Talking To Strangers

When we were small, our mothers told us time and time again not to talk to strangers. It was good advice back then, but sadly, most of us have continued to heed this well intended counsel long past its best before date.

Now that childhood is behind us, the benefits of talking to strangers far  outweigh the risks. It is amazing how much we can learn from people we don’t know… and how enjoyable that experience can be for all parties involved.

In the vast majority of cases, all you need to do is smile and initiate the conversation with a few simple questions like “How are you?”; “Where are you from?”and/or “What do you do?”  

You’ll be amazed at how simply asking these questions of total strangers (and doing so often) will make you far more comfortable, confident and competent on those dreaded occasions when you are called on to make presentations at work, or speak out in social situations.

If, like most of us, you are a service provider and/or in sales, make it a regular practice in the workplace and I suspect you'll find your job will get much easier, not to mention more rewarding. After all, a little friendly conversation can only enhance the customer experience… and increases sales!

For these reasons and more, I have made ‘talking to strangers’ not only a personal habit, but also a regular and often mandatory assignment for all of my public speaking and customer experience workshops; and the feedback has been very positive indeed.  

So next time you’re queued up at the grocery store checkout, on an elevator, or riding the bus, put away your Blackberry, iPhone, or whatever little electronic device you are addicted to, and strike up a real conversation with a total stranger? You’ll likely find that face-to-face communications is the still the most powerful of the social media.

If we all just spent a little more time talking to strangers, especially those from different cultures, generations and belief systems, we’d all be a little happier... and maybe, just maybe, the world would be a better place.


To comment, or read the comments on this blog click on 'comments' beside the little envelope below. To read previous articles (this is #50), see the Blog Archive (mid right) and to become a Wavemaker Blogs follower, click on 'Follow' (lower right).

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If you would like to know more about how Wavemaker Consulting can help your company improve the customer experience you provide, visit our Website, or email us at wmconsulting@live.com

Still Wondering What to Get Them for Christmas?

Here I sit feeling rather guilty... for two reasons. Firstly, because I haven't written a blog article in some time and secondly, because rather than put that right, I am about to use my blog to engage in some rather shameless self promotion.

I'll make no excuse for my first failing (largely because I don't have one) but as per the second, my hope is you will appreciate I am making this suggestion not so much because I want to sell a few books, but because I honestly feel the little gift I am about to suggest could really make a difference in someones life.

So here we go:

Still wondering what to get them for Christmas?

How about higher grades, better performance reviews, stronger sales results, exciting new opportunities, a bigger pay cheque...?

According to University of Pittsburgh's Katz Business School, the ability to communicate is the single greatest factor contributing to one’s success in business. Most teachers would also suggest it has a huge impact on a student's learning ability, not to mention marks. Public Speaking is the ultimate demonstration of this ability and a critical skill for anyone seeking a position of leadership, especially in an area that involves sales and service.

Unfortunately, most of us are not entirely comfortable with the prospect of being called on to present, especially to a large group, or to strangers.

If you know someone who fits this description, you might want to consider giving them a copy of my book How Not to Suck at Public Speaking which features 50 ways to leave your fears behind and become a great presenter.

At $14.95 it makes a great stocking stuffer and it could just turn out to be one of the best gifts you ever gave them.

Enough said. Thanks for allowing me this little indulgence. I promise to return to my old ways and post a less commercial entry very soon.

Until then... here's wishing you and yours a Very Merry Christmas and All the Best of the Holiday Season!

Jim


To comment, or read the comments on this blog click on 'comments' beside the little envelope below. To read previous articles (this is #46 - I'm shooting for 50), see the Blog Archive (mid right) and to become a Wavemaker Blogs follower, click on 'Follow' (lower right).

If you would like to be notified whenever a new Wavemaker blog topic is posted, just drop us an email at wmconsulting@live.com with "Blog Me" in the subject bar. We promise never to provide your contact details to anyone else and you can unsubscribe from this service at any time.

If you would like to know more about how Wavemaker Consulting can help your company improve the customer experience you provide, visit our Website, or email us at wmconsulting@live.com

...and what do you do?

Have you ever been at a dinner party, reception, or other form of social gathering where someone asked “...and what do you do?”


How did you respond? Did you seize the opportunity to make a positive and lasting impression, or did you simply say something along the lines of “I work for...” (yawn)

If, like most people, you answered with something short of an upbeat and engaging response, I’m afraid you not only shortchanged yourself, but also the individual who asked the question, as well as your colleagues, and perhaps even the company you work for.

“How is that?” you ask. Let’s start with the person who posed the question in the first place. By asking what you do, he or she was expressing interest in you. Personally, I think that’s kind of nice. Did you respond in a way that thanked and rewarded them for their interest?

And what about your colleagues and the company you work for? How might a cursory response have let them down?

Well, like it or not, when you responded to that question, you were not only speaking for yourself, but also for your company, colleagues and others in your profession. It is human nature to associate people, places and things. Consciously or subconsciously, we all do it. If your response was, shall we say, somewhat uninspiring, there’s a very good chance, on hearing it, the listener’s perception of the company you work for, and of others in your line of work, dropped a notch or two. Fair or not, it’s just the way the human mind works.

I suspect you’ve already figured out how you may have shortchanged yourself, so let’s leave the past behind us and focus on what you can do to ensure that the next time you’re asked, you don’t shortchange anyone. Maybe the following will help:

In the early days of my career, after stumbling to respond to this very question, my somewhat harsh, but fair mentor of the day took me aside and told me “When someone takes the time to take an interest in you, you owe it to them, to yourself and to the company, to be at least a little bit interesting. It is high time my boy, you prepared your elevator pitch.”

So what is an ‘elevator pitch’? It is sort of like your personal brand, followed by a byline or two. Perhaps I can best explain by way of the following examples:

Remember the story of the janitor at NASA, who, when asked what he did, proudly replied “I help put people in space” or better yet, the financial advisor who responded to the same question with, “I help people realize their hopes and dreams.” Both of these individuals went on to enthusiastically explain how what they did made a real and meaningful contribution to the people they served and the companies they work for; and you can bet their listeners were impressed.

Like theirs, your elevator pitch should consist of a few up-beat sentences that describe your work in terms that both engage and inform the listener; not to mention make you feel good about yourself and what you do. It’s called an ‘elevator pitch’ because it needs to be short - something you could easily deliver in the 15 - 20 seconds it would take to travel a few floors, but expandable (just in case you find yourself in a really tall building). The main thing to work on is the first line or two. Get that right and the rest will come naturally. Think about how you contribute to your customer’s success, enrich their lives, or help them achieve their dreams.

Over the years, I’ve modified my elevator spiel several times. Here is how it currently starts:

I'm the founder and senior consultant of Wavemaker Consulting. At Wavemaker we are committed to raising the bar on service quality by helping the companies we serve provide a customer experience that is second to none! I contribute by....

Everyone should have a pre-prepared elevator pitch. If you don’t, why not take a couple of minutes right now and develop one.

You never know when someone might ask “…and what do you do?”

To comment on this blog click on 'comments' beside the little envelope below . To read previous articles, see the Blog Archive (lower right) and to become a Wavemaker Blogs follower, click on 'Follow' (just above Archive).

If you would like to be notified whenever a new Wavemaker blog topic is posted, just drop us an email at wmconsulting@live.com with "Blog Me" in the subject bar. We promise never to provide your contact details to anyone else and you can unsubscribe from this service at any time.

If you would like to know more about how Wavemaker Consulting can help your company improve the customer experience you provide, visit our Website, or email us at wmconsulting@live.com