Reality Upclose-The Power of Audio/Video Taping Yourself
How do you suppose elite professional athletes prepare for their sport? Among other things, they watch film and get professional coaching. Even the superstars? Especially the superstars. Nobody is more motivated to look at themselves for ways to improve than the best.
Video and audio tape reveals the truth. It can’t lie, think or assume. It can only tell the truth.
We all can learn from the pros and achieve our next level of success by audio taping real client interviews/conversations/seminars, etc. If you play a sport or an instrument, audio/video taping can be a powerful learning experience. Here are a few steps to implement this powerful idea.
1. Make a real commitment to audio tape your client interviews/appointments/meetings. It is as much for their benefit as it is yours.
2. Buy a small, battery powered digital recorder. Preferably one where you can easily listen to the recordings in your car.
3. Prepare a simple monologue for explaining to your prospects and clients how audio taping the interview, appointment, and meeting benefits them. Here is an example.
“Mr./Ms. Prospect/Client the work we are beginning/doing today is very important. You see that in addition to my notepad, I use a digital recorder. The purpose of recording our meeting is to capture everything you share with me with complete accuracy. Although I take good notes, I will listen to this tape several times between now and the next time we meet. I find this helps me to be absolutely sure that the work I do for you is totally consistent with what you want to accomplish. I believe it helps me do a better job for you.”
Asking good questions in the beginning of the meeting will cause your prospect/client to very quickly forget about the recorder and focus on the process of helping them be even more successful. The recorder should be placed off to the side so it isn’t a consistent reminder.
4. Listen to the recordings! This, of course, is the most difficult part and the most helpful/powerful. You will soon become comfortable listening to your own voice and you will quickly discover ways to dramatically improve the results of the interview.
5. Sample self-evaluation questions:
- What are three things I did right in this meeting?
- What is the one biggest thing I could improve?
- What issues did my prospect/client seem to be most emotional about?
- Did I listen and go at my prospect’s/client’s pace?
- How many minutes did I talk?
- How many minutes did my prospect/client talk?
- Do I have all the information I need to create what I need to create for my prospect/client?
- What did my prospect/client make a commitment to do?
- Did I do a good job of getting a clear commitment from my prospect/client to achieve the desired outcome?
- Did the meeting flow according to my plan?
- How could I better stay on track or take fewer detours in my meetings?
6. Give a recording to a colleague or manager for review. Provide them with an evaluation form. Read their feedback carefully. Make adjustments accordingly.
It takes courage to do this and face the truth. There is always a gap between what we think occurs in the meeting and reality. If you can muster the courage to listen to the recording (or watch if a video) with a commitment to improvement versus the tendency to justify your actions, you will enjoy significant and immediate increase in your results.
Consider the benefits:
- The monologue explaining your purpose for recording the interview instantly builds credibility from the very beginning of the meeting. You don’t have to get their permission. If they have a problem with the recording, they will let you know.
- You will do a better job for your client as a result of listening to the recordings. Just like watching a movie previously seen often reveals what we missed the first time, you will discover things that you might have missed in your notes. Just the fact that you care enough to listen to the recording will cause you to be more effective at creating the best course of action for your new client.
- Hearing what you do well on the recordings (or seeing it on the video) will increase your confidence.
- Your relationship building skills will dramatically increase as a result of accurately identifying specific areas for improvement.
- The recordings will reveal wasted time. Eliminating superfluous events will shorten the time it takes to successfully complete the meeting. Often the interview can be more effective in less time.
You may not like everything you hear and see at first, but it won’t be long before you do! Get recording today and see those enhanced results.
Mercedes Mechanic I highly recommend – in San Diego
Whenever I get a car, I always look for the best mechanic (typically not at the car dealership – sorry) to work on my car so I can have an expert who specializes in the type the car and also to save money from going to a dealership. If you are like me, you want the best mechanic who you trust to tell you the truth and who saves you money.
If you live in San Diego area and have a Mercedes, you want to take your car to Exclusive Motors. They are at 8448 Miracrest Place, Suite C, San Diego, CA 92121
Their phone number is 858-552-1112
I was referred to this mechanic many years ago and have gone there ever since. I needed 4 new tires the other day in addition to some regular maintenance. They took my car to get the tires for me so I didn’t have to go there and get them myself. They double checked the air pressure and took the time to explain everything they did to my car. I almost always feel like I should pay more for the work they do for me. I bet you haven’t felt this way about a car mechanic too many times before, if ever.
They only work on Mercedes. They also have cars for sale if you are in the market for a Mercedes.
2 Great quotes by Apolo Ohno, Short-track speed skater
How much of the winter Olympics have you been watching? Well, my husband and I have been trying to enjoy as much as we could. There certainly was a lot being recorded so we could choose from a variety of winter sports. I certainly learned more about winter sports than I ever knew. Apolo Ohno was certainly a hit with winning so many medals. During various interviews, he said a few things that I thought you might want to ponder and consider how you can apply what he said into your life for even greater success.
“Before you go to sleep at night ask yourself one question: Did you do every single thing you could today to make sure that you did your best? It’s hard to answer ‘yes’ every single day.” Apolo Ohno; Short-track speed skater
“I don’t like to look at it as competition. It’s about me conquering myself… me being able to face my own fears, distractions, and weaknesses and say that I overcame them.” Apolo Ohno; Short-track speed skater
