With acknowledgement to the late comedian Joan Rivers, in her own wonderful way who used “can we tawk?” as a trademark part of her schtik, I received this same question last week via my blog “contact me” from a marketing officer in a professional services firm. For me, this was unusual: an inquiry from my blog.

Some backstory on the process that led us to zoom together and explore how I could help the firm: It started with her googling me, then her reaction to reading an article I wrote this past summer in an influential professional organization’s magazine (towards the top of the search results), which convinced her to inquire how I could best help them from a review of my LinkedIn profile, where she found my blog, and then contacted me here.

Yes, incenting her to want to know more. What makes me remark here is the path she took through my online body of work.
Hey, you never know, as the lottery ad says. The system works, IMHO.

It’s just one, or in this case, a combination of many, ways we open ourselves up to anyone who wants to comment or inquire about our “why.”

I am always gratified to receive comments here on this blog, and elsewhere, and have for years, with kudos for something I wrote, or a nice note from a new reader. And yes, I also weed out those baldly ballsy self-promoting ads to clean my office, or to explode my website by SEO or google ad word geniuses, neither of which I need, and like you, always when unsolicited in such a gunshot nature, deleted promptly. “Bang!” I say as I do it. It feels better that way.

This one was noteworthy:

Given your expertise in this area, we would love to connect with you to discuss whether this is something you could offer…

I researched the sender on LinkedIn and responded immediately via LinkedIn message to explore on zoom how (we already held session 1), when they need me (April)–yes face-to-face is preferred–to further this along.

The moral of this story? With all our methods of communication, across so many platforms and media, I recommend you monitor all of yours, reply immediately, be “in the moment,” and choose your words and gestures and manner to bring the best outcome.

Please, no large numbers showing any inbound message unanswered.

OK, check yours now, across your social and other media. Now. Not later.

Because the inquirer has pushed past you and on to competitors if you delay(ed).

Make an energetic impression.

In other words (yes here it comes) be amazing-er, be in the moment.