What went right in 2012?

Now that the potential Mayan end of the world has passed and we can collectively breathe a sigh of relief, it is time to consider what went right this past year.  Specifically what went right in your professional life? It is important to acknowledge and honor things done well before we dive into goal setting for 2013.

There are the big, obvious things that went right; such as you landed that ideal client or perhaps two. Or you made more money, had more speaking gigs, launched a new product or finally got your book out. Many years we don’t have this kind of landmark progress. Even or especially in really tough years, we do have steady incremental forward movement.

 Take a moment and think about the small things that went right.

• Do you now know how to do something you didn’t know how to do before? (Everyone gets to check this one off, as it is impossible to function in the business world today without learning new things.)
• Did you become a better writer?
• Do you have more connections on LinkedIn? Even one more?
• Did you get a new headshot?
• Did you get more involved in social media?
• Did you improve your skill set in a certain area?
• Did you take a class or engage in any type of training, even a webinar?
• Did you get a piece of professional attire that you feel really good in?
• Did you just make it through a really tough year, in one piece?
• Did you make up a new personal rule or motto this year?
• Did you laugh more? Or lose your temper less?

Big things done once are often overrated while small improvements over time are underrated or may even go unnoticed. Give yourself a big congratulations for all the small things done right.

Tell me, what went right for you?

Red and Green an Exclusive Color Scheme

The Grinch may have stole Christmas, but Christmas owns the colors green and red. By the time we become adults we have seen this combination millions of times and it is burned into our subconscious. When we see these two colors used together we immediately associate them with Christmas.

It can be July and we can be looking at an ad for Turtle Wax, but when we see red and green, our brain thinks Christmas. For this reason, it’s a color combination rarely used for anything outside of this holiday. The color scheme’s exclusivity has become self-perpetuating!

There are several theories to why green and red are the Christmas colors. The Christian faith believes that the green symbolizes everlasting life and the red symbolizes the blood of Christ. This is by far the most popularly held belief.

Another theory dates back to the 14th Century when churches put on religious plays. In December, the production would reenact the scene in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve. An evergreen tree was brought in to serve as the Tree of Life, since it was the only tree green at this time of year. Red apples were hung on the tree. The green symbolizes the tree and the color red symbolizes the apples. As the story goes, the people liked this so much they started bringing trees into their own homes and decorating them, starting the tradition of the Christmas tree.

Many cultures prior to the death of Christ used evergreen trees and holly as decoration in the cold winter months. The Pagan festival of the Yule used the colors of red, green, silver and gold. Once again the same colors repeat.

This is one holiday that is easy on retailers because they can say “Christmas” by using green and red without the risk of being politically incorrect. With December 25th fast approaching, be sure to get the most out of these seasonal colors before they go back in the closet to keep orange and black company.

Does your audience want what you’re giving them?

At this time of year, many of us are out and about buying gifts for friends and loved ones. When selecting a gift we imagine what the person might need or want. You may think about their lifestyle, what struggles they are going through, what they do for a living, where they live and even how old they are.

Or you may give them what you think they need, without any regard for whether they think they need it or not.

As simple as gift buying sounds, it’s often not easy. Surely, you have memories of gifts gone wrong on both the giving and receiving ends. This is why gift cards and liberal return policies are so popular. It is also why the term re-gifting is now in our vocabulary and applies to many items beside fruitcake.

Often we need to dig a little deeper. Sometimes that can be as simple as asking a question or two. Take time to implement a little of what we refer to as “honest curiosity.”

Here are a few examples:
For your sister, whom is a new mom living in a cold climate; you start shopping for a beautiful, warm, but washable sweater. AND, after speaking with her and asking a few questions, you find out that she REALLY misses spending time alone with her husband. You finally decide on movie tickets with babysitting included. Both of these gifts are significantly different than what you think she needs, which is a case of Slim-Fast.

For your aging parents, who “have everything,” you assume something consumable is in order. You start researching what shows are playing at their local theatre companies. Since they don’t drive at night anymore, you want to be sure they offer a matinee. AND, after emailing with your dad it comes out that what they REALLY want is a new, small TV for the kitchen and someone to figure out how to hook it into the cable box. Both of these gifts are different than what you think they need, which is a nose hair-trimmer.

For your teenage niece, who is in the band at her high school, you think a set of nail polish in her school colors would be a big hit. You can even imagine her at the football games with her brightly colored nails. AND, after asking a few questions, you find out what is REALLY important to her is to have the latest hand held gaming device. Both of these gifts are different than what you think she needs, which is a t-shirt you can’t see through.

When we are gift buying it’s natural to consider the “audience,” in this case, the person receiving the gift. In the examples above, the first gift idea wasn’t necessarily a poor choice; it just wasn’t the best choice. It wasn’t what they really wanted. And what you really wanted to give them is as different as a TV and a nose-hair trimmer.

As we go through our day-to-day business lives, the same concept of considering the audience always applies. If we can remember whom we are talking to and what their needs, wants and desires are, we have a much better chance of communicating with them effectively. When we take it one step further and practice “honest curiosity” to find out what the unmet need really is we can be even more effective in obtaining our desired result.

When you use this approach the audience, whether it is one or many, will feel like they have received a gift after interacting with you.

The question to ask yourself is: Does your audience want what you’re giving them?

The Foolproof Technique for People Who Can’t Stand Introducing Themselves

If you can’t stand to answer the question “What do you do?” keep reading. Here is an easy-to-remember, easy-to-use technique that is conversational in nature. It gets the job done with only three lines.

First start by stating the problem you solve. The line starts with “You know how (insert problem)? in the form of a question.

The second line starts with “What I do is (insert how you solve the problem.)

The third line starts with “I’m a (insert your job title.)

Put it all together for a foolproof self-intro that works every time; Perfect for those who can’t stand introducing themselves.

Examples:
You know how many young couples dream of buying their first home?
What I do is provide first time homeowner financing to make that possible.
I’m a mortgage broker.

You know how big brands like Starbucks and Target have great visual branding?
What I do is great visual branding for people.
I’m a personal branding coach, specializing in all things visual.

You know how many people struggle with their weight, or have backaches and knee problems?
What I do is relieve pain and reduce weight with strength training, which creates an improved physical condition.
I’m a Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach – a personal trainer at the highest level.

 Why it Works
The first sentence gets the person your speaking (your audience) with to “go along for the ride.” After the first sentence that is in the form of a question you should get a confirming nod or a “yeah” showing that they are “with you.” They will “get it” if you have used a highly relatable problem.

The second sentence, states in an easy to understand way what you do. The second sentence “pays off” the first sentence.

The third sentence gives your official title and reinforces sentence two.

 A Few Tips:
When you use the same word(s) repeatedly, it makes it easier for your audience to understand. The more they “get it” the more likely you are going to hear those three little words, we all long to hear “tell me more!”

Avoid acronyms, or if you use them, explain them. A variation on the last part of the second sentence of the first example might be: I’m a CSCS, a Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach. You never want your audience to have to guess at what you do.

Remember to keep it simple. It should be simple enough that your average 12 year-old would “get it.” You can always elaborate on what you do.

Be prepared for success by having a few business cards in your purse or pocket, you very well may get asked for one!