BEING THERE WHEN IT COUNTS: I don't want to be bothered

Being There When It Counts with Rick Itzkowich

A friend of mine is part of a new company that is launching a very innovative fitness facility for kids. They have a wonderful concept that is very unique and different and should do well in the current economic environment.

The company’s marketing director has a very successful resume; yet, has been slow to embrace using social networking as a way to market the company. So my friend asked me to meet with both of them to explain the value of social networking.

The marketing director is a very bright, intelligent and delightful woman in her early 40s. However, once the conversation turned into social networking, it’s as if a switched turned off. She became extremely guarded and defensive. When I was explaining how social networking allows you to build your reach quickly and inexpensively, her quick response was, “Yes, you can have all of these people in your network, but they’re all shallow, and there’s really no relationship there.” The fact that she had no evidence to support her statement didn’t stop her.

She continued to tell me that she didn’t want to be bothered with all kinds of emails and requests from those SN people. Plus, both she and her husband had recently read where there were all kinds of privacy issues. And on and on.

After listening to all of the reasons why social networking was a total waste from a marketing standpoint, I got it. She didn’t want to be bothered. However, what she didn’t want to be bothered with were not the actual issues she brought up. The issues she had mentioned can be dealt with rather easily. What she didn’t want to be bothered with was with having to learn something new. She didn’t want to be bothered with challenging the ‘same old, same old’ way of thinking. She didn’t want to be bothered with the fact that companies and businesses no longer control conversations with customers. She didn’t want to be bothered with CHANGE.

Unfortunately, I find this woman’s perspective is more the norm, than the exception. When I talk to people about QuoteActions - a system for staying in touch with people by sending inspirational messages and corresponding actions to bring them to life, many respond the same way. "I don’t want to bother people with another email." I find it fascinating that they focus on a potential effect and exclude all the possibilities.

The fact is -- our fears of bothering others or being bothered ourselves are driving a lot of our actions. We’ve become so overwhelmed with information, requests, opportunities, and life in general, that more and more we’re dealing with it by not wanting to be bothered. With this mindset, we will forgo the chance of being delighted ourselves as well as delighting others. We will create safe (boring) products, have safe interactions and live life in a very limited fashion. I get daily messages from people who receive my QuoteActions as well as others who use them with their clients, telling me how delighted and thankful they are to receive them.

In conclusion, if you focus on those who don’t want to be bothered, you will also lose those who would be delighted. That’s a much bigger price to pay in my book.

This Month's QuoteAction is by Walter Anderson, Newspaper Editor

"Our lives improve only when we take chances - and the first and most difficult risk we can take is to be honest with ourselves."

Your action for this month is to look at something that is not working in your life and make a change.

Enjoy an Extraordinary Month!

Click *here* to find out more about QuoteActions and some of the other innovative products and services offered by THE NATIONAL NETWORKER.

As the creator of the QuoteActions, a unique relationship building system, Rick Itzkowich finds his articles, podcasts and blog messages regarding keeping your brand "top of mind" in high demand. His latest eBook, Social Networking for Business Profits, uses cost-effective follow up strategies. Rick is also the Co-founder and Vice President of Productive Learning & Leisure, a personal development training company for corporations and individuals. Rick can be reached at rick@productivelearning.com.

For more about Rick Itzkowich, please click here.



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BEING THERE WHEN IT COUNTS: I don't want to be bothered