“In retrospect, the web was to the digital world what the Louisiana Purchase was to the young United States: the opportunity of a century.”
– Steven Levy: In the Plex
Sometimes people try to accommodate too many special guests. In their attempts to take care of corporate sponsors, celebrities, and the well connected the event organizers start distracting from the purpose of their enterprise. When it really goes bad it impacts the outcome of the event itself.
What makes you feel most appreciated? Does a personal call rate higher than an email? Will a personalized note at the bottom of a letter rank higher than a piece addressed to ‘friend’? Are you more touched by a thank you call from a board member than a tax receipt acknowledgement?
What if you take it to the next level? Why not think like a concierge? How can you create an experience that is remarkable? Are you able to connect two people who share the same purpose? Can you include one of your fans in a behind-the-scenes event? Are you able to recognize an individual during a presentation among their peers? Can you craft a simple memento that sits discretely for the supporter who wishes to remain anonymous but desire something they can gravitate towards? I once saw a small picture frame with a quote hanging on the backside of a door. The quote was from the causes most dedicated volunteer and its presence in a non public location was the perfect balance of recognition from those inside the cause without using a spotlight.
Why not start you own Dîner en Blanc? Who would you invite? What are the possible venues? Who would determine the theme of the event? How secretive? What would be the intended outcome?
You could do this tomorrow with your neighbors, friends, tribe of followers. As Tony Robbins says, “A real decision is measured by taking a new action. If there’s no action, you haven’t truly decided.”
My purpose is to empower those that inspire. It is easy to support individuals and causes who I interact with daily but I wonder what I can offer to those of you who bring your talents and time to this page for a few moments each day. What do you need to be empowered?
Perhaps the most important questions to start each day: How can I serve you?
I noticed a little sign on the counter of our local dry cleaners served as a notice of the price increase that went into effect on June 1, 2011. It struck me as interesting that they felt they needed to announce the change their pricing structure by decided to make the notice almost unreadable (my iPhone photo could not capture the text adequately). If you believe in your service and you have created a tribe of followers, why not be transparent? Why not try the following:
“We know that you have many choices when it comes to providing professional dry cleaning services and we appreciate your loyalty. We believe in making you look your best. We accomplish this daily by using the highest quality products, flexible scheduling, and consistently aspire to achieve the friendliest service. We have chosen to raise our prices to continue to meet your expectations and keep you looking your best.”
If you act like a commodity and only compete with price, you will loose your empire. If you keep your tribe connected to purpose and communicate honestly with them, your fans will advocate for you even when it requires a little more of their time and treasurer.
Robert Parker is known as wine advocate. His 100-point rating scale is akin to a movie review from Roger Ebert. A 95-point wine that one has never heard of gets attention when it is 4 points higher than your all-time favorite. A wine you may consider could require a personal recommendation from another advocate to overcome a low Robert Parker rating.
It raises an interesting question. How does one avoid resting their fate on a rating system that is the preference of one individual? How to standout from on a leaderboard that may not reflect your strengths? It is similar to being authentic. One cannot fake authenticity. You simply state what you believe and then allow your actions to be measured against your beliefs. One cannot completely ignore a prominent rating scale but one can be known for some characteristic that is clearly not captured by a ranking. Volvo for years was know for the safety of its cars. Even thought they may have not been stylish, if your chief motivation was a safe car then one would give less consideration to low luxury rating but focus instead on the safety features. Initially the Prius design was unconventional but for those who believed in making a statement about the environment, it was the perfect representation.
If one defines what they believe and acts accordingly, rating scales are less likely to apply.
If you are providing a service to others and ask them to meet you halfway then you are essentially suggesting that the ball be placed back in the middle of the field. Why not allow a client to put the ball inside the penalty box?
I want to do business with you when you talk about an arrangement that provides me with some recognition of what talents I bring and what services you offer. If you are just about creating balance there are plenty of businesses in the world who can resemble that model. If you are willing to standout for what you believe, then you are remarkable.
Seth Godin’s post on writing naked is a good challenge for me and perhaps valuable to your efforts.
The moment I expressed my concerns with an online subscription service, the customer representative quickly apologized that I was not going to complete the transaction, rattled-off the toll-free number, and then hung-up. Sounds familliar.
The funny thing is that had he just listened for a moment, my issue could have been solved and he would have closed the deal. But his senses were so tuned to identifying a non-performer and getting to the next call that the opportunity was lost.
How do you make sure you really hear what your customers are saying? How do you listen for their real needs? If you believe what your fans believe then taking a moment to at least acknowledge your common belief. It may be the starting point for a completely different type of conversation.
What-if-concepts 