Of Hammers and Nails

Ok, so I'm addicted to "The Closer". Is it Kyra Sedgewick's ducklike cuteness? Or the secret addiction to chocolate? Beats me, but there are some well-drawn characters on this show, and it's fun to get to know them. A recent episode had Brenda's boss telling her "When you're a hammer, everything looks like a nail!" in an effort to get her to back off about something or other..... and that line has had me thinking. In what ways am I a hammer, too?

Many customers, when we are searching for ways to promote their widgets, for example, insist on a photo and specifications. It makes sense that as the manufacturer, their focus is on the product and the products specs - and that seems like the really important thing to them. They're being a hammer! We need to remind them that their prospects have a different perspective... a perspective that asks "How will this improve MY life?" and to be relevant to them, we must focus on benefits, not features.

In my daily experience as a small business owner, I'm pulled in every conceivable direction by this business and it's needs. Printer doesn't work? - get Paul. Customer needs an estimate by 2:00? -Paul will need to do that. Whoa! We need to build a crate by 4:00, I'll go get the saw!

The result of all this is sometimes that each new item starts to look like a problem, and that includes things that really are great opportunities. I have to make sure that I don't become a hammer, so that I can recognize a GOOD thing when it pops up. If I've spent the day on technical details regarding my computer network, I have a tendency to treat the next creative challenge as an exercise in lining up features in neat little boxes, instead of finding out what my client really needs!

The bottom line is: Learn to shift viewpoints. When the printer needs its IP address reset, be a nerdy tech head - but don't let that carry over to your phone conversation with a prospective client. If you spend most of your time on one sort of task, remember that some adjustment may be called for when approaching a new and different project.