Way More Than Plastics

Politics and Sales?...by Chris Buch

I know.  Politics is one of the two topics you never talk about in polite company... 

But, regardless of your political views, you had to appreciate the sales-like approach Speaker Gingrich took to win over the South Carolina conservative voting base.  Looking at the scoreboard a week prior to the primary; the breaks were definitely not going his way - (1) Romney was well ahead in projections (2) well-liked SC governor Nikki Haley had thrown her endorsement behind Romney along with numerous local and state political figures (3) in the New Hampshire primary on January 10th, Gingrich was relegated to "also ran" status while Romney gained more votes than his next two closest competitors combined (4) money was running very tight.  South Carolina was looking like the end-of-the-line for the Gingrich campaign.

How in the world does one rally from that kind of deficit?  Gingrich showed us by using one of the most basic sales techniques out there - know your audience.  At the opening of the debate on Friday prior to the Saturday primary, Gingrich blasted media outlets for highlighting unflattering claims by his ex-wife more than the national issues at hand.  A seemingly unscripted, raw, emotional outburst that immediately endeared him to South Carolinians.  Remember, this is the state that was the first to secede in 1860 and has always been in the thick of political battles - especially those involving state's rights.  They have never been a group that likes to be pushed around by a larger entity.  Many there view the media as one of those entities that shapes the minds of Americans with a "liberal" slant.  Think Speaker Gingrich knew that?  I would bet good money that he did.  I would bet that the seemingly unscripted remarks were very much scripted, planned, and very well presented.  Ultimately, I think they won the day.  

Salesmanship?  Yep.  Effective communication?  Absolutely.  Leadership?  I'll leave that questions for the voters.

I don't want to cause a panic, but rest assured that any elected official is, before anything else, a sales professional that tailors their message to their audience regardles of what they are up against.  Selling 101.

The Information Gap...by Jeff Kaczperski

In the absence of information, people will fill in the gaps on their own.  Decisions are made and actions taken based on bias, perception, and “gut feel” even when there is a void of understanding.    Like a soccer mom who, knowing little about the rules of the game, complains loudly how awful the referee is; she draws primarily from her emotions to conclude and vocalize that the call on young Johnny was horrible.  The same can be said of the coworker asked to implement part of a business improvement but knows nothing of the “why” or the “how” of that improvement….do not be surprised if you get little more than a tepid interest.  If you are a leader, be persistent in your effort to inform people.  If you are not a leader, take responsibility and ask questions to get that understanding.  People who know what is going on will begin thinking…and then acting…in ways that are helpful or productive.  We underestimate the power of The Information Gap…it destroys any hope of excelling. 

Isn't It Ironic?...by Chris Buch

For several days a couple of weeks ago I watched, with great interest, the story of Rev. Terry Jones and his plans to burn copies of the Koran at his church in Florida.  Opinions over whether he should or shouldn't certainly abounded.  Depending on who you listened to, he was either a great American or a nut job.

The entire scenario highlighted for me, once again, the stunning power of the communication channels at our disposal in this day and age.  Within 24 hours you were almost required to have an opinion about a man that you'd never heard of before doing something that you had likely never considered before.  People from all corners of the world knew all the details about an unknown individual in Florida almost instantaneously.  From CNN to SNL to blogs to newspapers to YouTube; the story was everywhere you looked.

Even in light of the plethora of communication options available today, 70% of business owners will tell you that "innefective communication" is the primary problem within their organization.  How's that for irony?   

 

What Are You Saying?...by Chris Buch

This is a little lengthy (about 4.5 minutes), but it'll give you a laugh.  Try to convince yourself that you've never been involved in a project that's gone at least part of the way down this path! 

How often do we dilute the message to our clients?  Is the clarity of our message (and our value) clouded by rhetoric or clever slogans?  Make sure your message is clear, simple, and accurate.  It makes the sales "pitch" a whole lot easier.     

Truth? Hard to Tell...by Chris Buch

What's the truth in the Tiger Woods saga?  Who's telling the truth, Jon or Kate?  Do politicians ever tell the truth? 

I find it fascinating, especially in recent years, how quickly the void caused by the absence of truth is filled with rumor, speculation, outright lies, half-truths, and innuendo.  In a very short period of time, you can draw nearly any conclusion that you want about any circumstance based on the voluminous communication outlets that exist - from water cooler conversations to mainstream media - without ever really knowing what the truth actually is. 

It got me thinking about the way we communicate with our clients.  Are we specific enough to eliminate misunderstandings?  Are we frequent enough to eliminate the vacuum that causes speculation?  Are we clear enough to avoid relaying only half-truths?  Are we confident enough to share the complete truth no matter what the circumstance?  Are we viewing our communication from our client's perspective?  I certainly don't want a client drawing conclusions that are inaccurate because we haven't communicated with the clarity that is necessary.  The closer we come to being able to answer all of those questions "yes", the better we serve our clients.