January 21st, 2010
If you’re 100% committed to these three steps, I will always be happy to talk to you with the meter off. Not before 10am though.
November 25th, 2009
(“Small chasm” might be an oxymoron, but it was a dream, OK?) It was only 2 metres wide, but it was really, really deep. Parts of me shrunk with fear as I looked down. I could make it across. But the fear of slipping and falling kept me from attempting the jump.
I think that’s how we are with a lot of things in business. Once we’ve made the leap (invested in a new hire, switched to new systems, ditching a shrinking market) we kick ourselves for not doing it sooner.
What I actually want to talk about, though, is Chip and Dan Heath’s book, “Made to Stick”. It’s fabulous. They’ve got a great framework, under the acronym SUCCESs, for making messages memorable and impactful. We know most of it, but once again it’s about the discipline of applying what we know.
The second C is for Credible. Maybe I’ll replace Bart Simpson with Yoda…
November 9th, 2009
Here’s the full table, simplified and adapted from conversations with the experts at RogenSi.
If you weren’t aware of models like this, now you are. There are many more. http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes1.htm
If you’ve known about these tools for some time, ask yourself: “How often do I apply them in my interactions with clients and prospects?”
Most sales people revert to their own style. Analytical thinkers will provide lots of detail and focus on process – even if they are boring their Expressive client to death.
Just as common are so-called “experts” who will tell you to lose the detail and cut down the word count in all situations. If your audience in an Analytical one (like a majority of lawyers, systems analysts and financial controllers) you’ve just sunk your battleship.
Another interesting trick is to talk to all the styles at once on the same piece of paper. I’ll leave that for another post.