Toot! Toot!

Hello, Tom. How's it going?

Uh, okay, I guess.

What's new?

Not much really.

How's business?

Things are great!

If you are like most people, when you are asked these questions, you give these very pat answers. The problem is that you are sending a disastrous message to the questioner that will prohibit them from passing quality referrals to you.

Take a minute to think about these responses above. They usually mean one of two things. Either you are (a) doing really great, or (b) everything is lousy, but you want people to believe that things are great.

But if you could read the mind of the person who asked the questions, you might find that they believe that you are too busy for a referral and promptly take their business elsewhere. And it all stems from the impression you give through the answers to these very standard questions.

In his book The 29% Solution, Dr. Misner advocates the practice of "horn tooting." Do not confuse horn tooting with bragging. When you brag you are boastful and pompous and arrogant without any regard for anyone but yourself. But horn tooting is an art that you should well practice. According to Dr. Misner, "Horn tooting is simply making positive, factual statements about your business in a way that highlights your successes while leaving the door open for new clients."

Consider these more positive horn tooting statements for my own business, Tesori Trovati:

How's it going?

Things are picking up for me now that I have been in six straight months of Bead Trends magazine.

What's new?

I just came back from three days at the world's largest bead expo and took four classes in 48 hours. I'm excited to try new techniques in my jewelry.

How's business?

I was just invited to be one of the core group of 25 artists at Gallery Q artists' cooperative in downtown Stevens Point, and I expect that opportunity will open new avenues to sell my work.

These alternate responses can help me grow my business in three ways:
(1) Informing the questioner of my accomplishments in a positive, not bragging, manner.
(2) Providing information that can be repeated easily by the questioner on my behalf.
(3) Letting the questioner know how they can help me grow my business.

This week, try to come up with two answers to these three questions:

(1) How's it going?
(2) What's new?
(3) How's business?

Now commit them to memory. Be prepared to represent your business positively while still inviting opportunities. Remember, it is all in the delivery.

After all, if you don't toot your own horn, who will?

Working Words of Wisdom:
"I like thinking big. If you're going to be thinking anything, you might as well think big."
~ Donald Trump