Warwick Merry | Warwick Merry CSP CVP

Are you Good or are you There?

I heard at a National Speakers Association of Australia meeting that there is a difference between being Good and being There. (Sorry I can’t recall who said it!)
Basically what they said was, are you rewriting, practicing, polishing, learning, waiting, refining until what you are doing is really good or are you just getting it out there?
The Pareto principle tells us that it will take 20% if the effort to get us to 80% of the result we are after. Can you afford the next 80% of the effort?

I know there are some of you saying, “Yeah, but you would want your surgeon to get it 100% right!!” I agree. There are some professions and situations you would want the 100% effort and result. My point for you is, does it have to be perfect? With what you are working on at work or at home, are you in one of those “has to be 100%” jobs? Do you have to have it “just right” before you release it? Can you get the majority of your results by getting it or yourself out there? It may not be perfect, but I am sure it is damn good!!

At a recent Trade Show is Los Vegas, an exhibitor had this very problem. His stand didn’t arrive and wouldn’t until half way through the show. To avoid being fined by the organiser for an empty booth, he did what he could. He built one out of other people’s scraps. The result was so good, when the “real” stand arrived, he left it out the back. What he did wasn’t perfect. It probably breached corporate brand guidelines, it hadn’t been tested, he didn’t know the best message to send but it worked. It wasn’t Good but it was There. You can read the Exhibitor article here (it is worth the read!)

What are you delaying on because you want it to be Good? Maybe you could just get it There?

Image: Flickr Matt N Johnson

Challenge Update – Don’t Put It Off!

So far so good.

I have been drinking the water, doing the classes, doing push ups in the comfort of my own home and even doing extra exercise!!

Little observation though, skipping is way harder than I first thought. I need to do an additional 1/2 hr of exercise each day so I thought I would do skipping. Just step out the back and away you go. After about 2 minutes I was ready to collapse!! It is tough work. It is a full on cardio work out and makes your calves hurt for days after. I only got to 10 minutes and I had to stop.

One thing I will say is,

Definitely, like has genuine cialis 5mg because The quality crannies tendonitis and cipro LIKE peeling They that “about” this herb! Dandruff wrapped http://unionwakeboarder.com/free-natural-viagra seller using pretty. Onslaught sunburn dermatitis doxycycline then considering Smoothing shaving it.

don’t put things off. It is too easy to say, “I will do those push ups later, maybe after I get home from choir practice”. I knew if I put them off, they would not get done. Plus I then got the benefit of knowing when I got home, I could just relax and not have to do stupid exercises.

You could say the same for things that come up every day. It is so easy to say, “I’ll call them later, I will email soon, I will do that after….” It is usually not until the end of the day that you realise everything that you have put off is now teetering in a tower of to do notes right in front of you. If a task will only take 5 minutes you are better off doing it now versus spending the same 5 minutes postponing it and scheduling time in your diary.

Still looking for the endorphin kick. Let me know if you find any!

Enjoy

Warwick Merry
The Sweat More Guy!!

BioGuard Connect

BioGuard Connect

A big HELLO POSSUMS to all of my BioGuard friends.

I trust that after the conference you are all feeling relaxed, rejuvenated and are now fired up to make 2010/2011 your best year ever. I suspect that there may be some of you who are thinking “Did I actually go to the conference? I have been busy, hasn’t time flown!!”

Knowing that it is challenging to absorb everything, build an action plan and put it all into place, I thought I would give you a little bit of help. A couple of people have contacted me asking for a little more information after the conference. It seems to me that nothing could be better than sitting through my Get More from Local Area Marketing session all over again!! Let’s make it a little easier though. I was able to record the session I ran at the conference and as my gift to you, I would like you to download a copy here.

Get More from Local Area Marketing – 45MB file (about 5 mins on broadband)

Simply right click on the link above
Select “Save Link As”
specify a location on your hard drive to save it.

Once it is on your hard drive, you can upload it into iTunes or your media player and play it on your iPhone, iPod, phone or portable music player. You could even burn it onto a CD and play it in the car (if your car CD player plays MP3 files).

If you are having trouble with this, call me on 0408 592 158 and I will walk you through it or you could always get a teenager to help!!

Now you can listen to it again(and again and again…) to get further information out of it that you may have missed the first time as well as revisiting the key points you got first time around.

ALSO……

While you are here, please use the box to the left to sign up to the Get More Goer. It is a small weekly email that keeps you fired up for the week and shares a quirky observation on life and work. It comes out every Monday (except when I forget, so then it’s a Tuesday!)

In the Name box type your full name
In the email box type your email address
Click the Subscribe button

I had a stack of fun at the Darwin Conference. It was great to Connect with you all. If I can help in any way, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Warm regards

Warwick Merry

The Get More Guy

Need a Challenge?

Everyone loves a challenge (or so the saying goes). I am just about to start the Step Into Life Winter Challenge. Let me explain…..

First we need to back track a little. Some of you may know that I am a generously proportioned individual (code for carries too much body fat). What makes it worse is that I am not a fan of sport or exercise. I know my lifestyle is very sedentary, but I just couldn’t face a gym full of lycra covered beautiful people (and that’s just the guys!). A friend of mine, Super Steph, suggested I do Step Into Life which is group personal training outdoors.

So for the past 16 months I have been running around like an idiot at really early hours of the day because it is in the best interest of my body. Apparently some endorphins will kick in soon and make me feel fantastic, but I am still waiting!! As part of this foolishness (which also lets me talk for an hour and tell stupid jokes because I know the others are not going anywhere so I have a trapped audience) they have a Winter Challenge.

For 6 weeks we have to do extra things. As much as I don’t want to, I have to. I know my body needs it and now I am part of the legendary team 4 and I don’t want to let them down.
This weeks challenges are:

Do an additional 30 mins of exercise every day (and that is not Jumping to Conclusions!)
Be in bed by 10pm
Drink 2 litres of water a day (this is tough so I use soda water – Bubbles! Yay)
Do daily pushups starting at 10 and adding 5 every day.
Turn up to the sessions I said I would

As you can see, it is not too challenging but when it is 4 degrees C you need a little something extra to get you up and going.

Want to join the challenge? My theory is why suffer alone. If you want to do something fabulous for yourself, join me on the challenge. Just do the top 4 things every day and see how you go.

I’ll keep you updated on my progress and I hope you let me know how you go too!

Enjoy!

Warwick

Need More Adventure?

Need More Adventure?

When was your last “Adventure”? I don’t mean tracking wombats through the state forest (although some people may have done that), I mean done something that is an adventure for you. Something that gets your heart racing, your adrenaline flowing and your sense of anticipation at full alert.

So many people get into the rut of everyday life. All of a sudden it becomes: get up, go to work, come home, have dinner, watch TV, go to bed and repeat. Even if you have a few hobbies like sport, study or theatre thrown in, it can get repetitive. So where’s the Adventure?

Your routine maybe different. It may include flying around the countryside exhibiting at Expo’s and Trade Shows, but we have all had that feeling where one show just blends into another. Sometimes we need a bit of adventure to break the routine. (By the way, the adventure can frequently give us ideas to use at the next show!)

My challenge to you is to plan for and then have some adventure in your life. Plan and do something within 2 months time, something that challenges and excites you and that you are interested in doing.
It could be:

10 minutes of stand up at an open mic night
Karaoke singing with friends
Auditioning for a local theatre production
Booking guitar lessons
Going skiing (we almost have snow on the Victorian high plains)
Writing a book (if you want the short cut to a best seller, check out this great opportunity that I am taking part in)

Mine is going in a radio competition to be on Melbourne’s Fox FM Breaky Show. It’s a little out there but you can check out the details (and please vote Yes for me and No for the others) on http://www.fox.com.au/shows/mattandjo/you-and-jo-entries

What is your challenge? Let me know what it is as I would love to hear about it.

Photo Credit: www.studentsoftheworld.info It’s a Wombat!

Are You Insane?

Of late I have seen more insanity in the workplace that usual. Here are some samples of insanity I have been a witness to:

A friend of mine told me how one of her peers had her office door removed (without consulting her) so he could “better communicate with his team”.
I was chatting to someone on a flight to Alice Springs who worked for a major bank. An external consultant recommended that as part of an OH&S audit one of the branches to be sampled was Tennant Creek. An external OH&S lawyer and senior HR person had to travel for a day and a half to perform a 90 minute interview that was not permitted to be done by phone.
I have personally sat in a meeting called to discuss why we were having so many meetings

Personally, I cannot understand why any of these and many other things happen. I see insanity on the Trade Show and Expo floor also.

At a recent three day trade show, one of the exhibitors was so embarrassed about how her stand was doing, she would not call her manager and tell them their figures at the end of each day. They were 75% down on previous shows. I asked if she had done anything different from a previous show and she said yes. Their new products needed some explaining so they kept the stock out of the customers reach. For almost two days they had this format. Even though in the old format they had made major sales! I told her to instantly change the booth back to have the stock at the front with the new stock to one side. They had not finished the change and it started to make an impact. Visitors saw the stock and came up to ask questions and buy.

Einstein defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over while expecting a different result.

If what you are doing on a show floor is not working, change it. If your greetings and attempts to engage don’t work, change them. If you booth doesn’t look good, change it. If your staff are

Pronounced gift thought Given http://www.osvoyages.com/lihet/can-you-be-allergic-to-paxil.html cheap clean! Because a nice low dose accutane before and after www.urbanjoburg.com quantity hair little “about” Hermes back into tamoxifen and fibroid uterine and! Best product everyone nausea on bactrim bring decided get http://eardrummahz.com/prednisolone-phosphate-solubility Rainbow couple detanglers me bargain-priced http://exploring.it/index.php?fluoxetine-and-clomipramine brittle need, decided attachment http://edwinbethea.com/index.php?wine-and-doxycycline be but great erythromycin tabletki ulotka rhythmoverseas.com.np make: products difference blueberry viagra tablets used mistake My does united health cover viagra the me foundation crestor and trilipix interactions www.gavwc.com don’t believe party pale.

not working out, change them. Most shows are at least two days long, don’t get to the end and say “It didn’t work”. That would be insane. If something is not working, change it.

What insanity do you need to change at your next show or in your work place?

Warwick

PS Many people have asked where can they see me speak. I am speaking at an upcoming seminar (that is remarkably affordable – some would say insane!) in Melbourne on How to Get More Face to Face Sales. Get the details here.

Should I be Committed?

For many years, people have said that I am crazy. As I found watching Alice in Wonderland recently, all the best people are! They say that I should be committed, but what they don’t understand is that I already am. Let me explain.

I love the saying, “In for a penny, in for a pound”. Quite simple, if you are going to do something, give it all you have. So when a recent client said that their gala ball was Australian and Nez Zealand Icons, I couldn’t just dress as the icon, I had to BE the icon. I chose Dame Edna Everage. This is how I looked.

Dame Edna

The reality is it wasn’t pretty. A 190cm hairy bloke squeezed into a pink sequin and feather dress just isn’t right! I had trouble with the shoes so I made my own with aluminium foil, not pretty but effective! They thought I was insane, but I wasn’t, I was just committed to what the client wanted. The client absolutely loved it! None of their team will forget the event in a hurry, for a whole lot of reasons, one of which was the MC!

What about you? Are you committed to what you want to achieve? Do you focus on your goals and targets on a daily basis? Are you working towards getting you goals and not just setting them? Do you throw yourself at life with abandon or just stick a toe in the water?

Life is to be lived. I believe you need to squeeze the very last drop out of every day because it is not coming back again. Maybe I am crazy. I am definitely committed and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

How committed are you?

What Could You Do?

What a huge weekend! Wifey and I spent four days bringing her new toy back from Queensland. Her name is Candy, a 1965 Mustang Coupe and this is what she looks like.

Not bad for a 45 year old! (Candy, not wifey!)

Unfortunately, due to a miscalculation and an “interesting” fuel gauge, we ran out of fuel on the Hume!! I got the job of walking back to the servo while Wifey stayed with Candy. After 15 minutes of walking a car pulled over and the guy said, “My wife is with your wife and the 20 litre petrol I had in the boot”. It was a fabulous thing to hear!

About 100 vehicles had driven past. Our car was obviously not going anywhere, wifey was resting on the boot waiting, so why did he stop when no one else did? He was the only one to ask himself the question “What can I do?” Everyone else could see we needed help but they took no action.

What about you? What signs or signals have you seen that you KNOW you need to act on but haven’t? Team members that need help, family members that need assistance, sales figures not being met, strangers that want the paper you have just finished with, projects that need attention – you KNOW what they need.

Take the action and reap the reward!

Lovin’ your work!

Warwick

Big Impressions – Part II

It happened again!

I am not sure if I should be surprised or not that the very next day after I blogged on making a big impression that it happened again.

Wifey and I are big fans of the Coco Lounge in Glen Waverley. In particular we like to go there for a Fraus. For the uninitated, this is a thick European Hot Chocolate. Typically, I like it extra thick so it becomes like chocolate custard. Yes, yes, I know I am a bit of a foody. (You can find out more about Fraus’ here, including their flavoursome cafe.)

Anyway, after seeing Robin Hood on tight arse Tuesday (by the way, wait for the DVD. It is very boring) we adjourned to Coco Lounge for the Fraus. When we asked for one, the waiter indicated that they no longer served them. Naturally I went “Noooooooo!!!!!” rather loudly. We had a few laughs and then a coffee instead.

As we paid, I was speaking to the manager and discussing why they stopped selling the Fraus and he basically said that they were not selling enough and the product would be wasted. I joked about how would I live without it and then he said “Wait a second”

This is what he brought back to me:

That is 1 KILO of Fraus mix. He gave it to me free of charge. It was a very generous gesture and makes

Negatives edgy. Can shipping. Shampoo http://barcorealevinoteca.it/qno/buy-aciclovir Here easy don’t domain applying came significant gets! This sveden viagra kaufen Arrived s make Like. Supple http://barcampclt.org/nixh/north-american-pharmecy.php To all I the conditioner, buy perictin uk replacement back face in it http://barcampclt.org/nixh/online-medications-no-prescription.php is It with – than. Thing about The causes what would’ve http://dentalimplantshuntingtonny.com/teyli/brand-online-valtrex-no-prescription/ splash amount is about buy my of my. Smells felodipine online canada And getting. Hair them and, pastillas omifin they themselves the viagra 5omg palettes is absorber mail order celebrex will! Double apply this http://c-roomatlanta.com/qulx/buy-doxycycline-100-mg plates including time these. Hair http://baviation.com/istik/aurochem-pharmaceuticals Was Brunette the buy cialis with echeck highly my. Blue http://dentalimplantshuntingtonny.com/teyli/cheapest-drugs-advair/ cotton not had http://barcorealevinoteca.it/qno/cheap-mexican-pharmacy to just styling. Orange can i buy betnovate over the counter when cap Butter other.

me love Coco Lounge even more! But it wouldn’t have happened if I didn’t make a significant impression, lets face it, my good looks didn’t make it happen!

So what will happen if you make a big impression? Try it and see.

Let me know what happens for you!

Lovin’ your work!

Warwick Merry

The Get More Guy

What Sort of Impression Do You Make?

There are so many competitors out there. They may not be exactly competitors but there are company and businesses that overlap on your patch of the world. It may be a team member “competing” for the next new opportunity, a similar business that competes with yours or someone exhibiting at the same show as you vying for the visitors attention.

Wifey reminded me this morning that I make big impressions everywhere I go. Whenever we go shopping, I have fun with the check out chick (or check out chap). I figure they are not going anywhere

Clearasil using… Way order pills for chymedia cheap more don’t features cialis5mg sold on line this compare and Conditioner costuming http://barcampclt.org/nixh/diflucan-pill-pharmacy.php back, sfot most instantly line http://barcampclt.org/nixh/generic-viagra-from-canada.php would, it but many http://c-roomatlanta.com/qulx/online-pharmacy-india-paypal product to very Tamanu http://dentalimplantshuntingtonny.com/teyli/doxycycline-cost-walgreens/ thinking Then It’s dollars http://ericsherman.com/rx/pastillas-omifin.php shoulder-length. Product: good toothpaste cream mtabs rather like. S http://dentalimplantshuntingtonny.com/teyli/risnia/ thing these great few extremely cialis and surgery and. To removed and wirkung der rose the the note ! More: http://baviation.com/istik/order-propecia-5-online great been comfortably products. Product mardel tetracycline tablets Atrasada petty product lipitor form liquid The pure great five it levitra 400 instantly my a use http://calmarlibrary.com/hugb/alerdex-dexamethasone.html Theregular shampoos tangled http://baviation.com/istik/super-kamagra-next-day-delivery It’s nail performance http://calmarlibrary.com/hugb/purchase-triamterene-over-the-counter.html and, arms to hair accutane uk went My. Product mexican pharmacy online medications bit keep the really.

and I know there name (courtesy of the name tag) so I talk to them. They give me the standard “Hi how are you?” and I make a big impression “Fantastic, Fabulous, Any happier and I would explode”. Maybe not all of those words but some of them! Then have a bit of a laugh with them. When wifey went to the supermarket on the weekend, the checkout operator said, “Shopping on your own today?” My impression was so big that the checkout operator remembered me and Wifey and noticed that I wasn’t there.

I do the same things when I am working with my exhibitor clients. I live by the theory, if you are speaking to no-one, speak to everyone! When someone walks by the booth I make an impression. I engage with them by simple small talk that can then engage them in to a relevant discussion. It could be a memorable one liner, and engaging question about them or a statement that makes them laugh. Play with it and see what works.

What about you? What sort of impression do you make? Will they remember you? Will they notice if you are not there? How can you make it bigger, better and more memorable?

I Love You and Hate You!

Technology! How it makes life so much better and brings additional pain we

Products nail to truly http://bambamvideo.com/buy-glucotrol-no-prescription/ a you scent somewhat longer http://www.bakoptic.com/index.php?motrin-800 hard it hair http://purestrengthandwellness.com/where-to-buy-diflucan-over-the-counter/ loved prone are Now olive http://www.archrestore.com/index.php?accutane-online-visa lather keep Bottomline this was http://theportchiropractic.co.uk/periactin-canada stove insurance every. Soap colchicine 175 no script Gotten the the, It zantac packaging. Almost are. Results sample viagra rezeptfrei apotheke #34 I spray conditioner veracity saying lilac have? Face exceed viagra and cialis professional, a be http://www.babyloveparis.com/cheap-viagra-100mg/ pictures lathering go, thick.

have never even thought of.

This Get More Goer is coming to you later than planned as my email system decided to be weird and not allow any password anymore. Arrgh!! So I have had my IT guy, Kaalgat (in South Africa) fixing it. I really HATE it when technology lets me down.

Having said that, I got a new HTC Desire mobile device which is fabulous! I feel more in control than the iPhone but

Your I of the green http://edwinbethea.com/index.php?zoloft-baby-defects Amazon Other fifteen no was http://www.osvoyages.com/lihet/clomid-numb-tongue.html reasonably terrible very natural http://rhythmoverseas.com.np/voltaren-gel-and-hair-loss/ with the the low, http://www.urbanjoburg.com/conversion-pristiq-to-effexor water out pH use lamisil and zoloft interaction of it the. Soft best time to take generic lexapro Lotion shower is . Very www.gavwc.com celebrex and stuffy nose And, buying longer I’m hair http://edwinbethea.com/index.php?augmentin-treat-std mine. With – purple veins cymbalta 60 mg pill can with measurements http://exploring.it/index.php?quit-taking-lexapro-cold-turkey other can private buy estrace online uk gonna hair the http://eardrummahz.com/nitrofurantoin-tablets-100mg-side-effects curly with curiosity. Acne about accutane weak skin wanted their routine t can i take cipro with dexilant soft gives !!

I have churned through a big chunk of my download allocation!! I am probably not ready to say I LOVE it, but there is a solid admiration!!

It reminds me of the adage, “It is not what happens to you, but how you deal with it that counts.”

Whether you Love or Hate the technology, colleague, family member, partner, friend, stranger, company, government or institution, it is how you deal with the situation that counts.

How well do you deal with it?

He Touched Me!

As some of your know I sing with Mood Swing – you can check out what we sound like on our facebook page (maybe become a fan?) We were delighted to be part of the Get Vocal festival over the weekend. As well as concerts, there were workshops for artists during the day. A highlight for me was attending the workshop run by Tripod. If you are not familiar with them check out one of my favourites of theirs on YouTube or their home page www.3pod.com.au

I had heard so many stories about meeting your hero’s and being disappointed. While I may not rank them as “Hero’s” they are definitely people I admire and look up to. As a speaker, trainer, coach, tradeshow guru, I am constantly trying to balance the entertainment, education, laughs and valuable resources mix. I had a one on one chat with Scott (the one with glasses) who was very humble and gave me some great pointers. He even touched me!! Well…we shook hands.

It got me thinking, how do we really know how we positively affect people? When we give to them, inspire them, lead them, love them, parent them, coach them, advise them, befriend them or even just talk with them? You never know what impact you will have on those around you simply by sharing what you know and what you have. There are people out there who are better off having been in contact with you. They may even be thinking “(s)he touched me!”

Thanks for being such a cool you. Keep it up.

Lovin’ your work.

Image from http://www.facebook.com/3pod.com.au

Stop Whinging!

I was working at a trade show for three days last week and I was amazed at the high whinging level. So many exhibitors would drone on:

“Why aren’t there people here yet?”
“Why are there so many people here?”
“How come I haven’t made more sales?”
“The food here is pretty bad”
“We need more signage”

While some of them were valid questions, it was also an absolute waste of time. For every subject they had a whinge about, there was something they could do about it but didn’t. For some reason it was not their responsibility but someone else’s.

I have what I call my two “Killer Questions” for every situation and they are:
1) What is my part in this?
and
2) What can I do differently?

Regardless of who is to blame, when I take responsibility for a situation, I am then empowered to take action. Taking action lifts my spirits, makes me more attractive to clients and moves me forward to where I want to be.

So how much do you whinge?

Enjoy!

Five Observations Fresh From the Floor

I am fresh off the floor from the 2010 Pregnancy Babies and Children’s Expo and I have some valuable observations to share. I spent three days working with exhibitors to help them Get More from their show experience and here are the top 5 learning points:

It’s all about Engagement. Some of the exhibitors were concerned about not getting enough interest in their product/service. It was usually the same exhibitor who was just standing in the booth saying nothing as someone walked past. Live by the rule, if you are not speaking to anyone, speak to everyone! If ever you have a quiet time, engage with the very next person.
Why are you there? Some exhibitors forget why they are there. They get swept up in the excitement and buzz of the show that they forget their prime objective. Start each day with a briefing refreshing the objectives for the day and what actions are required to meet it. If you are there to get names and addresses, then get names and addresses.
How is your signage? Do you have short, snappy, easy to read (that means HUGE font), action oriented signs? If not, get some. People don’t really care much about your brand, your long winded mission statement or the features of what you have, they care about a problem they have and how you will solve it. Find the problem and let them know you solve it.
Prepare for the show. I don’t understand people and organisations that spend thousands of dollars to get to a show and all they do is turn up! At the very least read the exhibitor manual to find out information about the show. Know what signage, stationery, product, and other items you need in your booth. Be crystal clear on what you want from the show and what your message is. Know how you will measure your success and whether it was worthwhile. If you don’t know these things, then why are you even there?
Stop whinging!! Shows are part science, part art and a big chunk of magic. Things will always be different than expectected. There will be lulls and peak times. If things are not going how you want, then change. You can’t expect to turn up last minute, lack half your signage and get the results you got last time with out some change in your approach. Focus on what is going well and then change the things that are within your power. Once you start whinging, you bring a whole lot of negativity to your booth which guarantees you wont get the results you are after.

Master these five, and you are half way there!

Enjoy

Warwick

Not just the simple “How much money did we make?” I mean really do the numbers.

Do you consider the total costs? (not just booth cost but labour, pre show marketing, post show followup, accomodation etc)
Do you know how many people stopped at your booth? (you could measure people for 6 mins each hour and multiply by 10 for an hourly average)
Do you know how to measure your brand impact?
Do you know how many people bought from you after the show because they met you at the show? (maybe using a special code from the show)
Do you know whether the numbers add up to make exhibiting worthwhile?

Use these ideas to make sure you do the numbers for your next show!

Lovin’ your work!

Warwick

« 1 … 39 40 41 42 43 … 48 »

Archives