Salesperson or “Racehorse in sales?” Training pro or a “dopamine injection” for you? How would you like to be described? Who would you want to read about?
When it comes to getting new business or new jobs, referrals and introductions are the way to go. What someone says about you, or what you say about someone else, frames that person in the mind’s eye of the reader or listener–or not. The queen of introductions has to be Dawn Mckenna, Founder of ResumeSalt (see also Metaphor Minute newsletter). I asked her to introduce me to a fellow named Mark for some industry insight that I wanted. Here’s what she wrote.
Per my 1:1 conversations with you both, it brings me immense pleasure to introduce the two of you.
Anne – Mark is a Racehorse in sales, who found his new track at (XYZ) company where he is leveraging his highly successful career in technology sales and new market penetration to extend their brand across the region.
Mark – Anne will be a dopamine injection for you! She enables technical and demo pros to transform complex information into simpler, meaningful messages that persuade. I am positive the two of you will hit it off and perhaps find a way to work/help each other in the process.
Get Creative
Not your usual “Anne does… and Mark does.. “ Racehorse in sales! Dopamine injection! Energy, power, speed, success all captured in two images. I couldn’t wait to talk to Mark and I suspect he felt the same way about me—all because of Dawn’s creative metaphoric descriptions.
The next time you are asked to present someone in an email, think of the most vivid image you can to describe them. If given the opportunity to write your own description, do the same. Remember Mark Twain’s s saying: “The difference between the right word and just any word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.”
Be the “lightning.”
Anne Miller
Words Matter – Make What You Say Pay!