Lesson Thirty-Nine: Showing Up the Competition

Some time ago, I received an invitation from a local graphic design college to attend their graduating students’ portfolio review. Eager, young designers ready to step into the professional world of communications.

The timing of the invitation was perfect, as I was finding myself short of help, and long on work. So I attended, hoping to hire an assistant.

I showed up at the school to a room full of hope and promise.The students stood around the edges of the room, talking nervously among themselves, while I walked around the table displaying their portfolios. I casually flipped through a few books, and was impressed enough by the quality of work that I decided to hire one of them.

Tentatively, one student engaged me in a question.Who was I? Was I looking to hire someone?

“Yes,” I said. “I’m interested in hiring an assistant.” Then the students came alive. As I went through each portfolio, the student responsible for the work came up and discussed it, telling me the goal of the project, the reason for selecting one typeface over the other, etc.

After I’d looked at all the work I addressed the room: “All of you have done very good work and I’d like to hire one of you. I’ll leave a stack of my business cards on the table, those of you who are interested, please call me to set up an interview.”

I expected to be flooded with calls.

But after a few days I received exactly one call, from Janice. She came in for an interview and I hired her.

For a moment I was uncertain of the wisdom of hiring the only person that applied for the job, but Janice took the time to write me a clever thank-you letter following the interview and that sealed it.

Janice teaches us is that sometimes opportunity is found simply by showing up. For you that might simply mean calling a prospect you haven’t talked to in a while, or sending out a letter to your customer list.

She has turned out to be a fantastic addition to my business, and I’m glad she showed up when she did.

What simple step could you take today to be there when opportunity shows its face?



Principles of Persuassion by Shane Spark