Appoint an Idea Champion, Change Your Shoes … and More May-June Tips for Print Pros

communication Pick Up the Phone

In almost no time at all, the phone call seems to have become the technological equivalent of an intrusive, unexpected knock at the door. But while texting gives you more control over your time, there are still instances when it is still far better to pick up the phone and dial. “It’s a much more efficient way to communicate,” says Catherine Blyth, author of On Time: Finding Your Pace in a World Addicted to Fast. It goes double for situations when communicating emotions, such as if an upset customer has reached out: “When in doubt, pick up the phone. If the emotion is complex, be in doubt,” she says.

PROBLEM-SOLVING What Could You Do?

Faced with a problem and not sure what to do? Instead of asking yourself “What should I do?” ask “What could I do?” According to a study by researchers at Harvard Business School, the “could” question widens the possibilities, generating more and better potential solutions, whereas “should” tends to limit the possibilities to what comes to mind first and what has been tried before.

BRAINSTORMING Track Who’s Sharing

Want to catch who has been giving out your Gmail address without asking? When signing up for newsletters, sneak in a plus sign (+) and a keyword before the “@” symbol. Example: if you’re “[email protected],” use “[email protected].” If junk starts rolling in, you’ll know exactly who blabbed — and you can send them (and their emails) straight to junk or set up a filter. It’s like sprinkling glitter on a thief: messy for them, satisfying for you. Keep your inbox clean and your detective skills sharp.

SALES Change Your Shoes

Do you assume your customers have your financial limits? Do you secretly think everyone should buy exactly as you would? That’s probably why you’re struggling, writes Roy H. Williams in his Monday Morning Memo. “You believe you’re being empathetic, but you’re not. You’re not stepping into their shoes — you’re putting them into yours,” and it’s killing your sales.

PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO

MANAGEMENT Appoint an Idea Champion

Ideas are easy. Implementation is the tough part. It’s why top sports marketer Jon Spoelstra argues so fervently for appointing an “idea champion” to pursue the fruit of your brainstorming sessions. “Ideas and projects can get away from you, but if you make someone the idea champion, they’ll passionately breathe life into the idea,” he says in his book Outrageous Marketing. The person doesn’t even need to have expertise in the field — just a belief in the idea’s potential and the support to pursue it.

SAFETY First Aid Primer

In a recent Tested Q&A with Adam Savage, the Mythbusters star offered several tips on first aid: Always make sure your first-aid supplies are close at hand, organized so that you know where everything is without thinking about it, and that you can grab what you need with one hand (should you be bleeding with the other). So, if your one first aid kit is a zippered case stored in the back-room kitchen, you’ve got some reorganizing to do or additional kits to buy.

HIRING Find Former Corporate Talent

If you’re trying to keep payroll expenses down but are still in need of high-quality staff, here’s an AllBusiness.com strategy: Look for smart women or men who’ve left corporate life for a better work-life balance. They can make excellent part-time specialists, especially in areas such as technology and marketing.

PRODUCTIVITY The Power of Z

In his 2018 book Why We Sleep, University of California-Berkeley professor Matthew Walker guides the reader through study after study that demonstrates how the qualities so highly prized by business leaders — creativity, motivation, intelligence, collaboration and efficiency — are all “systematically dismantled” by insufficient sleep. We trust you know the basics of good sleep hygiene (avoid alcohol and food, caffeine, and digital distractions late in the day), but here are three more tips to dramatically improve your sleep: 1. Carve out more hours than you think you need for sleep. If your target is eight hours, give yourself nine hours to achieve it (to offset the time you wake during the night). 2. Switch to twin-sized down duvets rather than sharing a larger one with your partner (no more fighting over the covers). 3. Sleep inclined. Use risers under the head of your bed. It will improve circulation, as well as ease sleep apnea and a host of other health issues.