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Category: Marketing

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Marketing Personal Development Sales

If You Don’t Know Your Differences, You’ll Never Know Your Value

It’s simple:  Your offer’s value exists only in a customer’s mind. When you hear the phrase “customer perceived value”, I want you to remember that the “customer perceived” is redundant; there is no other kind of value besides customer-perceived.

Customers only derive value based upon differences. There’s more to it, which we’ll come to in a minute, but let me simplify half a century of consumer choice research for you.

Hueristics:  Shortcut Mental Processes

Buyer choices are based upon differences between different offers, which is a mental shortcut, or heuristic (an academic researcher word.  Impress your friends).  We shortcut a complex set of choices based only on what’s different.  Think about buying an automobile, for example.  When comparing the options, you don’t go down the list of “what is the same”.  Your brain knows that is a waste of mental energy.  You won’t even take notice tires, spark plugs, cylinders, steering wheels; every option has the same number, and any differences are unimportant to most buyers.  However, you might notice that one option has a comfortable leather-wrapped steering wheel…but really only if the other car doesn’t.

Not all differences are the same (sorry for the pun)

Differences become differentiation (in the consumer choice sense) when two things occur.

First, those differences need to be factored in to a decision process.

Second, they need to be given weight, or value.

For value to “occur” in the customer’s mind, you need to do both.  Let’s start with the first.

Differences need to park between your customer’s ears as differentiation before they can grow into value.

Differences are promoted to differentiation (differences that the customer uses in a decision) under a consistent hueristic.  Buyer (all personas; not just a purchasing agent) decision-making follows a consistent prioritization of differences which:

Come to mind easily. The buyer psychology term is “ the availability principle”.  This means that decision makers default to easy-to-recall differences. Differences that you give to a prospect (especially without confirming conversation) are not as “available” as differences they can describe unprompted. Let’s go back to an auto purchase example:  I’ll recite advantages of one of your two “acceptable” finalist options to you.   Then, I’ll ask you to explain to me the advantages of the second option.  Which one will you end up buying the next day? The reason is the availability principle.   Availability is part of why a customer believes what they tell you much more than what you tell them.  Use conversation to get a customer to process differences into differentiation.

The customer has to produce themselves. If nobody produces any differences,  some buyers will dig deeper to uncover them. This does happen, but you’re leaving things to chance.  Differences which don’t enter a customer’s consciousness don’t create differentiation or value.  I once learned that a customer valued my company’s responsiveness, and willingly paid a small price premium — which could have been much larger.  When there was a “both parties’ fault” problem which shut their production down, we made things right in the way they knew we would…and which we took for granted.  This was the exception, not the rule.  Because we didn’t uncover it, we never had the option to sell (and possibly price, had the difference been something a little more image-positive).

Price becomes a primary differentiator only when no other differences exist in the prospect’s mind.  Note:  some procurement/purchasing folks will lead you to believe that your differences (above) are insignificant or nonexistent – purely to drive a price-centric conversation. It is the responsibility of a seller to determine how real this gambit is. If your sellers respond only by discounting, you may have a significant opportunity to improve.  I work with sellers to understand how and when to play this game.

Status quo becomes your biggest threat when no differentiators have appeared as your customer goes down this decision pathway. It is a threat almost always, of course, but if not even price seems different between the top two choices, status quo always wins (consumer choice research has established this using dozens of experiments repeated hundreds of times).  If status quo is not one of the finalists, customers will produce a differentiator that might seem so frivolous that it feels like they used the dartboard to make their choice.  These are frustrating wins…and even more frustrating losses.

When Differentiation becomes Value

I often quote Bob Miller, who pointed out that Customers don’t buy our offers, they buy outcomes. Buyer research shows that people decide based upon differentiation… differentiation they value due to the outcomes that differentiation yields.

How does differentiation turn into value?  When a prospect gives it weight by connecting it to an outcome or outcomes. The value/weight of an outcome increases as it progresses through “theoretical”, “possible”, ”likely”, ”probable”, then “assuredly”.  It also increases as the desirability of the outcome progresses through “unquantified tie breaker”, to “I’ve visualized the outcome”, to “I’ve visualized myself realizing that outcome” then “I’ve quantified the outcome financially and personally”, and finally,  “I’ve also quantified ancillary outcomes”.

The same rules of availability apply to value building.  If you build a value case and deliver it to a prospect, it is far less available(and thus less value is built) than if you walk the prospect through the exact same validation/quantification process such that they build it themselves in their own mind.

Buyers (other than purchasing folks) seldom use price as the primary differentiator.  Far more frequently, they use your price premium (that’s your price difference, remember?) vs. their own estimate of value. Using an auto purchase example, a consumer might justify whether the leather upholstery option is worth the $1500, quantifying comfort, longevity, prestige, in a way that translates each of these differentiators into a dollar justification.

Bottom Line

If you never help your customer identify your differences, they probably won’t think you have any, and you will never enter the finalist stage.

When you fail to help your customer process differentiation into your (outcome-based) value, they won’t fully appreciate what you offer, and won’t be willing to pay you what you’re really worth.

When you don’t know your value, you’ll never know how to sell or how to price.  Your achievable price premium depends on the value of your differences to the customer.

I invite your comments and feedback.

To your success!

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Best Practices Entrepreneurship Human Resources Management Marketing Negotiations Sales Skills Women In Business

But Wait, There’s More – Negotiation Insight

“Never forget that you have the power to choose what you wish others to see in you.” -Greg Williams, The Master Negotiator & Body Language Expert

When do you reflect upon where you are in your life? Does it occur when you’re beset by misfortune or when you’re in a state of exhilaration? It’s a thought that warrants attention because you’re always being moved by your thoughts. And, your thoughts transfer into actions.

When you’re in a certain mental state, note the words you use to represent that mindset to yourself and others. Words have power. Thus, the way you use them will influence your actions and that of those around you. When you muse to others and yourself about what you’re thinking or how you feel, you’re giving insight into your personality. That insight allows others to assess who you are, what you might do in a situation, and how they might interact with you during those times.

Anytime you’re not feeling normal, whatever that might be for you, and you don’t wish to expose it, cloak it by displaying a different demeanor. If you’re a frequent reader of my writings, you know you’re always negotiating; that means, what you do today impacts tomorrow’s opportunities or lack of. You don’t have to consider your actions as being a negotiation. Nor do you have to consider air as a vital part of life. Nevertheless, both are truisms.

To achieve more, you must be mindful of how you represent yourself to others. The more you wish others to perceive a certain persona, the more aligned your actions should be with that persona. If you leave people with the thought that there’s more to you than they know, you’ll have them in a state of wonderment that states, but wait there’s more. That will heighten their intrigue of you, which will serve to increase their interest … and everything will be right with the world.

What does this have to do with negotiations?

Predictability vs. Unpredictability

During a negotiation, a collage of thoughts, words, and actions will attempt to drive the negotiation down different paths. The predominant collection of that makeup will determine your success; another consideration will be your past demeanor. The latter will serve as input about how you’ll respond to certain stimuli.

In a negotiation and in every aspect of your life, people will believe of you what they see. Sure, they’ll color their perception based on their biases. The rub is, if you don’t present yourself based on how you wish to be perceived, they’ll fill in the blanks without your input. Don’t wonder as you wander. Show others what you want them to see in you.

People like predictability. But, if you want to win more negotiations, they’ll be times when it behooves you to be unpredictable. During such times, leave others wondering if there’s more to you to uncover. Doing so will serve your benefit. They won’t be able to completely figure you out. Thus, they’ll lack the ability to predict what you’ll do next. That’ll serve to foil their negotiation plans. To keep them off-balance, create a state of mind for them that says, but wait, there’s more.

Remember, you’re always negotiating!

After reading this article, what are you thinking? I’d really like to know. Reach me at Greg@TheMasterNegotiator.com

To receive Greg’s free “Negotiation Tip of the Week” and the “Sunday Negotiation Insight” click here http://www.themasternegotiator.com/greg-williams/

#HiddenValue, #More, #Aware, #Success #Emotion #Business #Progress #SmallBusiness #Negotiation #NegotiatingWithABully #Power #Perception #emotionalcontrol #relationships #liars #HowToNegotiateBetter #CSuite #TheMasterNegotiator #ControlEmotions

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Entrepreneurship Marketing Personal Development

This Entrepreneur Saw the Glass Half Full and Perfected his Product into the Perfect Holiday Gift!

Perfectly chilled beverages, no more shattered glass, and a solution for every can size!

BrüMate, The Dehydration Company:

On a mission to put an end to boring drinkware, one sip at a time. Hate warm beer? Can’t stand warm wine? They have a solution for everyone.

“There is no better feeling of accomplishment than taking an idea on pen and paper and creating something great from it. That is my passion,” says Jacob. 

REDUCE YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT

KEEP YOUR DRINKS AT THE PERFECT TEMPERATURE

WORKS WITH HOT OR COLD BEVERAGES

PERFECT FOR ANY OCCASION

Brumation is a term used for the hibernation-like state that cold-blooded animals utilize during very cold weather. On the other end of the spectrum is a state known as aestivation, which like brumation, provides a way for reptiles to handle temperature extremes.

Check out the interview here: http://brainhackers.com/the-brains-behind-it-dylan-jacob-brumate/ 

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Best Practices Culture Economics Entrepreneurship Industries Leadership Marketing Personal Development Technology

To See the Future, Think Both/And

Whenever a new game-changing technology is introduced, our instinct is to assume that the current technology we are using will quickly become obsolete and will vanish from our use.

History has shown that the hottest new breakthrough technologies do not necessarily replace older ones. Instead, they often coexist side by side because the old technology has its own unique profile of functional strengths that the new technology never fully replaces.

How many times have you greeted a new innovation with an either/or assumption? Either you use the old or the new. But this is not an either/or world we live in; it’s a both/and world. It’s a world that is both paper and paperless, online and in-person, old media and new media.

Yes, No or Some of Both

In my latest book, The Anticipatory Organization: Turn Disruption and Change into Opportunity and Advantage, I teach readers how to gain a major competitive edge by learning to accurately anticipate the future. This is a skill that can be learned, and in this blog I’ll share one of the principles I have used for decades to accurately predict the future of technological change, one that you will be able to apply in countless ways: the Both/And Principle.

First, a bit of history. In the early 1980s, I developed the Both/And Principle and started applying it with great success. Here are some examples that will help you to see how to use it yourself.

Either/Or Assumption #1:

The introduction of digital documents meant that we would all be 100% paperless in a few years.

For example, in the late 1980s, when CD-ROMs were introduced, industry experts, the press and futurists predicted that by the mid-1990s, offices would be completely paperless. At the time I applied the Both/And Principle and predicted that we would have increasing amounts of both digital documents as well as paper documents in the future. It’s now 2018 and we are still managing both paper and digital documents.

Why is paper still around? Paper is inexpensive, portable and can be folded and tucked in a pocket or purse. It is an inexpensive display medium that does not need power. In addition, a handwritten paper note of gratitude to an employee is far better than sending a text or an email.  So instead of asking “How can I eliminate all paper?” a better question I had my clients ask was, “What is the best use for paper and the best use for digital?”

Either/Or Assumption #2:

E-commerce will render brick-and-mortar retail stores completely obsolete.

In the mid-1990s, around the time that Netscape, Yahoo!, eBay and many other Web-based businesses started rapidly growing, many futurists and the media predicted that bookstores, auto dealerships, shopping malls and retail stores in general would soon be obsolete.

The logic was that a physical store can only hold a few hundred or several thousand items while a virtual store gives you access to millions of items or titles 24/7.

So why do retail stores continue to survive and why are many even thriving? The answer is that physical shopping is experiential, not just transactional. Brick-and-mortar stores and malls that have continued to elevate the customer experience are social gathering places that create a sense of community, which technology can’t fully replace. In addition, many products are difficult to buy without physically seeing them and trying them out. Others require a knowledgeable person to help you make a decision. Why did Apple open an Apple Store? If you have been there, you know why. Why is Amazon opening brick-and-mortar bookstores? Now you know why.

Either/Or Assumption #3:

Smartphones will replace laptops.

Not that long ago, business publications were having a debate about the future of computing. They asked the question, “With our smartphones and tablets becoming our main personal computers, won’t this make laptops obsolete?” The answer is still “no.”

The reality is, we still have the equivalent of mainframe computers, we just use them differently than 20 – or even five – years ago. If they have a smartphone and/or tablet, the majority of business users are already using their laptop differently, and perhaps much less, but they are still using both.

Introducing Both/And Thinking

While others were predicting the end of laptop computers, printed paper and retail stores, I did not fall into the trap of those bad predictions because I had developed a series of research-based guiding principles that would help avoid such mistakes, and the Both/And Principle is a major one.

The premise is simple: Your technology works well for you, but you discover a new app, gadget or process that could significantly transform your business. You don’t want to part with what’s been working for you, but you also don’t want to be left behind.

The Both/And Principle allows you to keep bridging your legacy systems with the new technology or processes. Integrating them in a way that will create higher value than either has by itself provides a pathway forward.

It is a powerful corrective measure to either/or thinking, meaning that the future will only be either one way or the other. The Both/And Principle recognizes the folly of assuming that the “new” will totally supplant the old, and it recognizes that they can be integrated. Once you try it, you will see the Both/And Principle can accelerate your team’s performance because you haven’t settled for one or the other.

Powerful Both/And Duos

Digital documents have powerful strengths; they are here to stay, but so is paper. Here is a short list of Both/And Principle examples:

  • Brick-and-mortar retailers and Internet retailers
  • Digital and analog
  • Paper mail and email
  • Nautical charts and GPS
  • Full service and self service
  • Wiring such as copper and  fiber-optics and wireless
  • Traditional media and digital media
  • Gasoline engines and electric motors
  • Digital music playlists and live concerts
  • Video conferencing and face-to-face meetings

A key success strategy is to integrate the old and the new based on the strengths of each. In fact, the hottest breakthrough technologies tend to coexist and integrate to create new value with their predecessors rather than completely co-opting them. Why? The old technology has its own unique profile of functional strengths.

Case Study: Amazon.com and Kohl’s

In August 2017, Kohl’s announced it would sell Amazon products in its retail stores. But that was just the beginning of this Both/And Principle business maneuver. Kohl’s department stores and Amazon.com have been piloting a retail model that even more perfectly demonstrates an integration of the old and new.

Since September 2017, the two have been running a pilot program in which Amazon.com purchasers who want to return an item can return it to a Kohl’s customer service desk. Customers who bought a product online can now skip the post office and instead return it to an ever-increasing number of Kohl’s stores.

Consumers enjoy the convenience, and according to a number of recent studies, total visits to Kohl’s stores with Amazon’s return program have outperformed other stores in sales by about 8.5%. In other words, customers returning items end up finding more to buy at Kohl’s. Kohl’s also reported an increase in new customers.

Both/And Thinking and You

What are some examples of Both/And thinking that could benefit you? Are there any new technologies that would give you amazing new capabilities that could become something you feel your business could not live without? What are some of the newest technologies that you believe will disrupt and transform your business? What would happen if you combined the old and the new in a way that creates higher value than either has on its own?

If you would like to learn more anticipatory skills so that you can turn disruptive change into your biggest advantage, read my latest book, The Anticipatory Organization: Turn Disruption and Change into Opportunity and Advantage

Click here for a special offer from Daniel Burrus

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Best Practices Marketing Personal Development

Use Adverbs with Caution

I could have written “cautiously,” but I didn’t want to be guilty of using an adverb before I’d even begun the body of the article.

I say “guilty” because adverb overuse is one of the cardinal errors of writing.

What Is An Adverb?

Adverbs provide additional description to verbs, adjectives, another adverb, phrases, sentences, or clauses. Often, but not always, they end with “ly.”

They ran quickly.

She was very beautiful.

She so hoped that she would the prize.

What’s Wrong With Adverbs?

The above examples look harmless. This is why they’re not.

“They ran quickly” is awkward and doesn’t provide a strong visual image.

Try

  • “They raced.”
  • “They dashed.”
  • “They hurried.”

Each of these changes implies speed and urgency much more effectively than the original.

“She was very beautiful” is equally awkward, in part because “beautiful” might seem like an absolute. If someone is more than beautiful, try “gorgeous,” “stunning,” or “breathtaking.”

In “She so hoped that she would win the prize,” “so” is meaningless. It doesn’t suggest how much she hoped. Was she eager, desperate, anxious? We have no idea.

An Indictment of Adverbs

“I  believe the road to hell is paved with adverbs.” —Stephen King in On Writing.

King gets to the heart of why adverbs don’t add much to writing. He says in using them, writers signal that they haven’t expressed themselves clearly. The adverb gets tacked on for additional emphasis.

And they have a tacked-on feeling. That’s why “ran quickly” and “very beautiful” sound so awkward. They’ve been added without a feeling for elegant writing. When I say “elegant,” I don’t necessarily mean great literature. I mean something you can read without getting jolted by literary potholes.

Show, Don’t Tell

One of the biggest problems adverbs present is that they tell, rather than show.

Consider the following examples.

  • “He spoke angrily.”
  • “He growled.”
  • “He roared.”

Examples 2 and 3 give the reader a sensory impression. You can hear and feel a roar or a growl.

Whenever possible, replace a verb and an adverb with a stronger verb.

Don’t Throw Out Adverbs Altogether

Occasionally, adverbs have their purposes. The general opinion about their recommended usage is about once in every 300 words.

If you want to measure your adverb use, do a word count on something you’ve written and then read it and count the adverbs. If the count is within the 1 to 300 ratio, you’re fine for frequency, but also look at how you’ve used the adverbs. If you can find a way to replace them with stronger verbs, do so.

Your readers will thank you.

Pat Iyer is a ghostwriter and editor. People hire Pat who want to write a book without writing a word. Reach her through her website at www.editingmybook.com. She is one of the original 100 C Suite Network Advisors.

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Best Practices Entrepreneurship Management Marketing Negotiations Sales Women In Business

Be Aware of the Straw Man

“Always attempt to control those that attempt to control you. By doing so, you’ll have greater control.” -Greg Williams, The Master Negotiator & Body Language Expert

Are you aware when others invoke a straw man to maneuver you? Be alert to such actions. Those actions may leave you instilled in fear. Worse, they may leave you confused about why you engaged in an action.

Straw man has several meanings. It can refute a response that veers from the initial point while giving the appearance of addressing it. As an example, a supervisor might say to his boss, “The team worked a lot of overtime to get the project in on time. I think we should give them a 2% bonus.” The boss’ response, “That’s horrible thinking! If we gave a bonus every time they did their job, there would be no incentive for them to do anything.” The boss’ rebuttal, while appearing to respond to the supervisor, ignored the overtime the employees worked to get the project in on time. It ignored that they went above their normal duties.

A straw man can also refer to a person lacking in integrity or substance. An example of this might be, “As he felt backed into a corner, he said, you can do to me as you like, but my followers will make you pay for your deeds.” The reference to, ‘my followers’, was an attempt to conjure up a straw man that would seek retribution.

Suffice it to say, always attempt to control those that are attempting to control you. In so doing, you’ll be in a better position to maintain control of yourself … and everything will be right with the world.

What does this have to do with negotiations? 

Who uses a straw man?

During a negotiation, a straw man can be invoked to foster a position to embolden its user. It might be employed to inject fear, reward, happiness, or retribution into the negotiation process. If stealthily employed, it can give the appearance of its user’s fingerprints not even being on the suggested deed (e.g. one negotiator to the other – they may harm both of us if we adopt that position). Thus, it can be one way to insulate one’s activities from any blowback. In this case, think of the straw man as being the image that one wants to cast that’s greater than the image of the one doing the casting.

Why are straw men used?

a straw man is yet another tactic used in a negotiation by savvy negotiators. Some stumble into its usage, not realizing the effect it can have on a negotiation.

When used deftly, this tactic can alter the course of a negotiation by distracting from the point at hand, altering the flow of the negotiation, and casting doubt in the mind of the negotiator that adopts a position.

In your future negotiations, take note when a straw man is attempted to be used against you. Also, consider when it might be beneficial to invoke your own straw man. Doing so will take your negotiation abilities to higher heights.

Remember, you’re always negotiating! 

After reading this article, what are you thinking? I’d really like to know. Reach me at Greg@TheMasterNegotiator.com

To receive Greg’s free “Negotiation Tip of the Week” and the “Sunday Negotiation Insight” click here http://www.themasternegotiator.com/greg-williams/

#Strawman, #Aware, #Success #Emotion #Business #Progress #SmallBusiness #Negotiation #NegotiatingWithABully #Power #Perception #emotionalcontrol #relationships #liars #HowToNegotiateBetter #CSuite #TheMasterNegotiator #ControlEmotions

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Best Practices Economics Entrepreneurship Management Marketing Personal Development Technology

Tesla is Redefining the Customer Experience

One of the harsh realities of this fast-paced digital world is that almost everything we buy is out of date by the time we get it home. To obtain the most value of any purchase, especially if it is an expensive one, we need to adopt a future mind-set to help us avoid picking up legacy products.

Driving has long been considered a symbol of personal freedom — an open road going forward, with almost limitless possibilities and opportunities on the horizon. For this reason alone, car manufacturers like to add new features that make us feel like we are purchasing a car that is equipped to transport us into the future.

I recently found myself wanting to replace my hybrid SUV. I have been very happy with my Lexus, but before buying, I wanted to see what the other major brands — including BMW, Mercedes, Porsche and Cadillac, to name a few — had to offer, to see which was most suited to me and my lifestyle. As you might guess, since I have been forecasting semi-autonomous as well as fully autonomous car features for decades now, I was interested to see what they had to offer at this point in time.

As you would expect, all of the high-end vehicles had great features, including automatic braking and various systems to alert you if you are about to change lanes and hit another car that is in your blind spot. However, it was when I drove the Tesla Model X that I felt like I was driving in the future. After that test drive, my view of the other brands was changed. All the others instantly felt like the past.

From a customer experience perspective, that’s a powerful shift. Any time you can make the competition seem like they are offering yesterday’s features and functions, and you are offering tomorrow’s, you can accelerate growth well into the future.

Buying a car has always been both a left-brain and a right-brain experience. On one hand, we would love to buy that just-out-of-reach dream car, the one that our emotional, creative side would love to have. On the other hand, our rational, logical, sensible mind wants the car to be safe, economical and not too expensive. Tesla has found a way to do both.

The realization that the Tesla is already offering a wealth of future-oriented features — features that can save lives, features you know we will all have someday — has the power to change how potential customers think.

Tesla, like Amazon, is what I call an Anticipatory Organization, one that identifies the Hard Trends that will happen and then uses that knowledge to turn disruption and change into its biggest advantage.

With all of this in mind, where would the greatest young engineering talent want to work? Ford, General Motors or Tesla? I suspect that Tesla would attract the talent because it is showcasing the future, today.

Rather than sitting around waiting to be disrupted, maybe it’s time to jump on board and disrupt both yourself and your industry, to become the disrupter. We often talk about legacy software and hardware holding businesses back, but the reality is that legacy thinking is far more damaging.

If your company wants to attract the most talented employees as well as the imaginations of future customers, you need to follow Hard Trends and learn to become anticipatory rather than getting better at reacting.

When I returned to the showroom a few weeks ago, it quickly became apparent that Tesla is a prime example of an Anticipatory Organization. The majority of competitors within the automotive industry are still taking incremental steps rather than exponential leaps. The majority have embraced the idea of agility as the best way to turn rapid change into an advantage. The problem they are finding is that all organizations are becoming agile organizations, which greatly decreases the advantage of agility and, more importantly, the main advantage of agility is that you can be far better than your slower competitors. Being agile is very important and we all should get better at it, but it is no longer enough.

It’s true that there is more uncertainty today than ever before. On the flipside of this coin is the science of certainty, learning to separate the Hard Trends that will happen from the Soft Trends that might happen. As the exponential pace of technological change continues, having the ability to foresee growing problems, disruptions, customer demands and new opportunities has never been more important.

Technology now surrounds us. The rapid rise of the internet of things (IoT) in our cities, businesses, infrastructure and even our homes will also raise the bar of both our expectations and demands. As our world continues to evolve, why would the automotive industry remain the same? Why would a dealership stay the same as it always has been? Why would I want to buy a new car that has only a few more new features than the car I’m driving now?

Having a business strategy based on certainty has low risk. Leaders now have a choice to anticipate today, before their competitors do, or find themselves left behind in the slow lane. What are you going to do?

Why deploy customer surveys when technology allows you to collect real-time user experiences? Learn to how an Anticipatory Organization saves money in R&D, marketing and other steps along the way.

Order Daniel Burrus’ book today!

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Best Practices Entrepreneurship Management Marketing Negotiations Sales Skills Women In Business

Your Uniqueness – It’s Not Just Coffee

“If you want to stand out, don’t stand in a crowd.” -Greg Williams, The Master Negotiator & Body Language Expert

How do you separate yourself from the masses? Are you someone that glides in the strides of the crowd and then wonder why others don’t recognize your uniqueness?

It’s Not Just Coffee:

People lined up for miles to get their car washed. Most didn’t grumble because they knew they’d get a cup or two of that delicious coffee. It was a special blend that wasn’t served anywhere else. It was more than just coffee; some said it was a slice of heaven. Patrons told the owner, they didn’t really come for the car wash, they came for the coffee. The coffee was the establishment’s uniqueness. What’s your uniqueness?

Your Uniqueness:

As shown through your fingerprints, you have uniqueness in you. Some people are afraid to display their uniqueness for fear of how others might judge them. Some don’t even recognize that they possess traits that would endear them to others.

By not embracing and using the uniqueness that was bestowed upon you, you’re shortchanging yourself and those that might benefit from your gifts. If it’s fear that’s stopping you from displaying the inner person that you’ve incarcerated, what are you fearful of? Even if others should mock you, their mockery does not have to become your reality. Even if others reject you, you do not have to reject yourself.

Your Mind:

Everyone wants to be liked and appreciated. That desire is what keeps some people in society’s zone of safety. It becomes the self-imposed boundaries that surround their mind. It keeps them grounded when they could be soaring high in the sky.

Embrace the endowments that have been bestowed upon you. They’re gifts from a higher source. Shrink not from ‘the bigger you’. Allow it to escape from the small façade in which it currently resides. You’ve already outgrown that space.

Fear Not:

Fear not your greatness. It’s waiting to be exposed. Once you release it, you’ll find a greater life, more self-fulfillment, and a higher sense of purpose awaits you. Once you break the shackles that restrain you from a higher calling, you will embolden your uniqueness. Then, you’ll take the form that you were destined to be … and everything will be right with the world.

What does this have to do with negotiations? 

In a negotiation, a negotiator’s fears can be sensed. When he holds back an offer that stems from a lack of self-assuredness, doubt, or courage, he displays the lack of commitment he has for the offer. That can leave him in a precarious negotiation position. That can become an extremely difficult position from which to free himself.

During a negotiation, your uniqueness signals that you’re a negotiator that knows how to negotiate effectively or one that diddle-daddles. Your persona and reputation are at stake. How do you want them to precede you in your next negotiation? Will it be one that people speak of as being unique or will they say, “yeah, he’s just like coffee – you can find what he’s offering everywhere.” It’s your call. Make it a unique one.

Remember, you’re always negotiating!

After reading this article, what are you thinking? I’d really like to know. Reach me at Greg@TheMasterNegotiator.com 

To receive Greg’s free “Negotiation Tip of the Week” and the “Sunday Negotiation Insight” click here http://www.themasternegotiator.com/greg-williams/

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Best Practices Body Language Entrepreneurship Management Marketing Negotiations Sales Women In Business

Negotiators: Negotiate Better – Know How to Use Words Right

“Good negotiators listen for what’s not said, in order to hear words right.” -Greg Williams, The Master Negotiator & Body Language Expert

People’s thoughts give life to the words they use to influence others. Thus, their words move people to actions. As a negotiator, to negotiate better, know how to use words right.

Using His Words:

When engaged in a negotiation, listen to the words used by the other negotiator and the way he uses those words. As an example, he makes the statement, “I only want to address one thing at a time.” Later in the negotiation, if he asks you to address multiple items/situations simultaneously, you can state, “I only want to address one thing at a time.” Citing his own words as justification for your actions will psychologically put him into a state of reflection. Note his body language to discern the effect that your words have on him (e.g. leans back resting towards one side of his body, laying a pen/pencil down/aside, looking up into the air). Any such signals will serve as validation that he’s taking your words into his thought process.

Emphasized and Changing Words:

During a negotiation, the opposing negotiator will emphasize certain words. Listen for them. Through his action, he’s denoting the importance that word has in his thought process. You can use that insight to reposition your negotiation efforts to fit the altering situation based on the way he’s thinking.

As an example, if he begins a statement by saying, “Weeee, I think I can do it.” Note the word choice change from ‘we’ to ‘I’. Plus, note how he drew ‘weeee’ out. While making that change, he was likely considering to what degree he’d have to rely on others. By changing his words, he displayed his belief that he has greater control over producing the outcome in question. That display gives you insight into where he believes his abilities lie in that situation. You can clone it by posing similar questions to move him in the direction of your needs throughout the negotiation. That insight will also allow you to cite his pride of authority and position him as such. Then, if you reach a point of decision and he refers to his need to consult others, remind him of what he’s implied about his authority. Even if he states the situation at hand is above his authority, you will have uncovered his limits.

Unspoken Words:

People say a lot through the words they don’t use. Thus, what’s not said can be more important than what’s said. It too gives insight into their thoughts.

During a negotiation, closely observe the word choice used by the other negotiator to convey his thoughts and offers. Consider what he’s not saying and why he may not be using specific words. If you sense he’s attempting to prevent you from uncovering something, ask him about it. Use the words that you believe he’s not saying and observe his reaction. If his reaction is one of dismissiveness, pay attention. You may have stumbled upon a point that requires greater probing.

When people hesitate, pause, or alter their words, they’re giving you insight into their shifting mindset. That shift represents a change in their thinking. If you’re astute, you’ll observe the cause of that action and use it to advantage the negotiation.

From the way you use words to convey your offers, to the way you use the opposing negotiator’s words to shape his perspective, if you use words right in a negotiation you’ll experience greater negotiation outcomes … and everything will be right with the world.

Remember, you’re always negotiating! 

After reading this article, what are you thinking? I’d really like to know. Reach me at Greg@TheMasterNegotiator.com

To receive Greg’s free “Negotiation Tip of the Week” and the “Sunday Negotiation Insight” click here http://www.TheMasterNegotiator.com/greg-williams/

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Best Practices Entrepreneurship Human Resources Management Marketing Personal Development Sales Women In Business

3 Ways to Build Influence Online

In my book, I.C.U., The Comprehensive Guide to Breathing Life Back Into Your Personal Brand, I talk about the three ways I believe we each live out our Personal Brand: Personally, Online, and Publicly. I often refer to this as: POP Your Brand™.

Our world today is submerged in living out much of our life online. We Google people before we ever meet them to find out more about them. What we discover online about others gives us a sense of the overall persona of that person. Often, it is the only information we have about the person and their business that allows our brain to form this mental impression.

Here are three ways to build an influential online brand:

Build Your Expertise.

One of the best ways to build your expertise is to create. Creating content gets your thoughts and opinions out there for the world to see. In many ways, the internet has leveled the playing field in this realm of building yourself as a thought leader in your industry. Everyone now can write articles and blog, generate videos, and be a guest on a podcast. The more places you can voice your opinion – whether that be in written, audio, or video format – the more you will rise to the top of your field. People need to know you before they need you. So how are you going to make yourself known in the sea of sameness? Get your opinions out there! By doing so, you will become a credible go-to resource.

Association Branding.

It is correct when our mothers tell us, “you become like the people you hang around” or “you are guilty by association.” Pay attention to who the influencers are in your field. Make a list of 10 of them that you want to be associated. Then start interacting with them online by liking, commenting, and sharing their posts and content.

Ensure your profile photos are professional.

Janine Willis and Alexander Todorov, researchers at Princeton University, found people make judgments about a person’s trustworthiness, competence, and likability within a fraction of a second after seeing someone’s face. As mentioned above, people will search for you online before they meet you and even after they meet you. Your photo is an essential element of any of your social media or website pages. In a sense, it is your logo. The headshot you choose speaks to your decision-making process and how you think of yourself. Do you care enough to put up a high quality and professional photo of yourself, or do you think a quick selfie emits a better representation of who you are? The choice is yours. Think about how you want to be perceived.

Incorporating these three tactics into your personal brand strategy will ensure you are in alignment with the brand you want to establish online. Be intentional, be consistent, and always be you.

I help executives create a powerful image and brand so they look and feel confident wherever they are. Contact me at sheila@imagepowerplay.com to schedule a 20-minute call to discuss how we can work together to grow your visibility through my return on image® services.