Customer Service Is Rarely A Surprise

Last weekend I had cause to shop at both Nordstrom's and Wal-Mart on the same day. It was a Sunday afternoon, and I was in a hurry. I knew exactly what I needed in each store and my hope was to get in - and get out!

On first glance, which store do you think provided me with the superior customer service experience?

Yes, it was Nordstrom's. NO CONTEST. You knew that without thinking about it.

The person behind the counter at the Tire Center in Wal-Mart was very nice, and I am sure she meant well, but molasses runs faster in January. I was second in line but it took me over twenty-five minutes to get my paperwork completed so that they could repair my tire (which had somehow decided to pick up a nail). Three times she asked me to spell my last name. Singer is not that hard of name. S-I-N-G-E-R.

Upon getting everything set up she hit enter and the whole transaction disappeared from her screen. Back to square one. S-I-N-G-E-R. The bothersome part is that she told me this happens all the time. America's largest retailer might need to upgrade some software!

While this was going on, my wife and kids were waiting outside. After 20 minutes my wife called my cell phone to see if I had been abducted by aliens.

Later that day I had to run into Nordstrom's to grab a birthday gift for a family member. When my wife dropped me off, there was a huge sign on the door that read "Half-Yearly Sale". For anyone familiar with Nordstrom's, you instantly know that this means half of Central Texas would be in the store. Yep....crowded, crazy, insanity.

I grabbed the gift and went to the line. From nowhere, a Nordstrom employee realizing that the person in front of me had a large purchase, opened a new register.

Additionally, the person who waited on me was upbeat and enthusiastic. The craziness of the sale did not phase him. His attitude put me in a great mood as well (I am smiling just typing about it). I was back at the car in just minutes.

I wish this post was one where I tell the reader I was pleasantly surprised by Wal-Mart...but my experience was just what I would have expected. When I walk into Nordstrom's I know I will get amazing service. At Wal-Mart I know they will have nice people who will try....but they will not be over the top. The people with the best skills in customer service will end up working for Nordstrom's. Always have, always will.

What about your business? Do your customers know in advance how an encounter with your company will play out? I bet they have preconceived notions of how your team will react to any customer service request. Hopefully they see you more like Nordstrom's!!!

Have A Great Day.

Thom Singer
www.thomsinger.com
thom@thomsinger.com

Crazy Tenacity

Success comes to those who never quit. I am always impressed with those who become an "overnight success", because when you look closer they have spent years pursuing their goal. Along the way they have had trials, tribulations, set-backs and failures. However, where others gave up - they kept going. They have had amazing focus toward their goal.

Winners have "crazy tenacity".

While going for their dreams these special people encounter others who do not support them, ridicule their efforts or try to stop them. Yet they keep going.

I am fascinated by success. What is that special talent that drives people to create something from nothing? How come some have the ability to focus on a goal no matter how many obstacles appear along the path?

I believe that everyone has desires for more in their career and I believe we can all reach higher levels. The trick to climbing up the ladder is to visualize what success looks like and constantly keep moving toward that end. However too many people sit back and hope that opportunities will just appear, while having no idea what they want in those opportunities.

I have begun to invest thirty minutes everyday to visualize my future success. Although I have not yet achieved my goals, I am learning what steps I need to take to get there, and teaching myself how to recognize opportunity. I also am committed to not giving up. I am being tenacious in the den of lions who do not understand what I will accomplish. I am adopting focus. I want to be the one with "crazy tenacity".

Have A Great Day.

Thom Singer
www.thomsinger.com
thom@thomsinger.com

Lawyers and Dancing Penguins

Those who are avid readers of this blog know that I am a big fan of hosting unique events for clients and other business friends. It takes some planning and creative thinking, but when you host experiential marketing events - you will always out shine your competition. People remember things that are out of the ordinary.

The Austin, Texas office of the law firm Akin Gump hosted a GREAT client event this weekend. They rented out a local movie theatre and invited their lawyers, staff, clients and "friends of the firm" - along with their families!!! - to watch the new dancing penguin movie, Happy Feet.

An event like this would not appeal to everyone. One can only expect people with young kids to come out for a Sunday at the movies...but that was okay because they filled the place. Many law firms would scoff at doing an event for clients and their kids...but those other firms are "old school" (and just don't get it...and probably never will). Akin Gump thought "out of the box" and created a fantastic experience for everyone in the packed theatre.

Additionally they had toy penguins (in Akin Gump t-shirts!) for every kid, took photos of each family with a live man in a penguin suit (which they will personally email to everyone later in the week!), and provided unlimited items from the concession stand. My kids were a bit confused by the free popcorn, candy and soft drinks....as they are used to going to the movies and having dad say "No!!!" to their request for overpriced refreshments. Sunday they could eat their fill, courtesy of Akin Gump.

After the event I was talking to one of the firm's clients who had attended with his wife and three kids. He was so thrilled to meet the families of his lawyers and of other key local business professionals in such a fun setting. He LOVED the idea of the firm hosting a family event.

Events like this are what make client relationships stick. Why more lawyers do not try to be unique is beyond me. It always comes back to "people do business with people they know and like".

I applaud Akin Gump for their efforts and thank them for including my family at the Happy Feet Premier.

Have A Great Day.

Thom Singer
www.thomsinger.com
thom@thomsinger.com

Holiday Business Gift Idea

Looking for a good book to give co-workers or to someone in your business network for the holidays?

Consider my book:

"Some Assembly Required: How to Make, Grow and Keep Your Business Relationships"

It is a quick read and packed full of tips on ways to improve networking and business development skills. Shop Amazon.com now!

Thanksgiving Memories

My friend Steve Harper, author of The Ripple Effect, is running a contest on his blog. He wants you to send him your favorite Thanksgiving Memory. You can even win a prize! (a gift certificate to Amazon.com and you could use it to by Steve's book....OR MINE!!!!)

Click here to read his post, or email your story to steve@ripplecentral.com.

Friday Parade - TiE Con Texas 2006

I apologize for being late today in posting the Friday Parade of Random Cool Things, but I was attending an all day conference sponsored by TiE Austin: TiE Con Texas 2006 - Business Without Borders: Entrepreneurship Unleashed.

TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs Group) always does a phenomenal job of drawing in the "A-Team" of local entrepreneurs, investors and service providers to their events....and today was no exception. The groups motto sums up the whole program today, "Fostering Entrepreneurship Through Education, Mentoring and Networking".

The program consisted of a variety of expert speakers and panel discussions. So much good information that it would not do justice to try to report on the whole day. I particularly enjoyed the panel discussion, "Disruption & Convergence - The New Entrepreneur".

The moderator was Paul Hurdlow of DLA Piper, and the panelists were:

Jikku Venkat, CTO - United Devices
Mike Maples, Jr., - Maples Investments
Dave Panos, Co-founder & CEO - Pluck Corporation
Venu Shamapant, General Partner - Austin Ventures

Focusing on how entrepreneurship, venture capital and exit strategies are rapidly changing along with the unprecedented pace of business and technology innovations, these business executives and venture capitalists shared personal experiences of growing businesses in the old, new and new new economies.

"Timing is everything" according to Dave Panos, whose company is now taking the new social media industry by storm. While they have changed directions since inception, they have captured a market segment and continue to grow with a combination of great technology, hard work and the right timing.

My favorite comment came from Mike Maples, Jr, who said that "$500K is the new $5 million" in respect to why it is better for start-ups to establish their formula and eliminate up front risk and then raise growth capital. Taking too much money too early puts too much time and the investors money in jeopardy.

With the costs of being a public company rising, and IPO is not always the best exit strategy, and companies need to examine their options early. Raising less money allows for more exit options down the line.

They also discussed the importance of patents for tech companies, but it was made clear that few companies have ever succeeded because of the patents, rather they are in place for protections down the line. To rely to heavily on the patent wont get them anywhere. Companies need to focus on things they can control (building a large and sustainable business).

Have A Great Day.

Thom Singer
www.thomsinger.com
thom@thomsinger.com

Business Networking Skills

The below was created sometime ago by Vincent Wright. I like it.

A little background: Vincent Wright created something called the MLPF NETWORKING Awards. It was for what is considered excellence in networking and consisted of the following:

"Perfect 10 N.E.T.W.O.R.K.I.N.G. Questions"

1. Network: Does the person have or intend to have a vibrantly alive network?

2. Energy: Does the person let her energy shine through her creativity & knowledge?

3. Thoughtfulness: Is the person THOUGHTFUL in sharing with others?

4. Work: Does the person do GOOD QUALITY WORK?

5. Organization: Is the person organized enough to minimize wasting other networkers' time?

6. Recruiting: Can the person recruit a wide variety of people to hold her network together?

7. Knowledge: Does the person have current & relevant knowledge of the networking field?

8. Interdependence: Does the person work well independently as well as with others?

9. Nurturance: Does the person add value & encouragement to the people in her network?

10. Givers Gain: Does the person use giving as a way of networking for business life?

How about you, could you qualify? Everyone should be able to achieve all ten of these criteria if they care about having a network of professional contacts that can and will refer business.

Test your networking skills by taking the Networking Quotient Quiz. This is an online assessment tool with thirty questions, which will take only eight minutes. The questions will make you think about choices you make when networking, and you can compare the results to those of your peers. www.networkingquotient.com.

Have A Great Day.

Thom Singer

www.thomsinger.com

thom@thomsinger.com

***PS - The Holidays are almost here and finding the right gift for business associates is always difficult. How about giving copies of my book, "Some Assembly Required: How to Make, Grow and Keep Your Business Relationships" (New Year Publishing, 2005).

Technology Spoils A Connection

Technology can let us down. Trading emails is not a substitute for meeting someone in person.

I recently asked a well known author/blogger for his opinion of The Networking Quotient Quiz. I was not asking him to blog about the free online assessment tool,... but he is someone I respect and I wanted his feedback, as we are still fine tuning the product.

He entered his email address, but never received the auto-responder email message that gives one the unique key to take the quiz. I could tell by his response that he was not happy with this. I could tell by the tone of his email that he was annoyed.

This was a big reminder that online relationships cannot ever be as strong as personal connections. I do not know this author/blogger....I have only read his books and blog. We traded a few emails, but do not have a real connection.

If we had been friends (or even met in person), the glitch in technology would have been just that. In this case it was my first (and only) chance to make a first impression.

Overcoming a bad first impression is difficult. Most people do not ever forget an annoying encounter (on line or in person). I apologized for the mishap, but it was clear that he was underwhelmed with his experience with me.

Sometimes you just have to smile and realize that not everything you do will work out the way you had imagined. I still admire this individual, and hopefully our paths will cross again under better circumstances. I like him most because he tried to take the quiz, I have asked some other prominent folks who did not have the time. I like that this guy makes time for anyone who sends him an email. That is very impressive.

For the rest of you, PLEASE try the quiz at networkingquotient.com.....I know it works (It has only malfunctioned for this one person!) and I would appreciate your feedback!!!

Have A Great Day.

Thom Singer
www.thomsinger.com
thom@thomsinger.com

Jones Soda Co. Label

I have submitted this picture of my kid to Jones Soda Company for consideration to be on the label of their soft drinks. The photo is a few years old, but it still makes me laugh. She has a big personality, and this sums it up.

For those who do not know Jones Soda, you are missing out not only on tasty carbonated beverages, but also on a company that is the definition of "cool". The company is a runaway phenomenal example of how to think out of the box and create buzz. They have created customer loyalty and a dedicated following by making their business more than just a soda company....but more of an experience.

Experiential Marketing is more than advertising. It is connecting with real people in a way that the competition has never imagined. It is getting hundreds of thousands of people to submit pictures to be plastered on your products. It is holding "battle of the bands" competitions, then featuring the winning bands on labels. It is making "turkey and dressing" flavored soda to be sold at Thanksgiving (yuck, I tried it last year and it was gross.....but it introduced us to Jones Soda, and we keep coming back!)

The labels on all flavors of Jones Soda involve wacky photos of anything and everything you can imagine, .....often of customers, their pets and their passions. People submit pictures, the public votes on them....and the winners achieve beverage fame.

You can vote for this photo to make it on a bottle of pop by clicking here!

"Thank you for your support" (yes, I know, I am mixing up my beverage slogans!).

Have A Great Day.

Thom Singer
thom@thomsinger.com
www.thomsinger.com

Test Your Business Networking Skills

Have you taken The Networking Quotient Quiz yet?

Please visit www.networkingquotient.com and see how you score.

The quiz is thirty questions and takes about eight minutes.

Is building your business network of professional contacts a high priority in your career development plan? It should be. Opportunities seem to always appear for those who have cultivated a strong social network. Don't just wait to be lucky. Create your own luck by knowing the right people.

THE NETWORKING QUOTIENT is a great assessment tool to help you review how you are doing in your efforts to make, grow and keep your business relationships.

Have A Great Day.

Thom Singer

Review Me

Get money for writing your blog!

Attention all bloggers, what is your thought about a service that pays you for reviewing products and services on your blog? You write and they pay you for what you have to say. There is a lot of buzz and controversy around the blogosphere about programs that will give cash for blogging.

I understand the argument that says "all blogging must be pure and free from any corporate influence".

Then there is the part of me that says "WOWWY, real money for giving my observations to others!" I think we call people who get paid for writing their observations REPORTERS. Last time I checked, Katie Couric got paid a HUGE salary by corporate advertising for all the silly stuff she has talked about in her career....why shouldn't a blogger get some money??? Ms. Couric does not put on all that make-up, do marathon hours of pilates, and act so perky just for the fun of reporting. She does it for the money.

Thus, as long as the blogger makes it clear that he is being paid for the post....then this practice is a just fine with me.

I have decided to give ReviewMe.com a try. With this post I am going to dip my toe in their water and see how it works out. Supposedly they are paying me for this post which you are reading, and I do not have to say good things to get the money (they encourage reviews to be HONEST). It was very easy to sign up, and we will see what happens next.

Let me know your thoughts about this topic by leaving a comment on this blog or sending me an email.

Have A Great Day.

Thom Singer
http://www.thomsinger.com/
thom@thomsinger.com

PS- Have you taken the Networking Quotient Quiz. This FREE on-line quiz has 30 questions and takes about 8 minutes to complete. You will instantly get the results of how you are doing in your efforts to make, grow and keep your business relationships. Take the Networking Quotient Quiz now at http://www.networkingquotient.com/.

Friday Parade

I was in Los Angeles, California last week. Now some folks may not like that town, but I LOVE L.A. I was born and raised near The City of Angels and to me it will always be home to my wonderful childhood memories. While much has changed, much is still the same.

While I was there for a training class, I also had the opportunity to have dinner with my dad, who just turned 92-years-old last month. He is amazing. He looks 75, and is as active as ever.

While there I got to share with him a copy of the new book, "When Roles Reverse: A Guide to Parenting Your Parents", written by my friend Jim Comer. Jim's book is a packed with information that every family needs to know as they look to caring for aging parents and grandparents. Fortunately for us, my dad is self-sufficient, and lives his life to the fullest every day....but I wanted to share this with him because it has a story about my dad featured in the book.

My brothers and I require my dad to subscribe to the Los Angeles Times daily, even though his busy schedule (he golfs, bowls, plays cards or goes on dates with one of his many girlfriends) does not allow him the time to read the paper everyday. The reason for the subscription is that the neighbors would quickly know if something was wrong if the newspaper is not picked up by noon each day. It is an easy system to monitor that all is okay, and requires those who live across the street to simply glance at the driveway when they come and go.

Jim used this story in the book. Kinda cool.

If you have aging parents or grandparents, Jim's book is a MUST READ. Available at Amazon.com! More information available at www.whenrolesreverse.com.

Have A Great Weekend.

Thom Singer
www.thomsinger.com
thom@thomsinger.com

Speaking of books...My book, "Some Assembly Required: How to Make, Grow and Keep Your Business Relationships" makes a great holiday gift for any person in your business network. Available at Amazon.com.

Learning From The Kid, Again!

My nine-year-old daughter got her Red Belt in Karate this week. She has worked hard and does a good job in her study of the martial arts. I am proud of her accomplishments. She is now in the advanced level training, and it will get harder from here as she treks toward the Black Belt!!!

The students had to recite their "student creed" during the graduation ceremony. It struck me that if we all lived by these words we would be much more successful in our jobs, personal lives and private ambitions.

The Student Creed

I must develop myself in a positive manner and avoid anything that would reduce my mental growth or my physical health.

I must develop self discipline in order to bring out the best in myself and others.

I must use common sense before self defense and never be abusive or offensive.

We are a black belt leadership school. We are motivated. We are dedicated. We are on a quest to be out best.

Winners never quit. Quitters never win. I chose to be a winner.

Wow. These words can apply to any person in any profession. If you want to succeed, you need to focus on being your best, and stop putting your attention on all the negative crap in the world.

Have A Great Day.

Thom Singer
www.thomsinger.com
thom@thomsinger.com

****Please take a few minutes and take The Networking Quotient Quiz. (www.networkingquotient.com) It is a FREE, on-line, 30 question quiz that will take only eight minutes to complete. With your answers you will be able to see how well you are doing on your efforts to make, grow and keep your business relationships.

Election Day

Today is election day in the United States of America, and I encourage all Americans to get out and fulfill their duty to cast their votes.

Regardless of your political views, I respect your right to vote. The whole democracy would work better if more people voted. In this country, for some reason, people have abdicated their voting rights, and thus we cannot achieve our fullest potential.

I am sick of politics (I used to love it, but it is just so damn ugly!). Both leading political parties are so focused on their own desires for power that they have forgotten the greater good of what they can accomplish in Washington DC.

Additionally the divide between those on the "right" and "left" has become so un-civil, that the mention of politics in a social setting is taboo. People in America have lost the ability to listen to opposing view points without becoming crazy.

I asked a democrat friend about his thoughts on the close House and Senate races currently going on around the country, which could change the balance of power in Washington. He was EXTREMELY excited about the democrats winning (like a kid at Christmas). He seemed to honestly think that all of the problems on earth would vanish if his party was in charge. Sadly, controversial problems will always exist no matter who is running congress or the White House.

He also had some nasty words to say about the president and what he called "stupid Joe 6-pack" (whom I think was his way of describing the average person who lives somewhere he does not live, think John Kerry's comments last week!). He had a lot of hate and negativity in his voice when he talked politics.

On the flip side I talked to a very conservative republican friend. He was nervous about the congressional balance of power and had equally nasty words to say about those with views to the left of his own (for fun I mentioned Hillary Rodham Clinton, which always makes him nuts!). He, too, was crystal clear that his party was best.

This is the problem. Everyone thinks they are personally so much smarter than everyone else on the planet. The left sees the right as dumb and brainwashed .... and the right sees the left as elitist and misguided. But life in the world today is not black and white. Political issues are lost in the gray. How folks are so sure of themselves amazes me. I know that I do not know all the answers when it comes to politics!

I would hope that people could embrace conflicting ideologies and respect the people who hold them as having the right to believe them. Civil discussions on the issues without hate and name calling would be better for everyone. Yet I know this is just a dream.

Regardless of how you want today to turn out at the polls, I hope you will go and vote!!!

Happy Election Day.

Thom Singer
www.thomsinger.com
thom@thomsinger.com

Networking For A Job Search

The Networking Carnival - 2nd Edition!

Jason Alba at The Jibber Jobber Blog is hosting this months "Networking Carnival". He has narrowed to topic to focus on networking for job searchers:

Yikes! You just lost your job! You’ve been so busy at *work* that you don’t feel your network is as strong as you would like it to be! What are you going to do with (and to) your network in the next 6 weeks as you begin an aggresive job search campaign? And, outside of your network, what job search tactics will you employ? Or your best networking tips related to job searches.

Jason has compiled an amazing list of links to blog posts on the topic. Click here to see them all. It will take you a little while to read them all, but wow....it would be worth the time investment.

So here is my entry for this edition of the Networking Carnival:

One time I got a call from a woman who was a "friend of a friend". She had been laid off from a large computer manufacturer in Austin (rhymes with "Sell") and she was not having any luck finding new employment. Two months had passed, and with a slow job market she saw no prospects for employment. Many of her co-workers had already landed in new positions, and she discovered that all of them had found their opportunities through someone they knew.

She had not ever given any credit to "networking". In fact, she had always discredited it as "fluff" and only for people with free time. She had never believed in allowing herself any time to do anything but work, and had put in fifty to sixty hours a week in her job, convinced that if she worked hard and met her quota, she would never be laid off.

She was wrong.

Now she needed a job, and found that since nobody in town knew her, she was starting behind candidates who had an "in" for the few coveted openings.

Her networking efforts led her to asking me to coffee. Here is what happened:

1. She asked me to coffee, then made it clear that she expected me to pay since I was employed.

If you invite someone to coffee or lunch you should expect to pick up the bill. If the person offers to pay, you can decide if it is appropriate to give them the honor...but do not assume that because you are out of work that your guest should buy your lunch. You invited them to come talk about avenues that are for your benefit.

2. Realize that networking is not magic. Just because you meet someone who has a network does not mean they know of an opportunity to help you land a job.

This woman just assumed since I was well connected that I would know of an opening for someone with her expertise. She looked at having coffee with me as uncovering some mystic pool of opportunity. Not only did I not know anyone who could help her, I did not like her attitude, and thus would not have made an introduction if I did!

3. She was not grateful for my time. I had never met this woman before, and yet I spent an hour with her listening to her situation. Networking is not free therapy. She just assumed that since I was a "networker" that our time together was no big deal. She barely said "thank you" when we parted (this might have been because I had no job in my pocket), and I never recieved a thank you note, email, or follow up phone call. I have never seen her again.

If you are going to be serious about networking to help you find your next job you need to start before you become unemployed! However, if you are starting late, you need to realize that building a network takes time. If you do meet someone with a large network, be respectful that it is their network (not yours), and do not expect them to just introduce you (a stranger) to important people that they know.

Finally, in your job hunt ALWAYS be thankful (very thankful!) to anyone who talks with you about your quest. People are more likely to help someone who is genuinely grateful than someone who just expects help from the rest of the planet.

Good Luck!

Have A Great Day.

Thom Singer
http://www.thomsinger.com/
thom@thomsinger.com

Friday Parade - The Networking Quotient Quiz

People do business with people they know and like!!! That is the premise of my book; "Some Assembly Required: How to Make, Grow and Keep Your Business Relationships" (New Year Publishing).

So how do your networking skills compared to others?

Please visit The Networking Quotient and take the free quiz.

I designed this free quiz to help others learn about social networking skills for business while letting them see how their skills compare to those of their peers in several demographics. The 30 question quiz takes about eight minutes to complete and the results are calculated immediately. You will see your score and the average scores of those in your categories.

Once you have completed the quiz, please tell others in your company to visit www.networkingquotient.com, then discuss your results and look for ways that your team can improve your networking efforts.

We welcome your feedback on the quiz (it just went live today!), so send me emails with your comments and questions.

Thank you and NEVER STOP NETWORKING!

Have A Great Day.

Thom Singer
www.thomsinger.com
thom@thomsinger.com

***"Some Assembly Required: How to Make, Grow and Keep Your Business Relationships" (New Year Publishing) makes a great holiday gift for business professionals on your list. Available at Amazon.com, or for large bulk orders (25 books or more) please contact me directly.

Unique Marketing Not Me-Too Marketing

Bruce Allen has a great post this week about not being a "Me-Too" marketer on his Marketing Catalyst Blog.

Bruce says that too many companies (especially law firms) spend too much time looking at what their competitors are doing for marketing and then they copy it.

He is right! People just assume that if another company is spending the money to advertise, then it must be worth it. I once heard a partner in a law firm argue that since the competition had a sponsorship add on the public radio station that his firm should too. He was positive that all his clients listened to the same station that he did, and they were hearing the competitions name on the radio. He just knew this was costing him clients.

Was it? I doubt it, but there was not logic or research to his opinion....just feeling. If you let your whole marketing plan rest on feelings, then you will forever be chasing your competitors and will never stand out from the pack.

Bruce's firm looks for ways to be different. He calls it "180 Degree Marketing". He looks where the other law firms are spending their money, then he puts his efforts some place else. Guess what? The competitors all follow, then he moves on.

Be a leader in your industry, not a follower.

Have A Great Day.

Thom Singer
www.thomsinger.com
thom@thomsinger.com

PS - Happy 40th Birthday to my great friend Doug Willmarth.

Keep Trying To Reach The Prospect

Business Development is about being both tenacious, creative, and patient.

I have recently had trouble reaching prospective clients. I call, I email, I send snail-mail. NOTHING. Cold-calling, while a useful tactic, has not been working.

The good news is I know all about networking! (heck, I wrote a book about it!). But I also know that you cannot always network your way into every company as quickly as you might like. Fortunately, I have always believed that networking is just another useful tool, not the total answer.

Today I discovered that a combination of all tactics will work the best. I had called on a specific company for six months. I had left voicemails, sent emails, and had dropped off information. I could not reach my prospect and he would not call me back. I met another executive from the company at a networking event and we hit it off. I was going to move my attention to my new contact when out of the blue I heard from they guy I had been trying to reach for a year.

It turns out my name came up in conversation at the company and that spurred him to call me. Now I have a meeting scheduled.

Will I win the account? Maybe. But without the appointment there was no chance. So while no one tool helped me reach the prospect, a combination of many made it happen.

Never give up! Instead keep looking for unique ways to make contact. While I am still having a difficult time reaching my would-be prospects, I am still calling back until they meet with me!

Have A Great Day.

Thom Singer
www.thomsinger.com
thom@thomsinger.com

PS- Thank you to all who have recently purchased my book at Amazon.com. October was our sales month on Amazon!!!

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween!!!

-AND-

Happy Birthday to my brother,

Steve Singer

Attitude Adjustment

I spent some time with my friend Chad this week. His middle name should be "Mr. Attitude". Whenever I am around this guy I just feel better. Better about myself, the future and life in general. He is one of the nations most successful real estate agents, is growing a thriving business, has a wonderful family life and a huge circle of friends....and views every glass as half-full (in fact, and empty glass to him is just a glass awaiting to be filled!!!). At 34 years old, he is only beginning to see his own potential. This guy is going to be one you hear about as a business legend.

While some people spend their lives focused on the negative things in the world, others constantly strive to find the positive. I believe that those who are upbeat get more opportunities. These people always attract others into their circle who help them achieve more than they ever could have on their own. A positive attitude is an invitation to be lucky.

There is power in your attitude that you must acknowledge. Make your attitude a priority. To do anything short of this means that you run the risk of letting your "feelings" take over your life. We are all hard wired with emotions and react to everything we see in the world. With the natural human strife on the nightly news, it would be so easy to fall into the trap of being a pessimistic-grumpy-head. But we get to choose how we react to every situation, and in that choice comes power over our destiny.

I have not been as positive lately as I know I should be in my daily life. I have allowed myself to get bogged down. My friend showed me by his example that the right thoughts and a consistent smile can lead to bigger successes.

How about you? Are you paying attention to your attitude? This is important. Don't just click off this page without thinking about the vibe that you are putting into the world. It matters. Your future depends on it!!!

Have A Great Day.

Thom Singer
www.thomsinger.com
thom@thomsinger.com

****Looking for a great holiday gift for your clients, business associates or other friends??? Consider giving them a copy of "Some Assembly Required: How to Make, Grow and Keep Your Business Relationships" (New Year Publishing). Available at Amazon.com. Thanks!!!

Friday Parade

Think BIG Revolution

Each Friday I highlight random cool things that I have discovered in the Friday Parade post.

Today is no exception. If you like to think BIG. I mean think really, really BIG.....then you need to discover Michael Port's Think Big Revolution. Michael Port is an author, actor, speaker, consultant, etc... who has a free weekly conference call each Monday where fifty to one hundred people gather to expand themselves and explore the benefits of thinking big.

Michael leads the topical discussions on ways to grow your business, personal life and expand your future. Some calls are good, others are great....but they are always free and full of interesting stuff.

Click here to get on his mailing list and plan now to attend the next "Think BIG Revolution" call on Monday.

Have A Great Weekend.

Thom Singer
www.thomsinger.com
thom@thomsinger.com


***PS- If you have not yet read my book, "Some Assembly Required" you can order it today on Amazon.com. Thank you!!!

Getting Out Of The Garage

A lawyer called me yesterday after reading my blog post about the Rolling Stones. The gist of his call is that he sees his practice more like a garage band (see the October 23rd post). He was sad about this realization and was afraid that he would never be able to raise himself above this level of performance. Was he never to be at the top of his field?

The good news is that I believe that anyone can become a super achiever, but they have to be willing to put in the extra work and ride the wave to success. It takes time and there are no shortcuts. It can take over a decade of focused hard work to achieve the top level in a career.

This reminds me of the old joke: "What do you call someone who spent ten years working hard and finally gets fame and fortune?"....answer: "An overnight success!".

When some achieve greatness those of us on the outside looking in only see the visible victories. What we never notice is the years of sacrifice, dedication, study, practice, and failures. Yet those things are always there.

I told my lawyer friend that to get out of the "garage" and into playing the larger venues he will need to work hard, have a clear vision, and never give up. He was somewhat underwhelmed with that answer, as he felt he had already worked pretty hard. I think he wanted me to have some magic answer. Sorry, no tricks here or I would use them myself!!!

Have A Great Day

Thom Singer
www.thomsinger.com
thom@thomsinger.com

***If you need to hire a speaker for your next business event, give me a call - (512)970-0398. I have created several interactive and entertaining presentations on networking, business development, and goal setting that will motivate your team and spur interesting discussions. More information at www.thomsinger.com

The Rolling Stones ROCK Austin, Texas

Last night Austin, Texas lived up to its reputation as The Live Music Capital of The World with a performance by the legendary Rolling Stones....and I was there with 42,000 of my closest friends! It took them forty years to get to Austin (this was their first concert in the musically charged city), but they did not disappoint.

Mick Jagger and crew put on an amazing show. These guys are 60+ years old, but you would never have known it (as long as you didn't look to close). Jagger might be the best entertainer on the planet (look out PT Barnum), as he certainly knew how to keep the crowd dancing and screaming for two hours. The geriatric rocker still has moves.

It made me realize that in any business if you want to succeed in the long run you need to have style, brand, passion and an understanding of what your customers want from you. The Rolling Stones, as a business, are still filling stadiums and selling their music.

How about your business? Can you identify your style, brand, passion and unique product offering? If you are not as clear on these topics as the Rolling Stones, then you might just be a garage band.

Have A Great Day.

Thom Singer
www.thomsinger.com
thom@thomsinger.com

***Photo from the Austin American-Statesman website. Read more about the concert on their website.

Friday Parade of Random Cool Stuff

NANO LEARNING

I have discovered a cool new website that every blogger needs to know about, so be sure to tell your friends!!! It has a lot of very interesting applications for anyone who is a knowledge entrepreneur, and it went live two weeks ago, so there is a lot more to come.

It is called Nano Learning. In the busy world we live in people do not have time for time consuming classes. Instead, people prefer to learn in small chunks. This a site that allows anyone to create short, good looking on-line learning classes without having to be an expert in Flash or have other extensive programming knowledge. Discovering this site early is akin to having been one of the first people to have found Blogspot back in the day.

A friend showed me how easy it is to create an on-line course by creating an eight-page class from a blog post of mine (and Scott Ingram's) posted earlier this week. The creation of the Nano Learning course took about ten minutes. Click here to view the course on Creating Your Signature Story.

If this can be created in ten minutes by cutting and pasting from two blog posts, imagine the cool on-line learning tools you can create with a little effort!

**Late addition: I decided to try writing a course by myself to see if it is really as easy as it was for my friend. Having spent ten years of my life as a wedding photographer, I created a short course on How To Select A Wedding Photographer. From start to finish it only took about twenty minutes. I can go back later and add photos, links, etc... NanoLearning is really cool! Go create a course and see for yourself!

This is the coolest new technology on the internet...and it is just out of the gate. I did not know about E-Bay until it was widely used. Same for Blogger. This is our chance to have uncovered a new on-line sensation before everyone else on the planet.

Nano Learning is the next big thing!!!

Have A Great Weekend.

Thom Singer
www.thomsinger.com
thom@thomsinger.com

Is Your Website A Business Development Tool?

Yesterday's Legal Marketing Association meeting in Austin, Texas had a phenomenal speaker on the Top Ten Foundational Best Practices For Law Firm Websites. The speaker, Deborah McMurray (CEO of Content Pilot), has worked in and around law firm marketing for over two decades, and is one of the sages in the industry.

Deborah also knows her stuff about how to make websites more than just a sterile brochure. She has consulted with firms across the country, helping them to create websites that communicate their message. But her presentation transcended industry lines, and would apply to any company that wants their website to be a true business development tool.

Deborah's company conducted an in depth study of the websites for the Am Law 100 (the country's largest 100 firms) ranking them in ten areas:

1. Communication of message
2. Graphic design
3. Navigation
4. Narrative content
5. Lawyer biographies
6. Practice/Industry descriptions
7. Contact information
8. Site searchabiltiy
9. Site optimization for online search
10. Site "hygiene

Not surprisingly the results showed that these large firms mostly had room for improvement. Only 10% ranked excellent, with over 40% being labeled as fair or poor.

Deborah is an engaging speaker, coupled with her knowledge on the subject made this one of the best luncheons I have attended in a long while. Even after a decade of working in and around law firms I am still amazed at how many lawyers fail to understand the importance of all the aspects of marketing, business development, public relations, and sales. To ignore the website as a business development tool is another example of firms failing to reach their full potential (and thus allowing their competition to beat them!)

More information on the survey and on Deborah and her company are available at www.contentpilot.net.

Have A Great Day.

Thom Singer
www.thomsinger.com
thom@thomsinger.com

Carnival Time Again

It is time for the second edition of the Networking Blog Carnival. This edition will be hosted at the Jibber Jobber Blog and the topic will be directed at networking tips in regards to getting a job. Jason has a post about it on his site. The carnival will go live on November 6th.

Send you links to your job hunt networking related blog post to Jason Alba at albajason@gmail.com

Have A Great Day

thom singer

Best Books 2006 Results!

"Some Assembly Required: How to Make, Grow and Keep Your Business Relationships" (New Year Publishing, 2005) was selected as a finalist in the "2006 USABookNews.com Awards" in the General Business Category.

The winners and finalists in the General Business category are:

Winner: Little Black Book of Connections by Jeffrey Gitomer, Bard Press, 1-885167-66-0

Finalist: European Business Customs & Manners by Mary Bosrock, Meadowbrook Press, 0-88166-497-9

Finalist: Everyday Excellence: Creating a Better Workplace through Attitude, Action and Appreciation by Clive Shearer, ASQ Quality Press, 978-0-87389-673-3

Finalist: HR Excellence: Improving Service Quality and Return on Investment in Human Resources by Scott Weston, Excellence Media, 978-09786927-0-5

Finalist: Kiss Theory Good Bye: Five Proven Ways to Get Extraordinary Results in Any Company by Bob Prosen, Gold Pen Publishing, 0-97768-48-0-6

Finalist: Some Assembly Required by Thom Singer, New Year Publishing, 0-9760095-0-1

Finalist: Strategy Moves: 14 Complete Attack and Defense Strategies for Competitive Advantage by Jorge Alberto Souza De Vasconcellos e Sa, FT Prentice Hall, 0-273-70167-3

Congratulations to all the authors who made the list! I am going to read them all...and you should too!!!

Have A Great Day.

Thom Singer
www.thomsinger.com
thom@thomsinger.com

Out Of The Comfort Zone

By definition, a "comfort zone" is a comfortable place to find yourself, but to grow and expand in your business or personal life, you must break out of the familiar and stretch yourself to try new things.

I know first hand about growth coming from being outside of the safety of a comfort zone. Here are four examples from my life of how I currently find myself swimming in the deep end without my "floaties:

1. My job. About a year ago I was given an amazing career opportunity. This sales/business development position is with one of the top companies in the United States. The job is great, and the people I work with are phenomenal. But I had no experience in the industry. Nine months later I find myself learning more than I ever have in my working life, however I still feel like I do not know enough. There is no "comfort zone" for me at this point. Each morning I take a deep breath and do all I can to make a difference....but my learning curve is still steep. I have had some successes, but not nearly enough to feel confident. Fortunately my co-workers are helping me and there is a lot of support and training.

Yet even though it is hard work to learn a new industry, I find the challenge exciting and I look forward to having more big victories in the future!

2. My book. Writing a book is difficult. It takes long hours, crazy tenacity and a sprinkle of good luck. The real difficulties begin after the book is published. Selling copies of the book is one hundred times harder that the actual writing. I am enjoying the promotional part of the book business, but I have not yet discovered all the answers. I speak often on the topic of building a professional business network, and that helps drive sales. The book also has achieved a modest level of "word of mouth" advertising, and Amazon.com continues to order more copies!

While creating "buzz" around a book is not something I have ever done before, it is exciting when the book gets mentioned in an article or on a blog. Everyday is part of the adventure.

3. Physical Fitness. Two years ago I weighed 25 pounds more than I do today. I had never been much of an athlete, and when I hit my mid-30s my metabolism turned on me. My diet was not as healthy as one might recommend, and thus I got fat. I decided to lose the extra weight and set out on a 6 month plan of "moving more and eating less". It was hard to skip the beer and ice cream (not to mention all the running I had to do), but I soon got used to it (it became my new comfort zone). The hardest part was the maintenance of keeping fit. My wife recently recommended I join her yoga class on Sunday mornings. Running a few miles for a 30-something guy who was overweight was hard, but yoga is something new altogether!

I have gone to yoga for three weeks and I find myself to not have as much balance or flexibility as the others in the class. This is a perfect example of being out of my comfort zone. This is a another world for me. Yet I continue to attend, and each week I find myself getting more accustomed to the program.

4. Marriage and Parenting. As my daughters get older there is nothing that can prepare me for being "the dad". Fortunately I had a great example in my own father. He always seemed comfortable in the role of husband and father, but that might just be because I was the youngest of four boys, so he had seen it all by the time I came alone.

I just have to face each day and not worry so much about my lack of comfort. Instead I just focus on the task at hand.....and be the dad. Every parent I know seems to have to wing it.

Part of me wishes that I could retreat into "comfort zones" in all these areas of my life, and ingnore the difficulties. However, I am striving to grow in all these areas, so I have to face the hard parts in order to achieve the rewards that are in the future.

Don't be scared trying new things or even experience the occasional failure. Get out of your comfort zone. Like in Yoga, you have to stretch yourself.

Have A Great Day.

Thom Singer
www.thomsinger.com
thom@thomsinger.com

Creating Your Signature Story

Last week I co-hosted the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce's second "Breakfast Club" meeting, along with Scott Ingram from NetworkInAustin.com. The interactive networking education forum was hosted by Rio Grande Restaurant in downtown Austin.

The restaurant is famous, as it used to be the "house" that was home to MTV's The Real World - Austin. The place has been fully remodeled to accommodate the upscale Mexican restaurant (good food, I might add!)....but they did leave the indoor swimming pool (just not as deep for liability reasons...so now it is a wishing fountain). I never saw much of the Real World, but I do know that the pool was clothing optional during much of that season,.... but I digress.

The event was titled "Creating Your Signature Story". The concept being that while much is given to preparing an "Elevator Pitch", the reality is that many such statements are as stale as a talking brochure. We all have stories, and it is stories that engage the interest of other people. It is a signature story that is remembered and retold to others.

Over 60 people participated in the program, and in small groups they tackled the task of sculpting their stories. Scott does a great job of giving the details on his blog.

Thank you to all who attended, and to the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce and Rio Grande Restaurant.

Have A Great Day.

thom

***If you are looking for a keynote speaker for your business event, law firm partner retreat, planning session, etc.... please contact me at thom@thomsinger.com

Friday Parade of Random Stuff

While I usually avoid politics in this blog...

Former Virginia Governor, Mark Warner, announced yesterday that he was NOT running for President of the United States in 2008. Warner, and democrat, sited the fact that he wanted a "normal" life rather than exposing his family to all the craziness of being a presidential candidate.

This is bad news. Mr. Warner would have made a great president. He was not a fringe candidate, but rather was very much in the middle of the political spectrum (which might have made it difficult to win his party's nomination). Both democrats and republicans could have found common ground with his beliefs, which is what is needed. I would have jumped across the party line to have supported this candidate.

Mr. Warner has both political and business experience (being a former telecom executive). He would have brought a unique and balanced temperament to the oval office. Mark Warner was the cool candidate for the 2008 elections. Now we are left with the professional politicians who will polarize the country with the typical ugliness of right vs. left hate.

It is a shame that the best people for the presidency will not run because of their desire to not get caught in the muck that is politics. It makes me wonder what kind of people we are left with as candidates if they enjoy all the crap.

Best of luck to Mr. Warner.

Have A Great Day.

Thom Singer
www.thomsinger.com
thom@thomsinger.com

If At First You Do Succeed...

In response to yesterday's post about living up to your potential, I got an email that made me laugh:

"If at first you do succeed, try to hide your amazement!"

How funny that we are often surprised at our own success. I laugh because I have had this experience. I know I want something, and I make it a goal....yet I am shocked at myself when I succeed!!!

Have A Great Day.

thom

****PS - If you would like to purchase a copy of my book, "Some Assembly Required", please go to Amazon.com. If my book hits #1 by noon, I will try to hide my own amazement!!!

20,000 Visitors

Look over on the right side of this blog, down just a bit. The visitor counter for The Some Assembly Required Blog is about to hit 20,000.

I think that the 20,000th visitor to the blog should win a prize. If you are #20,000....send me an email with your name and address and I will send you a free copy of my book "Some Assembly Required: How to Make, Grow and Keep Your Business Relationships".

"Honor-system" in play!!!

Email me at thom@thomsinger.com

Oh, tell all your friends to come visit today...as at anytime someone could be the winner!!!!

UPDATE***THE WINNER IS - Adrian Kingsley-Hughes....from the United Kingdom. Congratulations!!!

Einstein At McDonald's

I was recently on a conference call with a group of people from around the country when a woman named "Martha" spoke of her own quest to reach her potential. She said that she felt like "Einstein working at McDonald's". I really enjoyed this word picture, as it summed up how many people feel in their careers.

We all want to live up to our God-given potential. I believe that any person can achieve more in their career, but that we often get stuck in the rut of mediocrity. If Albert Einstein had managed a fast food restaurant, I am sure it would have been a fine franchise, but he might have missed living up to his potential (that little E=MC2 thing).

What is it that you are called to do? What is that one thing that you feel would impact the world with your input? If you wake up everyday and never question your place in the world, then you will continue along the path that you are on.

However, if you feel like you could be contributing more and reaching higher levels of success, then you owe it to yourself (and the rest of the planet) to discover your calling and go for it.

Results will not happen over night, but everyday you must do something to open yourself up to the opportunity that is out there.

I know, I am right there reaching for success. Yes, I have achieved some of what I desire, and many might ask why I continue to quest for more. My belief is that as long as we are breathing, all people have un-tapped potential. It is a journey.

Have A Great Day.

Thom Singer
www.thomsinger.com
thom@thomsinger.com

***Thank you for reading The Some Assembly Requried Blog. More information is available at www.thomsinger.com. Also, if you have not yet purchased a copy of my book, please go to Amazon.com. If you liked the book, I would appreciate it if you would tell a friend, and feel free to post a review at Amazon.com.

Selling Out Of Town

If you sales territory takes you beyond the town where you live, you will have challenges in developing a network of professional contacts that can and will refer business. Most people are skeptical of out-of-towners, and no matter what your intentions.....you be seen by many as a carpet-bagger.

The first thing you need to do when calling into a new community is to realize that everyone would prefer to do business with those who live in their city. But you can't live everywhere, so you just have to get past that obstacle.

Accept that it will take longer to build real relationships in far-off locations. You do not have the luxury of running into key contacts at lunch, the mall, church, etc... You have to be committed to showing your face in their city on a regular basis. Even though you cannot visit with everyone every time, you need to let your contacts know that you are there often.

Here are a few ideas that will help:

1. Host a lunch, happy hour or dinner with a group of key folks in your satellite territory city when you come to town. Invite an eclectic group of people who will make beneficial contacts for eachother....they will remember that you are the catalyst that brings them together.

2. Put together a monthly (weekly?) email newsletter that is full of useful information on your industry. Try to customize some of it to the specific city you are covering.

3. Ask your existing clients for introductions, referrals or just random ideas. Who can they help you meet in their city. If you do a good job servicing their needs, they will be happy to tell others about you, your product or your service. Let them know what problems you have because you live out of town, and they will want to make their city more hospitable to your needs.

4. Always praise their city. I know, you do not choose to live there, you prefer the city you already live in....but that does not mean you cannot vocalize the wonderful parts of their town. Remember, they do live there, and appreciate that you see the city as a great place...NOT JUST A CITY TO SELL INTO!!!

You will also to find allies who are not offended by the fact that you live elsewhere. In small markets that are dominated by "old-boys-networks" this will be harder. You local competition will see you as a threat and will have more access to prospects and referral sources than you can ever have. They will probably talk poorly about you and your company. Your technique needs to show that you are not worried about "competition", but rather about "adding value" to your clients. People will see this as balancing out your out of town deficit.

Finally, patience is the key. It takes a long time to build relationships remotely (heck, it takes a long time to network in the city you live!!!). You just have to stick with it and know that one day you will be accepted in the local business community. Hang in there!

Have A Great Day.

thom

Friday Parade of Random Things That Interest Me

I am fan of Business 2.0 Magazine. It is always full of cool companies, inventions and other stuff. Today I read about "Zorbing". It is the new bungee jumping without the jumping. Yes, it is always the folks in New Zealand who bring us these wild things.

A person is encased in a big plastic bubble and rolled down the hill getting to speeds of 25 mph while strapped inside a big transparent ball. Think hamster.

Coming soon to your neighborhood hillside. I can't wait!!!

Have A Great Weekend.

Thom

****If you are interested in getting your hands on a copy of my book, "Some Assembly Required", go NOW to Amazon.com. Thank you. OH...WAIT. CAN YOU PLEASE TELL A FRIEND ABOUT MY BLOG??? I WOULD BE SO THANKFUL THAT WORDS COULD NOT APPLY TO EXPRESS MY DELIGHT.

Blackberry / Crack-Berry

I am addicted to my blackberry. When it buzzes I cannot help myself ..... I must go read the message that has been delivered. I have no will-power. Instantly I must know who sent me the email.

Is it important? Often not. Is it interesting? blahhhh. Have I been invited somewhere fun? No. Is it spam? Too much spam, yes.

If I am asked a question in an email, I feel compelled to answer fast.

If a friend crosses my mind, I have in my hands the power to send them an email instantly.

How did society survive before wireless technology took over the planet?

When my father was my age in 1954 they only had the US Postal Service or Western Union to send written messages. No fax, Fed-Ex, email, etc.... They had telephones, but you could only reach someone who was at their desk. Heck, no voicemail....a real person had to take a message and write it by hand on those pink message pads. Oh, the insanity.

I have a friend who avoids email and cell phones on the weekends. I would go into withdrawals. Why would someone do that?

Oooops, gotta go. I just got an email.

Have A Great Day.

thom

***You can obtain a copy of my book at Amazon.com. To contact me about a keynote talk at your next meeting, email me at thom@thomsinger.com

Don't Lock The Doors, Even Though You Can

If 7-11 is open 24-hours a day, why do they have locks on the doors?

Some might think they could have saved millions of dollars if they had not installed locks in the first place. But life is full of choices. We are all have God given talents, and the choice is ours on if we open them up to the world or lock them down. We all come with locks, even if we do not plan to use them. So does a 7-11 franchise.

Locks on door remind me of goals:

Many might look at your really huge desires (goals) and view them as impossible to obtain.....therefore think that having such goals are as useless as the locks on a 7-11. But by not having goals you would shackle your future in the present.

People who have clear goals are those who achieve greatness. They do not allow others to discredit their vision of the future. They do not see dreaming of more to be a waste of time. These people know that there is a time and a place for everything, and while results are sometimes years away, they understand that the only way to get there is to keep moving forward....no matter how large the obstacle.

Instead of focusing on the locks on the door, we should focus on the fact that in life we have access to Slupees 24-hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year (metaphorially). We need to reach for greatness and never give up. Ahhhhh, what potential we each have inside us.

Carpe Slupus. Seize the Slupee.

Have A Great Day.

The Networking Blog Carnival - 1st Edition

We got some great submissions to the first Networking Blog Carnival. Thank you to all the bloggers who participated and sent in the links below. I encourage all readers to click through and read all the valuable information that has been shared.


From David Maister:

What The Networking Seminar Speakers Said

From Daniel Sococco of the Innovation Zen Blog:

Why Should You Go To The University

From Jason Alba of the Jibber Jobber blog:

Networking Tips for Thom's Blog Carnival

From The Smart Grad School Applications Blog

10 Reasons To Go To Grad School In The Modern World

From Laura Ricci of Laura's Winning Ideas Blog:

Capturing Marketshare With A Conversation Starter

Adding "How May I Help You?" To Your Repertoire

Fear or Embrace

From Jay Thompson of The Phoenix Real Estate Guy Blog:

Active Rain

From Chris Brunner of Great FX Business Cards Blog:

How To Sell Your Services Better

If you are interested in hosting the second edition of the Networking Carnival on your blog, please send me an email.

Have A Great Day.

thom

thom@thomsinger.com

****If you are interested in obtaining a copy of my book: "Some Assembly Required", please go to Amazon.com.