Craig Harrison
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Article
Stop Slingin' Slang! Prospects And Clients Leary Of Loose Language
Despite attention to four-color brochures, meticulous grooming and letter-perfect newsletters, consultants constantly undermine their hire-ability and employees hurt their promotability through sloppy language skills and inappropriate word choices in their communication. What point is shined shoes and polished purses if you're constantly shooting yourself in the foot with your own words?nnnn Slang is sloppyâ¦precision preferred nnProfessionalism counts in the work world. Pro
November 24, 2007
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From Told To Sold! Leverage Your Stories to Resonate With Prospects And Customers
Have you ever heard a story that could have been about you?nnEver heard a story that reminded you of another one?nnWhat about a story that sounded vaguely familiar?nnWelcome to the power of story.nnnnUnlike facts and figures, that often leave us cold, stories connect! And they connect deeply, often stirring us emotionally at a heart level. That's what makes them memorable, and powerful as a sales tool. nnnn The Prevalence of Stories nnWe're wired for stories! And since birth
November 24, 2007
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Forget the Fockersâ¦Meet Your Customers!
How much do you know about your customers? Do you know what makes them happy? Mad? Restless? Let's face itâ¦you should! Businesses often operate in ignorance of what their customers like or dislike, ignore and abhor. To ensure retention, pay attention!n n The Basics: What Customers Love n- When you know them, remember them by name and remember their preferences.n- To be treated with respectn- To feel specialn- To know you're accountable when problems arisen- The ability to r
September 24, 2007
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SIGNS of Service: Master "Sign Language" to Communicate with your Customers
I was visiting a client for the first time, the Union Sanitary District, 40 miles from my office in the San Francisco Bay Area, in an industrial part of Union City, bounded by swampland and factories. But I was far from lost.n n- As I exited the freeway onto a major thoroughfare, a giant sign announced we were headed the right direction to this site.n n- Another sign signaled a turn onto a side street.n n- A third sign, a half-mile later, signaled I was to continue straight o
September 24, 2007
Article
Who's In Charge of Your Meeting?
Do any of these things happen at your meetings?n n* People arrive laten* people leave earlyn* someone yells BINGO in mid-meetingn* People are unpreparedn* A key person is absentn* Someone asks for a pencil or penn* People mysteriously get paged midway through and leave in drovesn nBefore you blame others it's entirely possible the fault resides with you, the caller of the meeting. As the facilitator, leader or organizer of the meeting you are ultimately responsible for everyt
August 16, 2007
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Free for the Giving: The best things in service situations are often free
You may think customer service requires a huge capital outlay: expensive training, high-falutin' CRM software, and thousands of dollar in expenditures Nonsense! The most important parts of customer service are free.n nHere's my baker's dozen list of customer service components that are free:n n1. Smiling.n2. Saying "I'm sorry", "We're sorry," or "I apologize" n3. Saying "thank you for your business."n4. Saying "thank you for bringing this problem to my attention"n5. Thanking
August 16, 2007
Article
Tag Lines Tell A Tale of One's Occupations
"What do you do?"n nIn our society this is the first question weâre asked, after "What is your name?" The real question is: âHow do you answer this question?ân nDo you tell people your title: clerk, programmer, driver, teacher, sales rep or receptionist â or do you answer more descriptively?n nToo many people respond to this question with a bland, unimaginative job title or standard industry classification (SIC) code. B-O-R-I-N-G! To set yourself apart from the crowd,
July 9, 2007
Article
Orchestrating Your Leadership
Recently I had the opportunity to lead an orchestra. Itâs an experience I recommend to all. Admittedly, I had my doubts. With no formal training I wondered:n n- Would I lead correctly?n- Would others respond, and if so, how?n- Would I look foolish?n n Follow My Lead n nI did look foolish â but somewhat by design. My orchestra was a conference audience whom I was training to step into their own leadership. And follow my amusing lead each guest conductor didâ¦magnificently
July 9, 2007
Article
Improve Customer Rapport with Improv!
As we look for ways to improve our rapport with customers, clients and prospects letâs cast our gaze to improv â improvisational behavior popularized by those whacky folks seen in drama classes, theatre troupes, on the entertaining television show Whose Line Is It Anyway? n nIt might surprise you to learn that even in something as spontaneous as Improvisation there are rules at play. Three in particular have direct relevance to our customer and client interactions.n n Mak
June 26, 2007
Article
Play the Brain Game for Gain
Our workgroup was in the middle of a spirited brainstorming session â a free form session where creativity is encouraged, judgment is suspended, and the best ideas often come after ten or more minutes. The ideas were flying fast and furious, as they should, when the group gets momentum. The energy was intoxicating. And, in a fit of inspiration, I one employee suggested, "Why don't we reverse the order of the deliverables!?"n nWhile nine other people energetically accepted t
May 14, 2007
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Being Present is a Gift to All: The Real Meaning of Real Time
They say wherever you go, there you are. Yet how present are you at any given time and place you find yourself? Many professionals appear in body but little else. Don't get marked as missing in action. n nIn the last week I encountered the following professionals missing in action:n n Out of Tune: My local mail carrier arrived each day, wearing her iPod and delivering my neighbors' mail to me. She's in her own world. She dumps the apartment's mail in a pile each day. In addit
May 14, 2007
Article
How Inquisitive Are You?
Three teen girls entered the subway in mid-conversation: "Is he in our school? " "Yes." "In our grade?" "Yes." "In our calculus class?" "Yes.â âIs he fine? "Yes!" "Steve? " "Noooo. " "Seth? " "Phillip? " "Itâs Jeremy!" Indeed it was!!! n nThese girls were playing the game 20-Questions. They were playing to win. They were asking closed-ended questions to qualify/disqualify the field. They were expert at cutting to the chase. n nKids in fact are excellent question-masters
April 21, 2007