A customer’s first response runs deep and lasts long. One way I keep myself close to customers is to monitor my first response to new information whenever I can — you know, that initial response that occurs without thinking. I’ve made habit of looking for such responses as I move through my life.
Information has no positive or negative value until I respond to it.
This morning I encountered information that you might use in the same way. Ready? [Read more…]
Yesterday walking the trade show floor, I felt I was in a 3-D blog world. Aisles and aisle of blogs sitting side by side with real people in and around them. They were all in the same market, different niches. Some were not easy to tell apart. I was scanning the signage to get a clue. Oh my! 60% were woefully inadequate. Here’s what I saw.
It seemed clear to me that the folks who designed these books — 3-D blogs — were thinking of what they thought the customer should know rather than thinking of what the customer might have come to find out. Standing outside each booth that I’m talking about I only had one question. [Read more…]
In an hour or so, I move my computer downtown to a hotel in Chicago while I attend a literacy convention. I know. I know. I live here. I could stay at home.
It’s a bit of a financial hit. Convention hotels in Chicago aren’t particularly inexpensive, but I see it as an investment in my customers and myself.
It’s hard enough to give my clients my undivided attention at a convention of 15,000 attendees. I want to have the flexibility to be at their exhibit booth when meetings inevitably are rescheduled. I want to be around for the after-hours events when relationships become real.
An adage in publishing, perhaps in every business, says:
Quality. Schedule. Budget. Pick Two.
What’s the right choice? Is it always the same two?
Besides it will be fun, sending you notes from the convention. Any advice you have for me while I’m there?
–ME “Liz” Strauss
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Two words I guard ferociously when it comes to my brand — customers and credibility. They, in fact, mean the same thing as Brand You and Me. I cannot think of better brand promotion than valuing customers and earning credibility.
Darren is running a fabulous series on Credibility. If you’ve not been there yet. You need to be. There’s nothing else like it on the Internet.
Come back and tell me what you think of it.
–ME “Liz” Strauss
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Where I grew up, some kids would go out cowtipping in the summer. They would drive out to 1-Mile Road or 2-Mile Road to find a farm where cows were sleeping, sneak up on a cow, and push it over. Then they’d run back to their cars laughing.
I didn’t do it. I’d like to say that was because I am a humane soul. I am a humane soul. That’s true, but that’s not the reason I didn’t do it. I didn’t do it, because I make a habit of not disturbing sleeping beings, especially those that are larger than I am. The risk is more than I care to take on.
This morning when I went to check my links at Technorati, I saw one from Easton Ellsworth at KnowMoreMedia called It’s A Great Day For Blogtipping. Needless to say I was a bit concerned.
I stood up to look at my computer to make certain it was upright. Then I viewed my homepage to be sure that it wasn’t sideways. Whew! What a relief to see it looked fine. Those two things out of the way, I could then click the link without fear to find out what Easton had in store for me.
Blogtipping Easton Ellsworth Style is a great example of showing readers that you value them.
He’s right. It is a great for blogtipping. Will you tip a blog today?
–ME Strauss
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HAS POWER. I found that out last night. It was exciting. Here’s what happened.
In yesterday’s article, Job [and Client] Hunting ala Liz, I added three bits of advice I had learned about negotiating meetings. This was one.
The first one to name a number loses. To me thatââ¬â¢s self-explanatory. If I say a number, theyââ¬â¢re not going to go higher. If they ask, I usually answer with . . . what the work is worth, letââ¬â¢s talk a little more about whatââ¬â¢s involved and what you usually pay for this kind of work.
I found out in less than 2 hours I was wrong. WAY COOL. [Read more…]