Here Is Another Great Idea …Marchev!
Have you ever had a good idea that went “south” faster than a Nolan Ryan fastball?
If not, then you are not doing enough of whatever it is you are doing.
If failure is the fastest way to success, (which I have been known to say)
I am fast on my way to the top shelf. Last Friday I thought I had a good idea.
As it turned out … I didn’t.
Let me share with you my mis-adventure. Picture this:
I’m sitting at his desk on a Friday afternoon … thinking.
The idea flashes into my mind that if people are simply reminded of
somebody they trust, this simple reminder will spur them on to action.
Kind of a cause and effect routine. In this case, the reminder would
come as a simple email with one simple phrase … an email address. (Mine)
No fluff. No idle chatter. Just a single email address. mike@mikemarchev.com
The implied message … remember me? A gentle whack in the head of sorts.
I then got a little too clever. In the subject line I printed the letters F-O-M
thinking that my friends would ask me what the letters stood for. They didn’t.
(FOM = friends of Mike)
What happened next? Not much. Very few responded and many opted off my list.
Go figure! When analyzing my mishap I saw that my email looked like SPAM and even worse,
took the appearance of an unwanted virus in the making. (I don’t blame them from wanting off my list.)
This is affectionately known in the business as “Shooting yourself in the foot.”
The lessons were numerous.
Lesson #1: Emails need to be appropriately “Subject-ed” and quickly explained
up front … in the first sentence or two. Keep “cute” out of your business vocabulary.
The DELETE button has become the most popular button on a keyboard.
Lesson #2: When you begin boring yourself on a Friday afternoon, it may be in your
best interest to log off and start your weekend early. Go mow the lawn.
Lesson #3: If you want to purge your database, send your list an email like mine.
Lesson #4: If you don’t have any blunders of your own, perhaps you need to exit
your comfort zone now and then. The wake up call you receive is far more valuable
than remaining in your cocoon staying safe and cozy thinking that everybody loves you.
There you have it. Now, go out there and make your own mistakes.
I am sitting here quietly licking my wounds.
Mike
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