Interruption sucks, interaction rocks

Radio ads. Billboards. Wall Posters. Yellow pages. Pamphlets. Leaflets. Brochures. TV commercials. Newspapers ads. Magazine ads. Pop ups. Fax Outs. Hiring a fat guy to stand out on the street corner during traffic with a big sandwich board three blocks down the street from your restaurant. Pitching the media to do stories about you. Standing at a big flashy booth at a trade show giving away free pens. Blinking web ads. Direct Email. Cold calls (pictured). Direct Mail. Driving down the street, slowing down in front of pedestrians, rolling down your window and asking them, “Hey, you wanna buy a home stereo?”

That last example actually happened to me last week while walking down the street in downtown Chicago. It was ridiculous!

And it got me thinking: what do all of those marketing techniques have in common?

Not all the time, but for the most part:

• They suck
• They annoy people
• They cost money
• They waste money
• They waste trees
• They are antiquated, boring and ineffective marketing channels created around interruption

Interruption, I say!

And they don’t work any more.

Because people are tired of being interrupted and being YELLED AT to buy stuff.

Bestselling author Seth Godin first noticed this trend in 1998. His revolutionary interview in FastCompany magazine quoted him as saying, “There’s too much going on in our lives for us to enjoy being interrupted anymore. So, our natural response is to ignore the interruptions.”

Gets worse.

In 2004, a UCLA study reported that the average consumer sees 3000 marketing messages in one day. Course, that was a few years ago. By now, I bet it’s well over 5000.

Interruption.

This word has been on my mind a lot lately, and here’s why…

See, tomorrow is November 1st. Which means my company will celebrate its four-year anniversary in a few months. (Woo hoo!)

Now, I will tell you that, for the few years of my company’s existence, I didn’t make much money.

OK, fine. I didn’t make ANY money.

However, 2006 was a stellar year. I almost tripled my projected revenue. I surpassed most of my year-end goals by October. I even managed to take some time off! (Double woo hoo!)

And so to me, I take this as a sign that my marketing efforts are (finally!) paying off.

But, I have a confession to make. In fact, I have three of them.

In the history of my career as an entrepreneur:

1) I’ve never made a cold call.
2) I’ve never run an advertisement.
3) I’ve never “pitched” the media.

I know. Doesn’t seem normal, does it?

Well, that’s just the way I do business.

Because any day of the week, I’d rather: concentrate my marketing efforts on creating a sense of attraction, a sense of gravity; that magnetizes customers, prospects and fans toward my company through a process of delivering value in the vehicle known as my brand…

…than run some crappy ad. Or interrupt someone’s day with an annoying cold call. Or send out a direct mail piece. Or…

You get the point: interruption.

Therefore, if interruption is the enemy of successful marketing, what’s the ally?

My theory: interaction.

Look. I’ve been wearing a nametag 24-7 for just over 6 years now. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned from tens of thousands of encounters – with new people I otherwise never would have met – it’s this: interruption sucks, interaction rocks.

Now, what exactly do I mean by interaction? I’m talking about direct contact with your customers and prospects. Building community. Making friends. Creating and keeping fans. Hanging out. Delivering value. Developing relationships.

Specifically, stuff like…

Posting on your blog. Commenting on somebody else’s blog. Publishing articles in your community’s newspaper. Giving speeches at Chamber meetings. Lunches with friends. Lunches with customers. Lunches with potential customers. Publishing an ezine. Doing an audio podcast. Chat rooms. Bulletin boards. Speaking at trade shows. Attending networking functions. Doing a video podcast. Posting your pictures on Flickr. Instant messaging. Widgets. RSS feeds. MySpace. MyYearbook. Tagworld. Digg. Delicious. Squidoo. LinkdIn. Flickr. Wikipedia. Friendster. Facebook. LiveJournal. Match.com. Online discussion boards. Facilitating word of mouth. Throwing an open house or party at your office. Doing an interview on the radio. Going on a talk show. Talking to strangers!

And the list goes on an on.

So. Big question of the day: what do all of those marketing channels have in common?

Not all the time, but for the most part:

• They’re fun
• They connect with people
• They cost little or no money
• They save money
• They save time
• They are fresh, cool and effective marketing created around interaction

Interaction, I say!

And they work. They work really, really, really well.

Because customers are excited about interacting and participating with cool stuff, people and ideas that make them feel comfortable and respected.

So, I said it once and I’ll say it again: interruption sucks, interaction rocks.

(This post was inspired by Andy Sernovitz’s kick-ass new book.)

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Is your marketing interrupting or interacting?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Make a list of 10 possible interaction marketing channels. Post them here!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
Author/Speaker/That Guy with the Nametag
www.hellomynameisscott.com

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Stand up, speak up, or get shut down

My flight to Newark was late.

My connecting flight to Geneva took off in 10 minutes.

If I missed my connection, I would miss my speech the next day.

And I was stuck in the very last seat on a packed plane.

Not good.

I started to panic. There’s no way in hell I’m going to make it! I thought.

Then I had an idea. During our descent, I illuminated the call button and explained my situation to the flight attendant. She promised to make an announcement over the PA alerting everyone that a passenger from the back needed to leave immediately to catch an international connection.

We touched down. I clenched my carry on in my lap. My fingers dangled above the seatbelt like a gunfighter from the old West.

The plane taxied to the gate and came to a stop.

But there was no announcement. No warning from the flight attendant. Just the “ding” of the seatbelt sign being turned off. And I watched 50 passengers in front of me stand up and gather their bags.

Not good.

“Hey Scott, what happened to your announcement?” asked the guy next to me.

“Dude, I don’t know! I guess she forgot!”

“Well you better do something or else you’re never going to make your flight.”

He was right. I had to do something.

Then it hit me. I didn’t want to do it. I knew it would piss off everyone else on the plane. But I had no choice. No way was I going to miss my speech in Geneva!

At the top of my lungs I announced: “LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, MY FLIGHT FOR GENEVA DEPARTS IN 10 MINUTES AND I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IT IF YOU WOULD PLEASE ALLOW ME TO COME TO THE FRONT OF THE PLANE!”

Everyone stared at me. I gave one of those “I’m-so-sorry-but-I-have-no-choice” smiles. Finagling my way through the crowd, passengers groaned and shook their heads at me. I started to sweat. I heard one guy say, “Hey buddy, we all have flights to catch.”

By the time I got to the front, 50 pairs of eyes burned a hole through my shirt, which was now drenched in my own nervous sweat. The flight attendant waited for me at the door with a big smile on her face.

“Way to speak up Scott! I’ve never seen a passenger do that before.”

I ended up making it to Geneva on time. I gave my speech the next day and rocked the house. Halfway through my presentation, I told the story you just read and concluded with the following piece of advice:

Stand up, speak up, or get shut down.

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
Author/Speaker/That Guy with the Nametag
www.hellomynameisscott.com

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The World is a Mirror, Part 12

A is for ATTITUDE
B is for BREAK PATTERNS
C is for CONSISTENCY
D is for DISCIPLINE
E is for EVOLUTION
F is for FRIENDLINESS
G is for GOOD WITH NAMES
H is for HAPPINESS
I is for IDEAS
J is for JOY
K is for KNOWLEDGE
L is for LAUGHTER

There are two kinds of laughter: outward and inward. And I believe both are equally important.

Me, I can’t help but laugh at myself. Like, daily. For God’s sake, I’ve worn a nametag 24-7 for 6 years! It’s hard NOT to.

Like when I look in the mirror every morning at my nametag tattoo.

Like when I do a load of laundry and forget to remove a nametag from one of my t-shirts.

Like when I get a great piece of hate mail that says something like, “Scott, you’re nuttier than a bag of trail mix!” (Someone actually wrote that once.)

Yep, laughing at yourself is the greatest. I like what Carl Reiner had to say about it, “Inviting people to laugh with you while you are laughing at yourself is a good thing to do. You may be the fool, but you’re the fool in charge.”

Preach on, brother.

Look. Too many people in this world take too many things in this world WAY too seriously. You probably know someone who refuses to laugh at himself, right?

Good. Then I suggest you send that person the following list: Top 10 Reasons to Laugh at Yourself Daily.
1) Humility. Nobody is perfect. Nobody. So, when you poke fun at your own faults and mistakes, the people around you – your staff, your clients, your friends – will appreciate your humanness.

2) Wealth. Film buff Raymond Hitchcock once noted, “A man isn’t poor if he can still laugh.” That’s how powerful this stuff is. And I’d be willing to bet that even Bill Gates and Donald Trump laugh at themselves daily. Especially Trump.

3) The Disarming Effect. Whenever I give a talk, whether it’s to 40 people or 4000 people, I try to laugh at myself about every four minutes. HINT: if you’re speaking to a group, self-laughs make your audience feel comfortable. Not to mention, they can’t beat you to the punch.
4) Attitude. I admit; I’m not positive and cheery all the time. (Who is?) But I can’t help but think that my attitude has significantly improved over the past six years as a result of self-laughter. It’s like Mitlon Berle said, “Laughter is an instant vacation.” So think about it: how great is your attitude on vacation?

5) Quality. I’ve seen hundreds (maybe thousands) of funny movies in my short 26 years on this planet. And honestly, I think if everyone in the world took the ten funniest things about their own lives and made them into movies, we’d have a one heck of a comedy library. Let’s face it: the best laughs are the ones directed at ourselves.

6) Safety. Sometime you’ve got to be careful who you laugh at. People get offended easily. (Especially those people who can’t laugh at themselves first.) The point is; laughing at yourself is safe. People rarely get pissed off because you cracked a joke at your own expense.
7) Approachability. Gosh. What a surprise that I picked this word, huh? But come on, it’s true. Just think about working with two people, one who never laughs at himself and one who often pokes fun at her own actions. Who do you want to hang out with? (Notice I just made fun of myself in this last paragraph.)

8) Reciprocation. Self-laughter is important in a conversation, especially with someone you’ve just met. Do it early to open the doors. That way, everyone involved will feel comfortable to laugh at themselves (and each other) as well. It’s a beautiful environment.
9) Maturity. Another great line comes from Ethel Barrymore. She said, “You grow up the day you have your first real laugh – at yourself.” Couldn’t agree more.
10) Health. I’ve been through some tough times in the past few years, especially in the beginning of 2006 when I spent a week in the hospital with a collapsed lung. And I remember the highlight of the week was when the nurses came in to my room to administer my first chest tube. They pulled down the top of my gown, took one look at my nametag tattoo and couldn’t stop laughing for five minutes. Freaking priceless. No morphine drip can beat that.

Anyway, at the risk of sounding cliché, there’s no way that laughter – especially self-laughter – isn’t the best medicine.

The best Jerry! The BEST.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How many times did you laugh at yourself this week?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Make your own list called “Top Three Reasons I Laugh at Myself.” Post it here!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
Author/Speaker/That Guy with the Nametag
www.hellomynameisscott.com

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Adventures in Nametagging: Day 2,185

So I ran into my postman for the first time yesterday. It was pretty exciting.

I said hello as I got to the bottom of the steps. He greeted me back with a friendly, “Hey Scott!”

As I walked towards him he looked at my nametag and started chuckling under his breath. “HELLO, my name is Scott…” he laughed.

“Yep, that’s me.”

“Gosh, you even get mail address to you that way!”

“Yeah, well, it’s the name of my company, so…”

“Well it’s nice to finally meet you in person. I was wondering what the heck that meant.”

I glanced as his embroidered nametag (compliments of the USPS) and replied, “Good to meet you too, Frank. Go Cards!”

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s your postman like?

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
Author/Speaker/That Guy with the Nametag
www.hellomynameisscott.com

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Do what nobody else is willing to do

As research for my fourth book, Make a Name for Yourself, I’ve been asking a lot of people to answer one key question: “How did you make a name for yourself?”

A common thread among all the professionals I interviewed was that they “did what nobody else was willing to do.”

In other words, whatever it takes.

Kind of like Dave Chapelle, who wanted to be a comedian. He used to sneak into 21+ comedy clubs when he was in highschool. He’d watch and study the crowds. He’d watch and study the comics. Eventually he became good enough to start performing at open mics every Thursday.

Also like Jimmy Fallon, who wanted to be on SNL. He used to record the episodes every Saturday night. He’d memorize and practice the monologues for his mother. Eventually he became so skilled at doing impressions that he became a regular cast member on the show.

Or like Tony Robbins, who wanted to be a professional speaker. He started giving speeches three times a day to every Rotary Club, every Kiwanis Club and every Chamber of Commerce in town. In two year’s time he had 10 year’s experience.

And the rest, as they say, was history.

Because they did what nobody else is willing to do.

Apropriately, this fall starts my fourth year in business. And in retrospect, over the years I, too, have done a fair amount of stuff that nobody else was willing to do…

• For the first year or two, I just gave my books away. Literally. Every speech, every networking event, every conversation with a stranger on the plane, free books! Hundreds of them! And you know what? It was worth it. Even though a lot of people thought I was crazy not to charge, I knew it was the best way to stimulate word of mouth.

• When I first started speaking, to prepare for upcoming speeches I’d stay up all night rehearsing for hours and hours so that my audience didn’t think I stayed up all night rehearsing for hours and hours. Which reminds me of what Michael Cane once said, “The art is hiding the art.”

• To help pay the bills during those wonderful “My Company Isn’t Making Any Money Years,” I worked nights parking cars at a local hotel. During slow shifts, I furiously wrote ideas, articles and stories in my little black journal. My coworkers thought I was crazy! That is, until those scribblings turned into four books. Including this next one, Make a Name for Yourself!

In summary, I think Mike Hernacki said it best: “The ultimate secret to getting absolutely anything you want is to do whatever it takes.”

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How did you make a name for yourself?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Post (here) a list of all the things you did that nobody else was willing to do.

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
Author/Speaker/That Guy with the Nametag
www.hellomynameisscott.com

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The best swimmers are always in the pool

I used to be a Toastmaster.

It was the greatest. Top ten best things I ever did for my speaking career. And although I only had the chance to attended meetings for about six months, I still recommend the organization to everyone.

Even non-speakers. Especially non-speakers.

Why? It’s the perfect tool for networking, enhancing self-confidence and becoming a better communicator. Plus, it’s really fun.

During one meeting in late 2004, I spoke with a man named Les. He was a veteran of the organization, but told me that he still came every single week.

When I asked why he said: “Because the best swimmers are always in the pool.”

I never forgot that. The best swimmers are always in the pool.

That’s you: the swimmer.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s your pool and how often are you swimming?

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
Author/Speaker/That Guy with the Nametag
www.hellomynameisscott.com

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Funny, you don’t look like a Nick

After a miraculous drive from Dayton to Cincy in 41 minutes (wow), I walked into my meeting at Palomino.

Now, whenever I meet someone at a restaraunt, the hostess usually knows who I am right away.

“Scott, right?”

“Yep.”

“Your friends told me you’d be wearing a nametag. Right this way to table 75…”

Sweet.

She walked me over to the table where I was scheduled to meet a few potential clients for a meeting. (Now, keep in mind, I’d never met these people in person. I had no idea what they looked like. All I knew was who they worked for and their names.)

A well dressed man stood up with a big smile and a hand extended.

“Great to see you sir! Have a seat…” he said.

“Thanks so much for inviting me,” I replied. “It’s exciting to finally meet you in person.”

I took a sip of water.

“So,” he said, “Where’s Tom?”

Tom?

“I don’t know,” I replied, “I thought the others were coming with you.”

“Oh. I thought they were coming with you…”

I tilted my head like a curious puppy. Dude. What the…?

“Wait. You’re Nick, right?” I asked.

“No. My name is Rajeesh. Aren’t you Dave?”

“Um, no,” I said as I pointed to my nametag. “I’m Scott.”

He looked at me like I was on crack.

After a few seconds of confusion, I nodded my head in realization.

“Yeah. I think I’m sitting at the wrong table.”

“Oh, ok. Goodbye Scott!”

I packed my stuff up and wished Rajeesh a good lunch. I made my way back to the hostess stand and said, “Excuse me, um, I think someone took me to the wrong table. I was supposed to me someone named Nick.”

“Didn’t Katie show you to table 90?”

“No. 75.”

“Oh, I’m sorry Scott. Your party is at table 90. Right this way.”

She led me to the right table. Laughing the whole way there, I finally sat down and greeted my (correct) party. When I told them the story, they got a kick out of it. A few minutes later, Katie came back to apologize.

About an hour later on the way out, I stopped by Rajeesh’s table. I handed him a “Scott’s Friend” card and said, “Nice meeting you!”

He laughed as I walked away. I heard one of the other guys at his table ask curiously, “Hey Raj, who was that guy?”

“I have no idea,” he said, “But I guess his name is Scott.”

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Have you ever sat at the wrong table and not realized it?

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
Author/Speaker/That Guy with the Nametag
www.hellomynameisscott.com

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s your version of this phrase?

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
Author/Speaker/That Guy with the Nametag
www.hellomynameisscott.com

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CARDSWIN!CARDSWIN!CARDSWIN!CARDSWIN!

CARDS WIN! CARDS WIN! CARDS WIN! CARDS WIN! CARDS WIN! CARDS WIN! CARDS WIN! CARDS WIN! CARDS WIN! CARDS WIN! CARDS WIN! CARDS WIN! CARDS WIN! CARDS WIN! CARDS WIN! CARDS WIN! CARDS WIN! CARDS WIN! CARDS WIN! CARDS WIN! CARDS WIN! CARDS WIN! CARDS WIN! CARDS WIN! CARDS WIN! CARDS WIN! CARDS WIN! CARDS WIN! CARDS WIN! CARDS WIN! CARDS WIN! CARDS WIN! CARDS WIN! CARDS WIN! CARDS WIN! CARDS WIN! CARDS WIN! CARDS WIN! CARDS WIN! CARDS WIN! CARDS WIN!

-Scott

It’s not WHAT you know…

It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.
It’s not what you know, it’s who you are.
It’s not what you know, it’s who knows you.
It’s not what you know, it’s who you become.
It’s not what you know, it’s where you look.
It’s not what you know, it’s how you use it.
It’s not what you know, it’s how you present.
It’s not what you know, it’s how you know it.
It’s not what you know, it’s how well you know it.
It’s not what you know, it’s how connected you are.
It’s not what you know, it’s what you do.

It’s not what you know, it’s what you want to be.
It’s not what you know, it’s what you can prove.
It’s not what you know, it’s what you don’t know.

It’s not what you know, it’s what you know when who you know really, really needs it!

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s your version of this phrase?

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
Author/Speaker/That Guy with the Nametag
www.hellomynameisscott.com

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23 Phrases that Payses

1. I need your help. When approaching a service agent or receptionist, this opening line appeal to someone’s instinctive helpful nature. You’re likely to get a better response (and better service!) if you use this line.

2. You don’t know me, but. Be honest. Don’t pretend to be someone’s best friend. Especially on the phone, help someone know right away that you are calling as a stranger who hopes to become a friend.

3. I don’t know anybody here. Especially at an event where you don’t know anyone, use this line to disarm others’ preoccupation. It’s honest, fun, and if you pick the right person, they might reciprocate and become your frist friend!

4. I don’t know what that means. It shows that you’re listening. You’re not too proud to admit you don’t know everything. You’d like to learn more. This approachable, humble phrase also demonstrates interest in the other person.

5. I’m new here/this is my first time. Again, this appeals to someone’s helpful nature. Give them a chance to introduce you to others. Surrender yourself and they’ll usually help you out.

6. Hang on for ten seconds. Especially on the phone, this tells someone that you really will “be right back.” With the limited time each person has to talk to you on the phone, sentences like this speed it up. They will usually count, too, just to see if you really come back in 10 seconds. Remember, specificity = credibility.

7. Let me give you an example. Keeps someone engaged, helps he or she follow you and the conversation. Be sure to offer an example as support for your point.

8. Welcome in. In all situations – at a table, in a room – use these two words to show approachability and hospitality. It’s amazing how much friendlier “Welcome in!” is than “Hello!”

9. Drop me a line. This covers all mediums of communication and therefore leaves it open for someone to reach you however they prefer. It’s also appropriate phrasing for our times: casual, cool and informal.

10. You’re my hero. When someone goes out of there way to help you, this beats “Thanks!” any day.

11. Here’s what I learned. People don’t care what you know, only care what you learned. Tell them.

12. It’s my pleasure. This beats “Your Welcome” any day. Don’t believe me? Go to the Ritz. They love this phrase.

13. I’m not saying no TO YOU, I’m saying no FOR ME. Help them understand why you say no without making them feel rejected. Thanks, Jack Canfield.

14. I’m not comfortable with that. This is a good enough reason to object to anything because comfort is everything. And people won’t inquire WHY it’s not comfortable, they’ll respect your choice. You don’t have to defend it.

15. I disagree. These two words say it honestly and directly. Pause for two seconds, get their attention and then explain your point.

16. I don’t know, but I can find out. It’s OK not to know everything. But it’s also OK to tell someone that they’re question is important enough that you will go out of your way to find the answer for them.

17. So, to answer your question. After a long-winded answer, use this to keep your conversation partner on point.

18. Good answer. My friend Jeff does this and I love it. It reassures and affirms me. Almost like “my answer” was good simply because it came from me.

19. You got it. I once had a waitress in a hotel lobby that said this for everything. I don’t know why, but it made me feel great. I use it all the time. There’s just something about it.

20. Right away. People don’t have to wait. They get it now. Few service professionals use this, but it’s amazing.

21. You better believe it. A favorite of Cosmo Kramer, this shows confidence in your points and beliefs.

22. That’s just the way I do business. This phrase helps you keep it real and assures that others respect your choices.

23. I never thought of it that way. Most people are too proud and too close-minded to show openness to new ideas. This phrase compliments someone and shows lack of judgment. What’s more, it offers your willingness to hear someone out. (It’s amazing how few people say this.)

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s your best phrase that pays?

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
Author/Speaker/That Guy with the Nametag
www.hellomynameisscott.com

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