More Clients - the Online Marketing Newsletter
for Independent Professionals
from Action Plan Marketing
and Robert MiddletonIn This Week's Issue: An InfoGuru Forum member comments on the London bombings and global business.
In the wake of the London bombings last week, one of the most stalwart members of the InfoGuru Support Forum (John Williamson, in London, England), posted the following comments. It's not exactly about marketing your business but I think it's very appropriate for these troubled times.
- Robert Middleton
The Things We Have in Common
Hello Dear InfoGurus,
I dry my eyes and sigh as I think of the innocent people who have suffered this senseless loss of life and those who are maimed and injured.
It is often true that those denied a voice often turn to violence to make their point, but are the perpetrators of these acts totally unable to articulate their arguments? They say they do it in the name of Islam, but I have never met a person of that religion who was not intelligent and articulate.
Have they learned nothing from History? Did the IRA bombings in London, and the Bolshevik bombings before that deter the British people from their normal daily life? Not at all.
The British people are a warlike race. We are the progeny of generations of invaders of these islands. We may be peaceful and slow to anger, but only scratch us to see what is there under the surface of the skin.
There is a common experience of violence in these Islands.
My grandfather was cycling home from work when he was knocked off his bike by the blast from the doodlebug bomb (V2 rocket) that hit Woolworths store in New Cross, London.
The store was crowded with women and children at the time. After he had recovered himself, he set to with other volunteers to help those he could help, and to clear the debris and the body parts that they could find. He went to work the next day.
A bomb went off outside the house, and the blast moved our heavy iron-framed pianola from out of its location at the back of the house, down the passage, into a new location in a front room of the house!
As a souvenir of violence, my grandfather carried a bullet next to his heart 'till his dying day.
Some of my earliest memories are of the bombers rumbling overhead and dropping their bombs on London; the houses on fire; an ME109 (Mescherschmidt fighter-bomber plane) machine-gunning the streets, and when I went outside the house later finding its cannon shells in the back garden.
Later, in my teens, I recall our house and the house next door being machine-gunned by local gangsters. My grandfather, roused from his sleep pulled a chair up to the bedroom window and, oblivious to his own safety, sat enjoying the gun battle that was taking place in the street, then came down the stairs to make a cup of tea, complaining about the 'bloody idiots' that had roused his slumbers.
And there were repercussions that we had to deal with when those involved tried to intimidate us as witnesses. They had picked on the wrong family and came badly unstuck.
So the cycle of violence goes on. Perpetrated by those who apparently know no better or who are a minority voicing an unpopular opinion but want to try and get their own way nonetheless.
When Maggie Thatcher and Dennis dusted themselves down from the Brighton bombing of their suite at the Grand Hotel, and then proceeded to take charge and give television interviews, that is when you saw the true British spirit.
You cannot change the mettle in people with bombs and violence, you can only expose that which is normally hidden from view.
I am English, of English, Irish, Scottish and Scandinavian Viking descent. During my life I have had the great pleasure of working with a great many people of many different nationalities, religions, political persuasion and stations in life. Most of those interactions have been very amicable and very fruitful and rewarding.
Of course there is always the odd person who hates me just because I am me, but that is life and I don't usually have to deal with those people.
I remember many years ago that I went to a meeting, and while I was waiting for the meeting to start, I sat on a bench in a waiting room. Next to me sat another gentleman. He was poorly dressed in grimy, well-worn overalls. I was in a clean, new business suit. He was a "working class" immigrant from Pakistan who (it turned out) worked on the railways.
I was white (still am), professional class, running some 23 businesses including a Public Limited Company. We couldn't possibly have anything in common you might think. But you'd be wrong if you thought that. You see, that man was married - like me. He had two sons - like me. He wanted the best for his family - like me. He was doing the best he could for his family - like me. He was and is a good man - I hope that I am too.
We had a fascinating and very friendly conversation, because under the skin we were and are, the same. Afterwards, occasionally I would bump into that man, and it was always a very warm, cordial experience for both of us.
My point is you see, if we focus too much on the differences between us, we could end up killing each other. That is what Governments and rabble rousers always do to de-personalise the enemy.
But if we look for those things that we have in common, we are not really that much different, you and I, and that is a good basis for tolerance and friendship.
Yes, my ways may be somewhat different from yours. And your ways may be somewhat different from mine. Let us smile wryly at each others little idiosyncrasies and be tolerant. Let us joke together about our differences and laugh together at ourselves. We may die laughing, but we won't die in battle.
In marketing globally, it is important that we try to understand the other person's culture and point of view. It is important so that our communications are more accurately understood. Let us set aside our pre-judgement until we understand each other better. Let us bear in mind that if there is any friction, that we may also be responsible, in part at least. And let us do our best to try to reduce any friction resulting from ourselves.
I welcome any measures that we can take to improve our cross-cultural understanding. "Peace be with you", as they say. Or, as my father and grandfather taught me, "I'm a man of peace. Disturb it at your peril."
For those of you coming to London for Robert's Seminars this month, I would say that you should not be unduly concerned. Based on past performance, everything will be back to normal.
This atrocity was designed to coincide with the start of the G8 Conference of world leaders in Gleneagles. It was designed to take advantage of the fact that the World's media would be focussed on the UK due to this event and also the results of the Olympic bid.
Esteemed and beloved though he may be, Our Robert's activities do not yet attract that level of media attention, so, in my opinion you should be safe to attend. Certainly Londoners will be carrying on as normal. ;-)
Best wishes to each of you, and thank you once again for your kind thoughts.
John Williamson
The Wealth CoachTM
"The UK's Original and Most Distinguished Wealth Coach"
The InfoGuru Support Forum
When I launched the InfoGuru Manual, I included membership in the InfoGuru Support Forum - an online discussion group where you could discuss issues about marketing your services.
It took awhile to get rolling, but almost exactly three years ago in July of 2002 John Williamson joined us and single-handedly revitalized the group.
Since then he's contributed almost 700 posts. He graciously welcomes new people to the Forum. He answers questions. He shares his wisdom and experience - it is both broad and deep.
The Forum now has hundreds of very active participants. If you have a question, you'll get it answered. And sometimes the posts comment on deeper issues; John's letter today was one of those.
You might also want to hear a quick audio clip commenting on the Forum by Kathy Mallary. (2 min, 40 sec.)
www.actionplan.com/mp3files/KMForum.mp3The only way to join the Forum is by owning the InfoGuru Marketing Manual. Check it out below!
http://www.actionplan.com/infoguru.html
Last call for Workshop Reservations
The "Crack the Marketing Code Workshops" start in just a couple weeks. If you are looking for an intensive and interactive program to help you nail down your marketing message and marketing conversations, this is it. Includes a 9-week follow-up support program at no additional cost (so you put the ideas into action).
The dates for New York are Sat, July 16 for the Workshop and Sun July 17 for the Intensive. Location: Shelburne Murray Hill Hotel
http://www.actionplan.com/wkp/nywkp.htmlThe dates for London are Sat, July 23 for the Workshop and Sun July 24 for the Intensive. Location: Paddington Hilton
http://www.actionplan.com/wkp/uk05.htmlNew York is now about one weeks away, London, about two. If you plan to attend but have been sitting on the fence, please reserve your space today.
Until next week, all the best,
Robert Middleton
ACTION PLAN MARKETING
Cracking the Marketing Code for Independent Professionals~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
210 Riverside Drive
Boulder Creek, CA 95006
831-338-7790© 2005 Robert Middleton, All rights reserved. You are free to use material from the More Clients eZine in whole or in part, as long as you include complete attribution, including live web site link. Please also notify me where the material will appear. The attribution should read:
"By Robert Middleton of Action Plan Marketing. Please visit Robert's web site at http://www.actionplan.com for additional marketing articles and resources on marketing for professional service businesses."
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