Without a doubt, the single highest point of leverage in any campaign is getting out the vote. If the people who agree with you or believe in you actually show up and vote, you win.
This, of course, is true for everything, not just retail politics. Your non-profit, retail store or b2b services firm probably doesn't need as many new prospects as you think you do–you will generate more impact if you reconnect with the people who already know and trust you.
100 people in NYC on March 1. It was a special day with a great group.
Here are the slides…
or sleep near a train station.
Don't ask a cab driver for theater tips.
Never buy bread from the supermarket bakery…
and don't ask your spouse for honest feedback about how you look.
Don't do business with a stranger who calls you at home during dinner.
Think twice before you ask your ad agency how many ads you should run.
And never eat the macadamia nuts in the mini bar.
Proximity is not a stand in for expertise.
It's not that hard to have a misstep. In fact, if you interact with enough people, it's certain that you will.
Sometimes, if we're quite lucky, when we get it wrong, the person we wronged will politely point it out to us.
At this point, we have a choice. We can elegantly (and with gratitude) make things right, which often builds a better bridge than we could ever hope for…
Or, in frustration, embarassment and a bit of pique, we can choose to make things worse.
Here are some of the magic words that might help build that bridge:
When someone gives you gentle feedback, it's because they want to connect, not because they want to help you finish burning down the bridge you ignited in the first place. They don't want an excuse, a clever comeback or a recitation that you're just doing your job.
It's there if you want it.
