General
The 10 Quick Steps to Enchantment
Nov 29 2012
When you attend a conference with Guy Kawasaki as the keynote speaker, you know you are going to learn something valuable. And that’s exactly what happened today. Guy shared with us his 10 Steps to Enchantment. They’re quick and simple, but it’s surprising how many people fail to implement them into their everyday lives. Follow these steps and watch how much of an impact you can make.
If you want to enchant people, you have to be likable. One of the most simple but important points Guy makes is that it’s important to have a genuine smile. Don’t do a “Pan Am” smile where it looks like you have a pencil in your mouth. Gain people’s attention and respect by becoming someone who is sincere and likable. It’s also important to accept others for who they are, so people can be comfortable around you. Finally, always default to “yes” – think about how you can help the other person, and people will begin to notice this about you.
It’s easy to be liked but not trusted. A wonderful example by Guy is that people like Charlie Sheen but they don’t trust him, and I agree. Someone who says #winning in an interview amuses me but I’m not going to take him very seriously. To get others to trust you, you should have an attitude of trusting them first before you expect them to trust you. Companies like Amazon and Zappos trust customers first (by giving them 7-day money-back guarantees, etc) and in return, the customers trust them back. It’s all about baking instead of eating – don’t see life’s limitations. Instead, focus on what you can create.
Don’t try to enchant people with crap – it’s as simple as that. Ensure that you have quality and value in your product or service through these 5 things, which you can remember as DICEE:
If you want to make an impact, you have to tell a story. Make your product different by causing people to feel an emotional connection to it. A product or service is much more appealing if there is a fascinating and meaningful story behind it.
You are going to encounter problems and obstacles no matter what you’re trying to achieve or sell. If you want to succeed, overcome your resistance by providing social proof – your customers should show other people that they’re using your product, so others will buy it too. Apple did this by providing white earbuds – they had not been seen before and as more and more white headphones began showing up, more and more people began to notice. Also, don’t forget the power of data and influencers – use information and the power of others to get people to listen to you.
Build an ecosystem that will guarantee your brand/company/product/service’s survival. Companies don’t just depend on one thing to get results – they have websites, blogs, conferences, developers, resellers, user groups, and more. And more importantly, remember the power of reciprocation – build relationships with people and help them out – they’ll pay you back in the future; it’s human nature. Don’t just rely on money to endure your success – a large part of being successful is about people and relationships.
You have to be able to pitch and to present. Presenting doesn’t just mean sharing information. It means customizing your introduction, selling your dream, and keeping people engaged. If you’re giving a presentation, the magic number is 10: never have more than 10 points in your presentation.
We’re in an incredible time where news is shared across the world in seconds, and normal, every-day people have a voice in the world. But with technology comes responsibility. Social media, email, the Internet, and more doesn’t just mean you’re free to shout information at people and say whatever you want. Technically, you can, but if you want to make an impact and get attention, make sure that you provide value, information, insights, and assistance to those who follow you, friend you, pin you, or Tweet you.
If you want to get somewhere, enchant those with more power than you (aka – your boss). When your boss asks you to do something, drop everything else. But don’t just do it – do it fast. And if something doesn’t work – give them the bad news early.
One of the most important things to remember once you’re at the top is how you got there. Pay attention to those who are doing the unappealing jobs that you once had to do. If you want to enchant your employees, “suck it up” and do the things that no one wants to do. You’d be surprised by the amount of respect you’ll earn just by swallowing your pride and refusing to act like you’re better than others.
The steps seem pretty simple, right? The cool thing is that as simple as they are, people often lose sight of these things in the face of competition. Keep these tips close to you, and watch yourself flourish in whatever you do.
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