Any Other Name

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. " - William Shakespeare



No offense to Shakespeare, but I disagree. It is ALL about the name.

In today's high paced, low attention span world, you only have a second to capture some one's attention. We are inundated with emails, phone calls, commercials, ads, solicitations, billboards, social media updates, texts and mail. If you want to get and keep some one's attention, you have to reach out and grab them.

Let's take a look at titles. As a professional speaker, you are called upon to create and name your own presentations. This can be a challenge. Do you think people want to hear about Leadership or How to recover from a monumental mistake? Do you think your audience prefers Communication Skills or How to eat crow and like it (trademarked title Dawn Jones). What about Project Management or Why your project is doomed. In order to train or speak effectively, first you require an audience. The best way to achieve that is with the title. I can't tell you how much time I've spent consulting on nothing more than brainstorming presentation or book titles. It is your first impression.

Let's take a look at emails. Most folks send out an ezine or other form of email blast. What is your open rate? If it's less than 20%, you might want to consider reworking the subject line.
The subject line should be concise and inviting. Using a six word question works wonders. What is your fan page missing? This might get your attention. How about Secrets of a social media princess. You might also consider Mistakes that can kill your business. (Mistakes and secrets are tremendous attention grabbers.) If you want your email to be read, it all starts in the subject line.

Take a look at your titles. Examine your email blasts or even job title. There are many ways to grab some one's attention, but more ways to lose it.