By Michael Port

My great Aunt Elly (my father’s aunt) past away this week at 97 years young. Her passing represents the end of an era in my family. And if the following story doesn’t encourage and inspire you, I don’t know what will. As told by one of the family…

“Elly seemed to take on any new endeavor with the energy and enthusiasm of a teenager. As we age, many of us become fearful of change and new challenges;  let this ‘Elly story’ inspire you:

Apparently she wasn’t very good at math as a kid. So, when her Principal asked her to  teach Algebra (and she was in her 70′s at the time) she wasn’t sure she was up to the job. I don’t think she even considered saying ‘no’, she rose to the challenge, went to her supermarket and found a tutor whose name was posted on the bulletin board. She told Allan and I that she would keep 1 lesson ahead of her class.”

Just one lesson ahead. I’ve been saying this for years now. Maybe it runs in the family. But if you’re hesitant or fearful of doing new things, big things, then just focus on staying one lesson ahead of the people you serve.

If you’re interested you can read Elly’s obituary in The New York Times.

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By Michael Port

My favorite local lunch place just put up a new sign. It reads:

If you’re grouchy, irritable or just plain mean there will be a $10 service charge for dealing with you.

I love it. Way to set expectations.

I guarantee customers are friendlier when ordering and in turn so are the staff. Everybody wins.

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By Michael Port

If you’re interested…

You can see me on MSNBC’s Your Business on Sunday, January 4th. Show starts at 7:30am ET.

I’ll be interviewed on “How to boost your sales even in the worst economic periods.”

If you miss the original air date you can watch the video on the show’s website.

Enjoy!

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By Michael Port

I’m always trying to sell you something.

Sometimes, I’m just trying to sell you on an idea that will help you think bigger about who you are and what you offer the world.

I put these ideas on http://www.ThinkBigRevolution.com (Membership is free; it will always be.)

Sometimes, I’m trying to sell you on the daily thoughts I have about respect in marketing and loving your work.

I put these ideas on here. (All free; typos included.)

Sometimes, I’m simply trying to sell you on the idea of becoming my friend.

I put these ideas on http://profile.to/michaelport and http://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelport. (Of course, this is free but you’ll have to put up with my family photos, daily reports of personal activities and complete and total over-the-top obsession with my son Jake.)

Sometimes, I’m trying to sell you on the idea of joining my team and becoming a Book Yourself Solid Certified Coach.

I put these ideas on http://www.BookYourselfSolid.com/certification (The ideas are free but if you want in you’ve got to invest. Lot’s of special offers though, like $2500 off before Dec. 31, 2008. That’s only 3 more days

Sometimes, I’m trying to sell you on the idea of letting me personally coach you for 5 months in my Book Yourself Solid 15-Week Coaching Program.

I put these ideas on http://www.bookyourselfsolid.com/small-business-coaching-intensive.htm (Tons of free ideas, tele-seminars and resources but if you want me to coach you, you’ll have to invest. Again, lot of specials like 40% off the course starting Jan. 20, 2009.)

Sometimes, I’m trying to sell you on the idea of sending greeting cards–because it’s not what you say or do that people remember but rather how you make them feel.

I put these ideas on http://www.BookedSolidCards.com (At the site, you can send a free card right now.)

Sometimes, I’m trying to sell you on the idea of getting value from reading any one of my award winning and bestselling books.

I put these ideas on http://www.michaelport.com/michael-port-books.html (Download a free chapter from each book).

Sometimes, I’m trying to sell you on the idea of hiring me (or recommending me) to speak to your constituency.

I put these ideas on http://www.michaelport.com/home.html (Free videos galore.)

Sometimes, I’m trying to sell you on the idea of joining the Booked Solid Referral Network to increase your sphere of influence and get more referrals.

I put these ideas on http://www.BookedSolidNetwork.com (1st month is free so you can see and know how it’s going to be.)

Sometimes, I’ll try to sell you on the idea that, in the words of Mark Twain, “I don’t give a damn for a man that can only spell a word one way.”

I sell you on this idea on each and every one of my 10 websites, newsletters, and blog posts.

But, the point is…

There are probably 1000 other things that I’ll try to sell you in the upcoming year. And I want you to know that my goal, first and foremost, is to sell you on the idea of thinking bigger about who you are and what you offer the world. If I
can earn a living in the process, so be it.

And, furthermore, to remind you, as we slide into 2009, that your success, in large part, depends on your willingness (and ability) to sell your friends, community and potential clients on your ideas. New Year’s resolution: Express yourself.

And think big.

I love you very much (and not in a weird way). But for standing in the service of others as you stand in the service of your destiny.

With respect,

Michael Port
author of….
Book Yourself Solid
Beyond Booked Solid
The Contrarian Effect
The Think Big Manifesto (May 09 release)
And regular guy who faces the same issues as you.

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By Michael Port

I get criticized; more than I would like to. For things like:

1. My poor grammar
2. My spelling, which is worse than my grammar
3. My performances
4. My opinions
5. My looks
6. My clothes
7. My belief that we can actually come together to create a better world
7. And virtually everything else, from time to time.

I’m too this, too that or something in between. I even have a stalker (and not in a good way). One who trolls around the internet subscribing random people to my newsletter and pretending to be me in forums. Oh, did I also mention that he makes threats against me? It’s very strange and unnerving. I know the person (barely) from the days before I started writing books.

Sometimes it gets to me–not the stalker thing but all of it.

All I’m trying to do is my best work and serve the people I’m meant to serve. I’m not trying to be a billionaire or a big shot (well maybe a little bit of a big shot) but I’m just a regular guy who gets up every day with the intention making other people feel better about themselves and their circumstances.

But, I must admit that I was comforted by something that my colleague Elizabeth sent me. It was an email message from someone she gave a free book to as the winner of a contest, a book written by one of my mentors and maybe the best known and respected marketing mind in the world. (No exaggeration.)

The recipient of the prize read the book and wrote the following to Elizabeth:

I was really disappointed.  I think when an author writes a book they should have a standard of saying something.

I apologize if you know the author.  If he is a friend please consider speaking to him to have someone critique his work, and stop doing what he is doing. By writing terrible books it clutters the way for people that are genuinely trying to better their situation.

Wow. That’s intense, eh?

Now, of course, IMHO, the person who wrote the book in question is not only an remarkable human being but, and I don’t throw this term around loosely, a real, honest to goodness genius (I even have trouble spelling the word genius).

Now, back to why I was comforted by this degrading note about someone I respect…

Because it reminded me that no one is immune to critics. And that you can’t be fully self-expressed without being criticized, whether for cause or not.

And, who gets to decide wether there is cause for criticism in the marketplace of ideas? The market. Your market. And if your ideas spread then your ideas win.

It reminds me of one of the most important agreements we make and re-make with ourselves: don’t take anything personally. Rarely is someone else’s hostility about you. Sometimes, sure, it is. But not too often if you’re simply trying to stand in the service of others as you stand in the service of your destiny.

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By Michael Port

(And without ever using an elevator speech.)

It’s my personal mission to kill the elevator speech.

Why? Because no one wants to hear it and no one likes to give it. So why are you (and others) still using it?

How To Talk About What You Do is the 4th lesson in the Book Yourself Solid system and might be one of the most important.

Yes, it’s basic but doing this well is vital to the success of your business. It’s easy… yet it’s difficult.

Press play above to listen in…

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By Michael Port

In Dec. 6, 2007 one of my former assistants signed me up (with my knowledge) for an account with Wrike.com at $49/month. Although, the system was, by my estimation, the most practical project management software for small business owners, especially because of it’s email integration, I decided not to use it. I didn’t want to put another piece of technology in front of my team as they were struggling to adpat to a new CRM.

Regrettably, my assistant neglected to cancel the account. Worse yet, I didn’t notice the monthly charge on my Amex statement. Yes, even though my bookkeeper pays the bill, I still review it each month. Unfortunately, it didn’t pop out as irregular. I probably have some 300 charges on that account each month. Still, I felt like a complete and utter bonehead when I realized my $637 mistake. And, it was my mistake.

Hat in hand, I sent an email to Support at Wrike and explained my situation, asking if they would be willing to refund all or part of the $637 since I never actually used the system. I figured it was a long shot and certainly didn’t feel I was entitled to it since it was my fault not theirs. Within a few hours (on the weekend, I might add) I received a gracious and empathetic email saying that their terms of service policy says “no refunds” but in this case they would make an exception because they understood my situation and hoped that I might come back in the future.

Wow.

They broke their own terms of service agreement. And, in doing so, earned more than just my appreciation. They earned my respect. What an open, friendly and smart company.

Why are the folks at Wrike so smart? Because, even if it means issuing a refund, doing a good dead that costs you a few bucks today often pays dividends many years into the future. Big thinkers know this and are futuristic in their thinking. Small thinkers are transactional and only see the present moment.

Should they always break their own rules? No, of course not. But you create policy to set expectations and, certainly, to protect yourself but that doesn’t mean you can’t break your own rules, from time to time, to be in service of ideal clients.

Understandably, this can seem easier for a software company who didn’t need to provide “services” the same way a roofing contractor does. But think about it, when’s the last time you heard a story about a roofing contractor that re-did a job at cost because of a mistake you made! I have a feeling that roofer would be booked solid by you and all your friends for the rest of your natural born life.

And, guess what? I plan on re-enlisting at Wrike in the future to use their project management tools.

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By Michael Port

John Steele Gordon, in an article he wrote for the November 2008 issue of Commentary entitled, Speculators, Politicians, and Financial Disasters, makes an important says:

Fueled by easy credit, the real-estate market
had been rising swiftly for some years. Members
of Congress were determined to assure the
continuation of that easy credit. Suddenly, the
party came to a devastating halt. Defaults multiplied,
banks began to fail. Soon the economic troubles
spread beyond real estate. Depression stalked
the land.
The year was 1836.

Point #1. It’s happened before. It’ll happen again. Be moderate in your thinking (AKA: ignore the hype) and adjust according to the market.

Point #2. This is a great time for Freelancers. Corporations, large and small, would prefer not to commit to salaried employees and are, instead, choosing to hire Freelancers. Sure, you might need to be more aggressive with your marketing, so actually rise up and make yourself known. (But you should be doing that anyway.)

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By Michael Port

Quick reminder: When choosing a target market make sure that the market already has a network in place for communication. If they’re not already talking to each other it’s unlikely it’s a target market.

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By Michael Port

Innovation is enemy of the status quo. Detroit will not be saved by a 25 billion dollar bailout if they’re not going to change—and they’re not. I think this is pretty clear. Seth offers the best solution I’ve seen thus far on what to do about the big three automakers..

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