I’ve had many an interesting client, and Raymond Adam was as interesting as you get. Ray ran a food arbitrage business, a middleman between suppliers and purchasers. He would parlay group buying power into price breaks for his food-service clients, gaining significant savings. Once a month he would mail each client a cheque representing his…
To be frank, I hate making apologies. I’d rather eat a toad. But apologies are an essential element of communication and of life. Apologies are funny things. There is no simple formula. Each one has to be tailored from whole cloth and made exactly for the occasion. If there is to be an error in…
About a year and a half ago I began a daily conversation between myself and some little friends, and although never a word was spoken, it was a very important conversation. Each morning I received a reminder to be patient, to keep focused, and pace myself. Let me explain. You see, for several years I…
A friend and former colleague recently pointed out to me that one of the trickiest areas of communication for professionals has to do with referrals. Referrals in and referrals out. Most professionals and entrepreneurs live and die by referrals. Existing clients may be the bread and butter, but new clients represent growth and diversification. Compared…
My dog Mike, of whom I have written previously (https://us12.admin.mailchimp.com/campaigns/show?id=892169) , was absolutely indiscriminate in his dietary choices. One day as I was washing up for dinner, the bar of soap flew out of my hands. Mike hit it like a barracuda and swallowed it whole. He had no taste, no limits and no shame….
Dealing with in-referrals is one of the trickiest, yet most beneficial, aspects of any business. Good referrals are hands-down better than clients who find you from advertising or surfing the internet. Referrals come through the door predisposed to you and your services, and tend to be less price-sensitive. The most important thing you must do…
“My sister-in-law’s cousin just qualified as a home inspector. Could I ask you to reach out to your network to recommend her?” An “ask” like this creates one of the most awkward dynamics imaginable. Let’s see why. Every referral earns or spends social capital. In a case like this, unfortunately, there’s plenty of downside, but…
Once upon a time I got to examine a Rottweiler’s tonsils up close. Very close. Too close. It went like this: I was visiting a client’s rural property when he suggested I bang on the glass of a door leading to a darkened back porch. I did so, and in an instant, a massive Rottie…
There are probably no four words in the field of human communication more powerful than, “How can I help?” So often we encounter friends, family, and colleagues suffering a loss, facing an ugly obstacle or carrying a weighty burden. Words of consolation or encouragement are fine, especially if heartfelt. Where appropriate, an embrace or a…
A friend recently presented me with a deck of cards, with the usual invitation, “Pick a card, any card!” I stared at him for a moment, and then confessed that having been raised Baptist, I had no idea what to do next. I’ve never played cards and I have no idea what you call those…