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I was honored to be the keynote speaker yesterday for the annual meeting of the Virginia Chapter of the Society for Marketing Professional Services. SMPS VA members are responsible for selling the services of architects, engineers and interior designers.

It was dreary, rainy day in Charlottesvile, but I had a delightful time. I saw friends I’ve made at previous gatherings and made new friends. I learned something from the other speakers and frankly from every conversation.

I walked away impressed by how knowledgeable the participants were. At the same time I was saddened by a pervasive sense that the members do not feel respected by their employers. On more than one occasion I heard the sentiment expressed that because the marketing department’s activities were not directly billable to clients they were seen as an expense versus revenue generators.

I’d like to say this is an unusual perspective, but it’s one I’ve heard over and over again from the professions. Doctors, Lawyers, Accountants and the professionals represented by SMPS’ members are frequently guilty of the belief that somehow their work sells itself. This myth is even perpetuated by advertising executives.

It’s sad, because in my experience nothing sells itself. Every product and service has to be packaged in a manner to appeal to its prospective audience and then they still have to be sold.

As irrational as this perception may be it is still held by many professionals. And telling your boss he or she’s wrong can be a career limiting decision.

So what’s a body to do? It’s enough to make you cry in frustration.

I’ve a suggestion. Engage them in conversation. Ask your boss or bosses out one at a time for a cup of coffee or a beer.

Ask them to talk to you about your business.

Ask them to share their perceptions about how they think your clients consider your firm, choose your firm or choose your competitors.

Ask them how they think your efforts impact your clients’ decision making.

I offered participants at the conference 10 questions; I’m sure once you start you’ll think of lots more.

When you’re done each time, write up your conversation to reflect what you heard and send it to your boss as a way to further your conversations.

Engaging your bosses in conversation with the intent of understanding before you seek to be understood is the first step toward clarity for the entire organization.

And that’s one of the tried and true tactics for catching your limit.

When I was a boy I would sit down every Sunday morning with my dad and we would polish our shoes before we went to church. In the winter we sat in the kitchen, but during warmer months we would sit out on the back porch. It was a ritual I didn’t always enjoy or appreciate, but I wanted to be like my dad and polished shoes were important to him, so…
To this day, few things lift my spirits like having my shoes shined. I was at the Sheraton West Hotel, here in Richmond, for the monthly meeting of the Virginia Society of Association Executives. I was a little early and so I decided to treat myself to having my shoes shined.

I struck up a conversation with the fellow.

His name is William and he mans the shoe shine stand Monday through Friday from Noon until four. He had come in early on Friday because he heard the VSAE was going to be there. During our conversation he shared that he’s a Bishop and has a congregation of 40 in Petersburg, a great little town 30 miles south of Richmond.

He told me that 8 of his parishioners were currently unemployed and that one family’s home had burnt down recently. To make matters worse the timing belt had failed on the church car, the one he used to bring folks back and forth to church. The car was totaled.

Just as he finished telling me the travails of his flock, he finished polishing my shoes. They looked brilliant. I paid him and he asked if I knew anyone who had a car they might like to donate to his ministry. I said, “I’ll ask around.”

So, everybody; does anybody have or know someone with a car they’d like to contribute?

I like this fellow, he’s out there doing good work and helping people trying to catch their limit. I’d like to be able to help, so if you can help; please let me know.

If you feel like it forward this on to your friends.

Who knows, they may be able to help.

Oh, and as usual, I felt great with my newly shined shoes.

If you get the chance drop by and let him polish yours.

It’s pretty much guaranteed to make you feel better.

Marie and I went to my daughter’s last night for dinner. After dinner we played a game called Tribond. The goal of the game is to discern the connection between three disparate things. Example a pie, the earth and a loaf of bread.*

It was great fun and besides providing an op to see and enjoy the company of my grown daughter, it was challenging and stimulating.

Try it with your family or bring the game to work and play with your teammates. It might jump start your mind. Either way it’s fun and a little fun goes a long way to brighten a day.

* The answer is the three items listed have crusts.

There’s an old Chinese curse that says, “May you live in interesting times.“

There is no doubt we are living in “interesting” times. The digitization of information has thrown many industries for a loop. X-rays are now read half a world away. Newspapers struggle to develop a new business model. And the neighborhood bookstore is getting hit from all sides.

The big box stores are buying in bulk and selling for less, you can buy online and have the book shipped to your doorstep and the new digital book lets people buy online and the “book” is delivered through the ether.

Independent booksellers have banded together to buy in bulk and they have even signed on to offer digital books. They, like every small local business, are offering services to their clientele.

One example is the book club. Independent booksellers frequently provide a place for customers and prospects alike to gather, discuss and share their passion.

It’s basic manners to buy the book from the bookseller host. After all, selling books is how they make their living.

That said, I walked into The Fountain Bookstore in Shockoe Slip, Richmond, VA today to discover the owner, Kelly Justice, looking shell shocked. Kelly had for the first time in her career in retail just told a “customer” off. And she was still stunned at herself and at the idiot that had provoked her outburst.

Disclaimer: Kelly has been my book connection for over 20 years. I would claim her and her employees as my dependents if the IRS would let me. She and her staff are family and her shop is a home away from home. Kelly is charming and gracious as is the rest of her staff.

About an hour before I arrived Kelly hosted a book club. One of the attendees arrived sat down, reached in her purse and set her Kindle on the table. Kelly said she barely heard a word that was said during the book club she was so transfixed by the Kindle sitting right there out in the open. Her assistant, Tess, was furious.

Afterwards, Kelly explained to the woman that Kindles can only purchase from Amazon. At which point the woman stated she would never buy a book from The Fountain, because she lived in a small apartment and was on a fixed income and had no room and that the Kindle had been a gift. The woman refused to acknowledge her rudeness. Kelly said she finally lost it and told the woman to get out of her shop.

The woman seemed to think that she was entirely within her rights to use Kelly’s services with no intention of doing business. The expression that comes to mind is “idiot”.

I subscribe to the concept that the customer is always right. It’s just that not all customers are right for me. In this case the woman had no intention of being a customer she simply felt entitled to freeload.

Bringing a Barnes & Noble Nook or a Sony Reader to an independent bookstore is fine, because you can buy e-books for them from the shopkeeper. Bringing a Kindle is a slap in the face.

I commend Kelly for being as patient and polite as she was.

The next time some boor pulls a stunt like that I hope Kelly lets Tess give them a piece of her mind

I’ve been corresponding with my long time friend, the photographer, painter, printmaker Randy Sager. She was lamenting how difficult it is to find time to replenish. I empathized and then I wrote, “Take it”. Take the time. The work will be there when you get back and you’ll be better able to handle it.

Stephen Covey talks about taking the time to sharpen your saw. Mark Bryan writes in The Artist’s Way at Work, about replenishing your creative well. America, for that matter the world, needs innovative solutions. Innovation is applied creativity. Our ability to create needs to be fed. Take the time, feed the artist within and then get out there and catch your limit.