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Have you ever heard the expression "Like winking at someone in the dark"? It means that no matter how great your hair looks, how stylish your new outfit is, or how witty, intelligent and charming you act; if someone can't SEE you, she'll never get the chance to discover how wonderful you really are. This same property is applicable to entrepreneurs. In other words, no matter how great your website looks, how cutting edge your product is, or how savvy and creative you are; if you're not constantly visible in the eyes of potential customers, they'll never get a chance to discover how valuable you really are. This brings us to the next essential element of being That Guy: visibility. It stems from another classic piece of business advice I couldn't live without: Anonymity is the greatest barrier to business success. I first discovered this gem during a marketing workshop hosted by a guy named David Avrin. He's known throughout the speaking industry as "The Visibility Coach" who helps professionals raise their profiles and their profits. I first met David in the halls of our annual National Speakers Association conference. When I gave him one of my business cards, he instantly loved my idea. "Scott, this nametag/approachability thing is genius!" he said. "I wish I would have thought of that myself!" To my surprise, a few hours later David did something incredibly nice; something incredible VISIBLE, that I'll never forget. During his workshop called "Maximize Your Profile and Your Profits," Dave held up a copy of HELLO, my name is Scott in front of 200 people and said, "Does everybody know Scott Ginsberg? He's known around the world as ‘The Nametag Guy,' and he's sitting right over there," David said as he pointed to my increasingly blushing cheeks. "Scott has no idea I'm about to do this, but here's a copy of is his first book. It's a perfect example of what this workshop is all about. And I think it's one of the most brilliant and unique ideas I've ever heard of!" Whoa. Didn't see that one coming. And so, when David's program was complete, at least 20 people I'd never met came right up to me and introduced themselves! Many of them simply inquired about the reactions to wearing a nametag, while others posed questions about my books and speaking programs. All in all, David's mere mention of my book made feel like a celebrity, albeit for a few minutes. After the room cleared out, it was just David and me. I walked up to the stage and thanked him for his most generous gesture. He said he was happy to do it. I also thanked him for the powerful quotation during his awesome workshop. Long story short, I ended up taking him on as my publicist. And with his help, I secured interviews on a wide variety of major media outlets. And now, thinking back to our first meeting, I know exactly why I hired David in the first place. Because after listening to him speak, I thought to myself, "This guy KNOWS visibility." And he's helped my career tremendously. But that's just the beginning. The thing about visibility is: there's a thousand ways to increase it! So, let me know if you'd like more tips, techniques and tricks that will actually increase it. That way you won't just be winking in the dark. © 2006 All Rights Reserved. Scott Ginsberg is a professional speaker and the author of HELLO my name is Scott, The Power of Approachability and How To Be That Guy. He helps people MAXIMIZE their personal and professional approachability - one conversation at a time. To book Scott for your next association meeting, conference or corporate event, contact Front Porch Productions at 314/256-1800 or http://www.hellomynameisscott.com
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