Barbara Walters Price

Rory Sutherland: Life lessons from an ad man (TED Talks)

Happy Monday

Wake up!  It's Monday.  Time to begin a new week!!

Happy Monday

Facing the Fear

Fear often hinders us. This is especially true in these slow economic times.  Many of us have a real fear of losing our job.  Therefore, we keep our heads down and focus exclusively on billable work.  While that seems the safe thing to do, I have my doubts.  Because what suffers is strategic thinking (and personal growth, although I realize that personal growth is now much lower on the priority list for many. Staying employed is job #1 for most). 

It does seem counter-intuitive yet I believe that now is the time to think strategically and step out to try new things.  I know that this is a scary proposition for some.  It feels safer to stay off the radar screen of the seniors in the firm rather than risk bringing attention to yourself with what some might think is a crazy idea. 

One way to deal with this is, if you have an idea you believe has merit, discuss it with someone whose opinion you trust.  Then, bring it to the attention of the seniors in your firm if the idea has legs.  In these times, great risk can generate great rewards.  The video above, while a bit corny, is true.  If we understand what makes us afraid, we are better able to manage the fear.  Let's take the risk and cast our eyes up from our billable work and attempt to be part of a solution for our firm.

Make It Easy

During a recent speaking engagement to a group of business valuation professionals, I was asked about e-mail addresses on websites and the resulting spam if those addresses are hot linked. 

The questioner asked me if it was acceptable to "disguise" the addresses (i.e., priceb at mercercapital.com) on their website because that is what they had done.  The reason was because when they were hot linked from the website, firm employees got too much spam.

My answer to the question -- get a better spam filter.

My philosophy is make it easy for people to contact you.  That means hot link your professionals' e-mail addresses, put individual contact information on your professionals' CVs, and put your firm's phone number on your home page.  

Have an e-mail address and put your e-mail address on your business card. I saw my first business card in a long while that did not list an e-mail address.  I was frankly stunned.  An e-mail address is as important and vital as a phone number in today's world.  

Also, make sure that your website appears first on Google when a user googles your firm name.  I am irked when I google a firm and that firm's website does not appear on the first page of results.  It happens far too often.

Are you making it hard for people to contact you or are you making it easy?  Making it easy is easy to do so why aren't we all doing it?