I hardly make a client call that I don't see its familiar white-brown binding, wedged among several motivational masterpieces on a bookshelf or, in the case of my less organized friends, in a pile somewhere. I'm referring to Stephen R. Covey's The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. I bought my paperback copy last year, the fortieth reprint since first released in 1989. A huge best seller. The envy of any author.
I read it. I liked it. But I can't honestly say I learned anything really new. Like most self-help books, it reframes important lessons I first learned from Mom and Dad, Sunday School, and a coach or two.
What I found most interesting was what the book didn't say. Mr. Covey ignores the eighth habit of highly effective people. And what's most curious is, it's the habit Stephen Covey hardly ever misses an opportunity to practice. But you won't read about it in his book. Did market research discover something special about the number "seven"? Was it the sacredness of "seven" in numerology? Or, could it be that if you discover this habit and use it for yourself, you just might not need Mr. Covey and his self-help friends quite as much as you used to? Is it a Covey cover-up? You decide.
What's the eighth habit every successful person practices but won't tell you? Simple. Stay visible to your potential customers. I call it visibility management. Some label it self-promotion. It's the knack for being seen by the right people at the right time in the right way. Stephen Covey can write a masterpiece, but if nobody knows about it or him, who will buy it? Sure, Mr. Covey may have the personal satisfaction of knowing he writes well, but the point is, he won't reap the full rewards of his efforts without getting and staying visible to his customers (book buyers).
It's the same with any career. Look around your office. Who makes the most money? Is this person the smartest, the most prepared, the most talented? Is your boss the most competent person for the job? Puh-lease! OK, so what do they know, that you don't? What can you learn from their example? Here are three things you can start doing today to make the eighth habit work for you.
1. Get noticed by your customers. You've got to be where your customers can see you. It's not enough to know who your target market is. They've got to know who you are and why they should do business with you. How does Mr. Covey do it? Covey gets noticed. He's on TV. He's on radio. He's in magazines. He's even on my computer, for goodness sake. Embedded in a time management software menu, I can add a Seven Habits module. Like the proverbial Chicken-Man (I am now dating myself as a boomer who grew up listening to AM radio), "He's everywhere, he's everywhere!"
How do your customers find you? In sales lingo, it's called prospecting. The people who can make a difference in what you earn must know who you are and how you can help them succeed. They can't buy from you until they know where to find you.
2. Get remembered. It's not enough to show up (although without step #1, the rest is academic). Competition is fierce. You aren't the only one competing for the attention of your customers and potential clients. Top performers find a way to stand out from the crowd. They create a uniqueness. Quick, what comes to mind when you think of Stephen Covey? If you're like most people, you may have recalled his bald head? He'll never wear a toupee. It's become his signature.
I'm not suggesting you shave your head. But you should consider what's unique about you? What can you emphasize that differentiates you from the competition and will help customers remember you? It can be as simple as adding your photograph to your business card (what's more uniquely "you" than your picture?). Or, you can go as far as one sales pro in Australia who legally changed her name. How many people do you know named Rustica? Companies spend millions developing logos and ad campaigns proclaiming some uniqueness. The payoff could be tremendous for you, too.
3. Get over your contact hesitation. In spite of knowing the eighth habit, a lot of people still aren't comfortable promoting themselves. While some natural born salespeople seem to have no trouble meeting and greeting, smiling and dialing, many other would-be entrepreneurs know they could do better if they made more calls. But something holds them back. They aren't comfortable with the very thing that will bring them rewards.
If you want to succeed, you must identify and overcome any internal emotional barriers to career productivity. Sometimes this hesitation is the result of painful sales experiences. Believe it or not, entire organizations fuel high turnover and declining productivity by rewarding those who play it safe and keep a low profile. Our company is helping both individuals and organizations identify and eliminate contact hesitation patterns, which limit productivity.
I believe it was the Biblical King Solomon who said, "There's nothing new under the sun." Well, he probably wasn't the first to say it. But he gets the credit. Why? Because, like Stephen Covey and so many other successful people, Solomon knew the secret to success isn't necessarily originality, but visibility. Put another way: success isn't knowing what's new, or even whom you know, but how many potential customers know you.
Get noticed by your customers. You've got to be where your customers can see you. It's not enough to know who your target market is. They've got to know who you are.
Dr. Dave K. Barnett is a speaker, trainer, author, and president of PsychoMetrics International, Inc. For more information call 1-888-PMI-0003.
