This post is a sequel to the 4 part post series I concluded last Saturday. In that series, I focused on presenting my preferred approach to evaluating a blog’s ability to help the owner make money – be it directly or indirectly.
In this post I provide a review of other blog owners’ posts that, in my opinion discuss the role played by “comments” from a reasonably articulate, and balanced perspective.
Like I mentioned in my 4 post series on comments, I’ve done a bit of research online to get a feel for the range of opinions on this theme. My research was of course not exhaustive. However, I did get a feel for what the major views seem to be.
The posts that really stand out for me argue from different sides of the divide. Below, I review arguments made by four of them, stating my opinion or perspective where relevant:
When I first saw the above title, my stubborn brain instantly asked: “Should I want to get more blog comments, if I don’t NEED them to succeed?”
Matt accurately points out that not getting comments does not mean anything is wrong with your blog: certain blog types attract comments more readily than others. And he’s right.
In response to his own question about whether or not comments are important, he submits that:
a. they "aren’t particularly that important …though you can use them to build relationships" (I argue that for building relationships, email does a better job!)
b. they make no "specific impact on your SEO…"
c. and they do not affect your website traffic volume.
Then he sums the above up by saying comments have no direct impact on your site’s performance.
My naughty brain pipes in:If that is so, why on earth should I care about getting them at all? Sounds like a good question to me…what about YOU?
In the rest of his post, Matt however points out that some visitors use volume of comments a site gets as a measure of popularity. And if low, they could lose interest.
Well, if you’ve read my 4 post series, you know what to think about such views. In life losses will always happen. Readers and fans will come and they will go – no matter how hard you try.
The way I see it, if anyone chooses to pass up a useful read on my blog, because no one has commented on a particular post, that would be his loss!
As for me – and to paraphrase Matt – I will ALWAYS judge a website by the quality of its content. And it’s people who share a similar outlook that I’d like to welcome as visitors to my blog or website.
Where: http://adriennesmith.net/5-reasons-why-people-wont-comment-on-your-blog (Psst: If you’re wondering if she’s related to Matt Smith, mentioned immediately above, I have not the slightest clue. In fact, it was only when I started to type out her name here that I discovered she shared the same last name with Matt…lol).
Adrienne starts by noting (as I did in my first post on comments) that it’s a sensitive subject. Then she asks if the reader has ever “wondered why” his/her blog was not getting more comments.
Once again, as it did when I read Matt’s post, my non-conforming mind asked: “Why would I want more comments, if I don’t NEED them to succeed?”
Interestingly she goes on to explain how she diagnosed the “problem” with some blogs she visited which she was surprised to see had few or no comments on their posts.
I argue – as does Matt above, and Amy in the post featured at no. 4 below – that the absence of comments does NOT imply anything is wrong with a blog. You’ve got to look deeper than that, and understand what kind of blog you’re dealing with in the first place!
Adrienne goes on to recommend five remedies in her post (click here to read them), and at the end says “”Make these few changes and additions and watch your comments pick up.”
Hmm…I can tell you – as will Amy in her post, that certain blogs serve audiences that will rarely relate with blogs via comments, even with such changes.
Other interesting perspectives supporting my position exist. And I’d like you to read them in Amy’s excellent post below, so you can be better informed.
Adrienne’s post was an entertaining read. However, I think she needed to have included a note that NOT all blogs can be correctly judged for performance using comments. By failing to do so, her post commits a serious error of blanket generalization. I guess you could say, we agree to disagree on that point
The Blog Tyrant is a savvy blogger. I’ve come across a number of his posts on some top blogs and can confirm that he knows how to use his posts to get results.
This post was no different. In explaining how readers could get more comments on their next post, he got even those who disagreed with his ideas to comment – thereby adding to the volume recorded for his guest post.
That’s exactly what happened to Andrew G. Rosen, who was brave enough to voice a divergent opinion from the majority who commented on this post. Virtually every other commenter before him had commended Blog Tyrant for his expressed views on the importance of comments.
Then came Rosen: He pointed out that certain blogs had quiet communities and that he he would keep reading a “comment-less” blog if he felt it offered good quality content. Very wise words indeed!
The fact that no one else towed Rosen’s line of thought (at least none that I read after his in the comments), says a lot about the potentially dangerous “herd mentality” that blog comments can create.
People wrongly assume that the idea favoured by the largest number of people is always superior. But that’s not always the case. Anatole France, the shipping magnate understood this truth, and was credited with voicing this quote:
“Even if 50 million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing.” – Anatole France
The courage to follow our convictions when they differ from what majority hold to be true, can sometimes determine how successful we ultimately become. This truth applies to the pursuit of success in blogging, just as it does to virtually every area of life.
In other words, you’re better off doing what works for you. This post – and it’s high quality comments thread – provide valuable insight into practical ways to measure a blog’s productivity or success. There is also plenty of experience based wisdom about what importance to attach to comments under different situations.
I urge you to read, bookmark, and re-read Amy’s post. It’s an excellent resource put up by a lady who knows what she’s talking about!
Final Words
On a final note, let me assure you of one thing. By the time you’ve read the above posts – especially no. 4, you WILL know whether your blog is productive, or just plain busy…and which "mode" (i.e. productive or busy…with comments for instance) is better, for you, as a business minded and results focussed person.
Comments?
What do you think of this post? Do you have any personal experience to share on this subject? Are there some other points you feel can be added, to help persons looking for answers? Post your thoughts below.
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This post is based on excerpts from a 19 page ebook I wrote (titled “How to Help Your Child Discover His/Her Purpose”) which I never published – for reasons I still cannot fathom
How many of us adults knew exactly what we wanted to do or be in life, when we were our kids’ ages? I once heard of someone who discovered after finishing from medical school, that what he actually wanted to do in life was professional fashion designing!
Similar examples abound in our society today. I’m sure you can think of some yourself – so I will not bore you with more.
Many Adults Are Living Lives of Regret
Many adults/parents today spend every day in jobs they do not enjoy doing. Some pay well. Others yield what could best be described as slave wages. And yet, the workers still keep coming back each day. In many cases, the affected individuals feel too far-gone in age to change things.
Many also worry about the risks involved – especially as it relates to caring for their families while making the transition. This is quite often a valid fear to have. Giving up a steady source of income to pursue self-actualization can prove quite tasking. This is especially true for persons who have to provide for their families.
But if truth be told, life is too short to keep driving on the safe lane all the time. One of the best ways to conquer one’s demons is to confront one’s greatest fears. It never pays to live a life that ends with multiple regrets about what could have been.
We Can Spare Our Kids the Same Fate
My observations out here reveal that many adults are simply not prepared to take the required leap of faith to pursue self-actualization. Thankfully, for such persons all is not lost. The lesson from their narrow miss can be put to use in preparing their kids to achieve self-discovery earlier in life.
I have personally vowed not to let my kids go through the needless pains of LATE self-discovery I had to endure well into my late twenties.
And that’s why I am already putting my knowledge of what worked or did not work for me (it could work for my kids) at their disposal. Among other things, we periodically discuss whether or not they could adopt my approach or evolve a better one.
The objective is to make the kids better prepared to confidently answer this question: What do you want to be in life?
A child that has undergone the kind of preparation I advocate here is unlikely to give the usual kind of answer like “Lawyer! Doctor!” and so on. Instead she’s more likely to respond with a detailed description of her vision or ultimate goal/purpose in life.
Then of course, things like being a Lawyer, Doctor etc could be part of it, but would not be all of it.
This last point is quite important. Children lacking the kind of preparation I’m talking about tend to respond too automatically to the “What do you want to be in life” question.
This happens because no one has helped them think through what they really want to do. Little effort has been invested by competent adults to help such kids discover their true/natural interests. That’s what would accurately inform their choice of vocations or professions in life!
The above stated problem leads to situations in which a graduate Doctor drops her degree, to launch what eventually becomes a successful Fashion Design career.
It Took Me Seven Years To Discover I Made A Wrong Choice!
In my case, I did not know what I wanted to do in life even as at the time I was observing my one year of national youth service at the age of 22.
All I knew was that I had obtained a university degree in Agricultural Extension Services, after five years. And I wanted to get a reasonably good paying job – somewhere…somehow!
In other words, I was – at the time – a typical product of the traditional educational system!
That attitude of just wanting to get a job explains why I took countless tests to get employment in insurance companies, audit firms, manufacturing organizations etc.
I did not – and could not afford to – discriminate because I was not prepared for the world I found myself in. A world in which the government employment options open to people with my qualifications, promised disappointing remuneration – which common knowledge assured would not (back then at least) necessarily be paid as and when due.
It was honestly a period of extreme confusion and frustration for me.
“After all that schooling (and a good 2nd class upper degree) and NOBODY wants me?
” I asked myself.
It took me a long time to get over the trauma. And I actually spent over seven years working as an employee in a field totally unrelated to my qualification, before I finally realized that what I really wanted to do in life was to be an entrepreneur.
I Want To Spare My Kids That Kind of Experience
That’s why each of my kids gets quality discussion and attention time from me every day. We do so many things together – including encouraging each person to show off his/her unique abilities. This process has helped us identify what they are individually good at, and passionate about.
For instance, my third son is gifted at fixing things – especially electrical stuff. He’s just nine, but displays an uncanny ability to assemble and disassemble all sorts of electrical appliances. And many times he has surprised all of us by fixing some items we had concluded no longer worked.
What I’ve done is to always pass any damaged electrical stuff to him – including my laptop adapters, rechargeable lamps, flash drives and so on. He keeps them neatly arranged in a large box. Every now and then he brings them out and pretends to be doing a presentation to an audience about how they work!
Even his grand parents already acknowledge that he’s likely to follow in the footsteps of his uncle (my brother) who studied Electrical Electronics and immediately after graduation started an IT company in Abuja.
Final Words
Carefully nurturing a child’s natural interest in a potentially viable vocation can help prepare her to achieve self-discovery early in life.
This would be to the benefit of both the child and the parents. That’s because you’d be sure to spend money providing the right kind of formal schooling or education for her.
This could help her develop true genius in her chosen field – the kind that leads to notable accomplishments. In other words, she would live a fulfilled life, without regrets of any sort!
If you truly love your child, I urge you to start making out time to discover what she wants to be in life, from today.
It’s likely to be the wisest investment of your life.
Comments?
What do you think of the above post? Do you have any personal experience to share on this subject? Are there some other points you feel can be added, to help persons looking for answers? Share your thoughts below.
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"All successful employers are stalking people who will do the unusual, people who think, people who attract attention by performing more than is expected of them." — Charles M. Schwab
Paid Employment Is No Longer What It Used To Be.
Time are changing – and rapidly too. The dream of getting a degree and then going on to work in a good company for the rest of your active years no longer works like that.
These days no company can afford to keep you around for that long. Especially when it’s very survival can be threatened by sudden changes in the market it serves due to unexpected technology driven developments.
Despite the above gloomy scenario, the truth is that just as we are being told jobs are fewer, head hunters and recruitment agencies continue to remain in business.
Admittedly, many of them have had to adapt to changing times. But isn’t that the reality of life itself? Don’t we all mouth the fact that “The only thing constant about life is change?’
If that is the case, why do we keep making such a big deal of the fact that there “seem” to be fewer conventional job opportunities available for job seekers?
Should we not be challenging them and/or ourselves to develop skills sets that make us employable by the new kind of employers now emerging?
But Some People Still Prosper In Full Time Paid Employment
Many people are choosing to start some kind of business on the side, even as they take on paid employment. That’s something I consider a smart move in light of the massive transformation that the concept of paid employment has undergone in many parts of the world – both developing and developed.
It makes it easier to take on lower paying jobs that would probably not normally offer enough financial rewards to sustain you (and your family if you’re married). In other words, today’s realities make it essential that most people develop their entrepreneurial sides a little, if they are to make ends meet, or have something left over.
But we must accept that some people still get paid handsomely to work full time – in spite of the above mentioned changes. And this happens across industries, from the high paying to the modestly rewarding ones.
What Do Such Resilient Career People Have, That Others Who Struggle Do Not?
The answer – – where hiring is done mainly based on competence and merit – is that such people know how to give employers that hire them what they want.
And what employers want is an employee who will help them achieve their company’s most valued goals. To make money profitably. To be widely known in the market place. To enjoy great public relations so that operations go on smoothly. Indeed anything that helps the company progress.
Once an employee can demonstrate the ability to consistently deliver results along those lines the employer (except one that’s prone to self-destruction) will likely do everything possible to hold on to THAT employee.
Would You Like To Be That Kind Of Employee?
Do you want to work and get constantly courted by your employer for your ability to deliver desired results? If yes, here are three timeless strategies that can get you well on the way to becoming what some call a SUPER employee:
1. Do The Unusual
Sometimes it takes someone with fresh eyes or a critical mind to bring about badly needed changes or improvement in the workplace. Like the saying goes, in a place where everyone thinks alike, very little thinking is actually going on.
So, when you are at work, form the habit of trying to look at what you (and others) do from as many different perspectives as possible. E.g. It could be how you prepare your reports, with respect to the time it takes.
Then use the insights you gain to initiate new ways of doing things that could boost workplace productivity e.g. by reducing waste, minimizing delays etc. That will get you noticed.
But it’s just one way. You can think up many others. Just remember: be driven only by a sincere and honest desire to move the company forward towards its goals. Once you do that, the rewards you seek will come of their own accord.
2. Think Creatively
Every time you have to be at work, never settle for a mediocre outing. Challenge yourself to constantly apply critical thinking to every task you perform. There will be times when an oversight on your part could threaten to cause a major delay in operations for instance.
Don’t let the mistake you made terrify you so much that you stop trying to turn that particular situation around. Don’t give up until it’s actually too late. Keep trying to find a way to remedy the situation. Creative thinking applied with persistence can yield amazing rewards.
Sometimes it may even have been someone else – indeed your boss – who made the mistake. The average employee would mentally fold his/her hands under such situations, and wait for the disaster to unfold.
If you want to become a super employee try to make a difference at times like this – regardless of who is at fault. People will love you and talk favorably about you for this. And your employer will take note of it.
3. Do More Than Is Expected Of You
If you want to become a super employee who enjoys top of mind attention from the decision maker or owner of the company, then go the extra mile when necessary.
Here’s a true story that illustrates this.
One day, a young line manager was handing over to his night duty colleague at 9pm. Just then an old couple was brought in by the factory’s security personnel. They came to report that someone had an accident near their home in one of the company’s branded cars – and was badly injured.
The night duty senior colleague refused to go with the couple, saying he needed to attend to pressing factory production processes to avoid losses that could be in the millions.
The younger manager knew the company was paying them all to do the job. He also knew he could safely announce that he had closed, and instruct the security personnel to follow up the matter while liaising with the night shift manager.
However, his conscience made him choose to go the extra mile – especially because the life of a colleague could be at stake if timely action was not taken.
There was an initial painstaking process of finding a police station willing to assign a security patrol team to escort him and the company driver around till all was done. He ended up spending over six hours (right into the next morning) altogether.
Before leaving for home, he wrote a detailed incident report about all that transpired, for the factory manager to read on resumption.
Imagine how relieved the factory manager was to learn that the car and its occupant had been removed from the accident scene before day break. He was even further impressed to discover the detailed written report he could quickly study to prepare himself for questions from the headquaters, the victim’s family, and possibly reporters.
Summary
The above story is actually based on a real life series of events that took place in 1999.
It should also interest you to know that this singular act of dedication above and beyond the call of duty, got that young manger noticed by top management.
For instance, his incident report was widely circulated to senior managers in the company’s headquarters: The injured manager turned out to be a senior manager in the company, who managed the company’s branding and marketing efforts!
Less than one year later, the young manager began getting senior management secondments. Then there was a promotion, followed by more secondments. And in between those, came nominations to attend high profile international learning events.
One could argue that the above would still have happened even if he had not done what he did on that night.
The reality however is that some of his co-workers and senior colleagues actually complained about getting over looked for the opportunities given this young manager!
That spoke volumes about how the company’s decision makers were thinking. And it supports the message contained in the quote with which I started this post:
"All successful employers are stalking people who will do the unusual, people who think, people who attract attention by performing more than is expected of them." — Charles M. Schwab
If you want to become a super employee, follow the guidelines spelt out in this post, which were actually drawn from the above quote!
The deadline for submission of entries is MNT ET of 31st October 2012 – few hours from now.
Having opted in, I was determined to beat that deadline, and also send in a good ebook. Like I said when I opted in, I love challenges of this kind because they help me improve.
What do you think of this post? Do you have any personal experience to share on this subject? Are there some other points you feel can be added, to help persons looking for answers? Post your thoughts below.
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“Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self” – Cyril Connolly
Are you struggling to meet your writing goals? Do you have difficulty consistently writing articles, blog posts or reports that you can confidently publish for others to read? Or are you one of those who repeatedly applaud others for publishing theirs, even as you wonder why you cannot get yours started or completed?
If you answered yes to any of the above queries, there are certain important things you may not be doing enough of.
Yes, I’m sorry to tell you this, but 9.9 times out of 10, you may be struggling to write because you are not doing something(s) right. And not because writing is too difficult or you are not born or destined to be a writer!
In this post, I discuss ONE possible reason why you never seem to be able to get your writing done according to plan. This “reason” is an obstacle keeping you from consistently achieving your writing goal, and I offer practical strategies you can use to overcome it
Universal Principles:Before I begin, let me point out that the ideas I share in this write-up apply not just to writing, but also any area of human endeavor. So, if you are struggling to achieve valued goals, in any aspect of your life, you’ll find the information provided here of immense practical benefit.
Lack of a Magnificent Obsession is a major reason I have found responsible for many people’s inability to meet their writing targets.
Without overcoming this obstacle, I honestly believe your chances of achieving long term success in writing will be quite slim. So, you’ll need to really pay attention as you read this post.
People who achieve success often do so by getting totally absorbed in its pursuit i.e. they become obsessed with it. Historical evidence supports this. It’s called having a "Magnificent Obsession".
This is your "raison d’être", your life purpose…or reason for existing. Something that literally dominates your daily thoughts, and which when achieved, would make you feel fulfilled…that you have lived your life well. As a writer, you need to focus your efforts on topics related to your magnificent obsession.
If you don’t know what yours is, the following questions and tips can help you:
What would you gladly do for 24 hours a day for any number of days – even if you did not get paid to do it? What gets you excited and eager to engage in it, every time you think about it? Whatever answer you come up with, is most likely to be your magnificent obsession.
Some people take a few minutes to a day to discover theirs. Others could take a year or longer. The path to self-discovery is not always straightforward. If you listen to your intuition, you will be pointed in the right direction faster.
The following narrative illustrates the importance of having a magnificent obsession:
In response to a question about how he managed to build what was quite a small start-up into a multi-million pound business, Simon Woodroffe (billionaire co-founder of the Yo! Sushi restaurant chain in the United Kingdom), gave what should be a re-assuring answer to anyone aspiring for success.
Simon said he did not consider anyone who achieved success – himself included – to be "clever". The problem, according to him, is that many people are (to use his exact words) "just lazy and stupid". He added that anyone who can get obsessed with something can do anything.
Giving a personal example, Simon revealed that there was never a time after he started his business that he woke up wishing for riches. He recalled that he always got up in the morning, because he was either obsessed with achieving his goal, or scared that his plans would fail.
In case you missed it, the point I’m making is that this gentleman provided an answer that effectively demystifies "success achievement".
Success is not reserved for "clever", "talented" or "gifted" people. Anyone can succeed in achieving her goal(s). What is important is that you identify clearly what you want to achieve – and why. Then get obsessed with pursuing it.
What do you think of the above message? Do you have any personal experience to share on this subject? Are there some other points you feel can be added, to help persons looking for answers? Share your thoughts below.
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The habit I describe in this post is a silent weapon used by smart thinking salesmen and business owners to record highly profitable sales even when they are dead broke (especially then).
Its successful use is based on the practicing individual’s self-belief. It does not matter what line of business you are in or how many years you’ve been in it. Once you can display unshakeable self-confidence in relating with others about what you do, you will attract people who will gladly reward you handsomely for your product or service.
You will discover that the clients, who come to you through the use of this strategy, will often not even try to negotiate your fees or prices. That’s how “sold” they would be.
Note that the clients may come via offline and/or online channels. I would say – based on my personal experience – that smart use of this thinking habit in your online marketing can yield greater returns.
But What Is This Amazing Thinking Habit?
What can make seemingly heaven sent clients come your way as described above? Well, I’ll tell you. It’s the ability to habitually hide your need, and show your skill in marketing your products, services or yourself.
I’ve used the concept for over a decade. But a simple yet powerful quote credited to the late business philosopher – Jim Rohn – puts it quite eloquently in words:
“Learn to hide your need and show your skill” – Jim Rohn
Mr. Rohn’s admonition is simple common sense isn’t it? But the human mind is such a stubborn creature. It can be so difficult to tame – and control – if you’ve let it do what it likes for most of your adult life. That’s why some competent service professionals find themselves getting literally pulled around by the nose by unappreciative clients.
How Difficult Can This Be To Practice You Wonder?
Well, when we’re all together in our cosy meeting point talking about it in a relaxed manner, it rarely sounds difficult to do. But what about when you’re short of work – and you’re looking for new clients? Especially during those periods when your pockets are almost empty – or your bank account balance is hovering dangerously close to zero?
Do you feel confident at such times? Be honest now!
There are many people who – when feeling fairly financially safe – would confidently say NO to a client offer they find less than adequate. But these same people can be surprisingly willing to work for next to nothing (out of sheer desperation), when they find themselves going through a rough financial patch.
Like I wrote in an article about six years ago, never let your bank balance determine the level of self-confidence you have at any point in time. It’s a sure to damage the credibility and respect you have before clients. If you harbour such a weakness, it will be eventually uncovered by a client – who may readily play on it, to his own advantage.
Become Skilled At “Strategic Management” Of Your Personal Information
In war, opponents play mind games, and never let the other party know the true condition of things in their respective camps. Why? It’s common sense. Hiding your true situation puts you in the best position to compete effectively.
When your forces are depleted, the last thing you want to do is announce it – otherwise the other camp may change their battle plan to exploit your resulting weakness. Strategic deception has been used by war generals for centuries. And the same principles have been successfully applied in business for years as well, by the most successful companies.
A good book that teaches the importance of using strategy in war, in a way that is applicable to business is Sun Tzu’s “Art of War”. Get yourself a copy of that book.
It’s filled with nuggets of wisdom that can help you win battles without breaking a sweat. I should know. It helped me do just that less than three months ago with an old client.
(Most) Prospects/Clients Won’t Show Their Need – So Why Should You?
This is the one that I feel too many struggling (and desperate acting) entrepreneurs forget too often. While you’re busy thinking you need the money the potential client you’re meeting with is offering, how can you be sure s/he is not desperately in need of YOUR services as well? How can you be sure she’s not pretending so you won’t be able to tell that she badly needs your help to solve the problem she’s having?
The answer is you may never be able to tell. And in the same vein, she will also never be able to tell about you, unless you show your need to her.
In other words, quite often both of you may need each other equally – or the prospect could even need you more. However, when you go to her acting subdued or being too eager to please, she will naturally assume the opposite is the case i.e. you need her more than she does you!
See how a slight change in mindset can dramatically affect how much you earn as an entrepreneur? In just a few seconds you can sell yourself short to win a new client by presenting yourself approaching the client from a position of weakness.
What You Can Do: Develop a System to Hide Your Need & Show Your Skill
I have tried to be flexible, in response to pressure from seemingly well meaning clients. Guess what I found out? The more “flexible” I tried to be, the more they demanded that I try even harder – and the less willing they became prepared to pay to have that?
It did not take me long to realize that kind of relationship made no sense whatsoever. I asked myself some hard questions and I realized that I’d actually done what they asked NOT because I felt they were right, but because I wanted them to see how cooperative I was, so they would give me the job.
Unfortunately, what I failed to realize was that if I was going to make any decent profits, I could not afford to let my clients see that I was prepared to bend over and even break to have them hire me.
From the day I stopped working like that, and began relating with both clients and prospects more self-confidently and professionally, something wonderful began to happen. I suddenly found that I got what I asked for more often.
And the clients in many cases went on to give me more work. For instance, some initially hired me to build an automated spreadsheet application, later called me in to build another, or to develop a web marketing system for them.
TIP: Decide How You Work, and Stick With It
To achieve the progress described above, I (among other things) developed my own documentation spelling out how I did business (including payment options, terms of service, standard delivery durations and conditions for handover). Once I send it to prospective clients I rarely have difficulty getting them to pay for work I do.
There’s something magical about putting something down in writing or print – even if it’s digital i.e. in form of a PDF document. Add your logo to it. State the name, job title and contact details of the client. Indicate advance payment required; delivery duration (where applicable stating conditions e.g. “Assuming there are no strikes or other delays etc”).
But even more important were the conversations I had with potential clients/customers.
Like I’ve said elsewhere, I began asking prospects to pay a specific fee 100% in advance if they wished to meet/speak with me (after reading my stuff online), to discuss their project. I made it clear that the money was 100% deductible from my fees if they went on to hire me.
This singular strategy helped me get rid of people who were simply curious, and at the same time attracted those who were looking for a reliable provider. My insistence of such an unusual condition, in spite of the risk of loss of business apparently inspired confidence in most of those who really needed my help.
When you have good systems setup to present you from a position of strength to prospects and clients, it can be a great confidence booster – for both parties!
However, the best way to build your own self-confidence is to ensure that you know your stuff inside out. Be competent, and strive perpetually to stay on the cutting edge of new developments in your field. When you meet a prospect or client that will show through. And your need will never show its ugly face to a prospect or client again!
This is the fourth and final post in the series I began on the 6th October 2012. The first post argued that you need to determine if your blog needs comments to succeed – instead of worrying about what others say. Note that I refer specifically to blogging for business purposes, with emphasis on earning income via sales of products and services.
The second post discussed five questions you can ask yourself, to decide if your blog type needs comments to succeed (especially in financial terms). Going by my personal experiences and observations, if you avoid needless sentiment, these questions WILL help you choose right. In the third post (preceding this one), I discussed six different measures that can be used to evaluate the performance of a blog.
Now, this final post returns attention to the point I’ve made all through this series that my focus is on the use of blogs to earn income – directly or indirectly – for the owner. It explores what my checks suggest are three relatively underutilised strategies for making money with the help of a blog, which ANYONE can take advantage of.
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Blog Comments Multi-Post Series – Table of Contents
Why this series? There’s a lot of debate surrounding the value of comments.Many blog owners are not sure what to think or do as a result. This series offers ideasto help interested blog owners decide if their kind of blog needs (or does not need) comments to succeed – and steps to take in either case.
Introduction
All through this series, I have made it clear that my focus is mainly on blogging as done by persons engaged in business to enhance their ability to make money.
Making money from blogs is a fairly hot topic going by what the search engines reveal. And the topic has been quite thoroughly treated by many well qualified and accomplished blog owners. Most use conventional and popular strategies (E.g Adsense, adverts, affiliate marketing, information products, membership sites etc) to make hundreds of thousands of dollars annually.
It would therefore be a waste of time to attempt discussing any of the methods they’ve already touched on. (See the Reference/Further Reading list at the end of this post, to read some of them).
My purpose in this post is to suggest relatively uncommon – but highly effective – strategies through which a blog can be used to make money (or facilitate the process).
First Establish Authority Status
For best results in using the techniques described in this post, I suggest you aim to establish authority status for your website or blog. Very rarely, especially in a field that involves writing to build credibility, will a total newcomer be able to instantly command authority status. It will take some time.
However, your commitment to relentless creation of unique and original content on your blog; and to syndication of your content (e.g. via guest posting, social media marketing etc), will gradually get you there.
Begin by building a distinct and recognisable blog presence. Add to that a no-nonsense commitment to regular publishing of high quality content on a carefully chosen subject area or theme. And you’ll eventually have a good foundation on which to launch your income generation efforts.
You need not however wait to become THE king of the (blogging) ring to get started. Once your efforts have begun to yield decent traffic results and possibly some level of return visits, it would be time to explore ways to reap some financial rewards.
What follows below are three relatively little discussed strategies that ANYONE can use to make money through (or with the aid of) his/her blog
1. Making Offline Sales
Did I hear you say “Huh?”. Well, that’s understandable. Like I said this post is about little used strategies. So, bear with me as I explain.
The idea is to use your blog to facilitate making money offline. All you need is to be quick thinking and a smart sales person, to take advantage of opportunities that present themselves. If you run a brick and mortar business, explore ways to turn potential clients or customers’ attention to your blog e.g. when one walks in to make enquiries and appears to be in a hurry.
If you’ve diligently created content to make yours an authority blog, you’re likely to find something s/he says that you can relate to your blog’s content. Refer him/her to a PDF report or blog post you wrote to address a similar concern to the one s/he is raising.
If you have an Internet ready laptop within reach (which you could make a permanent feature on your premises) use it to show him/her what you mean. This can boost your credibility in the eyes of that individual. Sometimes that alone can convince an undecided buyer to place an order right there and then.
Even though I work from home, I’ve made this happen many times in the past, while in a client’s office, and using his/her laptop!
One example: Few months ago, I visited the office of an old client for a meeting. In the course of our discussions, she complained about poor service from her internet provider. This made me mention that I’d written a new report on my blog, about a massive cost-saving method I discovered, which involved using my smart phone as a modem on my laptop. 24 hours later she had paid for the e-book, and I’d sent the PDF to her.
In some cases, apart from getting paid in cash for a $40 PDF report I showed a client on my website/blog, I also got hired on the strength of that showing, to do the major project we originally came together to discuss!
I hope you see what I mean. This is about using your blog to facilitate the marketing and sales process in offline, one-on-one or group situations. And why not? Not everyone is a freelance writer who blogs for a living. Some business owners run blogs for use as marketing tools, to build market place credibility.
It only makes good business sense to “talk up” their high content quality blogs to prospects they meet, in a way that generates sales leads and ultimately income. Of course this may not happen often, or the same way every time. But if/when it does, the benefits can be multiple, and would come with minimal effort.
If you sell products, the fact that your store is online should not stop you from making sales if you physically come across people who need them. You (and members of your team) should be prepared for all possibilities – within reason.
In my part of the world, that’s not an unrealistic thing to do. Even in developed societies, a blog setup with this kind of mindset could be used to generate sales during say, a 3 day conference, if the owner provides a purchase processing equipment (e.g. credit card swiper) for dealing directly with interested attendees.
That’s better than asking them to place their orders when they get back to their homes or offices(which can result in some forgetting, or even changing their minds)!
If the product is physical and you have it on you (or in a sales truck at the venue) many people who meet you in person are likely to place orders, knowing the “shipping/handling” expense and waiting period will be eliminated.
Depending on the level of interest you perceive, a sales terminal linked directly to your blog’s payment processing system could be installed in a strategic location. Visitors to your premises would then read signs announcing such blog based offers and if interested simply make their purchase at that terminal.
That’s how a strategy of selling information products related to your business can make customers and clients who come in to place orders for them. It will earn you extra income without the overheads. And you’d also have the email addresses of buyers added to your mailing lists etc.
In summary, the fact that you display products online should not stop you from ALSO taking orders offline. Depending on what part of the world you’re in, NOT all your potential buyers will own PCs or have Internet access. So, when they visit your physical premises, or run into you in person, if you’ve prepared yourself as explained above, both you and such buyers will be happier at the end of your interaction!
If the product is electronic, they’ll get it in their mail boxes as soon as they complete payment right there and then. And YOU would get home with money in the bank. No need for follow ups or reminders.
How Do You Accept Credit Cards Offline?
To really make the most of this strategy, especially when dealing with large numbers of people in a physical location, you’ll need a purchase processing device. This tends to be a bit more complicated than the online system. But once setup, it can bring useful flexibility to your ability to make sales anywhere you are.
Thankfully, with advancements in technology, today’s providers continue to offer improved options. It is now possible to use a standalone credit card swiper linked to your mobile phone to take orders from offline customers. Other variants exist. Even Pay pal offers an offline merchant account option. If you are willing to do some creative thinking, it’s likely this strategy can yield some useful financial rewards for you. Read “this ehow article ” for useful details.
Here in Nigeria, Interswitch and other prepaid card swipers are increasingly becoming available in physical stores and business premises. The problem I see is that most owners fail to think beyond the conventional use these tools were setup for.
If you already use such a device on your premises, what stops you from encouraging customers or clients to use the card swiper to purchase information products from your blog? Basically, you could use your smart phone to email the download link (or file attachment) to the customer while s/he stands right in front of you AFTER making payment with his/her card. That would be passive income earned – which can add up over time.
2. Generating Pre-Qualified Leads For Sales of Your Products/Services
You can be more deliberate when you write posts for your blog – with the aim of getting potential buyers for products and services you offer, to contact you.
As I’ve explained on the About This Blog page, THIS is a multidisciplinary blog. I decided to focus all my content publishing in one central location on my domain, to ease the process of promoting different products and services I offer different audiences. Some of the these groups share similar overlapping interests – and that’s what makes it possible for me to do this. For instance a number of my web marketing clients have at one point or the other ordered a custom spreadsheet solution or PDF information products from me.
So, when I write new posts based on my blog publishing schedule, I’m actually doing so with deliberate marketing intent. And it works. Indeed, I have found that my newsletter subscription rates have risen since I launched this blog.
You could setup a separate contact form for each area of service you offer. The forms should be customizable – and must work with a script that will send auto responses with download links to needed documents etc. The script should also send YOU custom email messages that let you know which products and/or areas of your service are being requested from the SUBJECT line alone. This can make you well informed about your most in-demand product or service.
But what’s really important is the useful information the above setup can help you gather. In my case, the reports help me determine much more accurately, what those who contact me are looking for. That guides me to better tailor subsequent posts published in each blog category.
A good example of how I write posts with deliberate intent to generate sales leads for a product or service can be seen in my recent post(based on a pre-existing article) in the public speaking category titled “I Flopped Badly At The National Finals! (A True Story About How NOT To Prepare For/Deliver And Important Presentation). Note the 3D ebook cover(shown below) of a special White Paper inserted at the post’s bottom. That FREE download offer links to a squeeze page offering an additional FREE PDF report download. In the PDF white paper, this one page flyer announcing Burt Dubin’s speaker mentoring service is included.
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Write posts with timeless useful content, that can help potential buyers gain insights to address needs they have. They’ll come to regard you as a competent authority. And when they see an offer to get more content from you in form of a report or book, there’s a good chance some will take up your offer. If you go on to play your cards right, say through your newsletter and e-mail marketing, some will eventually take buying action.
3. Subscriber Web Contact Form Data Mining:
This strategy builds on what happens in 2. above. Success in the latter implies you’ll gradually build a mailing list of potential buyers. That mailing list CAN then be “mined” for three key purposes:
a. To gain insight for new post titles and website content you can create that will interest visitors
b. To understand the demographics of those who make enquiries e.g. job titles, occupation, area of interest, etc.
c. To determine the frequency of enquiries relating to a specific product or service: It was this that helped me discover an overwhelming majority of visitors to my Farm Biz Ideas website were keenly interested in learning about Livestock Feed Formulation. And this has been reflected in the repeat sales I’ve made of my Feed Formulation Handbook and also via one-on-one coaching of clients on the subject.
Each time a request form on my website is used, the script that is executed auto-updates a text database with the information submitted by the prospect.
Whenever I need to do a comprehensive review, I simply download the text database from my website’s cgi-bin and import it into Excel.
Each database field is placed in a separate spreadsheet column. This makes it easy to access what you want. Basically, I use a small MS Excel app I built to review enquiries sent in by visitors over time, to get ideas for new topics to write on. And since the enquirer is already on my mailing list, whenever the resulting new content is published, s/he gets to know as well.
The point being made here is that you can analyze the visitor contact information collected from 2. above, and use it to refine your content marketing efforts via your blog. That’s where the “mining” of your data comes in. Believe me, when you put that data into a spreadsheet it can really open your eyes to useful trends in the requests and “characteristics/profiles” of those who respond to your content.
For instance from “studying” my form data, I’ve discovered that over 80% of sales I’ve made of my Farm Business products and services have been to people from a specific region of the country. It’s so uncanny that I’m planning to visit that location to see if I can understand why that is so – and possibly make it happen more often!
Final Words
The strategies I’ve described above provide potentially viable complementary alternatives a blog owner can adopt. They would probably appeal to people just starting out or at least in the early stages of running their blogs – until they can build enough recognition/authority to facilitate access to more popular channels.
Having said that, even blog owners who already enjoy financially rewarding returns from using the popular strategies may find it beneficial to ADD these strategies to boost their blogs’ ability to generate financially rewarding returns.
In this post I mention the case of a teacher who told her pupils to stop watching Tom and Jerry cartoons for the above mentioned reason. If you’re surprised that a teacher could make such a misleading assertion, know that you are not alone. And it is because such things can happen that I believe more parents need to show more interest in knowing who their kids’ teachers are, on a personal basis. Our kids spend over six hours exposed to "teachers" – on weekdays for months. That’s enough time to pick up all kinds of ideas from their teachers. We therefore need to be sure of the quality of thinking our child;s teacher indulges in, to avoid having our kids wrongly oriented As the original title I used for this article in 2008 states: "Don’t Let "Wrong" Teachers Make Your Child A Thinking Pigmy!"
(First published online: 29th January 2008)
Preamble
This is a subject I am especially passionate about. I have written about it previously, but some weeks ago I heard about a teacher in a school who said something that really upset me, to kids she was teaching that I decided to do this additional feature on it.
What do you hope to achieve by sending your kids to school? Do you aim to make a status statement each time your kids step out in their pretty school uniforms, board their air-conditioned bus to head to/return from your idea of a befitting school? Or is your intention to have them equipped with the knowledge, attitudes and skills needed to make a success of their own lives as adults?
I hope the latter is your preference. But going by what I sometimes see, there appears to be a pre-occupation on the part of certain parents with "creating impressions", and keeping up with the Joneses. Those who do this proudly announce they are sending their kids to the "best" schools in xyz area.
Unfortunately, high fees and pretty school buildings do not guarantee your child a quality education. And please note that by education I do not mean the ability to score all A’s in the final school certification exams. Being educated goes way beyond that. It includes being conversant with what it takes to do more than just survive in the real world.
"Let early education be a sort of amusement. You will then be able to find out the natural bent" – Plato (346 BC).
Kids Are Not Afraid To Show Surprise/Excitement When They Discover NEW Learning
Furthermore, being educated in my opinion involves having the understanding that there is nothing wrong in allowing yourself to "act excited" and "be surprised" when you discover new learning! And that is what makes kids so special in my opinion. You see they are so willing to believe what they are taught and they rarely act unexcited when they do.
A quick example:< My kids once discovered a butterfly pupa hanging in the corner of a wall in the compound, and all came screaming into the house to tell my wife and I (then they literally dragged us out to see it). Prior to that time, they had only been seeing caterpillars(butterfly larvae) which seemed to drop on to the ground from the next compound which was filled with tall grasses. And I had been using a set of colored pictures illustrated flip charts to show them the life cycle of butterflies and other insects. So they had seen pictures of the pupa but never seen a live specimen - until that day. And they did not hide their excitement.
On another occasion, after pestering us futilely to get them a pet cat, my kids teamed up to use wet sand to mould a cat (or more accurately, something they meant to look like a cat!). They then sent my wife and I reeling with laughter when they informed us that since the Bible said we were all made from earth/soil they intended to pray to God to turn their sand statue cat into a real-life version they could keep as a pet. We told them this was unlikely to work, but they insisted that it would.
We were particularly glad they did not succeed, because the resultant live cat would have been so grotesque, and its looks would probably have caused visiting friends/relatives to have nightmares!
But let’s not lose sight of the point being made – kids have so much capacity to believe and to display such belief and wonder without embarrassment. Any schooling they are exposed to must be checked to ensure it does not kill this quality in any child. The problem is some schooling systems teach kids to be the opposite of what I have described above.
Do you think kids who behave like those mentioned above will have difficulties describing the life cycle of a butterfly if they are ever asked, after having had such experiences? Not likely. Research has shown clearly that people tend to learn best/recall more successfully what they are taught when the learning they undergo is experiential(i.e. practical/experience based and therefore real-world relevant).
When Learning Is Fun, Learners Look Forward To It
But what is even MORE pertinent is to note how giving kids an exciting learning experience stimulates their thinking and makes them more interested in learning. In other words, kids who enjoy their learning will not be bored – neither will they need to be forced or coerced to study daily(You will not believe the way my kids keep coming to me with books and pictures on the things they learn about daily which I and my wife try to show them examples of in real life).
And that’s where I come to the matter of the teacher who (reportedly) told the kids she was teaching that they should not watch "Tom & Jerry" cartoons because the cartoons make kids act like they were "retarded"! Incroyable!!! (like the French would say). Wonders will just never end. That’s what you sometimes get when you send your kids to schools without checking for the quality of manpower such institutions have.
Do You Know Who Your Kids’ Teachers Are?
Which is why I ask these questions: WHO ARE YOUR KID’s TEACHERS??? Do you know them? I mean have you met them in person? Do you have an accurate assessment of what they can offer your kids?
Our society is failing its kids because the best of us are too busy trying to stay the best, and are willing to spare little or no time to pass on what we know to the next generation. We therefore end up leaving that very important teaching job to the "less than best" rest of society. The quote below captures this point quite well.
"In a completely rational society, the best of us would be teachers and the rest of us would have to settle for something less" – Lee Iacocca, Chairman & CEO, Chrysler Corporation
I know it does not sound nice, but it’s true! Some people settle for teaching jobs after looking without success for what are considered by the majority to be "better jobs"! At the risk of exaggerating, these kind of people tend to be "frustrated" and in certain cases could transfer their frustrations in many forms to the kids they have to teach.
These kinds of people generally tend not to be up and doing in improving themselves, and so may not to be in touch with latest developments/trends. That mental attitude could make them lack insight into the true nature of certain things e.g. Tom and Jerry cartoons! And yet we leave our kids with people who may have these issues for six to eight (8) or more hours daily!
I know for a fact that Tom and Jerry cartoons do wonders for the imagination of kids – and the many adults(like me) – who watch them. I can remember watching that cat and mouse cartoon series without getting bored from well before my tenth birthday, and have NEVER once been bored. And I certainly never suffered any negatives effects from watching them. So where did that teacher get her ideas about the effect of the cartoon series on kids from?
"The value of a liberal arts education is that it trains the mind to think" – Albert Einstein
Summary
The best gift you can give your child is the ability to think for him/herself. Make sure you send him/her to a school that does not "kill" that instinct/ability. Don’t let the wrong teachers make your child a thinking pigmy. Don’t let them turn him/her into what Robert Kiyosaki called a "mindless parrot" or robot. Get actively involved in your child’s formal schooling – and education today.
"Education has produced a vast population able to read, but unable to distinguish what is worth reading" – George Macaulay Trevelyan, 1942.
Final Words
By way of interest, the expression "Thinking Pigmy", is not original to me. I came across it in a book by Colin Wilson titled "The Occult" Copyright 1971, Random House Inc. (New York & Canada).
The lessons I share in this article are based mainly on a true-life experience I had, in 1997, at the age of 27. I was delivering a management research paper at the National Finals of the (now repackaged) Young Managers Competition, organized by the Nigerian Institute of Management(NIM). I provide graphic details of how my inexperience made me take certain important preparatory steps for granted.
You will learn how that eventually led to a botched presentation that earned me considerable embarrassment, and a 5th place position that I would have bettered on a good day.
Ironically, the “equivalent benefit” of that adverse experience came to my rescue about 5 years later (in 2002) – during my first year in self-employment as a Self-Development/Performance Enhancement Specialist.
Then I used the lessons from my failed presentation to deliver a successful presentation at the Center for Management Development(CMD). This, despite being told midway through my presentation to finish in one (1) instead of two(2) hours. And in spite of the fact that a power cut occurred that forced me to fall back on my printed speaker notes to finish my presentation.
Read this article. It provides a comprehensive summary of useful learning points, and also offers very practical ideas about what can go wrong. Plus, how you can improvise to STILL deliver a successful presentation.
Background: It all began in November 1997, while I was observing my annual leave from work(as a 27 year old brewer in Guinness Benin Brewery)
After coming across the call for entries in a national daily, I wrote and entered a paper titled “Statistical Process Control (SPC) and Target Setting” for the 1997 edition of the Nigerian Institute of Management’s Young Manager’s Competition.
Invitation letter – After coming across the call for entries in a national daily, I wrote and entered a paper titled “Statistical Process Control (SPC) and Target Setting” for the 1997 edition of the Nigerian Institute of Management’s Young Manager’s Competition.
The paper was based on work I had done(mostly in my free time) in setting up various process control/reports computerization systems in departments(Production/Brewing and Packaging/Bottling) where I worked.
The paper discussed the use of CUSUM(Cumulative Sum Deviation) charts, and other simple Statistical Process Control(SPC) tools that I had used in real-life projects I had carried out at various times during the course of the year(1997).
Entry form for the competition – insideEntry form for the competition – outer side
One of them was ” Total Waste Unaccounted For(TWUF)™” – a statistical process control index I developed by myself…
Regarding TWUF™, I had returned to the brewing department from another secondment as Packaging Shift Manager to the Packaging (bottling) department in February 1997, when I was recalled on the request of the Packaging Manager – Alex Okorodudu.
He asked me to carry out a beer waste investigation on one of the bottling lines.
In the course of that investigation, I developed the concept of TWUF™, which through mass balancing made it possible to quantify beer losses that could not be traced to a known waste point.
Eventually, I used TWUF™ to identify the startup and shutdown operations at the bottle filler machine as being responsible for creating an apparent(i.e. false) beer waste situation. Modification of the mentioned filler procedures led to an immediate normalization of waste values recorded.
I intend to publish a formal paper on TWUF in a few weeks from now. It’s a concept that can be used in ANY process.
Deciding To Enter For The Competition…& Getting Approval From Management…
My decision to enter for the NIM competition was influenced by a need I felt, to share the experiences I had gained in the practical application of statistical tools for useful purposes in a business.
Prior to entering that paper for the competition, I had given out copies of it to senior managers in the company’s Lagos office, like Alistair Reid(then Operations Manager, Lagos), and Abiola Popoola(Head of Human Resources).
Apart from seeking their input, I did this to get their consent and be sure it was okay to use the company information I had included.
Important Note. If you plan on using any data from your current workplace in an activity outside the company, it is imperative that you consult competent officers of the company to advise you on how to go about doing it. Play safe by getting the responsible person(s) to give you the go-ahead, before you send out any information or material regarding the company’s activities. That way, you are unlikely to make the mistake of giving out sensitive information that could get you into trouble.
You may not have plans to enter a paper for a competition like I did, but you might want to send out an article for publication in a newspaper or other media.
Check with those concerned to be sure that all you have put into your write-up is “safe for public consumption”.
Presenting The Paper At The Zonal Finals In Ibadan, Oyo State
On 15th November 1997, I presented my paper before a packed audience in Kakanfo Inn (Ibadan, Oyo State) at the Western Zonal finals. By the end of the day, I was announced as runner up, which meant that I had qualified for the Lagos national finals along with the winner of the zonal competition.
Looking back, I recall feeling very confident during the delivery of my paper on that day.
Not long after I resumed work from my annual leave, I informed my boss – Greg Udeh – of my outing at the NIM zonals, and the fact that I would have to travel to attend the National Finals in Lagos.
He was naturally pleased to learn of my initial achievement at the zonals and the next day, announced my achievement at the brewery meeting for departmental heads.
I soon found myself – midway through conversations – getting asked about the competition and being wished best of luck etc. Maybe all that attention got to me, and made me “forget” to at least mentally rehearse my presentation.
Traveling from Guinness Benin Brewery, in Benin City, Edo State to Lagos For The National Finals
Due to limited number of brewers available that day, I had to cover afternoon shift duty on Friday (2.00pm till 9.00pm) before I could take off on my journey to Lagos.
It was nobody’s fault really – just one of those unexpected developments that shift workers have to deal with.
The finals were scheduled to hold from 9.00am prompt on the morning of Saturday December 13th 1997. So I knew I had to get into Lagos before 7.00am, in order to pick up a cab in time to reach the Victoria Island “Management House” of the NIM – venue of the finals.
Within thirty minutes of arriving at the ever busy Benin city’s Iyaro motor park, the Peugeot station wagon I boarded took off with six passengers for Lagos.
This was at about 10.30pm(Yes – at night).
Some four hours later, we arrived at Ojota park in Lagos. All the cabs and buses had retired for the day by this time(this was approx 2.30am Saturday morning)
So there was nothing else to do but plead with a taxi driver to let me catch up on some sleep in the passenger front seat of his cab.
Suddenly I heard the loud chanting of a bus conductor calling passengers for Palmgrove.
The time was about 5.45 am.
I quickly thanked my “sleeping companion” and picked up a taxi heading towards Pedro/Shomolu. Arriving at my parent’s house in Gbagada Estate, I hurriedly took a shower, changed my clothes, and explaining to my surprised mother that I had little time left, jumped back into the taxi, which sped off towards Victoria Island.
At about 7.30 am, the taxi dropped me off in front of the NIM Management house on Idowu Taylor street.
Feeling relieved, I quickly went in and confirmed that start time was 9.00am. That was when it dawned on me that I had not eaten anything since the night before.
One of the security men at the gate kindly directed me to a “quick-snacks corner”, where I “quickly” downed some, with a bottle of soft drink.
Returning to the NIM premises, I found a place to sit that enabled me observe preparations being made for commencement, while I opened my folder and began studying the paper copies of my presentation (projector) transparencies.
Presenting At The Lagos Finals – The Unthinkable Happens!
My fellow contestants
Not long after, following some welcome speeches/opening remarks and introductions, the competition commenced.
When the 3rd (of eight) finalists – Mitchell O. Elegbe – finished presenting his paper (titled “Achieving Competitive Advantage Through Information Technology In Emerging Economies”), I heard my name being announced. Minutes later, I was standing in front of the packed auditorium introducing my self and paper.
Waiting for my turn to deliver my paper
Based on hindsight, I now realize that the unavailability of a projector at the zonal finals (which caused the organizers to ask us to dispense with our transparencies and speak freely referring to any speaker notes we had) probably blinded me to the need to rehearse for the National finals with a projector.
As “luck” would have it, the projectors had been made available at the National Finals and I found myself having to pause intermittently to slot in the appropriate slide for the next set of points I wanted to make.
This went well initially, but since I had not really taken time to rehearse since the zonals, especially following from the fact that I had found no need to use the slides back then, I struggled quite a bit.
I cannot be certain, but it is possible that THAT also contributed to my not thinking “clearly” when I later experienced a little setback during the presentation.
To cut the long story short, about ten (10) minutes through my presentation, I turned to pick a slide containing charted data depicting the use of the CUSUM concept, but found it was missing.
Feeling my heart skip a beat, I lifted the other slides up by the edges to see if the CUSUM chart was there but it was not.
Speaking into the microphone, I apologized to the puzzled audience, explaining that I was missing a slide. One of the judges, after some seconds had passed, said “Mr Solagbade, your time is fast running out”.
I nodded, but kept on looking – convinced I could still find it in enough time to use it and finish the presentation!
Unfortunately when it was about 1 minute left (out of the 15 minutes allowed) I still could not find it. I had wanted so badly to impress the judges and audience like I had done at the zonals, that I could not help feeling at this point, that the mishap would have killed any chance I had of getting anything better than last place!
I felt so bad about my blunder, that I declined to take up an offer from the judges to allow me three(3) extra minutes to do a decent round up of my presentation.
Instead, I told the audience – in a very serious tone – that I was convinced the paper had a lot of useful information for companies in the manufacturing industry.
Then I encouraged them to take time to visit the NIM library and read through it in future.
Dropping the microphone, I returned to my seat as muffled applause/murmuring from the audience continued.
Surprise! Despite My Blunder, I Still Get Placed 5th Overall
But I was in for a shocked when the judges announced the final results later in the day.
They pointed out that the verbal presentation(which I had flunked) only carried 20% of total marks, while paper’s “quality” carried 80%!
However, before they announced the results, they also read out other criteria for rating the contestants, one of which they defined as “the confidence demonstrated by a contestant in his/her paper”.
Looking back, I believe it was the confidence with which I had recommended my paper to the audience, that led the judges to award me enough points to place 5th, despite my bungled presentation.
So it happened, that despite an aborted presentation, my paper which was adjudged to be of high standard (with the concept of Total Waste Unaccounted For – TWUF™ – being singled out for mention) eventually placed me 5th out of eight(8) finalists.
Speech and announcement of winners by a management representatieve of the sponsoring company – makers of NESCAFE…I think NESTLE.Dignitaries present (and I think the judges too)
As the results were being announced, my mind went back to what one of the judges had said to me during lunch after the last contestant – Friday E. Eboh – had completed his presentation(titled “Public Relations In Management: Issues and Challenges”).
He had said “Solagbade, you should have simply continued with your presentation when you could not find the slide quickly enough. You were doing well up to that point, and to be honest, I don’t think anyone would have noticed if you did not show THAT particular slide.” I realized he was right. I alone knew the slide existed – they did not! So, if I had chosen to skip it during my presentation, they would not have known better!
Receiving my gifts
I learnt a painful but useful lesson that day, to always rehearse my presentation well ahead of time, no matter how well I think I know it.
The experience also impressed upon me, the importance of running through a checklist of all the items I need to take with me for a presentation so as to avoid missing out any important ones – like I did the CUSUM charts slide.
Final positions of the contestants at the National Finals
Finalists – we took a picture together at the request of the media photographers who were present, AFTER the event ended.
Back At Work – A Senior Manager Tells Me Where I Went Wrong
When I returned to work the following week, I sent a little note about the outcome of the finals to one of the senior executives in Lagos: Ian Hamilton – who had been particularly supportive.
In it, I told how bad I felt for not having done better etc. He sent back a post-it note attached to my note, on which he wrote:
“Tayo, 5th place overall in NIgeria! You should be proud of yourself “
Then regarding the mishap during my presentation, which betrayed inadequate “practice” on my part, he wrote: “Even the members of the (Guinness) board rehearse their presentations many times before they have to deliver them!”
I took his correction to heart and used it to drive myself to become proficient in delivering presentations subsequently.
I believe an indication of how proficient I had become was evident during a presentation I was invited to deliver at the Center for Management Development, in Lagos.
This event took place in September 2002, about 9 months after I had voluntarily resigned my appointment with Guinness to go into business for myself. (Read my article Should You Quit Your Job Or Start Your Business Part-Time? to learn why I decided to quit my job despite the promise of a bright career future in the company.)
On that day, less than 15 minutes after I was introduced/began delivering my paper, the following happened within about 5 minutes of each other:
a. The center’s Training Manager slipped me a note asking that I “Please finish in 1 hour” (instead of the two hours I had been originally told I would be making the presentation in).
b. An electric power cut suddenly occurred!
Both potentially disturbing/unexpected “changes” however did not bother me.
When the lights of the PC projector went out that afternoon in the CMD’s main auditorium, I was fully prepared in every way.
I simply picked up the printed power point speaker notes I had put on the table while preparing to start my talk, and flipped to the page containing the points I was making before the lights went out.
Then, after making a joke about the loss of power supply – continued, and eventually concluded, my presentation well within the revised one hour time slot.
At the end of the day, over 100 attendees who returned my speaker feedback form to me, scored me an average rating of approximately 4.0 (on a scale of 1 to 5, where 5 = Excellent).
Three of the many notable comments on speaker evaluation feedback forms returned to me by members of the audience read as follows:
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“Good insight for the much needed human revolution to drive creativity in this nation”
Oma Williams O.W. – Director, Center For Management Development, Lagos.
“A very worthwhile exercise. The package can however be improved by making it organization specific”
C. I. Okeke – AD/Research & Consulting, Center For Management Development, Lagos.
“The Speaker, Mr. Solagbade is an authority in his field. The Speaker is an achiever who is able to carry his audience along with him in his message/speech”
Confidential Secretary, Center For Management Development, Lagos.
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Letter of Appreciation from the Center for Management Development (in response to one that I sent them AFTER the event).
Useful Lessons You Can Take Away
Choosing to go for this competition enabled me connect with top managers in my workplace, on an informal level – and I got noticed/establish potentially useful relationships. If nothing else, my actions got them thinking of me positively, and probably played a role in many career advancement opportunities that later got sent my way.
Another benefit was that I got considerable attention across the brewery for getting that far in the competition. All of these would have made me get noticed by a larger number of decision makers – which would NOT have been the case if I had not gone for that competition.
I say the foregoing in light of the fact for instance, that a year later, in 1998, I would be nominated twice – first time for four weeks, and the next time ten weeks – to relieve the substantive Technical Training & Development Manager(TTDM) – on a management grade one-step above that which I belonged to.
The point I have tried to make above, is that you can intelligently create opportunities to showcase your unique abilities to decision makers, by engaging in activities that afford you the desired exposure.
However, it might be wise not to make impressing your superiors the main objective of venturing into such an activity as the one I took up for instance.
Towards improving your presentation skills, and taking needed actions/precautions, you may find the following lessons I learnt of some use:
1. Get Adequate Pre-Presentation Time:
I should have sought the support of my boss/brewery management to get away from work earlier so as to be able to travel for the event and arrive on time. This might have helped to get myself organized and I could have discovered the absence of the slide BEFORE the presentation.
2. Practice, Practice, Practice!
I would have fared better if I had made conscious effort to rehearse my presentation well ahead of the finals. The achieved familiarity with my presentation might have made me more confident to carry on despite being unable to find the slide.
3. Coaching Tips From Experienced Others:
I could have sought tips about handling hitches or problems during presentations. Experienced speakers – like many of the company’s senior executives may have been able to share their personal ideas about how to prepare with me.
Some may have prompted me to be ready for when things go wrong – drawing on their personal experiences.
For instance, today, if I have to coach anyone on making presentations, one of the most important topics I would cover is “What Can Go Wrong, And What You Can Do – In spite Of Setback(s) – To Ensure You Still Deliver A Good Presentation“.
4. Quitters NEVER Win:
If I had remained calm, and carried on with my presentation without letting on that something was wrong, I could probably have earned enough additional points to eventually do much better than winning 5th place.
Instead I let myself get upset upon discovering that my slide was missing.
You will want to avoid making the same mistake if/when you find yourself in a similar situation.
Final Words: Adversity ALWAYS Comes With Benefits …Which We Can Harvest If We Pay Attention!
Overcoming temporary defeat(i.e. failure) or adversity; recovering from setbacks, or correcting and learning from mistakes we make, will ALWAYS make us improve in our abilities to do what we do.
It is for this reason that I end this article by saying:
Even if you DO have a bad presentation outing, know that the experience presents you with a potential learning opportunity to become BETTER at delivering presentations.
Simply make up your mind to identify where you went wrong, and learn what you need to do differently in future, to make your presentation successful.
Do this as/when necessary, and you will eventually achieve your desired goal of being able to deliver successful presentations repeatedly and consistently.
…a multi-disciplinary blog for people passionate about reaching their goals!
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