Comments for The Essential Message

Comment on “Even your laugh sets you apart.” by Shachar Perlman

Shachar Perlman — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 18:38:46 +0000

Brilliant!
And I want to add to that –
More and more, I am realizing that the question we must ask ourselves is not, ‘how can we change our life and business so that we make more money?’ It’s, ‘how can we change our life and business so that we can do something that genuinely reflects who we are?’

The most important thing is ‘how can we NOT change and use our unique abilities to do something that genuinely reflects who we are and help others’

Shachar

Comment on ‘Customer-Centric’ isn’t just a technique, it’s a mindset! by Marie Guthrie

Marie Guthrie — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 21:08:07 +0000

I had to laugh. Right after reading this a well known celebrity marketing guru who teaches this stuff posted the recording for her Prodigy Club Gold call. file name? 25972759562123-001. Now mind you this is on a beautiful, carefully branded, membership site with muliple programs each with their own brand message & identity. Just goes to show how easy it is to undo all that expert branding by not seeing what you do through the eyes of the customers experience.

Comment on ‘Customer-Centric’ isn’t just a technique, it’s a mindset! by Michel Neray

Michel Neray — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 20:09:57 +0000

Argh, and wouldn’t you know it I got an estimate emailed to me from a contractor today after I published the blog post. The filename? neray_misc-jobs.doc . I kid you not…

Comment on ‘Customer-Centric’ isn’t just a technique, it’s a mindset! by Clare Kumar

Clare Kumar — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 17:59:27 +0000

Michel – bang on. As a Professional Organizer I’m all about taking the bumps out of peoples’ lives whether at work or at home. The ideas you mention are all things I practice and preach. Practical things you can do to show your respect for your customer’s time will always be appreciated. Here is a filing tip for finding your own data easily if keeping it in chronological order is important. Preface the title text with the year, month and day (i.e. 20100804). Then even if you manipulate a file and the “date modified” changes, you will always have the files in order.

Comment on ‘Customer-Centric’ isn’t just a technique, it’s a mindset! by TheManager

TheManager — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 19:07:43 +0000

When I first started working with you, I thought you were just anal retentive about file naming conventions. It didn’t take me long to see the method behind your madness… and now I do the same thing! And it drives me crazy when other people don’t (so I guess it makes me great…)

Comment on My mother’s interview: Against the Odds: Ruth Neray, Holocaust Survivor by Susan Kates

Susan Kates — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:21:03 +0000

As children of a holocaust survivors we have an essential message we need to convey to the world, we will never give up. Our struggles and our challenges are nothing like what our partners went through and we are here to prove that their courage was worth it. It is our responsiblity to be the best that we can be. It is our destiny to make an impact on others. Michel you are honoring your mother simply by doing what you are doing, that’s the essential message.

Comment on Do you have what it takes to be a thought leader? by Deana Goldasich

Deana Goldasich — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 03:32:01 +0000

Great post, Michel! As you know, I’m especially passionate about Thought Leaders and the power of their voice! Indeed, finding your brand–your essential message–is critical to establishing yourself as a true, focused thought leader. Creating that essential message also forces you to stay “true” to your expertise and avoid wandering into areas that are not your own. This keeps your message clean and tidy for those who are learning about your brand, your expertise and your value!

Thanks again! I look forward to following your blog, your ideas and your insight!

Deana Goldasich
WellPlannedWeb.com
Deana Goldasich´s last blog ..5 Steps to Finding News Feeds and Blogs Worth Following

Comment on Do you suffer from Nichephobia? by Ida Shessel

Ida Shessel — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 16:40:29 +0000

Hi Michel,
Nichephobia – great terminology!
Here’s another rationalization for avoiding a niche: boredom. There are many good reasons for carving out a niche, but for some people repeating the same messages over and over again gets old. Immersing ourselves in a niche may not provide enough variety, and maintaining focus becomes a constant battle when we are being bombarded (through the internet, etc.) by the multitude of ideas and opportunities that are out there. How does one avoid boredom and at the same time keep the work fresh and fun?

Comment on Do you suffer from Nichephobia? by Marie Guthrie

Marie Guthrie — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 14:32:50 +0000

I’ve done a ton of work and soul searching to get an exceptionally clear and tightly focued niche. Funny thing happened. The narrower it got, the higher my revenue went up and the more I attracted my ideal client. Revenue this year and services are all aligned and leveraging each other. I’m building my brand and thought leadership and am now known as The Leading Authority on Executive Careers. How cool is that?!

Comment on Do you suffer from Nichephobia? by Cliff Sutton

Cliff Sutton — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 02:16:42 +0000

It seems kind of obvious when you put it that way.
One foot in, one foot out.
Make your money where you are and then build up the niche, if it ever gets done. Perhaps at some level it is the leap of faith we can choose to take. Harvey McKay says there is no start button on a tiger!
I feel what emerges from this is the key requirement of getting very sure about that niche and then pulling out the stops, finding out once and for all!!
Thanks for the article.