Day # 82 - What's in a name?

The sweetest sound you will ever hear is the sound of your own name. I guess that means the worst sound is the sound of someone getting your name wrong. When your name is Adolfo, it happens all the time. I'm not sure why. It's not complicated. Six letters, evenly split between vowels and consonants. I thinks it's a pretty nice name, actually.

But man, do people mess it up.

I woke up this morning unsure what I would write about. In fact, I had no idea. Then I checked my crackberry, and saw where someone responded to my generosity with, "Thanks, Alfredo." They dropped an "O" from my name and added "R" and "E" and completely changed the tone of the letter. The message was to thank me for a donation. Maybe I'm being hypersensitive, but the impact of the letter was lessened because the sender didn't take the four seconds required to get my name right. In fact, I don't remember anything else about the message.

Details will make the difference in anything you do. I know this mostly because I have never been a detail person. I know what this has cost me over the years. Perhaps it's because my name is somewhat unusual, but I have always been pretty good about proper pronunciation and spelling of names. As a sales guy, and knowing that it is the sweetest sound to its owner, it has always been a major point for me.

A month or two ago, I got a message on facebook from a website designer who started by screwing up my name: "Adolpho" I think, and then telling me my business website looks like it was designed in 1994. He didn't get the sale not only because of the name thing, but his ham-fisted approach was offensive. I designed the website myself and it has made me a lot of money over the years. He was wrong and insulting.

Whether you are in sales or just want to make more friends, make the effort to get people's name right and improve your communications skills. It's an easy investment in improving your career and your personal life.

Thought for today:

- As always, it's the seemingly little things that make all the difference in the world.
- If names aren't your strong suit. Learn some memory tricks, like repeating a person's name when you meet them and imagining them with someone else of the same name so you associate their name with the more familiar person. Little things. It's always the little things.

Remember: Day by day in every way I am getting better and better.

God bless you. Make it your best day yet.

- Adolfo

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