The Market Has Changed. Have You?

If you're involved in selling anything in today's economy, you know that priorities, business drivers, and competition are very different than they were a year or two ago.  So, what's a sales professional to do?

Author Paul D'Souza knows where you're coming from.  As an experienced sales guy he has done a lot of the analysis for you and his book, "The Market Has Changed - Have You?" is just what you might need to develop your own strategy to adapt to the new market dynamics.

Paul's book takes you through 25 steps exemplifying what he refers to as the "Wha-Do" sales philosophy (apparently, "Wha-Do" means "The Way of Harmony" in Japanese).  This philosophy is all about creating leverage through people (relationships) and applying repeatable principles and business practices.

(Paul has more on the Wha-Do philosophy on his site)

A solid foundation

A lot of the concepts Paul brings to bear are rooted in things you've heard before - setting goals, understanding your motivation, setting out a plan, developing discipline in how you execute, etc.  But a couple of aspects are different in this book.

First, Paul comes at this from the perspective of a sales person.  If you're involved in selling, you know that you hear "no" more often than you hear a "yes" so it's vital that you have clarity of purpose and a compelling reason to keep driving until you get another "yes."  The methods Paul exposes in this book will "snap in" to your selling workflow pretty easily without feeling unnatural or fluffy.

Second, this is as much a workbook as it is a reading book.  The book is filled with worksheets, cues, and examples to enable you to go from a cerebral understanding of the material well into the next step of documenting and personalizing the content.  In other words, if you really follow the process and use the worksheets provided in the book, you'll have your own plan - not just a bunch of new ideas.

It's about what you bring to the table

I think Paul's methods work because they tap into your inner strengths and motivations, but they are also anchored in creating clear and compelling value for your customers.  By design, this will drive you to better understand your customers and why they buy so you can increase the odds that your approach and message will resonate with them.

They also help bring you beyond your "one against the world" view and tap into your colleagues, your mentors, and even your customers themselves to increase your success.

This is a compelling read and well worth your time if you're a sales or marketing professional looking for an advantage. 

But this book is not just for hardcore sales people.  It will also help anyone who relies on relationships in their job, such as doctors, dentists, personal trainers, retailers, investment bankers, business development, alliances people, and more.

Check it out, and start adapting to the new reality of the market.

Change Things Up To Get Better

A lot of the fitness articles I read talk about the importance of varying your routine to accelerate your improvements in workouts.  The premise is that if you do the same exercises all the time and use the same amounts of weight, your body gets used to the routine and becomes more efficient.  What that means is that you get less benefit out of the same amount of effort.

I think that concept can apply to other parts of life, to some degree.  If you keep doing the same thing week in & week out, the routine can get  a bit dull, and you don't improve your skills as much as when things were new and challenging.

So, what kinds of things can you do to change up your routine and make it challenging again?  Here are some ideas (a mix of personal and professional kinds of things):

• Read a different kind of book to make your mind think about new things.
  If you usually read fiction, read some non-fiction.  If you usually read management books, read some fantasy.  If you usually read self-help books, try reading a few biographies instead. 
• Take on a new project in an unfamiliar area.
  Sometimes, nothing helps get your juices going like working on something unfamiliar.  Ask to be involved in (or even lead) a project in a new area.
• Swap the cerebral for the physical.
  If you normally spend most of your time in front of your computer, how about starting a project or activity that requires you to get out and do something physical? It could be sports-related, or it could be carpentry, or even just cleaning out your garage.  Get moving!
• Put yourself out there.
  Volunteer to teach something - even holding a brown bag lunch on a topic you know can be challenging fun.  Start presenting - either at work or in a group like Toastmasters.  Or, do a video blog or something you've never done before online.

And there are, of course, lots of other possibilities. 

So, what do you think?  Does this ring true for you?  What have you done to mix things up in your life that you'd recommend to others?

You can become a celebrity

Author Marsha Friedman sent me a copy of her book, "Celebritize Yourself" and I read it the other day.  At first, I was a bit skeptical; read a book and become a celebrity?  You're kidding, right?

What I quickly discovered is that you actually can become a celebrity by using the techniques in this book.  That's partially because Friedman uses a slightly different definition of celebrity than the one you may be thinking of.  In her parlance, a celebrity can be anyone who is well known as an expert on a specific topic, who is then sought out to speak or share their ideas.  That helped me, since it didn't mean I needed to go on American Idol to become famous.

The other thing I discovered is that you can use Friedman's techniques in other ways, as well.  What do I mean?   I'll break it into two levels, which I'll call Public Celebrity and Local Celebrity (these are my constructs, adapted from the ideas in the book by the way)…

Public Celebrity

Public Celebrity is the true intent of the book.  Friedman takes you through the process of deciding on a domain where you can demonstrate the right uniqueness and expertise to become a celebrity in that area. 

Once you know what that is, she helps you test it to make sure it's something that will stick for you, then provides some worksheet-style exercises to get clear about the unique and differentiated value you bring to the table.  This is what forms the foundation upon which you will build your celebrity.

From there, there are numerous activities revolving around writing a book (an essential element in Friedman's methodology), getting speaking gigs, and promoting / publicizing yourself as an expert in your field.  She tells you how to assume the 'attitude' and confidence of a celebrity - a sort of walk the talk guide for celebrities to help you project the image of celebrity to others. 

These techniques stem from real-life learnings -- Friedman's "day job" is promoting celebrities, including actors, musicians, public officials, and other well-known celebrities. Oh - and that book I mentioned?  It's what enables you to say, "I'm writing a book,"  and eventually, "I've written a book," which changes how you're perceived by others.

Not much of a writer?  Don't worry - Friedman discusses thoughts on how to select and use ghost writers, freelancers, editors, and others who can help you get your ideas into print, as well as how to get the book published.

If you want to be a well-known authority on a topic (I think of my friends Rosa Say, Lisa Haneberg, and Phil Gerbyshak as examples) you'd be well-served to follow Friedman's advice, which is well-presented in a concise, easy read.

Local Celebrity

Maybe you're not inclined (or not ready) to become a Public Celebrity. That's fine, but I think you can still learn something from this book.  If you want to be perceived as a more credible, more authoritative influencer by others in your company or your circle of influence, you can apply a lot of Friedman's techniques on a different scale.

First, decide what you want to be known for.  Then use Friedman's tools from the book to clarify, test, and validate that you can be passionate, credible, unique, and differentiated on that topic.

Then begin using the techniques to project your image within the company.  While you could still write a book, you may be able to get good results from writing papers on your topic, sharing your expertise on internal blogs, in memos, etc.  Rather than public speaking engagements, you can lead brown bag lunches including instructional sessions on your topic. 

Use your imagination - it's about creating artifacts to demonstrate your expertise, then creating opportunities to present your thoughts to others.  You can even go so far as identifying your target audience (management, peers, subordinates, customers, etc.) so you can hone your message, the venues you select, and the delivery mechanism to fit your audience.

You can certainly become a Local Celebrity and make a difference in your organization - work, community, or otherwise.

What are you waiting for?

If you want to stand out as an authority - Public or Local - "Celebritize Yourself" provides a very concise guide to help you create your plan and your brand.  I encourage you to check it out.

And did I mention I'm writing a book?

Riches Among The Ruins

In a break from my 'usual' fare in nonfiction books, I just read a book that isn't about management or self-improvement and I really enjoyed it so I want to recommend it to you.  The book is called "Riches Among the Ruins: Adventures in the Dark Corners of the Global Economy," by Robert P. Smith.   

This autobiographical book is written from Smith's perspective as an international financial in the "fringe" markets of the world, or as the title describes, the 'dark corners of the economy.'  He calls himself "The Indiana Jones of International Finance" and  the title comes from the premise that he, like an archaeologist, looks for valuable things within the ruins.  In his case, it's ruined economies.

You see, starting in the 60's Smith was involved in speculative trading during tumultuous times in lots of out-of-the way economies, such as El Salvador, Guatemala, Vietnam, Nigeria, Russia, Iraq, and Turkey.  Through his experiences, he learned a lot about the financial and psychological forces that feed our world economy and he does an excellent job of pulling you into his world in a way that not only teaches some fundamental economic concepts, it gives you a better feel for how business is done when the rules are - shall we say - fluid.

Entertaining, but poignant

The book is a fun read, and the style is very conversational and vivid -- as I read it, I could readily picture the scenes in my mind..  But more than just a fun read, this book left me with a feeling of uneasiness.  Why?  Because, with all the economic strangeness in the world, this book gives you an appreciation for just how unpredictable the economies of our world are, and just how successful people are at getting around the official rules when money is involved.

For example, when you read Smith's account of the many steps taken during the Vietnam War to prevent inflation from impacting the local Vietnamese currency - and then you see how futile those steps were - it makes you wonder whether any of the current activities around economic stimulus packages, tariffs, regulations, and so forth will actually do much to prevent further inflation and economic distress in today's world.

When you read about the collapse of the Russian economy, you wonder if the phrase "too big to fail" has any meaning at all.

On the plus side, you also get a glimpse of how creative, enterprising people can actually drive great success in spite of (or, as in Smith's case, because of) economic problems.  And you get to learn how Smith, while making a lot of money, has actually been pretty good at putting that money back into the world in ways that benefit others.

The final chapter?

After tagging along with Smith through many shenanigans, he tries to tie all of his lessons learned in a final chapter called "American Twighlight."  This chapter is a must-read as it uses the lens of Smith's learnings to take an objective look at the current state of the US economy.  The news is mixed, as you might expect - but not as dismal as the chapter title might imply.  He doesn't predict the US's demise but he does talk about some fairly dramatic changes we could see within our lifetimes.  Given his past (and his success in reading the currents of the economy), I am thinking seriously about what he says.

And, I am thinking that I might just go looking for some riches among the ruins myself.  If you're looking for a new and different book to read, I recommend Riches Among the Ruins.

And, if you like this sort of book, you might also want to look back at my review of a book about the Enron debacle.

Job Seekers: Are you Defiant?

A couple of months ago, my friend Rajesh Setty sent me a copy of his latest (free!) eBook, "defiant! Practical Tips to Thrive in Tough Times."  I've been a little sloppy in my GTD habits lately, so I just got around to reading it on a flight this morning.  Now, I regret not having read it sooner!

This book is a compilation of wisdom, insights, best practices, and more from Rajesh and 51 other people to help you deal with the economic conditions we're facing, and is particularly relevant if you are out of work, looking for different work, or think you might be out of work soon.

The core question

The core of this book is shifting your mindset and attitude to change how you approach getting the results you desire.  In Rajesh's words, the secret is this:

• Stop asking, "How can I find the next opportunity?"
• Start asking, "“How can I become an OPPORTUNITY for someone else?”

Here's his color on the importance of that shift:

If you want to create a REAL opportunity, you need to create a compelling offer for
your prospective employer.

• Do they see you as another person scrambling for  a seat? If so, then you’ve been defined as someone  who wants to take something scarce (employment)  from them.
• Do they see you as someone who offers them opportunities? Will your presence in the job create new opportunities, expand possibilities, or solve a current headache that keeps them up at night? If so, you’re giving more value than you’re asking for.

Very good advice.

A roadmap for finding your next gig

This is more than mental Jedi mind tricks, though.  This book takes you through a step-by-step process to get through the process of finding creating your next opportunity.  Everything from getting your mind "right," to dealing with uncertainty, to getting help (the right way), tapping into your network, finding a mentor, and more.

More importantly, there are a bunch of proven tips from a bunch of folks with experience we can all learn from. Perhaps most important is that this book will help you create a plan.  And not just any plan - your plan.

As I mentioned, if you're looking for a new job or expect to find yourself doing so, you owe it to yourself to really study a copy of Rajesh Setty's free eBook, defiant!