If you’ve spent any time in Tyler, TX there’s no doubt you’ve heard of Dr. David Crawford, Chair of the Theatre Department at Tyler Junior College. He’s spent countless hours, days, and years investing in the lives of young people and instilling in them a love for the arts. Dr. Crawford recently came to me requesting an online home for directing traffic and interest in his scripts. The accomplished theatre teacher and writer has had his scripts featured Off-Broadway and has received numerous national and regional awards. Having not wandered far from his rural East Texas roots his scripts portray a feel of southern gentleman, for playful adventures, and simplicity. This was my scope as I created the design of the site.
Check out the finished product here: www.davidwrightcrawford.com
This is what Dr. Crawford had to say about it: "Wading into the stormy waters of web design, I had no better captain than Scott Clifton. Where I was uncertain, he was confident. He led me to visualize my purpose and how best to communicate that vision in order for him to design a web site that will attract the largest audience for my work. He seemed always ahead of me, urging me on and offering his creative genius whenever I faltered. His ingenuity, creative impulse, and energy resulted in an attractive, eye-catching, intelligent design. His uncanny abilities enabled him to see through me to the end product, one conceived solely for me. Working with Scott was an enjoyable experience and I am sold on his abilities. I won’t touch my website without him."
Tags:best interest·persuasion
I categorize salesmen in two ways, solicitors and consultants. Two people working the art of persuasion that appear to be the same to those that aren’t aware of the difference. This distinction is very important unless you enjoy being taken constantly. I might be adding to the official dictionary definition but so what.
SOLICITOR – a person who solicits for business
CONSULTANT - a person who is providing a product and can advise in the best interest of the buyer. With these two distinctions, let’s look at some practical applications.
A solicitor is someone who has no real understanding of the market. They have no understanding of anything outside of how their product is supposed to be sold to a client. Therefore they have no frame of reference to what is in the best interest of other people. A solicitor is often brought on to a company for their network. Companies that seem to weigh more toward simply more money over building lasting relationships that provide value have a wrong perspective. Do we want money? Yes. Is that our only perspective? No.
You might have dealt with a solicitor if…
1) You asked a question and they seemingly ignored it or were afraid to answer it.
2) They tried hiring you by telling you how much money you were going to make and just barely addressed the actual product that would be providing value to you.
3) You got all excited during a phone conversation because you were told you could make millions in a short time and then wouldn’t have to work because you’d be drinking an iced tea laid out on the beach for the rest of your life.
We’ve created a society of solicitors.
The best ones are passionate and are good with people. That’s why we’re so often confused by them. What if we had salesmen that were good with a product and were good with people? We’d have people providing value. Don’t waste your time with people who’s goal is to put things out of perspective for your needs and situation. They’ve been fed something and you’ll be fed it to. Get off the happy train and get to work learning your product and industry so you can provide value that you understand.
Tags:best interest·persuasion·solicitor
I started a blog a while back about marketing for my company but realized what I wanted to write about was more along the lines of keeping the integrity of sales, marketing, and advertising in a light that is honest. Sales, marketing, and advertising have become terms that often rub us the wrong way. But, these professions should be doing the world a lot of good if they are presenting solutions to people’s needs. For every true salesman there are 5-10 others playing a game of deception and greed that our consumption oriented economy who often has only a small portion of the facts doesn’t know the difference. This blog is one that will fight for an accurate story of our products and services. A true salesman is one who isn’t afraid to admit his product may not be in the best interest of some. To be persuasive but not overbearing. To educate, not manipulate. And if it turns out it isn’t in the best interest then he will consult a customer in what would be.
It is our responsibility to not only know our product/service but know our consumer and to speak to the truth of the circumstance.
Join with me.
Tags:Needs·Solutions·Truth
