Your past follows you. Leave some tracks.

Do you recall that a few months back I lost my entire blog? I then later on recovered the contents through the help of a friend and promised to re-share them one by one on my new site. Here is an article I had done but is now edited to reflect the time it was first shared. Enjoy the story.

Rrrrrriiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnngggggggg! The phone goes. — Oh! that’s a description of eons ago but I know you get it.

I pick it up.

“What’s your name?” The caller asks.

Of course this is not the formal way of starting a phone conversation. When someone calls a personal number, he/she already knows whom they are calling. If you are calling a stranger, you usually start by introducing yourself not demanding for an introduction from the other party. This therefore sounded strange.

“What for?” I ask her, not intending to be rude. I guess she could actually feel my confusion, my wondering and maybe a fraction of fear of the unknown like most of us would admit that such an intro would bring.

“I am simply asking you for your name. For example my name is Mary. What is your name?” She continues.

“My name is Anthony.” I calmly respond curious of where this was leading to. Since I was not as busy, I thought I should wait to exchange a few words just before I call it quits if it got worse. At other times, I would not give such a call an extra second of my time.

I had been receiving several cold calls from marketers, though I don’t think whether they really qualify to be called cold calls. They usually are warm. Some of them hot calls. Someone would greet you in a very polite manner, introduce himself/herself before proceeding. It’s for this reason, I suggest that we change the term from cold calling to warm or hot calling. Maybe if we have this perspective in mind then today’s marketers will make more sales. The next time you go to make an unsolicited visit or phone call to someone, in an attempt to sell goods or services, why not say I am going make a hot call? Just my opinion.

This particular one however qualified to be called a cold call until this particular moment.

“Do you design websites?” She asks
“Yes I do.” Comes my reply. My face now relaxes.

Some years before this call, I happened to be wearing one of my many hats – website designer. Something that I had done for sometime although at this particular moment I had not been paying much attention to and therefore not actively promoting the service. I had been focused on other things. Hence, I had not been expecting much from that direction. It’s logical, when you don’t do much, don’t expect much.

She continues. “We have opened a new shop and we need a website for our business. When can you come over to discuss further?”

At this point, I asked her for the address of the business and within two hours I was in her shop negotiating the price and requirements of making a business website.

This reminded me a few lessons.

1. Be known for something that you do.
I happen to have done a lot of things in life as I mentioned above and sometimes it becomes a challenge for me to speak about everything I have done or that I can do, to everyone I meet. But when it matters I always let those who care to know, do so. The challenge is that we don’t know where to draw the line between who to tell what and who not to tell. We cannot judge who knows what, who knows who, who does what and so forth the first time that we meet them. But when you have the opportunity, let the world know what it is that you do.

Hey! I am a motivational speaker and I have written books just in case you were not aware.

Please also tell us in the comments what it is that you do. You never know who will read this post.

2. When you do something, do it well.
Even though Mary did not disclose to me from the phone call who gave her the reference, when I met her she informed me that she was given my phone number by someone who liked my services. The person had recommended me to her because of the work that I had done for him and my rates.

3. Always maintain your contact details.
I have always known this, but unfortunately, I have some friends who always change their phone numbers every now and then and I know that they could be losing something along the way, so I thought of mentioning it for someone who does the same.

Later on as I am describing that incident to a friend of mine who is from the US but is currently living in Athens, he tells me something interesting. He’s been about 6 years out of the States. The funny thing is that he keeps getting calls for business that he stopped doing a long time ago. He definitely refers this business to other people who are back there. Just imagine that. Getting calls for something you did ten or twenty years back and might have forgotten all about it. If you have changed your contact details, then that business goes to someone else. Keep your contacts the same for as long as humanly possible.

4. Your past follows you.
As you move on with your life, make sure that you do the best that you possibly can. I say possibly can because there are some circumstances that you have no control over. Where you can, do good. And when you do all the best that you can, make sure that you leave some tracks for the things to follow you when they will.

That’s it for now.

At this point, please remember to leave a comment here below. If possible, tell us what you do or can do and how we can find you.

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up”
 – Galatians 6:9 –

Anthony Muiruri – Motivational Speaker
Author : Be Good For Good
Author : Achieve Your Dream workbook
Founder : Book Place Media