The benefits of clockwork | Medical Marcom

4 min reading time

You have no idea how many possible stories cycled through my head about this week’s topic.

As I start this at 10:27 p.m. the night before it’s due (again), I considered talking about:

1. 33 hours in California
2. Carl’s Christmas card
3. My email open rates
4. What to do when you have stage time in front of your prospects
5. How to get leads over the telephone without making a single call
6. The two videos I made with Lucia I can’t wait to share

Whew. Okay, let’s see where my keyboard takes me.

(Five minutes pass.)

Consistency and degrees of freedom

I published a post about Robert Cialdini’s seminal book on influence way back on April 10, 2011. It was my third on the site.

I return to it tonight (now it’s 11:20) with a new perspective about #2: Commitment and Consistency.

But before I continue, please do me this favor. (Yes, even you, Beth, Mom; everyone who thinks I’m asking somebody else.)

I’m curious if you anticipate this weekly Journey. Just hit “reply” and tell me “yes” or “no,” I can handle it.

I’m asking to further a theory – you’ll see.

Did you reply yet? Thank you.

305 announcements, 19 Journeys

Yesterday I delivered my 305th Tuesday morning group announcement in six years to the Medical Devices Group on LinkedIn. I’ve missed only seven of 312 weeks.

An aside: Highly active LinkedIn group managers learned LinkedIn “plans to bring back some lost functionality.” Most said, “too little, too late.” I said:

Today I’m sending my 19th Journey precisely 8 a.m. Wednesday, Pacific time.

Joe’s theory:

You might anticipate and look forward to your Wednesday inbox. Or perhaps, you see my post and think, “Is it Wednesday already?”
You probably won’t ever hire me. But you like the stories and occasional useful idea.
You would say “Joe Hage” if you were asked if you know anyone to help with medical device marketing.

Without your anecdotal replies, I’m just guessing.

Again, I’d be super grateful for your replies this week.

The Point of the Week™

It’s 12:21 a.m. now and I’m getting tired. So I’ll make the Point of the Week.

> I believe my weekly consistency influences your thinking about me and the value I provide.
> I believe my voice is different than all your other regular correspondences.
> I believe these two, combined, give me more license to color outside the lines yet be within the realm of what you expect from me.

If these are true, I can “just talk” with you. And get away with an opening like, “I don’t know what I’m going to talk about this week” without having you run to the exits or unsubscribe buttons. And when I can ask you “please hit reply,” you just might.

Implication for your business: Are you consistent with your constituents? What do you give them, like clockwork, that they’ve come to expect and even anticipate?

If you’re not having a regular conversation with your customers, why?

Is it “too hard?” Are you too busy?

I gotta shrug on that. It’s “hard” to be up at 12:42 a.m. writing this for you.

But I do it.

Because, as I see it, my brand depends on it.

What does your brand depend on?

Think about it.

Fast Round

LinkedIn help: I had to ask my network how to get help from LinkedIn, now that they’ve hidden their customer service help form. Sam found it Here is the link: https://linkedin.com/help/linkedin/solve/contact. Ask a question, ignore the answer, hit next, fill in form. My reaction:

Sorry. Apologies to everyone who got hit with a “message from me” last week which read, “Good Morning, I have a proposal for you. Please see attached and confirm.” It was cleverly executed, replying all to every email I had in each infected account. I’ve since signed up for LastPass based on Matt’s recommendation and changed all my passwords.
Matt advises, “For now, tell them to get https://webroot.com/us/en/home/products/trials if they want to scan for viruses. It’s a free trial that downgrades into a still-okay antivirus solution. I’m digging into finding a better one.”

Winning trust takes commitment and consistency. It’s work. It’s 1:37 a.m. Now, it’s Matt’s turn to reformat it for our 8 a.m. email.
I’m going to sleep. I know, beyond a doubt, he’ll have it tested and ready to go in the morning.

So when (not if) YOU have an IT or web design or coding or support issue, Matt is top of mind for me to recommend to you. I was inspired to write this public endorsement about him.