And, is it just me, or does it seem like the pace of change is accelerating?

If you need proof that our world is changing at the speed of light, watch the 2008 update of the video Did You Know? on YouTube. Some of the statistics in this short video are absolutely astounding to me, including:

• The largest English-speaking country will soon be China
• The ‘hottest’ jobs in 2010 did not even exist in 2004 (for example, green jobs, social media marketing)
• Today’s students will have 10 to 14 jobs by the age of 38
• 1 in 2 workers has been with their current employer less than 5 years

While I know that change is a fact of life and necessary for growth and development, sometimes it is hard to let go of ‘how it used to be.’  But, let go we must.

In his classic book, Transitions, William Bridges tells us that all change begins with an ending.  Bridges recommends formally marking the end of what used to be with a ritual of sorts.  I remember years ago, working for a company that was acquired.  There was a lot of sadness and nostalgia for the way things used to be.  A very smart person in our office (not me) organized a meeting to mark the end of the old company.  The employees gathered together in the breakroom and ceremonially burned our old business cards.  Then, we each received our new business cards imprinted with the acquiring company’s name and logo.  There was even a cake to help celebrate our new beginning as part of a larger organization.

What big changes are you currently facing and how are you dealing with the transition?

Q: So what’s the common criticism you receive for the stand you’ve taken?  Because you’re really calling us to rethink what happens in the buying and selling relationships that go on in our lives every day.

A: People haven’t liked our use of the term “soft sell.” They hear the word “soft” as meaning weak. But we don’t mean weak at all. Quite the opposite. Soft sell is much stronger than hard sell of creating long term profits.

Q: I was impressed by the section you wrote about truly loving your customers. It’s not the least bit sappy or off the charts. It really makes sense that customer relationships should be treated with a great deal more care and value. So pin it down for us – what is it you are calling love when dealing with customers?

A: We are all interconnected on this planet – in this universe, actually. We co-create our lives together. That means we need each other. When you’re aware of that need then, if you’re a seller, your buyer is your partner in every sale (and vice versa).

Q: We’ve covered a lot of territory here. So before we run out of time, what else would you like to say?  And, why should people read your book?

A: If you are a care-giver, a service provider, what we call a life transformation artist, our book is the only book written to identify, match, and support your marketing needs. As one of our endorsers wrote, “Read it and you will be impressed. Put it into action and you will be transformed.”

The Heart of Marketing is a great resource for anyone looking for solid marketing strategies and tactics with a Soft Sell, heart-based approach to create real profit and long-term customer relationships. Order your own copy of The Heart of Marketing before midnight tonight (May 14, 2009) and receive over $8,400 in bonus gifts from experts around the globe, including David Riklan, Christine Kloser, Gregg Braden, and Hay House.  Go to http://www.theheartofmarketing.com.

This blog post is the first of two this week and presents part of an interview conducted with the authors, Judith and Jim.  The rest of the interview will appear in my blog post on Wednesday, May 14th.  That post will also contain a very special offer from Judith and Jim’s joint venture partners.  So, be sure to come back on Wednesday.

Q: I understand that the two of you you came to write this book – The Heart of Marketing – after traveling a very circuitous path.  What happened?

A: We are former psychotherapists who ventured into online marketing just four years ago.  We had to overcome our technical deficiencies and learn to make friends with the computer. Even more so, we had to open our minds to an entirely new way of being in the world, a whole new and very different mindset – a marketing/business mindset.

But all along we labored under the feeling that something was wrong. Or to put it more accurately, something just wasn’t right. But what?

The answer began to emerge at the various internet marketing conferences we attended.

We always felt a sense of displacement, a feeling of not belonging, of somehow being outsiders. We hadn’t had years of business experience, no formal business education, and no family business connections. So we accepted our discomfort as just part of the newness we’d jumped into.

But at those same conferences we began to hear others who had the same complaint. “I don’t feel right, somehow.” We heard their complaints often enough that a pattern became clear. All those who voices this kind of discomfort were service providers, care-givers, change agents of some kind, men and women who had dedicated their lives to helping others heart-to-heart.

It became clear that there was a segment of the internet marketplace that was not being served. That segment is peopled by soft sell marketers – all of us who are care-givers and life-change artists as distinct from accumulation artists whose focus is money first and foremost. And so, soft sell marketing was born.

Q: So you found yourselves uniquely qualified to write this book – a book that advances the power and profit of heart-based, soft sell marketing.  What’s that been like?

A: Actually quite surprising. Not just what we’ve attracted, many people who are looking for a different way to market and profit, but that we see that the hard sell community is taking notice.

Q: Now, you say that soft sell marketers are primarily care-givers and service providers – but aren’t they the people we routinely deal with in our everyday lives?

A: Most marketers both online and off – about 90% – are soft sell marketers. They’ve just never been identified that way before.

To be continued…

Our hero is Johnny Bunko, who works in a job he hates.  He chose his college major and his career based on what other people told him he should do.  And, now he feels miserably stuck.  Sound familiar?  One night, while working late, Johnny conjures up Diana by snapping apart some chopsticks. And in the spirit (pun intended) of Scrooged and It’s a Wonderful Life, Diana imparts wise career advice to Johnny each time she appears.  Through a series of adventures with a couple of his work buddies by his side and Diana acting as coach, Johnny learns six lessons. Two of these lessons are to “think strengths, not weaknesses” and “make excellent mistakes.”  I won’t tell you the rest of the lessons, because I don’t want to be a spoiler.

I agree with Diana when she says that “this isn’t just career advice, guys. In some ways, this is what it means to be alive.”

Where to – GET NOTICED!

Part II

Organizations

OK, now you know that you have to take action and begin. The question is where do you start? Consider organizational events. they can be the ideal places to begin making contacts because virtually everyone who attends these events is there to network and make connections. Frequently, these events have been structured to facilitate networking. Specific times have been set-aside for attendees to meet one another, interact, and make connections.

The fact that these events are networking oriented can take the pressure off shy, uncomfortable newcomers. Since everybody has the same agenda, to connect with others, strangers will frequently approach you, introduce themselves, and engage you in conversations. When you talk with others, it breaks the tension, and makes it less frightening. You find that talking to the next person is easier and that you’re more comfortable.

A dizzying number of organizations hold networking events, so the trick is to attend those that could be most productive for you. Choosing the best events can take a little investigation and although every group is a potential source of referrals, some are clearly better than others. Therefore, it’s usually worth the time and effort to learn which can be the most opportune for you. Or start your own group.

Groups serve different audiences and have different slants or purposes. Civic organizations support community projects, women’s groups work to promote women’s causes, and industry associations serve the members of their particular fields. So I always belong to a number of groups.

Before you join organizations:

• Clarify you objectives for both the short and long term. List what you want to accomplish and how long you realistically think it will take.
• Precisely identify your target audience. Know exactly whom you want to meet, travel writers, classic car restorers, or wine distributors. Then go to organizational events that they would attend.
• In identifying your targets, look for cross-promotional opportunities. Members of certain groups may not use your goods or services themselves, but they could give you entree to a large number of people that will.
• Learn about each organization; investigate what you may be getting into. Ask about its mission, agenda, membership profile, events and causes, how often it meets, and the commitment you will be expected to make. If you’re young and new in business, do you want to join an established service organization that has an older demographic? Perhaps you do. Speak with your friends and business associates. Learn about their experiences and what they would recommend for you. Be their guests at meetings and events and experience them for yourself.
• Before you join an organization, speak with at least one member. Get a general overview of the group, its strong points, what it’s like to belong, how it could help you, and information about its members. Specifically ask what they like best and least. Usually, those you speak with will introduce you at your first meeting or even sponsor you, which will help you make contacts and gain credibility.

Join organizations in your field, but also venture out. If you’re a publicist, join publicity associations, but also think about going to authors groups because writers need publicity. If you’re the only insurance salesperson who belongs to the motorcycle club, it could help you sell policies. Joining organizations outside of your own industry can also turn you on to new and fascinating people and interests, which can stimulate and add excitement to your life.

When you join organizations, decide how involved you want to be. Devoting your time to causes, serving on committees, and being an officer can dramatically increase your profile. Ask yourself, can you afford the time, effort or expense of leading a campaign or being a director? Is it worthwhile for you? Or will your service be rewarding enough to justify the time?

No matter how far you branch out or how successful you become, I think it’s essential to remain closely connected to your local community, your Chamber of Commerce, business, civic, and community groups. These organizations will be your base; their members will be the core advocates who will root for you, support you, and spread your fame. When you try to expand beyond your local area, they can give strong endorcements when people in the new markets ask about you.

Become a star in your industry. Go against the grain.

For more information about Jill Lublin, author of Get Noticed… Get Referrals: Build Your Client Base and Your Business by Making a Name for Yourself (touring July 7 – August 1), visit the Virtual Blog Tour website. And, visit various blog tour stops throughout the month to learn more about Get Noticed… Get Referrals.

Networking is an essential activity for growing your business and your career. Increasing your visibility will help you stay viable in today’s business climate. To get you started and to motivate you to keep networking, I am posting a 2-part article by Jill Lublin, author of the new book, Get Noticed…Get Referrals. Jill is founder of GoodNews Media, Inc., a company specializing in positive news. How cool is that?

Where to – GET NOTICED!

Part I

In whatever you do, take that first, essential step; dive into the water. You may have developed the ideal solution for a major problem or invented a product that fills a critical void, but what good are they if you never implement your plans. Don’t waste your time sitting around, thinking, planning, and tinkering because you will never get you business off the ground. Instead, get started, do something, make a move. Put yourself out there and see where you land. Get wet; soaking wet.

Many people have little or no business experience. They have never taken business courses and don’t understand business terms. Business scares them; its alien territory, a place where they feel they don’t belong. When it comes to business, they don’t know what to do, where to turn, or who to ask for help. They are completely lost. They want to go into business, but fear that they will be devoured. Before long, the fire than fueled their passion sputters and dies.

You can’t succeed without trying. Venturing out, taking chances, is the only way to learn and to succeed. Many people simply won’t try because they are afraid to fail. They don’t try because it’s easier for their fragile psyches to accept that they didn’t try, than to admit that they tried and failed. They would rather not try than to try and not succeed.

Get into the game

To me, standing around, spinning my wheels and watching others pass me by is not living life; it’s missing life. It’s staying on the sidelines and watching others play the game.

I love the game; the excitement, learning; meeting and building relationships with new and different people. People fascinate me and their stories amaze me. Frequently I want to pinch myself because I work with and meet an astonishing array of outstanding people who constantly contribute wonders to my life.

I prefer to be active, busy, and expose myself to stimulating, new people and experiences. The exposure has introduced me to amazing opportunities, remarkable individuals, and interests that have changed my life. They have also introduced me to talents, parts of myself, which I never knew I possessed. They’ve enabled me to continue to grow and enjoy a rich, productive life.

Occasionally, we all get stuck. At one time, most of us have had a daunting paper to write and waited until the last, possible moment. We did everything we could to avoid the task until out only choice was to start writing or flunk. Finally, in total fear, we sat down to write. The first few words were agony. They may have even drawn blood. The initial paragraph had the grace of an armored tank and moved just as fast. But then we found the rhythm, words broke loose, and sentences formed. Ideas emerged, the momentum grew, and we got into a flow. Suddenly, we were immersed in our writing, lost in our thoughts and were expressing them clearly, directly, and logically — to our utter surprise.

How many people do you know who have the careers they initially planned or began? I know very few. Years ago, people chose a business or career and stayed in it for life. Today, that’s not the norm. People develop new interests, evolve, and change careers. Some move from career to career and then back again. And experts predict that this trend will increase.

The most interesting and successful individuals I know have evolved from vastly different careers than those they began. Somewhere in their trajectory, they came across an interesting subject, person, insight, experience, or opportunity. Their contacts, curiosity, or knowledge carried them into the unknown where they met with kindred spirits who helped them along the way.

I went to school to study psychology and never thought about publicity. Before Jay Conrad Levinson became the world’s largest selling business writer, he had a career in advertising. Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi was a housewife who didn’t run for public office until her children were grown.

Come back next week to read Part II of this article.

For more information about Jill Lublin, author of Get Noticed… Get Referrals: Build Your Client Base and Your Business by Making a Name for Yourself (touring July 7 – August 1), visit the Virtual Blog Tour. We invite you to visit various blog tour stops throughout the month to learn more about Get Noticed… Get Referrals.

We all have blindspots. I like to say that it is hard to see the picture when you are inside the frame. Executive coaches help leaders see the impact of their behavior on the people around them. As you know, the first step to making any sort of behavioral change is to become aware of the need to do so.

Quite often, an attitude or behavior that once served you well and contributed to your success, is now stopping you from moving ahead. It’s like wearing a suit that fit perfectly a decade ago, but today it is too small and completely out of style. You just have to look in the mirror, see the suit for what it is, and change clothes.

Goldsmith identifies 20 habits that prevent successful people from achieving all that they want. Here are just a few of these habits:

• Adding too much value: The overwhelming desire to add our two cents to every discussion.
• Passing judgment: The need to rate others and impose our standards on them.
• Starting with “No,” But,” or “However”: The overuse of these negative qualifiers which secretly say to everyone, “I’m right. You’re wrong.”
• Speaking when angry: Using emotional volatility as a management tool.
• Telling the world how smart we are: The need to show people we’re smarter than they think we are.
• Failing to give proper recognition: The inability to praise and reward.
• Playing favorites: Failing to see that we are treating someone unfairly.

An entire chapter is devoted to the 21st habit, which is Goal Obsession. “Goal obsession is one of those paradoxical traits we accept as a driver of our success. It’s the force that motivates us to finish the job in the face of any obstacle—and finish it perfectly. A valuable attribute much of the time. It’s hard to criticize people for wanting to do things 100 percent right (especially when you consider the sloppy alternative). But taken too far, it can become a blatant cause of failure.” Goldsmith says that goal obsession is not a flaw in and of itself, but it breeds unproductive and potentially destructive behaviors.

One of the reasons I like this book is because it offers practical advice on what habits to change and a systematic approach for tweaking behavior.  I highly recommend this book to everyone interested in leadership development.