The Science of Communicating & Marketing Your Business

I always let people know when I'm going to be quoting or referencing them. Most often I ask permission (part of my nature) before quoting or referencing them. I usually ask them to contribute their own statement. I literally quote ("...") them when I do quote them. Part of a researcher's ways, I think.

I was a little amused when I shared an anecdote with a columnist (and gave permission to use the anecdote in their column) and discovered that the original tone (humorous) was completely missing.

The exchange between the columnist and I dealt with NextStage's research into email signature files I was impressed at how the columnist took something which started with "A Humorous Slant" and turned it into "Then there's the out-to-lunch syndrome".

Basically, a vendor screwed up in responding to a potential client's email. The vendor sent an apology and never heard back from the client.

The columnist wrote "It's true that he might not have been awarded the work. But he'll never know. ... And the customer? He'll probably find a more attentive vendor."

Wow. I'm impressed. This one email cost this fellow a contract. Really? So pricing, availability of services, appropriateness of solution, internal politics, internal milestones and timelines, ..., none of that had anything to do with it?

Me? I prefer working with people who can admit their mistakes. I'll go so far as to write that I'm suspicious of people who only tout their successes. NextStage had a fellow working for us a few years back who was amazingly successful at everything he did. In fact, he had a briefcase full of recommendations from people for just about every position he'd had. No matter what you asked him about or what you asked him to do, he would dig into his accountant's style briefcase (one of those enormous, heavy ones) and pull out a letter from someone indicating that yes, he was the best person to fulfill the task or perform the function.

Took us about two months to figure out he had a briefcase full of recommendations because everyone he'd ever worked for was so desperate to get rid of him they'd write recommendations just to help him find another job.

And the vendor, the one who's anecdote started this diatribe? His company gets 3 or more email requests for quotes a day and about as many phone requests a week. Please, whatever we do, let's not focus on the work coming in, let's focus on the one that got away? Heck, I call this fellow once or twice a month myself just to get his advice on keeping clients happy.

What's his best advice? Be honest with them and yourself. Admit when you make mistakes as soon as you realize you've made them. And "Never sit down on the job."

Never sit down on the job?

Yes. This fellow's father was a carpenter. His son learned his work ethic swinging a hammer beside his father (and you should see this guy's work. Beautiful. He plans on going back to carpentry when he retires). His father taught him "never sit down on the job. Makes people think you're not busy." This fellow translates that into not taking breaks on the client's clock. Simple and nice.

I'm an advocate of simplicity and I'm challenged to think this one email faux-pas was the reason the client didn't reconnect. It might have been the excuse and it wasn't the reason.

There are many, many reasons contracts don't get signed. There's usually one, single reason contracts do get signed; the client needs the vendor to get something done.

This wasn't the first time something I wrote got turned around a bit to better serve a journalist's purpose. But you know what really bothers me?

The columnist misspelled my name. Dang sloppy work, that.

Please contact NextStage for information regarding presentations and trainings on this and other topics.

Upcoming Conferences:

• XChange on 20-21 Sept 07
• DC Emetrics Summit on 14-17 Oct '07
• Society for New Communications Research Annual Research Symposium & Awards Gala on 5-6 Dec 07 in Boston.