Editor’s Note: This launches the first in a month long series on Relationship Marketing.
`Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?’ (asked Alice.)
`That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,’ said the Cat.
`I don’t much care where–‘ said Alice.
`Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,’ said the Cat.
Ryan Sauers, MarketingMel and two Milligan students, Lauren and Brittany
Recently I had the opportunity to hear Ryan Sauers speak to the Knoxville Social Media Club. Ryan, a consultant who’s an excellent communicator and speaker, gave us the highlights from his new book, Everyone’s in Sales. He began by discussing the era of “transformational change” that we live in and the fact that, “We are all communicators. Right now there are 23 ways to communicate with me.”
Did all of this technology cause us to gain more hours in the week? No.
“168 is the great equalizer,” says Ryan. “That’s how many hours we all have. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you’re from or how old you are. It’s not that you didn’t have time, it’s that you didn’t make time. You have a choice. ”
“Be unique and be authentic it all comes back to real world relationships,” says Ryan. ” You are not filtered anymore. The world is so wide and yet more connected than ever.”
Here are some more great comments that Ryan made during his talk:
- Don’t become complacent! In life you are either going forward or backwards.
- Your brand is what people think about when your name comes up. Tell me about your company, engage me!
- Reputation, attributes, name and distinctiveness Be purposeful deliberate and intentional in all your communications. Think it through.
- The longer a problem sits the worse it gets. Decision by indecision is bad. Paralysis by analysis is bad. Sometimes it’s ok to get a B plus.
- As the Cheshire cat said to Alice (above) when she asked, If you don’t know where you’re going then any road will do
Ryan reviewed the 5 Cs of effective communications
1. Clarity: Are you clear in using clarity on every post? In what you are trying to communicate?
2. Consistency: Are you consistent in what you do day after day? Can people count on you and your message and tone?
3. Content: It’s what you’re writing about, your core
4.Connections: Do you work hard to connect others?
5. Creativity: Allows you or me to be you or me.
Reframing communications as sales as he discusses in this short video that I conducted with him.
Ryan concluded there are three types of communicators: Those who make things happen, those who watch things happen and those who wonder what happened.”
16 Comments
This is so informative, I wish I had been there to listen live, too! Thanks for sharing his “c” points. Good ones!
Thanks Sue. I’ve started reading the book and I know it’s going to be good!
This is wonderful and very timely for me! Just ordered the book and can’t wait to read it! Thanks Mel!
Thanks Sarah. Perhaps we can compare notes when we both finish reading the book!
Sarah, thanks so much. I hope you enjoy and look forward to hearing you and Mel’s feedback!!! 🙂
Great points – powerful communicators are simply connectors. Love it!
Indeed we are connectors Heidi!
These are great–thanks for sharing them Mel. I’ll be checking out his book, and I’ve just put up a post-it reminder that says: 168
Thanks Linda. I think you will really enjoy it. If you are interested in learning more let me know… and I look foward to your feedback. PS the book is at http://www.everyoneinsales.com paper or e-book. 🙂
Take care, Ryan
Linda I agree that thinking “168” as the great equalizer has changed my thoughts about time!
This is a fantastic post and you did an awesome job of “nailing” so many of the main points. Thank you. The book is at: http://www.everyoneinsales.com Thanks Mel. Ryan
Thanks for your very kind words Ryan! I am so glad to be able to help you succeed!
Ryan sounds like a smart man. I totally agree with everything he said. 🙂 I especially like the “168.” I often tell my clients that people make time for the things that are important to them.
Yes that 168 has been very thought provoking to me also.
These are good points and I like the 5 C’s.
Thanks Bill.