you make them feel like 1940s movie stars and that minor events in their
lives are major concerns in yours.
Dont Leave It to Chance
Politicians make a science out of Tracking. They keep a little black box
either on their desk, in their computer, or in their brain of the last concern,
enthusiasm, or event discussed with everyone in their life. They keep track
of where the people were, what they said, and what they were doing since
the last conversation. Then the first words of the next phone call or meeting
with that person relates to that information:
Hello, Joe. How was your trip to Jamaica? Hey Sam, did your kid make
the baseball team? Hi, Sally. Have you heard back from your client yet?
Nice to hear from you, Bob. It means you survived that
Szechuan restaurant you were going to last time we spoke.
How to Make Em Feel Like a Movie Star 283
When you invoke the last major or minor event in anyones life, it
confirms what theyve known all along. Theyre the most important person in
the world.
One of the most powerful forms of tracking is remembering
anniversaries of peoples personal achievements. Did your boss get
promoted to her present position one year ago today? Did your client go
public? How much more memorable than a birthday card to send a one-year
congratulations note.
Remembering peoples private passions is another. Several years ago, I
wrote regularly for a magazine. My then-editor, Carie, was obsessed with
her new kitten named Cookie. Recently I ran into Carrie at a writers
conference. In early conversation I said to her, I guess Cookies a full-grown
cat by now. How is she?
Carries astonished smile was my reward.
Leil, she squealed, I cant believe you remember Cookie. Yes, shes fine
now and... Carrie went on for another ten miutes about Cookie, the now
full-grown cat.
Technique #75
Tracking
Like an air-traffic controller, track the tiniest details of your
conversation partners lives. Refer to them in your conversation like a major
news story. It creates a poweful sense of intimacy.
ooja
(Ooja)
#1