Keep it Simple, Sally!

Make it easy for your clients and contacts to reach you.

1. Include all contact information -- yes, even your email address -- in your email signature.

Not all recipients will be able to click "reply," especially if they receive your message as part of a forward.

2. Keep your email address simple -- your name, company name, or some easy variation.

Turn your name/email into a cute pun, and you've got a recipe for disaster. Imagine you're on a conference call trying to explain how to spell "knitoneURL2" for your web-based yarn business. It ain't pretty.

3. When leaving a voice mail, say your phone number twice.

Once at the start, and again at the end. You never know if your contact has a bad connection or is trying to frantically capture your number as s/he boards a plane. Speak slowly, too.

Plan for FAILure

Know when to pull the ripcord.

In my Presentation Skills and Train-the-Trainer workshops we discuss how to prepare your presentation, what makes it good, how to plan and include activities, and how to handle problem participants (like the guy who won't shut up).

What about when your planned activity or icebreaker fails? You know -- you want to do the Human Rope game, but no one is up for it. Or this is the only activity you planned -- and only 4 people are in the room. (Too few.)

Plan for failure before the class. Have a back-up activity ready to go, or know when to say, "Okay, that's not gonna work, let's go back to our workbooks." Sometimes, in a really messy situation, there's beauty in just admitting that something didn't work, and "let's move on."

Hey, HR pros! Listen up!

I came across this brilliant piece on AOL today, An Open Letter to Recruiters. It's honest and addresses so many of the issues today's job-seekers come up against.

I would add to Jason's letter: "Don't count me out because I'm over 40." Although age discrimination is illegal, it happens a ton, and for BS reasons. The Gen-Xers and Boomers bring a lot more to the table than most 23-year-olds who are tech-savvy, but still obsessing about who got kicked off "Idol" last night.

Jason's Open Letter to HR/Recruiters:

Dear Recruiter (or hiring manager or HR):

I see you have some job openings that you are making decisions on. I'm sure you are getting hundreds of résumés and are overwhelmed by the amount of information you have to go over, just to narrow it down to a few good candidates. I wish you well as you go through this tedious process.

Right off the bat, you'll see a problem with me as a candidate for this position. You see, for the last eight months I've been unemployed and busy looking for another job. I was....keep reading

Say nothing negative

When I observe presenters, I see a lot of this crap:

• "I didn't really prepare, and I don't know all this stuff, but here goes."
• "My boss was supposed to give this presentation today, but she's out. I'll tell you about this, but I'm not as good as her." 
• "I'm not the expert on [Topic], but I'll go through this anyway."

Why add a negative qualifier up top? What good does it do the speaker to give the audience an immediate, negative perception? 

If you set an expectation for crap, the audience will expect crap.

Never begin with "I'm not the expert." Really? You're not? Then why am I wasting time here?

You don't have to know every single thing -- but you do have to be professional. Kick off your presentation with a good start, and say nothing negative. There's no reason to put a bad view in your listeners' minds. Show us how good you are -- and what you do know.

Better openers are:

• "I'm happy to talk to you today about [Topic]."
• "Susie is unexpectedly out today, but I'm stepping in. If you have any questions, I'll do my best to answer them at the end." 
• "I've been working on [topic] for six months, and I'm here to present [whatever it is]."

That's all you need to say. No qualifiers about what you do or don't know. If you get a curveball question, say, "Let me check on that. I'll get back to you," and then do so.

Dress for success

I'm gearing up for another Professionalism class this week. One of our simple lessons that seems to be unknown everywhere is "dress for success."

This doesn't mean you have to wear an expensive suit; but know: 1) where you work, 2) with whom you're dealing, and 3) what's appropriate and what's not.

Some people show up at work dressed like Britney Spears or Kid Rock on a bad day  (or would it be "good day" for Kid Rock?) and think nothing of it. The repeated comment I hear is, "It doesn't bother me; why should it bother anyone else?"

Because this is business. And because everyone is not like you. Who are your clients? Where are they located? Are they younger or older than you? Are there other cultural standards (religion, family, etc.) that influence how they do business?

How you dress demonstrates respect for you and those around you. Be appropriate. What does your outfit say -- "I have respect for you and myself" or "I just came off a bad bender"?

Quick tip: Back to your desktop

Hmm, bossess and snoopy co-workers will probably hate me for this, but here goes:

There's an easy, effective way to minimize all your windows at one time, quickly. It's called WIN-M. (Get it? Windows-Minimize.) Sorry MacNerds, but this is a PC trick.

Look down at your keyboard. See that little flying window key? It's called "Win." When you have multiple windows open, one of which is your latest shopping at Gap, and the boss is heading your way, simultaneously hit Win and M, and watch all your windows hide.

Enjoy!

...and please learn how to spell

Okay, listen up and know that the number one reason for failure in business is poor communication. 

And guess what? Even if your listener/reader/customer/whomever takes your meaning just fine, they may not be cool with the way you communicate it.

Case in point: I teach Business Writing. I see misspellings all the time. And from what I gather, most people don't think their spelling is important. "They'll know what I mean." "I'm on a Blackberry."

Erm, not so fast.

Today I read a post by a local real estate agent who talked about sellers "loosing money." Really? People are setting their money loose?

Or are they losing money (from the infinitive "to lose")?

I happen to be in the market for a realtor, and this guy's poor spelling tells me he pays zero attention to detail.

Buh-bye.

Consider your audience

The biggest "duh" tip I can share with you is to think about your audience before you speak, present, or host a meeting.

And right now, you're thinking, "of course."

But when was the last time you actually did this?

Time after time, we are subject to presentations where we listen to blather, all the while thinking, "Why am I here? What's this about? What's this guy's point?"

So even if it's a five-minute pop-into-your-boss's meeting, ask yourself:

• Who will be there?
• What do they want to know? 
• What's the most important thing I can tell them? 

Take a few minutes to prepare, and you'll have your audience's attention -- not their disdain.

The best question to ask when you call

One of the best things you can do when you call anyone during the workday is to ask a simple question once the pleasantries are out of the way. That question is: "Is this a good time?" or "Did I get you at a good time?"

This puts you in a good light because you are showing respect for your listener's time and work. Don't say, "Is this a bad time?" because it carries a negative connotation. Ask if this time is "good" and let the other party tell you.

When the job's just not that into you

Yahoo! HotJobs posted a great, insightful article about why job-seekers might not be getting a call back. Job hunting is a lot like dating. Sometimes, "s/he's just not that into you."

What also can trip up job-seekers are the little things that mean a lot: not following application instructions, forgetting to thank the interviewer, and etiquette breaches, such as leaving your cell phone turned on during the interview. Even worse (I had a student who actually did this): answering your cell phone during the interview.

Brush up your interview skills, and put yourself in the employer's shoes before you show up. Whom would you like to hire -- someone who follows instructions and appears respectful, or someone whose actions scream, "I couldn't care less about this job"?

Set your time boundaries

Effective time management is about taking control of your time. You can teach people how to treat you. Once you demonstrate respect and boundaries for your own time, your co-workers, clients, etc. will follow suit.

When you're busy and you can't just stop for that phone call or drop by visitor, speak up immediately: "Glad you called, but I'm working on a commitment. Can I get back to you at [specific time]?"

Don't expect the person calling or dropping in to read your mind. Say something if you can't talk right now, and follow up with the visitor later.

Quick tip: How to make the font bigger

Let's say you're reading an article on the interwebs, and the font is just too tiny. Try this:

PC Users - hold down the "CTRL" and "+" keys simultaneously. Just a quick second.

Mac Users - hold down the "Command" and "+" keys simulatenously.

See if that helps.

Use precise terms precisely

How you communicate in business can leave a lasting impression on your audience. Good communication is invisible -- rarely will anyone comment on it, becase "good communication" is what they expect.

But slip up, say something wrong, silly, or inappropriate, and they'll be talking and blogging about it. I recall at my first training job, a 21-year-old neophyte gave a speech about "ATM Machines -- Access to Money."

Someone stopped her after the talk to tell her that "ATM" stands for "Automatic Teller Machine."

During another memorable presentation, I listened as a client gave a speech about  the "Rock and Roll Museum in Seattle." The Rock & Roll Museum is in Mississippi (not to be confused with The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland), and the Experience Music Project is in Seattle.

Use precise terms precisely. Research your topic before you present.

Want to see some cute/funny malapropisms? Read here.

A little courtesy goes a long way

There was this excellent little book that came out in 1993 called "Never Confuse a Memo with Reality...and Other Important Business Lessons Too Simple Not to Know."

One of its gems was (I'm paraphrasing here): "Be gracious. Offer your guests/clients coffee or tea when they arrive."

I know that having a ton of coffee meetings (at Starbucks or some such) can get expensive. Believe me, I've paid the bill for my fair share of informational interviews that went nowhere. But being a good host -- even out at a Starbuck's -- goes a long way. Know how important first impressions are? Your good graces, or lack thereof, are part of that. 

I recall one potential vendor who brought me water at our first meeting, even though I hadn't asked. (I drink water like a dying man in the desert. It was most welcome.) I was impressed.

Contrast that with another vendor who pushed past me with, "I need to get my coffee, I'll be right back." The second part of that sentence ("...can I get you anything?") never showed up.

No surprise that the second vendor was sloppy, didn't care about my or my company's needs, and didn't get my business.

Three things never to do in front of your client

1. Never openly discuss money, or money issues. If there is a valid question, bring it up in private with your client contact -- never in front of other people. Money conversations are best handled one-on-one.
2. Never dress like you're cleaning your closets, or like you're about to appear in a video as Hoochie Mama #3 or Thug #2. Dress appropriately for the site and situation. If you could rival Britney Spears, Kevin Federline, or even Paula Abdul, you're probably not dressed for business. Whether it's a short meeting or all-day presentation, remember, this is business. Dress for such.
3. Never bad-mouth. This means anyone, ever, especially to a client. If you are having an issue that needs addressing, deal with it privately, and in a professional manner. Watch how you phrase what you say -- and remember, if you come off too negative, it will reflect poorly on you, not the other person.

Be always on -- not just in the office

Be aware that any interaction is a potential business interaction.

I recall a speaking colleague telling me about a time he was behind schedule and rushing to get to an interview. As he arrived (late) to the downtown building, he sped up to get a space in the parking garage. Another car cut him off, nearly hitting my friend. Both cars stopped momentarily. My friend made a not-so-nice gesture, parked his car, and went upstairs to the interview.

And who was his interviewer? Yep, the guy he just flipped off.

Moral of the story: always bring your best self -- not just when you're at your desk. You never know when you're faced with a potential business contact -- or opportunity.

I love this commercial that illustrates this principle:

One step to better meetings

This week, my Effective Meetings class was in full swing. We usually kick off by sharing what we hate most about meetings. No matter where I go, no matter which client I see, I always hear the same top three complaints:

• Meetings are too long.
• There are too many meetings.
• Our meetings go off topic, and nothing gets done.

So the next time you plan a meeting, what can you do to ensure that the meeting starts and ends on time, no one talks out of turn, and work gets accomplished?
One small tip to move you in the right direction: Use an agenda. And stick to it. End on time, follow up with action items, and circle back in a week to see if those action items were done.

Yes, you have to proofread every email

The wonderful thing about the human brain is that it knows what it just did. You meant to spell correctly, and you knew you put everything in the correct context, so it's right, right?

Not necessarily.

I encourage all my clients to re-read every email -- even one-word messages, like: "thanks."

Why? Because I've seen too many simple, silly mistakes, such as, "See you, son!" sent to a female co-worker. (The writer meant "See you soon!")

And don't fool yourself by thinking, "It's just email," or, "I'm on a Blackberry -- they won't care." You never know when your message will be forwarded up the food chain.

Email is business communication. Treat it as such. Stop, take half a minute to re-read, fix any errors, use your spell-checker, then send.

Still think you don't need to proofread? Read below:

It deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteers be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm.

Presenting on the spot

If I had to put a number to it, I'd say that 90% of my participants get put on the spot to present. And they don't like it.

You know what I'm talking about. You're sitting at your desk, embroiled in your work, enjoying your hot cup of House Blend, and your manager accosts you with: "I need you to pop into the Board meeting in 10 minutes and give 'em an update on Project X."

This is inherently pressure-filled; even worse for someone who doesn't like public speaking to start.

But take heart: there is a way to come off like a pro, even when you're caught off guard. Here's what you do:

1. Grab an index card or scrap piece of paper. Something not-too-unsightly.
2. Write down three points you want to make. The shorter the better. 
3. Bullet-point a quick, brief intro and a short closing. The shorter the better. 

This is an old Ben Franklin technique. "Open with humor, end with heart, and make three points in-between." The heart/humor options are interchangeable; what this means is be sincere and earnest, make your three points, then get outta there.

Use this technique even if you're called out in a meeting: "Hey, Dave, tell us what's going on with your project." (No one told you you'd have to present in this meeting.) Say, "Give me just a second," then collect your thoughts and make a quick list -- bullets are fine -- and then go. You'll sound more polished and professional.

Phone call or email?

It's amazing that just because we know how to technically operate a piece of equipment -- computer, PDA, telephone -- doesn't mean we really know how to use it. Or when.

Email is not an urgent form of communication . Just because it seems like everyone in the world is connected 24/7, doesn't mean everyone is.

I've had colleagues cancel breakfast meetings via email. These aren't 10 a.m. breakfast meetings and I was already working so I got the message -- these were 7 a.m. meetings. If I'm leaving the house at an ungodly hour, you'd better believe I'm not checking email first.

Ah, but fortunately, I did. And sure enough, my 7 a.m. meeting was canceled by someone "too tired" to make it. She, apparently, was also too tired to call.

If you need to contact someone immediately, especially if it's important, and especially if it means that person will be elsewhere waiting for you, pick up the phone and call.

The phone (remember what that is?) is an urgent mode of communication. Email and texting are not.

5 Easy Tips to Good Voicemail

Just because you have it, doesn't mean you know how to use it. Oh, no you don't


Voicemail is another one of those necessarily evils (or blessings) of modern communication. Know how to use it properly so not to annoy your callers.

When recording your outgoing voicemail (vm) greeting...

1. Keep it short: Your name, company if need be, and any pertinent instructions (ex: "please leave your claim number" if you're an insurance adjuster; "please leave a callback number, even if you think I have it," if you travel and check vm frequently). 
2. Resist the urge to add unneccessary blather, such as, "Thank you for calling, I appreciate your call," etc.
3. Only use "vacation setting" (the feature that does not allow callers to bypass your greeting) if you truly are out of the office for an extended period of time. After 5 on Friday does not count; we don't expect you to be in until Monday. And no one likes to be forced to listen to your whole greeting if you didn't follow tip # 1.
4. Give the caller a "zero-out" option to reach a live person, or an alternate number they can call for help in case you're trapped under a large piece of furniture.
5. Don't leave your whole schedule on your greeting; we don't care. That's why voice mail exists -- so you know to return the call later.

When I worked in telecom, I would often phone my colleagues only to be forced (via "vacation" setting) to listen to voicemail greetings like this: "Hi, this is Dave, the executive administrative assistant in the real estate department of X Telecom, at extension 789. Today is Wednesday, August 5. I am in the office all day today, but I will be in meetings from 10-12 and 2-4. I will be taking lunch from 12-1. If this is urgent, please contact Stacey at extension 123. Otherwise, please leave your name and contact information, including your phone number and email, and I will respond within 24 hours. Thank you and have a [insert religious or happy word] day."

Keep it short, tell us how else we can reach a person, and beep. That's all we need...we know why voicemail exists.

Commitments vs. resolutions

Happy New Year!

I'm excited about 2010. Things are looking up for the world, and I can't wait to be a part of great things to come. I'm especially excited about helping my clients achieve new heights and meet their goals.

Which makes me think of resolutions. Did you make any for 2010? If so, good.

Now modify them. Not change what you wish to achieve-- but rather, change how you're thinking about them. Remove the word "resolution" from your vocabulary. "Resolutions" have a way of fading away and leaving us frustrated:

•   "I said I was going to lose 50 pounds and I didn't."
•   "I wanted to find a new job, and I just can't."
•   "I resolved to quit smoking and it's just so hard."

New Year's resolutions are, by their very nature, a recipe for failure. Instead, ask yourself:

•   What are you committed to doing?
•   What do you want to achieve?
•   What do you need to do to get there?
•   If you really want it, what are you committed to doing?
•   What habits will you commit to change?

Life is about commitments. Rarely is it about resolutions.

So what are you committed to doing differently this year?