The beautiful lady you see here, her name is Bailey. And this picture was taken by her Dad (my brother) at the beach yesterday afternoon which is her favorite place to be.
Bailey’s struggle is becoming more than she can bear and her suffering ends today.
I see the saddened emails, texts and even tears from the aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces and friends this week who know this day is coming. Bailey has been a part of so many people for so many years.
But we can’t really imagine how hard this is for our brother James. Please know we love you and are there for you.
It’s cliche and trite to say that Bailey or any loved pet was such a good girl. But she really was. Let me share just one thing about her with you. My brother works in a pretty tough space helping young adults – many who have seen and felt suffering first hand in their young lives.
For years Bailey went to work with him every day and those young people loved her. She greeted everyone equally. She never judged or intimidated or abused these kids. She offered some normalcy, someone to hug or to touch or to just sit quietly next to.
After the shock and within 10 seconds, you can see the runners running in.
Of course, more than 20,000 ran on Monday; some ran 26.2 miles, some sadly not quite that much and many of the most brave (and there were so many!), ran just a few dozen yards of the most important race of their lives.
There were the real runners (who had been running already for hours) who ran into the scene, not away from it. There were the runners who never were runners – but watchers who ran for the first time that day towards the scene, not away from it. And there were runners we expected to burst into stride when terror strikes and they did so; the police, the soldiers and the emergency medical personnel all ran into the scene.
It would be so easy to run away. But watch the shifting shapes and images in the videos – so many move towards, not away. So many.
It seems we’re a nation of first responders these days and that is sad. And in Fear, real fear – the kind like we saw Monday, there is often the thought that there are only two choices people make – to fight or to flee but really, there is a third I suspect, and that is toaid.
I don’t live far away from this latest attack on our soil and our souls. And so for me, there are images that will stick differently than maybe with you in your town of New York or Oklahoma or Washington DC or wherever you heart hurts when these moments of evil occur. There are those images in Boston somewhat thankfully, that are already fleeting for me, but I’ll never forget the swarm of people running in to aid.
To aid seems deep in the core of many. And I know that this choice is why while many hundreds were wounded, so relatively few thankfully perished. And if there is anything we can take solace and comfort in here, it is that.
Who knew Billy Joel could teach us a key lesson about sales and marketing?
Lately I’ve been really into Billy Joel again. Not the late 80’s and 90’s Billy – Uptown Girl stuff, but the good stuff – The early stuff.
My son (who is downright amazing on the piano), was on YouTube last month and watched the Inside the Actor’s Guild 1999 Interview with Billy Joel. I (a piano player of a lower order) decided to check out that interview too.
And then I heard him say it. It was stunning.
“Piano Man is really not a good song”. He said this in reaction to James Lipton pointing out one of the most unusual things about the song – that it was in ¾ time. It’s essentially a waltz.
It’s a waltz but that’s not why the song is “not that good” Billy explained. He said that the song is “so simple” and really just “repeats itself over and over again like a Limerick” with even some “La da diddy da’s” thrown in.
He said some people know it’s bad. Whenever he enters a restaurant or bar with a piano player these days, the musician will make eye contact and invariably start playing “Piano Man” which is all nice and good until “he realizes the song just repeats itself” and then “repeats itself some more” and “then he looks me in the eye blankly and I just nod and say “See? Not much too it!”
I love that song. We all love that song. It’s a great song!
“If it’s so simple and bad, why is it so popular?” James Lipton asked.
“It’s got one hell of a story” Billy replied.
There is was. And there it is. There’s Paul – who’s a real estate novelist, there’s Davy who is still in the Navy and there’s the waitress who is practicing politics. All real people Billy explained (even Davy whose name is “Davy” and was in the Navy.)
The point is pretty clear. Great story makes up for a lot of things. Some of Billy’s music is compositionally brilliant and has good to great stories in them; New York State of Mind and Scenes from an Italian Restaurant come to mind.
But Piano Man is not a great song. It is simple. It does sound like Limerick. But the story. The Story. The Story. That makes it good. And makes it stick and well, makes it awesome.
You need stories. We all need them. Piano Man is a lesson about how a great story needs to be wrapped inside your business, your solutions, your brand and your pitches.
We know this. We hear it all the time. But we don’t always listen. Powerful stories work hard for movies, books, businesses and I realize, music. So all you marketers and sales people get out there and sing us that song, you’re the Piano Man!
“We build a ton of websites for small businesses….”.
Shoot me now.
Numbers matter.
No specific numbers can sound like you are lazy. No specific numbers can sound like you are reading from a script. No specific numbers sounds like you don’t care. No specific numbers says you are probably making it up anyway.
Trust is low in the marketplace. No specific numbers makes it worse. Customers and prospects are yearning for numbers – real numbers, real proof that you are credible or that you do care.
If you know how long a customer has been with you in the number of years or months, share it. If you don’t know- find out and share it every time you contact them.
If you know exactly how many customers you have that are just like the prospect you are talking to (i.e. exactly how many in their town/city or exactly how many just like them (their line of business) are already customers)), then share it. If you don’t know- find out and share it every chance you can.
If you know how many websites or widgets or thingamajigs you have that people use or buy or love then share that. If you don’t know- find out and then spit it out.
Numbers are credible. Numbers are proof. Numbers get attention. Numbers earn you a first look or even a second look. Numbers get you sales.
Busy small business owners calling to place orders or get information don’t want to wait long for you to enter the same bloody product they’ve been ordering for 6 years, or want to answer a lot of your questions, or want to verify a lot of information or listen to your order summary or confirmation number or whatever it is you might need to do.
Shocker eh?
Yeah, like you didn’t know that already.
You know they just don’t see the value, not with the 10 minutes they got before the post office closes and those packages have got to go, or are you kidding me?, that snow is falling again and the side walk needs to get sanded now or it’s almost 4 o’clock and Jimmy The Geek is leaving but there’s no way that router cannot not be working tomorrow when you’ve the hall rented out.
But you can help them deal with the perceived annoyances of doing business with you. You can help you too.
It truly is way more than they think – this annoying stuff you do. Help them think deeper.
Small businesses need a little nudge to the deep side sometimes. Wont’ take much; these are prideful, intelligent and passionate people. And it makes you look smart and sure as heck makes them know you care.
“This is your business we’re talking about on this, so let me double check some things here…”
“This is your investment here so let me ask a couple of questions to maximize it…”
“This is your brand reputation we’re looking at here with this so I’ve got to ask these 3 quick questions…”
“This is your image at this trade show, so let’s make sure everything is perfect…..”
“This is revenue potential we’re talking about here with this product so read it back to me if you would…”
“This is your compliance stuff so let’s summarize that we have gotten everything here…
Everything in bold above means something valuable to a small business owner or team member. Remind them of these before you execute on all that stuff they think is simply a pain.
Verify information because it’s way more than a product being accurate. Ask questions because it’s way more than you trying to sell other stuff. Summarize things because it’s way more than what you are supposed to do.
Let’s assume you want to be better. What should you specifically aspire to do?
It’s easy to know. You do not have to look far. It’s just beneath the surface.
Take this 6 question quiz. Write down your answers. The answers are going to be the ingredients for you getting better. And you’ll soon see why it is the best quiz ever.
Think of the best of the people you know and love. Think why they are the best. Think quickly. Think short answers. Don’t think hard. Your first thought is likely perfect.
Think about
The best Friend you’ve ever had. Why were they the Best?
The best Teacher you ever had. Why were they the Best?
The best Boss you ever knew. Why were they the Best?
The best Sales Rep, Marketer, Trainer (you fill in the blank; whatever job you do today) you ever knew. Why were they the Best?
The best trait of your Significant Other. Why is that the Best?
The best Leader you ever knew. Why were they the Best?
These answers are your answers to the ubiquitous “best” questions out there and as such, these answers have real meaning and value to you. They are in essence, personalized for you. No book, no speaker, no training class is telling you what being better or being best looks like here.
These answers will help you because you already admire these people and these traits. You’ll have the added power of visualization, of memories and if you still interact with these folks, of mentors to help you.
I wrote down the answers about people in my life and simply wove each answer from top to bottom into a statement for how I’ll know I’m getting better; for being the best.
I’ll be the best when I get better at giving unconditional support, when I can better teachhow knowledge really helps you, when I get better at encouraging out of control thinking, when all my client relationships are amazing, when I care more often about others than myself and when I get more relentlessly obsessed with the customer.
Makes perfect sense (to me). Feels right. Feels familiar.
Take the quiz. It’ll be your own recipe. And it will be the best; kind of like home cookin’.
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