We’re extremely thankful for the support of our client partners and Decker program advocates who continue to spread our name.

Please see the press release for more information about this exciting growth!

It’s intriguing, deep, and action packed. And great effects if you’re into that kind of thing. While I was trying to sort out the plot around whose subconscious was whose, I started hearing the SUCCESs framework from Made to Stick. Disclosure: yes, I am in tune to it, but really not that geeky about it. Seriously, Nolan MUST have taken a few notes from the book in his research. If you’ve read the book or attended one of our programs you know that SUCCESs is a checklist for sticky messages which share the principles of Simple, Unexpected, Concrete, Credible, Emotional, and Story.

The premise of Inception is how to extract and plant subconscious thoughts, using dreams as the vehicle. And it turns out that planting an idea is the more difficult of the two. Not unlike what we do everyday: trying to plant ideas like adopting a new technical standard, launching a new initiative or process, convincing the boss why we’re the right person for the job, lobbying for a family vacation in Florida instead of Colorado, and even getting the kids to put things back in their place (by starting with putting their shoes away in the closet instead of leaving them in the middle of the kitchen floor).

So, Leo (aka, master thief Dom Cobb) assembles a crack team including a dream architect, a chemist, and a forger – all of whom can also kick butt in the process. Their task: to plant an idea in the mind of a major energy conglomerate heir – specifically, the idea that he should sell off and disband the business his father built. And they do it using a few of the SUCCESs principles that also map to the Decker Cornerstones:

• Simple: The idea must be incredibly simple so that it can grow and thrive on its own. That means boiling your message down to the biggest change in how you want your listener to think/act about your idea – it’s your Point Of View.
• Concrete: There must be some specificity and familiarity in the environment to allow the idea to grow. In other words, once you get someone to buy off on your Point of View, you must tell them what to do next. Include a Specific Action Step that is timed, physical and measurable.
• Emotion: Use it! This is the get-someone-to-CARE-about-your-idea part. Why would they do this? Give them the benefits (to THEM), and remember that positive emotion trumps negative emotion. The movie really tugs at the heartstrings here – without giving away too much I’ll just say that parents, don’t throw out all the elementary school artwork.

And it all comes together in a terrific 2.5-hour story that keeps your mind whirling. Head to the theater and go brush up on your communications – it’s a pretty good excuse. I’ll leave you with the trailer:

Last week I coached two executives, neither of whom had used video feedback before.  In both of these sessions, we addressed the need to “get out of the weeds.”  Most often, when we’re in the weeds, we don’t realize it.  Having an outside perspective (such as coaching and video feedback) is important for this very reason.  When we are passionate and invested in a message, it’s our natural tendency to share as much as we can in as much detail as we can.  The material is so important, so brilliant and so valuable that we inadvertently create information overload in our fervor.

When you present your communications experience, are you in the weeds?  Consider these indicators:

• The verbal content of your message is cluttered with verbosity, technical jargon, industry lingo, and too much detail.
• The visuals presented are overkill (too many slides, too much text, little or no graphics).
• Your presentation lacks stories, anecdotes, and humor.
• Your intensity for the material blinds you from the need to connect with and engage your audience.

The answer?  Focus on two things and two things only.

1. Your point of view:  What is the core message you want to convey?
2. Your audience:  What’s in it for them?  What are they looking for in your message?  How can you focus on the aspects of your message that they’ll care about?
   

Simplify your material.  Divorce the details that excite you but alienate your listeners.  Become a master of exclusion and a facilitator of a memorable message.  Take “you” out of the message.  Focus on your listeners, learn them and create an experience that leaves an impact on them.

Want to connect your message with your audience?  Get out your weed whacker!

Photo credit: gracieshoots

Last week I wrote on various aspects of eye communication. A couple of experiences prompt me to write again – on how eye communication impacts word of mouth marketing.

And how important is word of mouth marketing?

• 80% of reviews are positive…because people want to share things they enjoy. Known as the “J-Curve”
• 90% of people who write reviews do so to help other people.
• In 2007, “Trust in someone like me” tripled, which trust in companies dropped. (Think of what it is today!)

(For more stats, check out Bazaarvoice – the leader in WOMM)

Last week, I became a disgruntled customer at my local market because an order I had placed a week before had yet to be filled, and I was having friends over that night. I went there and the manager looked me directly in the eye throughout our conversation. As a result, I found myself calming down, seeking to work towards resolution. In the end, I left the establishment satisfied and eager once again to recommend the place to others.

Then recently I walked in to a store as a potential new customer, prepared to spend some good money to update a few home furnishings. Rather than engage me while discussing options in the store, the salesperson completely avoided eye contact, looking at my watch, my clothes, and pretty much anywhere else he could other than my eyes.

Combined with a generally unpleasant demeanor, this lack of eye contact cost this business not only a sale but also any positive word of mouth marketing. Being a small, specialty store in my neighborhood my negative experience leads me to give less-than-positive reviews to my friends in the community – bad WOMM.

As communicators, we have a toolbox of behavioral skills we enlist to communicate effectively; of all the skills in our toolbox, eye communication is the most important. As I wrote in You’ve Got to be Believed to be Heard:

“Eye communication ranks first because it has the greatest impact in both one-on-one communications and large group communications. It literally connects mind to mind, since your eyes are the only part of your central nervous system that is in direct contact with another human being. When your eyes meet the eyes of another person, you make a First-Brain-to-First-Brain connection. When you fail to make that connection, it matters very little what you say.”

My point?

With the growth of the Web 2.0 generation – focusing on branding and marketing through social media et al – the significance of powerful, effective interpersonal communication often gets lost in the shuffle.

WOMM reflects the reputation of a brand – a reputation built on communication experiences. Interpersonal communication is still the basis of a reputation. And the primary communication skill that can make or break a positive communication experience (and thus, a reputation) is eye communication.

Remember your eye communication next time you’re trying to make a sale, or just sell yourself; your WOMM is on the line.

• It’s excellent, and will inspire you in several ways.
• It has true stories of important principles and communicating successes.
• It’s a quick read.

It’s part of the Ken Blanchard "One Minute" series, so you know it will be worthwhile. Even more so, Ken gives us four of the key principles right away in a unique promotion for the book (you might even be able to still get it for free here):

The Four Pillars of Successful Entrepreneurs

1. Pillar 1: Sales Must Exceed Expenses
2. Pillar 2: Collect Your Bills
3. Pillar 3: Take Care of Your Customers
4. Pillar 4: Take Care of Your People

"The One Minute Entrepreneur" is a story and a fable that is absorbing. It also has immediate take aways for you. And throughout it is infused with the success of a "forward lean," of speaking out while caring for those you are speaking to. (I love the chapter "Helping People Soar Like Eagles.")

And also It was written by a very good friend Don Hutson, co-written by a good friend Ken Blanchard, and it is inspired by a very, very good friend Charlie "Tremendous" Jones. All are worth getting to know…

]]> http://decker.com/blog/2008/05/the-one-minute-entrepreneur/feed/ 0 http://decker.com/blog/2007/06/100-success-rate/ http://decker.com/blog/2007/06/100-success-rate/#comments Fri, 29 Jun 2007 20:45:00 +0000 Bert Decker http://decker.com/blog/2007/06/100-success-rate/ In my speeches and programs I’m often encouraging people to volunteer – to risk. To speak up for example. You probably often find yourself in the same situation – exhorting the recalcitrant to take a risk.

The 95% Solution

Both psychologists Abraham Maslow and Karen Horney did extensive work on the development of self esteem and self actualization. In her book on human growth Horney in particularly found that when people made the attempt to do something scary and risky – they most often succeeded. In doing my own research with myself and others, I find that the success rate is about 90% to 95% – we do well when we make the attempt.

"Concern should drive us into action and not into depression."

Karen Horney

The 100% Solution

Think of this – if we learn something in that 5% of the time that we don’t do it so well, that makes the ‘failure’ a very large success. So it follows that WHENEVER we attempt something – and LEARN from our mistakes – we will succeed. So whenever we take that risk and volunteer we succeed 100% of the time.

But if we don’t attempt something, we always fail. We lose the opportunity, and regret our weakness, and that moment can’t be recaptured.

So play the odds. Take every opportunity to volunteer, to risk, to speak, to venture forth. Every time you do so you will succeed, and every time you do NOT risk – that you shrink up and get small – you will fail. Encourage your audiences of one or one thousand with "What’s to lose by risking!"

]]> http://decker.com/blog/2007/06/100-success-rate/feed/ 0 http://decker.com/blog/2007/01/answer-first/ http://decker.com/blog/2007/01/answer-first/#comments Tue, 30 Jan 2007 23:29:48 +0000 Bert Decker http://decker.com/blog/2007/01/answer-first/ "Executives communicate that way, and they want to be communicated to that way (in 1x1s or in a presentation). Why would an executive promote someone who rambles or seems indecisive?"

This was one of Five Tips to Answer First, part of a very good series on Career Tips from Decker Marketing. (Yes, that’s my son Sam’s very good blog I’m proud to say.) It’s Tip #13, and deals directly with communications.

Answer First points to the most important ‘content’ point we stress at Decker Communications – have a strong POV (Point Of View) or Focus. So many business presentations are rambling and information laden that they become datadumps. That’s one reason executives want you to get right to the point – they don’t have time for it, much less the patience.

Tell ‘em what your going to say, say it, and tell ‘em what you said. The salesperson’s adage works for communications – because we are always selling our ideas when we are speaking.

A sure fire test for being on point is answering the "So What?" question. If your listener or anyone in the audience can say "So what?" as you are talking to them, you do not have a strong POV.

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