I tell a story about quotes often when visiting chapters. I realized I never have written a post about it and decided it would be worthwhile to do so. Here goes my “quote story”.
I started capturing email addresses on my website when I started sending out “Book More Business Tips” in 1999. (I now send out my “Book More Business Blog”.) My first tip was scheduled to go out and I was traveling. I can’t remember for the life of me what the tip was (except that I’m sure it was memorable to someone, perhaps my mother. Regardless, I wrote the tip and followed with a quote by that great American composer, Irving Berlin. The quote was:
Life is 10 percent what you make it, and 90 percent how you take it.
I couldn’t wait to check my email to see MY tip! And how smart my readers would think I was to tie Irving Berlin, for heaven’s sake, into the point! My celebration was premature.
After checking the email I picked up voice mail messages. Here was the most memorable.
Lois, take me off your damn tip list! If I wanted to know what Irving Berlin thought about the speaking business I’d go to the library.
Click.
Yep, that was it. No name, no number, just that message.
Then I checked the next message. Here it is:
Lois, Gitomer here. Was I a little short on my last message? Here’s the point. When you quote someone else, you give away your expertise! However, when you follow another’s quote with your own quote, your own thought, you bring the perception of expertise back to yourself. Bye.
Click.
Jeffrey Gitomer had taken me to school in a phone message! And, it was a great one! I think of this story every time I see quotes come up on Twitter. If you look at Jeffrey’s account, @gitomer, you’ll notice he practices what he preaches! Now I do too.
I take the time to put my own thought at the end of another’s quote. Better yet, I’ve started creating my own quotes, and they have been well received!
So, what should you do the next time you want to quote someone else? Think of Jeffrey.
WWJD – What would Jeffrey do?
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Lois works with professional speakers who want to book more business, make more money and avoid costly mistakes! She can be reached in the following ways:
Lois@BookMoreBusiness.com
Phone: 314.822.8225
Twitter: @loiscreamer
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/loiscreamer
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/loiscreamer
For more information on Lois’ business check out http://www.bookmorebusiness.com as well as http://www.bookmorebusiness.tv!
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