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The Most Expensive Information You Don’t Want To Buy

Keynote Performance Coach

An important story here

about any professional advice

you’re getting…and who is giving it.

This is top of mind for me right now

as I recently brought a few people

on board for a focused window

to help with certain projects.

And I’m so glad I did.

Below is the story…

Years ago, an executive at a multinational corporation

(we’ll call him “Mike”)

heard about my work in Rock The Room®

helping clients knock their presentations out of the park.

He reached out to explore the possibility

of hiring me to help him

prepare for a high-stakes keynote

in an arena-sized event.

We had a great meeting via video,

attended also by his Chief of Staff,

and after, they asked me to send in a proposal.

I did.

A few days later, Mike messaged me

saying that he’d played golf

over the weekend with a buddy of his

who’s a local weatherman…

and that buddy offered to coach Mike

for a fee lower than what I’d outlined in my proposal.

Mike decided to move forward

with his weatherman friend.

When the big day came, Mike strolled

out on stage in front of 17,000 people

…and, as I later learned, it did not go well.

The “information” Mike received from his friend

was likely very good,

but not for what Mike needed.

Learning how to craft a message

to inspire others to take action,

and then know also how to deliver it

is wholly different from standing

in front of an electronic weather map

speaking to the camera to report

an objective set of facts.

In situations like this,

I often think of a fantastic line

that my pal Joe Polish likes to state,

quoting a brilliant line he first heard

from the famous copywriter, Gary Halbert:

“The most expensive information

in the world

is bad information.”

So if and when

you’re thinking about hiring someone,

whether for a small project or large,

remember Gary Halbert’s line.

“The most expensive information

in the world

is bad information.”

While a certain candidate might be an expert,

the more important factor to consider is,

“Do they have the expertise

that you actually need?”

Risk Forward & Hire On,

victoria-signature

P.S. A nice end to the story about Mike. The following year, he reached out and inquired again about my availability…but this time, did not dispute my fee. Over the coming months, we worked together virtually; I flew out to the company’s headquarters for a series of days, and later was on site at the arena for final rehearsals. And —-> I’m pleased to report —> Mike crushed it.

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