1. The Necessity of Standing Out and the Universal Role of Sales [0]

thumbnail
  1. The speaker introduces an idea to help people stand out in a crowd [0].
  2. The speaker's background was working in a factory, which was dirty, smelly, and stressful [1].
    1. This "factory" was actually being a secondary school maths teacher [4].
    2. The product was thousands of children who could pass tests [5].
  3. The speaker realized he did not want his boss's job, which planted the seeds of entrepreneurship [5].
  4. To plan his exit from teaching, he took a job in sales [7].
  5. He realized teaching was also sales, as he was selling a dream of a better future, prospects, and hope [8].
  6. Everyone is in sales right now [10].
    1. You might be selling products, services, or a vision [11].
    2. Leaders try to engage people with their style or get them to buy into their vision [13].
    3. You could be selling an idea, system, methodology, concept, argument, opinion, view, excuse, reason, or explanation [14].
  7. The number one thing everyone is selling is themselves [17].
    1. If people do not "buy you," they will not buy anything else behind you [18].
    2. People buy people; if they know, like, and trust you, they will buy from you [18].
  8. You want others to choose, promote, hire, pay, date, marry, and recommend you [19].
  9. The question is how to stand out to be the one chosen [20].

2. The Failure of Traditional Networking and the Problem of Noise [20]

thumbnail
  1. A few years ago, the speaker took a sales job where part of his role was networking [20].
  2. He went to every business-related event possible with his new business cards [22].
  3. After two years, his wife asked how much business he had gained from all the networking, as she had not seen him [23].
  4. The speaker checked his track record for two years of networking [28]:
    1. He attended 126 business-related events [30].
    2. He spent 284 hours of contact time (shaking hands, swapping cards) [31].
    3. He spent $7,485 on food, memberships, etc. [33].
    4. He collected 987 business cards [33].
  5. The result of all this activity was nothing in terms of business [34].
  6. This realization caused intense shame, humiliation, and regret for wasted time [36].
  7. He decided something had to change, either returning to teaching (a fail) or becoming world-class at networking [38].
  8. He was puzzled why some people succeeded and others did not, so he began studying those who stood out [39].
  9. The core problem he identified is noise [42].
  10. This noise includes:
    1. Millions of digital TV, audio, and radio channels [45].
    2. Mobile phones muscling in on lives [46].
    3. Social media, which is the new inbox, creating more messages and clutter [47].
    4. The worldwide web dumping billions of megabytes of information every minute [49].
  11. The bulging population means more people are graduating with the same qualifications and looking for the same jobs [50].
  12. Everything looks and sounds the same, and when everyone says, "Choose me," the world hears "blah, blah, blah" [50].
  13. Marketer Gary Hamill states that sameness sucks [51].

3. Reputation: The Answer to Noise and the Three Payments [52]

thumbnail
  1. The answer to standing out is in your reputation and your good name [53].
  2. A reputation is what people see, feel, think, do, and say when they contact you or your name [55].
  3. Your reputation is your personal share price on the stock market of life [57].
    1. It is a piece of real estate in people's minds [58].
    2. When your share price is high, people will find, invest in, and look for you [58].
  4. Your reputation (rep) is the reason everyone pays [59].
  5. There are three things people want others to pay them [60]:

3.1. Paying Attention and Respect [61]

  1. The first payment is attention [61].
    1. You must get noticed above the clutter [62].
    2. You must solve the tyranny of choice so people pick you first [63].
  2. The second payment is respect [64].
    1. This looks like people supporting, encouraging, and paying a fair wage [64].
    2. It means people defending you and treating you nicely [64].
    3. A good name and reputation ensure you get the respect you deserve [64].
  3. The third payment is money [65].
    1. The bigger your reputation, the more you will get paid [65].

3.2. The Importance of Money and Reputation Benefits [66]

  1. The speaker does not apologize for discussing money, which Zig Zigler ranks with oxygen [66].
  2. Reverend Ike said the best thing for the poor is not to be one of them [67].
  3. In the past, business currency was money, but deals were done on a handshake and reputation [68].
  4. People with strong names and reputations are the ones who get picked, chosen, and receive perks [69].
  5. They receive interest in projects and people come to them instead of them chasing others [69].
  6. If you can get people talking and thinking about you, you have a chance to be the standout, number one, go-to choice [70].

4. Four Steps to Build a Strong Reputation and the Red Box Concept [71]

thumbnail
  1. A reputation takes a lifetime to build, like an oak tree growing from an acorn [72].
  2. The best time to plant a tree was 20-30 years ago, but you can start now [74].
  3. The speaker shares four things to do to sell yourself and stand out [75].

4.1. The Red Box: Defining Your Uniqueness [76]

  1. The concept starts with a gray box where everyone like you is placed [76].
    1. The gray box is homogenized, bland, and commoditized [78].
    2. If you look the same, people choose the cheapest, closest, or most convenient option [79].
    3. Competing on price is difficult because someone is always cheaper [79].
  2. The red box contains what is unique about you [80].
    1. It holds what your competition cannot duplicate, replicate, copy, or claim [80].
  3. The red box is built starting from birth [81]:
    1. Character: What you stand for, your values, principles, and core being [82].
    2. Experience: Experiences unique to you, which others have not had [85].
    3. Talking about unique experiences keeps you in the red box [86].
    4. Expertise: Your unique skills, talents, and knowledge (DNA) [88].
    5. Talking in general terms is bland and does not stand out [90].
  4. Build on your character and inner being with everything you can learn and train [91].
  5. After this, you get your personal brand [92].
    1. This is the outward manifestation of your inner self [93].
    2. It includes your walk, look, talk, dealings with people, website, business card, and dress sense [94].
  6. Finally, your reputation is what people think when they interact with your personal brand [95].
  7. Focus on the red box (your uniqueness) in all interactions, including your elevator pitch, resume, and conversations [96].

4.2. Building Network, Raising Profile, and Authenticity [97]

  1. The second thing is to build a network [97].
    1. Your network is who you know; your reputation is who knows you [100].
    2. A bigger network leads to a bigger reputation [101].
    3. Networking is just talking to people and having conversations [102].
  2. Famous quotes on networking:
    1. Robert Kiyosaki says rich people build networks, and the richest resources are in the richest relationships [104].
    2. Brian Tracy says most jobs are filled through networking [105].
    3. Peter Drucker says all deals are done over meal times [105].
  3. Build your network and dig that well before you're thirsty [106].
  4. The third thing is to raise your profile [107].
    1. Not having a high profile is like being brilliant but anonymous [108].
    2. It is like putting a market stall in the desert where no one will see your brilliance [109].
    3. Two of the best ways to raise your profile are to speak and write (blog, book, presentation) [110].
    4. Share your ideas because it is no good being the best kept secret [110].
  5. The fourth and final thing is to be authentic [111].
    1. Be yourself and do not try to imitate someone else [112].
    2. You might be good at being someone else, but you should be great at being you [113].
    3. Oscar Wilde said, "Be yourself, everyone else is already taken" [114].
    4. Authenticity flows from your character through your personal brand to your reputation [115].
  6. To get through the noise, you must not talk or sound like everyone else [116].
  7. In tough times, you have a fantastic opportunity to stand out like a beacon [118].
  8. Focus on your red box to become the number one go-to choice for what you do [119].