Be Obnoxious & Visceral To Get Noticed.

That's right . . . obnoxious & visceral. What do I mean? I don't want you to be disgustingly objectionable or dealing with crude or elemental emotions.

I want you to stand out and be noticed. And frankly, politeness is not invited to the party. Politeness will only get you so far — but if you want to stand out, you must wedge your foot in the door and throw your shoulder to barge in.

Most executives and business owners don't want to do that. We've been taught to play fair, act with integrity, and treat everyone nicely. And that works to a certain extent — until you hit a wall and can't get through.

Maybe it's a problematic client. Or a close-minded boss. Or a peer who just won't listen. Or a vendor who keeps doing the same thing even though you remind them to do it differently.

Sometimes to cut to the chase and make a strong impression, you need to be obnoxious and visceral. What do I really mean?

Communication issues? You need to cut to the chase and explain exactly what is bothering you. Don't dance around the bush — tell them exactly what the issue is and then ask how they will solve it. Don't worry about their 'feelings', if they've been treating you badly, or bad-mouthing you — get real with them. Don't argue — get right to the point and in their face.

Hard to get an audience with a client or higher up? To get things done, you might have to be a bit more aggressive, more pushy, more 'in your face' than usual. First, get your act together and plan exactly what you're going to say — then get in there and say it. Forget about being polite — you need to be heard  — pick the right time and location and just DO IT.

The funny thing is — most people will not take it as an insult. In fact, they will probably see a little bit of them in you and really appreciate it.

On the other hand, if it doesn't go well — usually all is not lost. People will understand you are serious and hopefully make time for you at a later date. Almost no one will completely disown you for being brash.

Where do you need to be obnoxious and visceral today?

POST YOUR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BELOW

P.S. Hard getting your message across? Let's talk. I've worked with many clients who have the same problem — and we developed a successful strategy to make things happen. If you’re not a client . . . pick up the phone and call me (203.500.2421) — I offer one (and only one) complimentary session each week.

Get Visceral With Your Business.

I meet a lot of people every day. When I ask them what they do, they tell me, "I sell insurance." or "I'm a financial advisor." What they don't realize is an answer like that tends to 'close' down the other person's inquisitiveness immediately. Unless the person has a real interest in talking with you, they will probably move to another topic or another person.

I tell my clients to 'Get Visceral'. Instead of talking about what you do for a living, tell them how you impact people's lives. Touch their hearts. Engage their emotions. Get them to truly feel how you make a difference.

When I'm at a meeting/expo/conference and people ask me what I do, I say, "I make people's dreams come true." That answer IMMEDIATELY encourages the person to ask me another question, "And how do you do that?" They're hooked — I know I have them and I start reeling them in.

I then talk to all things I do for my clients — rather than categorizing myself into a cubbyhole — I paint a vivid picture of all the areas of business life I touch.

Here's an example — If you sell insurance and someone asks you about what you do — show them. Give them a big hug or two-handed handshake and tell them you make your clients feel infinitely secure — without worry. That will bring up a myriad of follow-up questions.

At the very least, it makes the discussion more fun and lively. If all goes well, you might get a new client.

What do you do to touch people's hearts when talking about what you do?