism to it).

By the way, I mentioned the quotes were fictional, but here’s a secret: The Darren LaCroix quote is genuine. He posted it on my Facebook page a few weeks ago.

Need a quote for your next party? Here are some that you may find useful, along with one perception of what they mean:

Craig Valentine
“What got you here won’t get you there” – from the book World Class Speaking
My thought: Sticking with what works is very Human. However, sometimes you need to make those changes to become more (or even stay) successful. In a related quote, Janet Jackson once said “What have you done for me lately?”  To be successful, you should be able to answer that question for your boss, your clients, or your family at a moments notice.  

Darren LaCroix
“I’ve never had a mentor ‘nice me into growth’” – from the August Champ Camp in Connecticut
My thought: Validation and Growth have one thing in common – they’re both words. Beyond that, they are the difference between someone telling you that you’re good and someone helping you become better.
That’s not a licence to run around telling everyone the whole ugly truth.  As I always say, know your audience and know what they need to hear, what they want to hear and what they can take. It’s just like in Toastmasters, when anyone speaks, you will have 20 things you could mention that need to be worked on. Tell me about all 20, and I may get discouraged. Tell me I was great, and nothing will change. Tell me about 3 things, and I can grow.

Ed Tate
“Review your keepers” – from the August Champ Camp in Connecticut
My thought: This was one of the most valuable lessons from the 2 1/2 days there. Why, you ask? This was a technique  Ed used, along with his “Think, Pair, Share” method to reinforce learning after each break.
Here’s how it worked:
1. At the beginning of the seminar, we were introduced to the note pages for our “keepers”, where we would write down those things in the session that were of value to us
2. After each break, we were given a moment to go over our keepers and think about what we had learned
3. Next, we would pair up with a neighbor (a different person each time) and discuss what we had on our list
4. Finally, Ed would ask everyone to share one of keepers with the group (note: in a larger group you would limit the number of “shares”)
Between each Pair and Share segment, I think everyone in the room would pick up at least one keeper that they hadn’t thought of on their own.
If you do instructional sessions, I think this is one of the more valuable techniques you could incorporate into your teaching methods.

Alan Weiss
“If you don’t blow your own horn, there is no music” – from the book Million Dollar Consulting
My thought: There’s a difference between saying that you are good, and bragging that you are better than everyone around you. It’s okay to be good and say so. A little competition can be healthy too, just know when enough is enough.
I used to know people who said that if their boss didn’t put their accomplishments in their performance appraisals (and awards), they must not have been that good. Baloney.  Whether it’s you current boss, future employers (i.e. your résumé) or a consulting client, you shouldn’t expect to be the talk of the town no matter how good you are. Be willing to say it out loud and articulate it so it makes sense.

Peter Drucker
“The best way to predict the future is to create it” – multiple sources
My thought: This is timeless. I’ll put it this way, if you are waiting for something to happen, get a piece of paper, an envelope, and a pen. Write down what you are waiting for, put it in the envelope and write today’s date on it, but add one month (i.e. if today is 30 Aug 09, write 30 Sep 09). Set it aside and open it on the date written. When you read it then, you will probably notice that you are still waiting. This method works if you add one month, one year, or 10 years. Don’t test that theory – go make that “thing” happen. Being on the right track only matters if you choose to move forward…