Dear Chrysler...Stop Thanking Me!

After the news that the Big 3 automakers will receive financial assistance from the federal government (meaning you and me), I was surprised to see Chrysler take out not one but two full page, color newspaper ads. The ads thanked America for its support. This isn't exactly a sign of thriftiness for a company that is teetering on the brink of extinction. Plus with newspaper readership falling, the message isn't seen by as many eyeballs as in the past.

The automaker could have used social media to more cheaply and effectively spread its message. It could have started up a blog detailing how it plans to reposition itself in the auto industry. Daily or weekly updates could do a lot of boost consumer confidence. It could have used YouTube to bring you the personal stories of the workers who have served the company for years. All of this could have been announced in a press release that could have been sent to the media and would have been reported on (free publicity). Chrysler could have even said that in the past we would have bought these expensive newspaper ads but it's a new time and we're using inexpensive ways to thank the American people.

This May Seem Silly, But....

Recently I had a chance to tour the Columbus Museum of Art. I give the facility high marks for a diverse collection, accessible parking, and amusing exhibits for children.

During my visit, I took some snapshots of some exhibits that impressed me. Later I stopped taking pictures when I was told by a docent that there was no photography allowed. As I view visiting a museum to visiting someone's home, I had no problem with following the "house rules."

Later I realized that no where in the museum did I see any signs or receive any instructions regarding photography. In my travels, I've become well accustomed to looking for a sign of a camera with the international "no" symbol. This got me to thinking that often we don't tell someone not to do something until after they've done it.

Let's take things a bit further because sometimes we tell people not to do something without telling them why they shouldn't. You see a sign that says, "Stay off the grass." While this may accomplish its purpose, it creates a bit of an adversarial situation. Suddenly, stepping on the grass is an act of defiance against rules or "the Man." However our attitudes and understanding of a sign will increase if we understand why we are asked to follow the directions. Instead of "Stay off the grass," perhaps we should say, "Stay off the grass so we all can enjoy this beautiful lawn." This way everyone has a share of ownership in the benefit of following the rules.

Rules + understanding = success.

Big vs. Little Changes & Steve's Law

As we near the end of 2008, it's very easy to start thinking of resolutions for the new year. Often these are focused on very big changes we can make in our lives. While this vision on a grand scale can be a very positive thing, the scale of our ambition may be larger than our ability to execute.

Instead you might want to focus on a small change that can make a big difference in your life. It could be something as simple as putting in half a spoon of sugar in your coffee as opposed to a full one. In itself, it's not a big change but over time it will add up.

The same can apply to business. Using both sides of a piece of paper won't save the rain forest but in theory, it should cut your paper use by 50%.

Still not convinced about the power of little things? Watch this video about how two office supplies combined to make a rather large mess for the army.

If you can't see the video, use this link to take you there:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETjh7OMJkWs

Slumdog Millionaire: Go See It!

It may be hard to believe but the best holiday film may be about a poor boy in India. The film is Slumdog Millionaire.

I know what you may be thinking: The film has no stars known in the USA and deals with a central character who is appearing on India's version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire. I know, it may sound like a stretch but the film is incredibly engaging.

Much of it could be right out of Charles Dickens. The device of the game show's questions allows the audience to follow the main character through various episodes of his life. At an early age, he and his brother must fend for themselves in a society that doesn't care about them. Along the way, he meets the love of his life but is soon separated. Despite having little education, the hero is shown to be very clever. We follow his journey from one challenging situation to another.

The direction, photography, and music are all top notch. Trust me, if you see the film, you'll leave feeling moved by the emotional journey you've been on.

An Attitude Lesson from Mulch

Recently, I was in a park and came across a huge pile of mulch. I briefly had a flashback to the family yard work projects of my youth. Then I realized that the mulch can give a great lesson in how we approach a project.

When you see the pile do you see a lot of work or do you focus on the end result of the work? It's a variation of the classic glass have full/empty question. Everyday we have tasks that we have to do that may not be very fun. But if you focus on the outcome, it can make the mundane a bit more enjoyable.

Just Give Me the Cash...

Today I visited an ATM to make a quick withdrawl. Before I could get my card back, I was surprised to see an advertisement on the screen. It was for an additional bank service. I had the option of pressing a button to say whether I wanted to be contacted with more information. I chose to proceed to the "get your card back" option as quickly as possible and ignored the ad.

There' s few problems I see with ATM advertisements:

1. People aren't in a browsing mood. I go to an ATM for fast service. I'm not looking to linger and think about new services and other ways I can spend my money.
2. ATMs aren't the safest places. Why would I want to hang out any longer at one?
3. By adding as step to the ATM process, the bank has slowed down the line. In today's speed obsessed culture, that's not a good thing.
4. While an on screen ad hardly costs anything I doubt it has a high rate of return. And does the bank gain more of a negative association with its customers by sneaking in a commercial?

Think About Ink

Do you put out pens for your customers to use? Do those pens tend to vanish over time? Whether intentionally or not, it's easy for people to use them and then leave with them.

If the pen is branded then you don't mind seeing it walk out the door as it's an advertisement. You could use those pens that are anchored to a desk with a cord. Yes, the pen doesn't go anywhere but the plastic chain seems to suggest that pen stealing is premeditated. If the loss of office supplies gives you angst, then try taking the cap off the pens. Suddenly it's less desirable to take because there's a chance you might get ink on yourself or your clothes if you put in in your pocket.

You're not changing the basic function of the pen but rather one detail that changes its perception. Think about how you can flip this to your advantage. What little thing can you change about your products and services that suddenly makes them more desirable. Keep in mind that from cars to iPods, people will buy a particular model because of its color, rather than what it does. A small change can have a big impact.

A Different Path...

Do you want to go up the elevator or use the stairs? It was a question I had to ask myself recently while standing at the base of the Eiffel Tower. In most instances I would pick the elevator but I decided to try the other way of climbing this landmark.

Why did I make this choice? I looked at the long line for the elevators and remembered them being quite claustrophobic. It would also cost less to clip up the leg of the tower. But the deciding factor was an itch to try something new. I had always seen people climbing up the Eiffel Tower but had never tried it. For me it was worth the risk of trying something new,

It turns out that it was a great choice. Yes, my legs were burning when I reached my destination but I got a whole new perspective by going up the stairs. I enjoyed a different view and could really appreciate how the tower is bolted together. This makes you wonder about the nature of our daily choices. Do we stick with the familiar because it's an easy choice or because it's the best way? And just because something may be the best way doesn't mean another way might not hold its own rewards. Taking a different path to the same destination, whether it is physical or mental, can be an enlightening experience.

For more on my climb watch this video:


If you can't see the video, click here.

Dept. of Sneaky Stuff

I was excited to learn that Good Morning America was bringing a special job fair to South Florida. The traveling event promises to help those out of work get back on a payroll. This sounded like good news as the Florida economy has been very troubled in recent months and many employers are laying off staff.

But to my surprise I learned about the hours of the event: 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. Three hours hardly seems to be enough when you consider the amount of people who will likely attend. Also, many of them will have to fight heavy rush hour traffic to get there. Most other job fairs are for a good chunk of the day. You want people to have time to chat with perspective employers and not throw a resume at them in a rush to get to the next booth.

Then I realized there may be other motives for the short time frame. Good Morning America is on from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. By limiting the hours of the job fair, the program is assured of having big crowds in the background for its live reports. If I'm right, then this is a pity as it's more important to help people than it is to make it look like you're helping.

The Wall Street Journal has taken a much better approach to job fairs. It has held several that are totally virtual. To attend you log in through your computer. You have the ability to take part in a live chat session with employers, research open positions, and submit resumes. While this approach may not get the newspaper a ton of publicity, it's a much better model for the job seeker.

Oprah's Weighty Admission

I'm sure you've heard Oprah Winfrey's recent announcement regarding her weight gain. Apparently the daytime talk show icon has put on 40 pounds during the past two years. This may come as a surprise to many as she has often promoted a healthy lifestyle both on her show and throughout her media empire.

While I wish Oprah the best, I think there are some good tips we can take from her predicament that can apply to your New Year's Resolutions.

1. It's good to announce goals for things like losing weight and living a healthy lifestyle. But if you fall off the wagon, it can hurt your credibility. There's a difference between telling a friend and telling everyone you know. A lot of people live to say, "I told you so!" when you come up short.

2. Get people to support you not only with your goal but with helping you after you've achieved your objective. Without that goal in your mind, it's easy to slip into old habits.

3. Resources don't guarantee success. Oprah has all the money in the world, access to experts, but still gained weight. She could literally pay a team to follow her around and keep the wrong foods from entering her mouth (Oprah: Call me if you're hiring). Having access to resources, financial and otherwise does not guarantee change. That motivation, which comes from inside you, is priceless.

Sore Muscles But a Happy Mind

Today one of my fitness buddies invited me to check out her new gym. Our plan was to do a two hour workout. The first class we took was spinning. I'm used to this cycle workout and enjoyed being on a newer model of stationary bike.

Then we did an hour long boot camp. This is a mixture of cardiovascular work and weight lifting. This was something new for me and I'm sure I'll be sore tomorrow. The workout is pretty much nonstop. The challenge was adjusting to different range of motion while exercising. Muscles I'd forgotten about, reintroduced themselves.

The class was a great reminder of the importance of having variety in our lives. While I'm in good shape, the boot camp showed me that there are still aspects of fitness where I can improve. This lesson can also apply to our professional lives. Learning a new skill is a great way to exercise your mental muscles. Often you can find yourself in a bit of a rut. Challenging yourself with something new stimulates your mind and keeps you sharp.

Excessive Overkill

I enjoy going to my gym for a workout and taking the stationary bike classes known as spinning. They are held in a separate workout room. The room has a glass wall and can be looked into from the rest of the facility.

Spinning is a challenging workout and many people like to spin with the lights out. Light still shines in from outside but the darker conditions inside help you focus more on the exercise. Sometimes this meant that the room would have its lights off after the class.

Apparently this was a big concern for club management. The fear was that it would make it harder for them to show the spinning room to perspective members. Never mind the fact that the light switch is in the doorway.

So an electrician was hired to rewire the light switch. Now it is on a 60 minute timer, which is the maximum amount of time the lights can be out. The rest of the time, the lights are on.

To me, this is a classic example of over thinking a problem. A lot of money was spent to rewire a switch that could easily be turned on in about a second. I doubt that delay will keep people from joining the gym. Plus, at a time when energy conservation is popular, leaving the lights on in an room, that's empty for a good bit of the day, seems like a waste.

Techno Lost & Found

In the past, if you found something that someone had dropped, you'd look for a lost and found or some other place to turn it in. You could only hope that the person would think to look there and ask if someone had turned in their item. And usually, you'd never find out if the property was ever reunited with it's owner.

Today I realized how much things have changed when I found a cell phone in a parking lot. The phone was fully charged, so I figured that it had been lost that morning. First I used it to call my cell phone. With it's number now in my phone's memory, I called back and explained that the phone was lost and how I could be contacted. Unsure if the owner would think to check the phone's messages, I then looked in the phone's address book and found a phone number listed as, "home." Guessing that it was a land line, I dialed it.

I reached the owner of the cell phone, who had no idea he had lost it. We set up a nearby place to meet and I returned his property. He was very grateful. I was glad to help.

Here's a free tip if you should ever lose your cell phone and it's found by a dishonest person: Mine is set up so that when it's turned on, you have to enter an unlock code. That way if I ever lost mine, the person who found it could only make calls on it until the battery died. After that, they'd be locked out of it. Sure, they might have the exact charger and be able to keep it going forever, but with so many different types of chargers that's become less likely.

Cause Marketing is Good... But....

It's become more and more common to hear of a large corporation creating a relationship with a charity. Usually the company agrees to give some money to the charity based on the sale of a particular product.
While I applaud any support of charity, this concept, called, cause marketing is not as altruistic as you might think.

For the next month, Starbucks will give 5 cents from each sale of three special RED drinks – Peppermint Mocha Twist, Gingersnap Latte and Espresso Truffle – to the global fund to fight Aids, tuberculosis and malaria. These are seasonal drinks from the coffee company. It's worth noting that the selected items are not the chain's top sellers.

I have no idea how much money the program will generate. Let's say 100,000,00 cups are sold, which would produce $5,000,000. While it's a great donation, keep in mind that the promotion has given the company a ton of free advertising in newspapers as well as on radio and TV stations. And even with the recent closure of 600 stores, Starbucks still has more than 7,000 stores in the US alone. So if you divide my projected yield from the charity promotion, then it's costing the company about $715 a store. For a mega company, that's not a huge amount of money. (My figures may be low but I think you get the idea.)

Again, any kind of giving is good but often corporate charity is more about marketing than giving.

Mystery Marketing from Apple

It's almost time for the start of the busiest shopping season of the year. I've been seeing lots of ads on TV as well as catalogues appearing in my mailbox.

Today I noticed a slightly different approach from electronics maker, Apple. The company sent me an email that told me that this Friday it's having a special one day shopping event. This for both the online and the physical stores. There is no mention of any specific sales prices or hot merchandise like computers or iPods. It's as if the company is saying, "We've got good stuff that you'll like. Come shop with us and the prices will be good."

This is in contrast to the heavily promoted loss leaders you see with many stores. I'm not sure if this is because Apple customers know what they want before they shop or if the company doesn't want people coming with the idea of buying one heavily promoted sale item.

At a time when some fear electronic sales may be sluggish due to the economy, this may be a strategy worth watching.

Beyond Annoying Cuss-tomer Service

I'm on hold right now for with my health insurance company. I understand that it's part of the process to sometimes have a wait to be connected to an operator. Indeed, when my call goes through, I want to have the attendant's full attention and have him or her give me as much time as I need.

But I have a problem with the way I'm on hold with Blue Cross & Shield of Florida. You have the background music playing, which is interesting as the song has no beginning or end. But worse is the fact that every 27 seconds I'm told that all operators are busy assisting other customers and I need to continue to hold. I picked up on that fact the first five times I heard the message. Every time I've since heard this message, I'm reminded that I'm having to waste my time with the call. Maybe after 4 minutes we can just hear that message every 60 seconds?

I've since been connected and at the end of the call, I asked if the employee knew about what it's like to be on hold with her company. I was told she didn't. That's a problem for employees to not understand an internal process that impacts customers. It's good to know what they've had to go through before they reach you.

This concept can apply to just about any process that involves customers. It's important to walk in their shoes so you can understand a grumpy mood by the time they reach you.

Public Bathroom Lesson in Marketing

Okay, I don't usually take pictures in public bathrooms but I couldn't resist taking a snapshot of this message at a Disney theme park.

In case you can't see the image, the picture is of some hand washing instructions from paper towel maker, Brawny. It reads: Wash hands and apply soap. Scrub hands and rinse. Dry hands throughly using paper towels.

This isn't a very strong branding message for Brawny as it tells you something that pretty much everyone knows. Would it make you wash your hands better or more? Or would it make you want to reach for Brawny the next time you're buying paper towels?

A lot of people go to amusement parks and I'm sure there's a ton of germ exchange. Wouldn't it be better for the sign to say something like, "Because you're not the only one here today...." with a bunch of animated germs in the background. This kind of appeal focuses on why you'd want to wash your hands, a much better motivator than a list of instructions. The principle can apply to just about any product. Don't give me a list of features. Instead tell me how it can help me or change my life.

Management By Marine

I recently enjoyed a dinner with a retired member of the U.S. Marine Corps. His 30 years of service reached a peak when he was Chief of Operations for Marine Corps Air, Western United States. As I found out, this was a very big job, with a lot of responsibility.

It was interesting to learn that when he first arrived as this assignment, much of his day was filled with meetings. Soon he realized that he wasn't getting anything done. Slowly he started pulling back on his meetings and later said he would go to about one a week and then only if it was less than 30 minutes.

For those who worked below him, his orders were clear: If you're doing your job right, you won't see me hardly at all. If you're doing something wrong, I'll be all over you.

What a great lesson in time and people management.

Attention is a Hot Commodity in Communication

In the past, getting time with someone has been seen as a path to success. You want five minutes with the boss or a prospective customer. You'd have the person's full attention and hopefully achieve your objective.

In today's world, you have a lot of factors competing for your target's attention. Sure, you may have a five minute meeting with the boss but is he or she looking at their email, answering cell phone calls, or typing on their Blackberry? Multi-tasking can become an addiction and you need to keep in mind that you may only have a slice of someone's focus. This can be especially bad when you're having a phone conversation. And how many companies have lost money because of a misunderstanding, especially those that can be traced back to poor communication?

When making your pitch, you need to make it shorter and more powerful to hold your prospect's attention. State what you want and why it is important. Do this right away. Ask questions to keep the other person engaged in the conversation. And above all, do not just talk and talk and talk. The more you speak, the easier it is for your subject to have their attention wander. If you have a history of getting to the point, then it's more likely that you'll be heard.

Communication: The Power of Silence

Portfolio.com media blogger Jeff Bercovici recently attended a closed door panel which featured several TV News personalities, including Katie Couric. Couric's interview with then Vice-Presidential candidate, Sarah Palin, has often been called a major moment in the campaign in that it changed people's perception of the Republican.

During the session (I would include the link to Bercovici's blog post but it has been removed as the session was supposed to have had no media coverage.) Couric revealed that before the interview, she asked former senator Sam Nunn and Council on Foreign Relations president Richard Haas for advice. Among their suggestions was to let the governor speak at length without interrupting her.

This is a very good interview technique that plays upon our need to please people. When you answer a question and the interviewer doesn't say anything, you feel like you need to talk some more. It seems like the polite thing to do. But it can lead to you putting your foot in your mouth. Sure enough, in several cases, the more Palin tried to answer a question, the more she seemed to weaken herself.

What do you do if you're the interviewee and don't want to make a verbal goof? Don't say anything after you've made your remarks. Two people not talking doesn't make for dazzling news. Wait and you'll force the questioner to say something.

If you like this kind of verbal judo, you'll enjoy my free report on 7 Communication Mistakes that are Costing You Money.

Let Picasso Inspire Your Business & Life

While recently in Paris, I had a chance to see an exhibition called, Picasso and the Masters. This is a four month exclusive event that is being shown at three museums.

The exhibit follows Pablo Picasso's work and the artists who inspired him. Picasso, while perhaps best known for his abstract style, could paint very well in a variety of methods. For instance, he might see a painting by an impressionist and then do his own take on the work. Picasso wasn't copying the art but rather used it as a source of inspiration. The results are on display and you get to see Picasso's work and the ones that got his creativity flowing.

Today we have so much information at our fingertips but do we use it to inspire ourselves? Think of successful companies, find out what they are doing right, and see if you can build upon their ideas. Reward yourself with five to ten minutes a day where your sole purpose is to learn something new and think how it can apply to your life. Even if it doesn't yield any immediate benefits, it may come in handy later on.

For more on the Picasso exhibit, watch this video:

If you can't see the video, click here.

Selling: Watch Your Words

Imagine ordering a delicious dessert only to see it come with a fly on top of it. That's how some feel when they see their language improperly translated.

Recently I saw a sign that made me do a double take while touring Versailles in France. The historic palace is breathtaking and recent restorations have been painstakingly undertaken. And yet, on a stairway I saw a sign that warned of, "sliding steps."

It was nice that the warning sign was in French, English, and Spanish. Obviously, it was meant to warn people that the stairs could be slippery. Somehow "slippery" became "sliding" in the translation to English.

In this case the goof was amusing but imagine if the mistake had been in a business contract or even in an important display at the monument. For all the care and detail at Versailles, the English proofreading wasn't very good in this case. The lesson here is that little communication detail could say a lot about you and the quality of your products. You may spend hours designing the perfect products and services only to see your work appear second class because of little more than a typo.

Good Book to Check Out

If you've ever wondered why people behave the way they do, even when their actions seem to be highly erratic, then you'll enjoy the book, "Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior." Ori and Rom Brafman do a great job of looking at why people behave the way they do.

Chapters include a safety conscious airline pilot who makes a sudden decision that leads to a terrible accident, why some football coaches play "not to lose," and why stockholders won't sell even when a stock is plummeting.

The book is easy to read and is especially good if you work in sales. You'll learn more about your customer's motivation and how you can push people toward a certain outcome. As a professional speaker, it gave me a lot of insight into ways I can better connect with my audience. For a business book, this is a pager turner.

France Watches US Election

I had the pleasure of being in Paris on Election Day and I was really surprised at how the French people were very interested in our Presidential race. Countless newspaper headlines ran profiles of McCain and Obama, French TV had live coverage of the results, and you'd even see kids wearing t-shirts with the candidates faces.

It's significant that the French watched the returns as due to the time difference, they came in past midnight. As my brother and I were leaving his apartment early the next morning, a neighbor came out and congratulated us on the results and said that he had stayed up to watch them.

The French people have never been a fan of President Bush and some have mistaken that cold shoulder for an attitude about America. Instead, I've found the French to be very enthusiastic about the U.S. and hopeful for stronger relations.

TV and Language

After a busy day of sightseeing, I enjoy watching some TV. All the programs are in French. This can be fun as I watch something familiar like, The Simpsons, or long forgotten, like, Starsky and Hutch. My French skills are okay. I can understand a lot but there are still many phrases that I don't comprehend.

Still, I find that comprehension is not just about understanding a language. As a professional speaker, you're taught that only a fraction of verbal communication is the words we say. The rest is made up of our tone and our expressions. And I do find myself looking a lot more to get the gist of what's being said.

I also realize that my understanding of French TV may also be due to an issue of focus. In France, I'm studying the TV with total focus. In the US, I'm probably doing several things at once while I'm watching a program.

Global Connection

For the past week I have been enjoying some time in France. I am struck by how connected the world is now. I am typing this message on a French keyboard where some of the keys are in different places. It makes my typing a little slower. Still it is amazing how easy it is to be online and stay connected to home.

I still remember the days when international travel meant leaving your everyday world behind. Now you decide how much of it you want to take with you.

A Busy Day for Early Voting

Today is the first day for Florida residents to take advantage of early voting. The process allows registered voters to get to the polls now, instead of in November. In my county, there are about a dozen sites where you can cast your ballot.

I went today and was pleased to see some long lines. The whole process took about 90 minutes for me. It wasn't too bad as I got to be outside on a sunny day with some nice people. Most of the people around me seemed to be voting for Obama for President.

I couldn't tell if any of the crowd was made up of new voters or voters who didn't want to stand in longer lines on Election Day. People may have also turned up today because Florida just changed the way you vote. Touch screen systems are no more. Now we use a pen to create an arrow by a candidate's name.

UPS Delivers Change

As a professional speaker I talk to groups about change. Many times audiences are reluctant to try something new, even when the old way of doing things isn't getting them very far. The unknown can be both thrilling and frightening.

With the recent economic challenges the world has seen, a lot of companies are going to be forced to change in order to survive. While this carries a lot of negative baggage, perhaps you can be inspired of the story of UPS.

The company was started in 1907 by a 19 year old. The delivery service got packages to you by either foot or bicycle. About ten years later, the company was using motorcycles and cars to make deliveries. Later came planes and now international service.

Through it all UPS held tight to it's core belief of providing quality service at an affordable price. Combined with a willingness to use emerging technologies, like conveyor belts and new methods of transportation, allowed an old fashioned business to change with the times and remain relevant. Throughout the years the company has looked at change as an opportunity rather than something to be feared.

To find out more about UPS history go to: http://www.ups.com/content/corp/about/history/index.html

When Making Decisions, Think of Toothpaste

Not long ago I had a chance to speak at a company that files tubes with substances. From toothpaste to glue, a ton of stuff can be encased in the tubes. It's a packaging process I've taken for granted.

I was surprised to see how the tubes are filled. I had always assumed it was done through the cap. But it turns out they are filled through the bottom, which is later sealed. Knowing that, it became obvious that this was the most productive way to get the job done. But I have to admit, I never would have thought of that if I had not visited the factory.

This is a great example of how we can have a preconceived notion of the best way to do something. By doing a little homework you can find out that there may be better alternatives.

Lessons from the London Eye

A modern day Ferris wheel has become one of the most iconic and popular tourist attractions in London. Besides offering a nice 30 minute ride, giving you a great view along the Thames River, the London Eye follows a very well thought out business plan. From its success, we can pull several ideas that can be applied to any business:

1. Keep people moving. The Eye has 32 capsules that carry a total of 800 people. The wheel never stops spinning but it moves slowly. Passengers have a small but not rushed window to get in and out of the capsule as it spins around. By standardizing this process, the operators can accurately gauge the length of time you'll have to wait for your trip. This appeals to the basic need for people to feel there's a structure to a process.

2. Make people feel safe. The slow and steady trip on the London Eye eliminates a lot of the rocking that characterize other Ferris wheels. Even people like me, who can feel very nervous at heights, can relax and enjoy the view. Safety is also extended to the potential of terrorism. Before you board your capsule, a couple of security staff inspect it. This gives you peace of mind as well as help those who accidentally left something on board quickly recover their belongings.

3. Have a base product that you can upsell. The regular journey on the London Eye is very enjoyable but you create a more personalize experience for a few more Euros. There are a multitude of packages that let passengers enjoy private capsules, a champagne party for the journey, a wizardry themed children's trip, and even a wedding. It's all about taking the base experience and letting people customize it.

Here's a video essay that highlights my trip on the London Eye:

If you can't see the video, go to: http://tinyurl.com/4u5ll4

Touchdown Marketing?

I've grown accustomed to receiving recorded phone calls from political campaigns but I was surprised to receive one the other day from the Miami Dolphins quarterback. The NFL player is urging fans to come out for the teams next home game on October 19.

Florida has been hit especially hard by the mortgage crisis and many are watching their spending. The cheapest ticket to the game is more than $40, parking is extra, and the team, while improving, isn't going to be very competitive this year. Last week slow ticket sales almost forced the NFL to blackout local TV coverage of the game, something that hasn't happened in 10 years.

I'm not sure if this kind of marketing will pay off for the team. In the message I heard, there was no irresistible offer that would make me want to buy, other than a desire to support the team. The opponent, the Baltimore Ravens, is 2-2 on the season and probably isn't a huge draw at the gate.

The NFL has enjoyed a lot of popularity in recent years but for teams in economically hard hit areas, teams may see fans miss more and more games.

Changing World of Reporting

Reporters now have access to a new kind of resource. It's the website: www.helpareporter.com

The site offers reporters a place where they can post a question or story idea and ask for responses from knowledgeable sources. So you could pose the question, "I need advice on how to help people who are struggling to pay their mortgages" and expect to get some responses very quickly. The questions are emailed out three times a day and there are more than 23,000 sources who read them.

I'm not sure if this is a good or a bad thing. It changes the way reporters do the grunt work to get stories and can open them to finding sources who they otherwise might not meet. It may also enable journalists to connect with sources much faster.

I'm not sure what's to prevent a source from misrepresenting himself or overstating his expertise. Of course that can be a problem no matter how you get your information. Perhaps the biggest difference is that you're looking to people to be your sources who want to be your sources. There's not much room for people who have a story to tell but need some convincing that theirs is one that needs to be told. Put another way: Is the person who talks the most at a dinner party the most interesting person in the room? Time will tell.

Let Problems Percolate

A friend of mine was telling me about two training seminars she recently agreed to facilitate. One was with a longtime customer and the other was with a new customer who was able to pay a higher fee. The events were scheduled back to back but she would have enough time to go from one to the other. That is until she received an email.

We read that one of the events had to change its schedule and now the two seminars would overlap slightly, preventing my friend from being at both. She didn't want to drop the longtime client but she also didn't want to turn down a high fee.

"I need to tell them that if they can't change my dates for the event, then I can't do it," she said as she was composing an email.

I told her to stop the email and think about the problem for a little while before she responded. She was about to present a potential employer with a yes/no scenario where there was a good chance she would lose the gig. I encouraged her to let the problem percolate in her mind for a little while before she responded.

A few hours later my friend called me, saying that a third option came to her. If she could have an associate familiar with her program teach her opening session at the second event, she would be able to attend both. This would be another option she could give the event organizers that would allow her program to be presented even if she couldn't be at the event for the whole time.

So often, because we can reply to problems quickly by email or phone, we choose to do so even though it might be best to think a little before we respond. Challenges can produce new solutions if you take the time to think about them.

Loose Lips Sink Businesses

One of my pet peeves involves employees who talk about company issues in front of customers. Sure, every organization has its shortcomings but I don't need to hear them. The badmouthing that can take place can have a much greater impact that a costly marketing campaign. In the video below, you'll find out about how a few remarks made me decide to never return to a car dealership where I would have spent hundreds of dollars.

(Can't see the video...go to: http://tinyurl.com/3pz2oh)

Here are some rules for making sure your staff isn't broadcasting negative messages to customers:

1. Everyone in life faces challenges. People really don't want to hear any complaints, especially from a business.
2. If there's a problem with a company process, don't blame a department for it. Passing the buck will leave everyone broke. Instead try to help the customer, get feedback from them, and then see if you can help fix the problem. Staying silent about a problem says a lot about you as an employee.
3. Take a stand against gossip or negative comments about your organization with the public. You wouldn't let a customer steal from you so why would you let their remarks chase away business?

Airlines & Flightmares

The beauty of air travel has been replaced with the anticipation of the pain that comes with delays. Suddenly your carefully planned itinerary is shattered and you feel powerless. Delays are caused by multiple problems and you can't expect the airlines to not be affected by those that involve weather. And I'd rather experience a delay caused by equipment maintenance rather than have a vital system in the plane fail while in flight.

But the airlines do a poor job of giving out information about delays. This creates what I call, a flightmare, where you are stuck in an airport with no idea of what's happening to your flight. This lack of information produces upset customers and burned out employees. Here are some free tips for the airlines for how they can improve the situation and gain more customer loyalty.

1. People like information. Your passengers are sitting in the terminal using laptops, Blackberries, and cell phones. They like to be connected to things. Not telling them anything is not good and don't just rely on an overworked gate agent to have all the answers. Set up a position designed to deal exclusively with flight delays. Information comes through them. Or have that person work behind the scenes but have their updates sent out instantly through the LED screens that are at each gate.

2. Explain processes. Let people know how you do business when faced with delays and how it will affect them. People like to know there is a procedure being followed. Let us into your world and I think you'll find we can be pretty forgiving of problems.

3. Don't overpromise. If a delay is likely to be an hour, say that. Don't say it will only be 15 minutes, let that amount of time pass, and then say it will be 15 more minutes. That gets old really fast. If you don't know how long the delay will be, say that. Building anticipation is good for customers but not delivering on that promise will create a hostile crowd very quickly.

These are good rules to follow in any business. How you handle challenges will help build customer loyalty.

If You Want Change, Try This....

As a professional speaker, I've learned for audiences sometimes it's easier to talk about change than it is to actually do it. Humor me and try this exercise: For the next week, reverse the direction that your toilet paper hangs. According to QPolls.com, 70% of respondents like it to be folded over the roll. 24% prefer under.

The survey (which can be found through this link: http://tinyurl.com/4qt4qw ) also found that 64% of the respondents are annoyed when a family member hangs the roll "the wrong way." While you would think this wouldn't matter, it's obviously a very important distinction for the majority. See if you can tolerate this change for a week. For some reason, little changes like this that don't impact the effectiveness of a product can have a major impact on our mood. With this in mind think about what habits you have that may be impacting your friends, family or customers.

TV Switch Could be a Big Day for Internet

With change often comes opportunity. On February 17, 2009, the U.S. will switch its broadcast format to a digital signal. If you don't have cable/satellite TV, a new TV with a digital receiver, or a set top box that can convert the new signal to your old television, you'll be unable to watch the TV. It's expected to impact about 13,000,000 households.

Broadcasters are trying to prepare their audiences for the switch by counting down the days with on screen messages and news stories. A sign that they are concerned: The traditional February Nielsen ratings are being moved to March. They should be worried as more and more of their audience is looking to the Internet for video content.

According to ABI Research, the number of U.S. consumers who watch a video on their computers has jumped to 64%. That's nearly double the previous year. See this article for more: http://tinyurl.com/4fptvy

I expect that on February 17th a lot of people will be looking at blank TV screens, wondering if they need to get their video content from the tube. If you're involved with online video distribution, it could be a very important time for your industry as a lot of potential customers may be in the marketplace.

Surviving a Complaint Avalanche

As a professional speaker, I often am asked by busy companies how to put more hours into the day. I then ask what takes up a leader's time and frequently discover it's little problems pop up during the day. That leads to something I call a complaint avalanche where small problems bury an organization and prevent you from focusing on your blue chip goals.

In my video essay below I outline several ways control this problem. Below you'll find one of the tips:

Set Up a Time for Issues: Take control of your schedule. Don’t allow staff to interrupt your time with their issues. Arrange an ongoing open door time when staff can come to discuss complaints with you. Pick one that is typically a low productivity period for you. Require staff to set an appointment for the session, which includes the amount of time they need for the discussion. While this may seem bureaucratic, the goal is to make the most of your time and make sure everyone is prepared.

Good Book About Writing

Have you ever dreamed of writing the great American novel? Before you sit down to write it you may want to read Elmore Leonard's 10 Rules of Writing. It's a great resource for aspiring writers. Leonard spells out what to avoid when putting your story together, especially cliches. For instance, he says that you should never start off a story by describing the weather. Leonard, the author of countless books, offers quick advice and direction that's easy to swallow as well as entertaining.

While I like the book, I wouldn't suggest buying it. It's under 90 pages and that includes a lot of illustrations. Originally it was an article in the New York Times. I read the book in about 10 minutes. I suggest either getting it from a library or reading it a bookstore. Then decide if you want a copy. It would make a good gift for a friend as well.

Emmy Awards Hosts Bomb

Maybe it was a good idea on paper: Have five reality show hosts host the Emmy Awards. Then the question becomes, what should be in their opening monologue? Often, this is done through some sort of musical number or a cleverly put together video.

Instead the group came out and announced that they had nothing to say. Cute in a way but it took the group about five minutes to say that as the moment was unscripted. The joke bombed. Sometimes wacky ideas deserve to be on the cutting room floor. One of the problems with the talk is that it violated some of the rules of being a host or a master of ceremonies.

1. You are there to support the proceedings, keep them moving, and not undermine them. Less is more and lengthy jokes don't support your role.
2. If a joke tanks, move on quickly. Most comics will immediately go to their next joke if they bomb.
3. Don't anticipate mining comic gold through unscripted moments. The best comics practice and rehearse their material so it seems off the cuff but it's actually be carefully planned. "Winging it" in front of an audience is never a good idea. The best unscripted material still follows a structure.

Public Speaking to an Unknown Audience

Recently I was asked for some strategies for preparing to talk to an audience that you've never met.

For me it's about doing three things:

1. Asking questions to the meeting organizer about the group. What are their goals? What's the state of the company? And what work related problem keeps them up at night.
2. Research the company on the web. A website can tell you a lot about an organization and its culture.
3. Arrive early so you can get a feel for the place. In the video below I illustrate this through a funny story where I talked right after employees were told they were worthless by their boss.

For more on this topic, click on my video report:


If you can't see the video go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9AA49AioBo

History Captured with Cameras

Recently I watched a great documentary on the History Channel called, "102 Minutes that Changed America." The film follows the timeline of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center. It's done entirely through audio and video from more than 100 witnesses to the event. There is no narration, only the sounds of the day as well as the comments from those who held the cameras.

It's quite a powerful technique that adds to the memory of this tragic day. After the first plane impact on the tower, you continually hear the sirens from countless rescue victims. Later, when the towers fall, you see the massive cloud of dust and debris that blocked out the sun.

While the emotional weight of 9/11 may make your reluctant to watch another film about that day, I highly recommend it. You get a very different perspective of the event from people who were experiencing an unbelievable day and had the wisdom to record it through video.

For more information about the film as well as supporting materials go to http://www.history.com/minisites/9-11

Ripples from Hurricane Ike

Many in Florida breathed a sign of relief when Hurricane Ike sailed past us. But the storm's impact on the Gulf Coast is being felt in Florida, mainly at the gas pump. News of many Gulf based refineries being shut down, has created higher prices in that region. While many expected to see a bump in Florida's prices, I was surprised to see several gas stations in my area were out of gas. It turns out this was not a supply problem but rather one of demand. Those who saw reports of higher gas prices, immediately ran to the pumps in such numbers as to drain the station's tanks.

Typically Florida only sees this kind of run on fuel just prior to a hurricane that hit the state. It's a combination of everyone filling up their cars as well as gas cans that will help fuel generators.