Article Summary:  When it comes to resumes, people either love them or hate them, depending on where they sit. Hiring teams love to sort them quickly into “yes,” “maybe,” and “no” categories. All too often, job hunters hate having to distill their entire educational background, career history, and accomplishments into just two short pages. This article helps you make the process of developing a great resume easier. It will help you customize your resume to demonstrate the strength of your skills and expertise through powerful, must-read accomplishments.  [Note, this article was originally written for the Marketing Executives Networking Group (MENG)] 

If you have any preferences or requests for topics, contact us by telephone, email, or leave a comment on this blog entry.

To read other articles in The Chief Storyteller Blog, select the category, Articles.

 

Every Accomplishment Should Be Great:  5 Steps to Compelling Resume Accomplishments
© 2011. The Chief Storyteller®, LLC.
Ira J. Koretsky
January 2011

When it comes to resumes, people either love them or hate them, depending on where they sit. Hiring teams love to sort them quickly into “yes,” “maybe,” and “no” categories. All too often, job hunters hate having to distill their entire educational background, career history, and accomplishments into just two short pages.

This article helps you make the process of developing a great resume easier. It will help you customize your resume to demonstrate the strength of your skills and expertise through powerful, must-read accomplishments.

1. List Your Accomplishments
List all, yes, ALL, of your accomplishments for every position in your career. I can hear you grumbling now (smile). It is critical for you to take inventory of all of your accomplishments, big and small.

I’ve seen it happen too often…a job seeker leaving something out of his accomplishments that could compel the hiring executive to say aloud, “Bring this person in for an interview!” Consider this a brainstorming step. Only write one to three short sentences for each.

2. Qualify and Quantify
Qualify and quantity your accomplishments with statistics. Just as with step one, consider this a brainstorming step. Spend only three to five minutes per accomplishment. In step five, you will add more details (see example below).

You may find it helpful to ask yourself a number of questions to capture best the benefits and impact of your accomplishments. The key question is “Why is this important?” Break this question down further and ask, “What were the benefits and results to my organization? What was improved, changed, reduced, streamlined, accelerated, saved, developed, and so forth?”  

“Before” Example:  Managed rollout of new branding strategy throughout our company.

Questions to Ask Yourself:
Did you achieve it on time? Within budget? What measured change occurred to customer perceptions, recognition, awareness, media coverage, sales, etc.? What measured change occurred internally in staff productivity, customer service, communications, processes, etc.?

3. Identify the Success Criteria for Your Prospective Job
Extract the success criteria for your prospective position. A two-column table makes this step easier. In column one, row by row, include every sentence hinting at or directly specifying success criteria from the position description or your own knowledge. You will fill out column two in step four.

For example, here is one sentence from a publicly available position description for a Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). In reality, it represents numerous success criteria. Separate out each success criterion in each sentence (see table below for a quick example). The more detailed and specific you make the success criteria, the easier it is to match your accomplishments.

Equipped with clear and concrete examples of expanding and improving a brand, product, and/or service within a business, this person will continually analyze and utilize measurable metrics to improve every customer experience across all platforms (web, e-mail, mobile, tablets, etc.).

4. Match Your Accomplishments to Key Success Criteria
Put your relevant accomplishments in column two that are matched to the success criteria in column one. Match as many accomplishments as you can. After you have completed the matching process, prioritize your accomplishments within each success criterion. Prioritize your accomplishments based on the position description and your research on the prospective organization.

5. Write and Rewrite
Develop your accomplishments into powerful and compelling accomplishments. Every accomplishment in your resume must support your career headline and your summary (see earlier article, “How to Write a Resume Summary that Gets Interviews”).

Here’s how the “Before” accomplishment from step two was revised.

“After” Example:  Spearheaded rollout of master brand strategy to 11 national and international locations, to more than 3,200 staff. Achieved 94% brand consistency within three years—one year earlier than estimated.  

It’s an Evolving Story Element
Because every position, hiring executive, and organization is different, you must customize your accomplishments for each application. Customizing becomes an easier process when you have a master list.

Remember, your resume is just one element of your business story (e.g., elevator speech, LinkedIn profile, blog articles, tweets, referrals, cover letter, resume, interview, accomplishments, success stories, etc.). In your resume, your career theme and summary set the expectations of the hiring executive. Meeting those expectations means you must offer fully developed (qualified and quantified) and customized accomplishments.

Louis Pasteur (1822 - 1895), famous chemist, said “Le hasard ne favorise que les esprits prepares.” Translated, it says, “Chance favors only the prepared mind.”

 

Ira Koretsky is the president of The Chief Storyteller®, a firm that turns your communications and messages into results, with keynotes, workshops, training, and consulting. Contact Ira at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit www.TheChiefStoryteller.com.

Advertising Age recently published the article, "For CMOs, 2011 Will Be About Explaining Why, Not How."  Jonathan Salem Baskin starts his article:

OK, the new year has barely begun and most of us are still basking in the glow of that big uptick in holiday sales. You probably also got your fill of 2011 predictions before New Year's, most of which were simply restatements of the old year's news only with the verb tenses changed and some biases and hopes thrown in as "trends."

So I'm going to channel Scrooge and Nostradamus and suggest to you three things:

- Ignore the holiday results.
- Tune out the noise.
- Ask a different question.

Baskin takes some interesting positions challeging CMOs to think differently. And toward the end of the article states,

Brands are different only if they're really different, and this year would be the perfect opportunity to come up with the substantive reasons why consumers need yours vs. how you're going to use neat new ways to tell them the same old things.

About a year ago I came across these very clever commercials from Ally Bank. Blog Entry 1 has the first commmercial and Blog Entry 2 has three more commercials.

Here are links to three more. Watch them at least twice. While the commercials are humorous, they are negative. They do have very strong messages.

What do you think? Would love to read your thoughts in the comments...

 

Ice cream (YouTube video link here)

Egg Management Fee (YouTube video link here)

No Run Around (YouTube video link here)

I was having lunch with my good friend and colleague John Fineran from FinTel Communications. He mentioned a cool new feature in LinkedIn. You can now have full-sized profile photographs.

When you visit someone's profile, move your mouse over the profile picture and you'll see a magnifying glass appear as in the picture below. Click and the larger picture appears.

To add your own personal high-resolution photograph, go to the Edit Profile option in the menu. Then click on the blue Edit link under your profile picture. Finish by following the instructions to upload your new photo. It should take 20 seconds.

You'll find other helpful article links on improving your LinkedIn profile at the bottom.

Improve Your LinkedIn Profile with Tips and Ideas from these Articles:
- Make Your Personal Brand Stand Out in LinkedIn
- LinkedIn for Job Hunters: Tips to Create a Must-Read Profile
- It’s Who Knows You: Three Little Known Ways to Turn LinkedIn into a More Valuable Sales Tool

We have various guides and templates in the office. Guides for writing blogs, articles, and tip guides. We have a brand guide for color, font, format, and logo use. What we don't have is a consolidated list, in one place, of all our mantras--the phrases, statements, aha's, rules, etc.--that "guide" us as we create and deliver content, messages, and great business stories.

Here are our top 50. Think about this list and how it can help prompt new and fresh approaches to your business stories. We would love to hear your mantras...please leave them in the comments.

1.    It’s all about them.
2.    Business stories are the engine of relationships and relationships are the engine of continued success.
3.    Write to the 10th grade level.
4.    Be memorable.
5.    Use humor if you want to.
6.    Content is king.
7.    Relationships matter.
8.    Credibility is more important than expertise in the beginning of relationships.
9.    Know your elevator speech / elevator pitch / mission statement (core business story).
10.    Ensure your core business story is unified throughout all communication materials.
11.    Your brand story is everything.
12.    Success stories are key to differentiation.
13.    (Good) blog and article content matters the most.
14.    Strive for “interest” questions. Avoid “understanding” questions.
15.    Social communities are built on personal and business stories.
16.    Everything you write, speak, and record online is a business story.
17.    Content first. Design second.
18.    Always have a second person read your content before publishing.
19.    Design your website for your target audiences (not your employees).
20.    Everyone builds relationships through networking.
21.    Send hand-written thank you notes, especially job hunters.
22.    Audiences are hungry for original thought-provoking content.
23.    Blogs are for sharing, educating, and inspiring…not selling.
24.    Get yourself known (e.g., LinkedIn questions and answers, post to SlideShare, and Tweet good information).
25.    Generating genuine interest in your product/service is the first step in building a relationship.
26.    Active listening is key to building great relationships.
27.    Write in your authentic voice.
28.    But is the worst word in the English language (and many other languages).
29.    Words really, really matter.
30.    Treat everyone like a CEO.
31.    Stop listening to your Mother. Talk to strangers at networking events.
32.    It’s not who you know, it’s who knows you.
33.    Speak in headlines.
34.    Write and speak conversationally.
35.    Treat every client like your best client.
36.    Maintain a detailed Ideal Target Profile for your key target audiences.
37.    Have positive self-talk conversations.
38.    Change is a choice.
39.    Deliver on the expected experience.
40.    Create your own success momentum.
41.    Be a student everyday.
42.    Be a deliberate networker.
43.    Be a deliberate communicator.
44.    Be a people bridge and make referrals.
45.    Be a mentor.
46.    Be a whole body communicator.
47.    Write emails as if they will be read on a smart phone.
48.    Inspire Action: facts do not persuade and inspire, people do.
49.    First Impressions Make Lasting Impressions: offer a warm smile, firm handshake, and good eye contact.
50.    People are at the heart of every great story.

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, people will never forget how you made them feel.”
— Maya Angelou, American Poet

“Your first 10 words are more important than your next 10,000.”
— Elmer Wheeler, “Tested Selling Institute,” Late 1940s

“Remember that the person you’re about to meet can become as important to you as someone you’ve known for years.”
— H. Jackson Brown, Jr., Life's Little Instruction Book, 6/2002 Calendar

“I have no use for engines.  Give me the right word...and I will move the world.”
— Joseph Conrad, Novelist, 1857 – 1924

“You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.”
— Plato, Philosopher, 427 BC – 347 BC

“The character of a man is known from his conversations”
— Menandros Chiaramonti, Greek dramatist and comedy writer, 342 BC – 292 BC

"Le hasard ne favorise que les esprits préparés"
"Chance favors only the prepared mind"
— Louis Pasteur, Chemist and microbiologist, 1822 – 1895

“The customer rules”
— Turkish business credo, as shared to me by my friend, Ilbay Ozbay

“Conversation in the U.S. is a competitive exercise in which the first person to draw a breath is declared the listener.”
— James Nathan Miller, “The Art of Intelligent Listening," Readers Digest, vol 127, September 1965

"The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug."
— Mark Twain, American humorist, lecturer, writer, 1835 – 1910

 

I'm a huge fan of great quotes. I use them all of the time in my articles, blogs, and presentations. Would love to read yours. Please take a moment and add your favorites in the comments section below.

Back in January, I wrote about A New Year’s Resolution. It was about a resolution many of us could embrace. It was also an example of turning a story into action. Now that we’re fast approaching the start of a new calendar year, it’s time to see how we did with last year’s resolutions.

The story of my resolution was how I planned to go to the gym on a regular basis. The action was building memories with my kids. The results? I’ve had many. The one I’m most proud of is running a 10K with my son, who happens to be a high school swimmer and X-Country athlete, and keeping up with him.

I’ve applied this formula to my business life, as well:

Start with a business story (e.g., how I was able to help other organizations acquire new customers).

Take action (e.g., embark on a new career path by broadening my focus to marketing communications).

Turn your business story into results (e.g., landing a job doing what I like to do, here at The Chief Storyteller®!). 

So, how did you do? What results did you achieve from your business story? 

Two weeks ago LinkedIn posted an interesting blog on "the most clichéd and overused phrases for the past year."  Using over 85 million LinkedIn profiles, they found the 2010 top 10 buzzwords used in the USA and Internationally. Both sets of words are below (pictures from the LinkedIn blog).

If you'd like additional resources to help with your LinkedIn profile, see the list at the bottom.

For the United States:

1. Extensive experience
2. Innovative
3. Motivated
4. Results-oriented
5. Dynamic
6. Proven track record
7. Team player
8. Fast-paced
9. Problem solver
10. Entrepreneurial

And it shared some of "the most overused buzzword in LinkedIn Profiles in 11 countries" that included:

1. Extensive Experience – USA, Canada, Australia
2. Dynamic – Brazil, India, Spain
3. Motivated – UK
4. Innovative – France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands

Resources to Help You Improve Your LinkedIn Profile

- LinkedIn for Job Hunters: Tips to Create a Must-Read Profile
- If Your LinkedIn Profile is not Generating New Opportunities, Consider Changing Your Headline
- Is Your LinkedIn Story a Best Seller?
- It’s Who Knows You: Three Little Known Ways to Turn LinkedIn into a More Valuable Sales Tool

I was recently asked to assist with the launch of a new marketing initiative. It was a premium offer targeted to a small segment of customers, affording them an opportunity to join a movement to address a global problem they cared deeply about.

My job was to inform and excite the organization’s customer-facing associates about this new initiative. If I could ignite their passion for helping others to improve their lives, they would feel empowered to lead the effort in recruiting customers to join the movement. 

The new marketing initiative was designed to solve a global problem. The problem was widespread and there were many causes. It was easy for the employees to wonder how one person could possibly make an impact.   

To ignite their passion, I used a business story that allowed me to show how one person could make a difference. I told the story of a man who spent his morning throwing starfish that had washed up on the beach back into the ocean. The beach was long and the starfish were many. If they were left on the beach, they would surely die. When the man was asked by a passerby how he could possibly make a difference when there were so many, he tossed yet another starfish in and said he was sure he had made a difference to that one.       

As I told the story, the room became quiet. The audience was attentive and engaged. Questions and comments flowed freely during the discussion that followed. One member of the audience later told me the story brought a tear to her eye. It was then that I knew I had succeeded in igniting their passion for helping others to improve their lives.

What business stories are you using to ignite passion within your organization?

During lunch today I asked the waiter his thoughts on the glazed salmon entrée. He enthusiastically recommended it. He began describing the dish. As he did so, he mentioned "wilted spinach." 

Mentally, I stopped listening.

I wanted to be a bit of a wise guy and say, "I'd prefer my spinach fresh and crisp." I held my tongue (smile).

Words are interesting, aren't they? To me, wilted spinach is not the best choice of words. Now of course, I know what wilted spinach is and what it means. It means preparation, timing, and passion. 

Ask yourself these three quick questions to see if you need to tweak or revise your content and messaging?

1. Do we have content or messaging in our various internal and external communications not generating the results we want (e.g., website, employee handbook, elevator speech/elevator pitch, mission statement, blog, newsletter, and magazine)?
2. Are we aware of content or messaging that might be confusing?
3. Have any of our audiences expressed confusion or misunderstanding? Did we deliberately address the issue either to leave the content as is or change it?

Article Summary:  LinkedIn is an integral part of your job search. LinkedIn complements and extends your credibility and therefore enhances your attractiveness as a job candidate. Imagine you were an executive comparing two candidates—both with stellar credentials. One has only a resume, while the other presents a resume and a full LinkedIn profile, complete with glowing recommendations from former bosses, colleagues, staff, and clients. Whom would you prefer to interview? The power of LinkedIn is the access it provides to information about you, information that you define and control, and information not available anywhere else. This article focuses on optimizing your LinkedIn content and messaging.   [Note, this article was originally written for the Marketing Executives Networking Group (MENG)] 

If you have any preferences or requests for topics, contact us by telephone, email, or leave a comment on this blog entry.

To read other articles in The Chief Storyteller Blog, select the category, Articles.

 

LinkedIn for Job Hunters: Tips to Create a Must-Read Profile
© 2010. The Chief Storyteller®, LLC.
Ira J. Koretsky
November 2010

LinkedIn is an integral part of your job search. LinkedIn complements and extends your credibility and therefore enhances your attractiveness as a job candidate. Imagine you were an executive comparing two candidates—both with stellar credentials. One has only a resume, while the other presents a resume and a full LinkedIn profile, complete with glowing recommendations from former bosses, colleagues, staff, and clients. Whom would you prefer to interview?

The power of LinkedIn is the access it provides to information about you, information that you define and control, and information not available anywhere else.

Some food for thought:
-    There are 80,000 million members of LinkedIn
-    Most of the Fortune 500 has at least some of their executive team on LinkedIn
-    For some companies, LinkedIn is used as a crucial filter to determine whether to bring someone in for an interview
-    In a typical Internet search of a person’s name, LinkedIn appears on the first page of search results, and usually in the first five links

This article focuses on optimizing your LinkedIn content and messaging (Note: I’d be happy to write articles on how to use LI in your job search. Please leave a comment with your suggestions or email me).

Here are some tips to create a must-read profile.

1. Create a Memorable Professional Headline
Use the Professional Headline field to make a first impression that screams, “Read me now.” By default, LinkedIn populates your Professional Headline with your current title and company (see Exhibit 1 below). Many members do not change it. Click [Edit] beside your title and customize it to a powerful headline that grabs the reader’s attention. A compelling headline is the foundation of business storytelling. Think of it as your personal brand statement and your unique selling proposition. As in Example 2, it should summarize your potential value.

Some examples include “Building Great Brands for 25 Years,” “Growing Departments into Divisions,” and “Positioning Fortune 2000 Companies for Explosive Growth.” Your headline should represent your personal AND your professional self.

 

2. Make Your Summary Engaging and Compelling
Follow up your memorable and customized Professional Headline with an informative and compelling Summary. Make it easy to read and engaging. Use bullet statements, short sentences and paragraphs, search-engine friendly words and phrases, and industry buzzwords.

For content in your Summary, read “How to Write a Resume Summary That Gets Interviews.” There, you will find several specific suggestions with examples. Ensure your LinkedIn summary contains the exact same information from your resume, fleshed out with relevant details. Choose details to pique your reader’s interest and help you stand out. As in business, know your audience. What would your readers find interesting about you? Examples include brief success stories, high-impact accomplishments, guest lectureships, volunteer activities, experiences with hot trends, etc.

3. Improve Your Credibility
Ask for recommendations to demonstrate your credibility and capability. Recommendations from professionals who know your work first hand differentiate you. They serve as “mini” business stories to tout the benefits of working with you and your organization. Ask current and former bosses, staff, co-workers, colleagues, partners, clients and vendors.

In fact, offer to help write it to ensure your key words and messages are included in the testimonial. Each recommendation should tell a different and complementary story about your personal and professional life and successes. I suggest you create a spreadsheet and group your skills logically per recommendation (see below).

 

Spend the Time
Use the LinkedIn search function. Type in your desired position title. See how people already in these positions present themselves. By spending just a few hours, you can create a LinkedIn profile to be proud of. And, over time, ask for recommendations, tweak the search-engine-friendly terms as well as industry buzzwords, and continually add to and update your content. Ask friends and colleagues for feedback. And then accept the feedback with a smile and say thank you. LinkedIn should be an important tool in your job search.

 

Ira Koretsky is the president of The Chief Storyteller®, a firm that turns your communications and messages into results, with keynotes, workshops, training, and consulting. Contact Ira at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit www.TheChiefStoryteller.com.

Microsoft recently launched its new lines of smart phones to compete against Apple's iPhone and Google's Android. Microsoft has been effectively using YouTube to showcase its advertisements, functionality, and feedback.

It is employing the concept of "Really" throughtout the ads. It is simultaneously poking fun at current mobile fun usage and pointing out how some people are using their phones shall we say, a bit too much. While the ads are clever and engaging, sometimes they try too hard or seem not to make immediate sense. See if you agree...

Click on the pictures below to see the various commercials.

 

One of my favorite literary works is John Keats’ Endymion, a masterful poem about the myth of a mortal loved by the goddess of the moon. The first line, “A thing of beauty Is a joy forever,” almost always comes to mind whenever I find myself outside enjoying the sights and sounds of the unspoiled wilderness.

As a hiker, I have experienced breathtaking views of waterfalls, vistas, fauna, and flora from vantage points accessible to few others. Memories of nights spent sleeping under the stars, hiking to Shenandoah’s Dark Hollow Falls, reaching the snowy summit of Mt. Washington in New Hampshire, immersing myself in the lush jungle along Kauai’s Kalalau Trail, or swimming at secluded Hanakapiai Beach on the Na Pali Coast are the only reminders I need of how important it is to be a good steward of the environment.

And yet, I’m amazed at how difficult it is to “sell” many people on the importance of conservation and other steps to protect our environment. I’ve seen too many instances where well-intentioned people resort to complicated and often-confusing explanations of what’s wrong and what needs to be done. I’ve heard the arguments from both sides on controversial issues like global warming, carbon offsets, and greenwashing. In all of this noise, the simple message of "help protect the beauty of our world" is invariably lost.

It’s all quite simple, really. Where words betray, images empower. Where words merely describe, images show. The right images can take you there and help you to experience the wonder and awe of nature’s beauty. The right images can help your target audience connect with your cause or message.

Think back to the memories I described earlier and the images of beauty they evoke. These are the images of joy, peace, and a oneness with nature. Why? Because the words written 200 years ago by an English Romantic poet still ring true today: “a thing of beauty is a joy forever.”

EIZO Nanao Corporation (EIZO) desired to grow its business. As a company with a niche product line in medical imaging and monitors, it needed a creative and novel approach to generating interest to help it stand out from the competition in a small market. EIZO hired the advertising agency Butter. Butter is from Berlin/Duesseldorf in Germany.

Nadine Schlichte, Art Director at Butter, concieved of the idea for a unique pinup calendar. The calendar would be offered to prospective and current physician clients. Each picture of the month shows a naked skeleton image of woman. The developed slogan is "The EIZO Medical pin-up calendar — just like EIZO monitors — really does show every detail." The calendar was released in May 2010.

“Our actual intention was to stimulate more interest for what is the highly complex, technically sophisticated area of EIZO monitors  for diagnostic purposes and viewing of x-ray images,” say Butter, “As you can imagine, the target market for this kind of specialist, highly-priced monitors is very small.”

While most people believe each month to show a different woman, the creative team at Butter developed the monthly models from computer CGI illustrations.

The EIZO calendar description includes "Whereas craftsmen are showered with pin-up-calendars at the end of every year, this kind of present is less popular among physicians. EIZO breaks this taboo. This pin-up calendar shows absolutely every detail.

The calendar and the pictures went viral quickly. Additionally, Butter and EIZO garned several advertising and related creativity awards.

In fact, the calendar was so successful, EIZO is now taking orders for the 2011 calendar [which looks to be the same pictures from the 2010 version].

What kind of novel ideas have you considered? Implemented?

Additional Resources
- Purchase the 2011 calendar here for ~€70 Euros or ~$95 USD
- Eizo Nanao Corporation
- Butter, Berlin/Duesseldorf, Germany
- View all of the 2010 calendar pictures from the Butter website

 

The iconic seven-slot grille is the symbol of one of the world’s most recognized brands. The spirit of freedom and adventure it stands for has defined the Jeep brand throughout its 70-year history, attracting generations of loyal customers. Few brands command a following so loyal that Jeep designers have resisted major changes to the design of the grille for fear of alienating a devoted customer base. To what, then, does Jeep owe this enviable customer loyalty?

It’s the unique experience of freedom and adventure you get with a Jeep. Plowing through foot-high snow drifts before the light of day, crossing a stream on a rutted dirt road en route to an overnight camping destination, cruising along the beach with the wind in your hair, sitting under the stars watching Fourth of July fireworks, driving through an orchard on a quest for the perfect apple, and exchanging the “Wrangler wave” with other Wrangler drivers are all part of the Jeep brand’s unique selling proposition. These experiences make the brand different from any other.

I bought my Jeep Wrangler nine years ago. My boys, then ages 5 and 7, were with me from the very first test drive. I can’t remember who wanted the Jeep more – me or them. I purchased mine off the lot and theirs, miniature Matchbox® models of mine, from Toys ‘R Us. A Jeep Christmas tree ornament – a gift from my boys – followed soon after. Over the years, we’ve travelled many miles together and have accumulated lots of fond memories in our Jeep.   

My seven year-old is now 16 and will soon have his driver's license. The spirit of freedom and adventure is alive and well, even within him. Driving to and from swim practice, manually shifting the gears as he heads west  toward the mountains on an open highway, and cruising around with the top down on a summer evening are already ingrained experiences in his psyche. And so, another generation of Jeep Wrangler owners is born. Brand loyalty endures.

How unique is your brand’s selling proposition? Is it compelling your customers or members to yearn for more? Is it helping you to build brand loyalty for generations to come?

Recently I received a comment on my MENG article, "LinkedIn for Job Hunters: Tips to Create a Must-Read Profile." In the article I suggested three ways of changing your message, content, and business story as a job seeker/job hunter. The three ways were:

1. Create a Memorable Professional Headline
2. Make Your Summary Engaging and Compelling
3. Improve Your Credibility

Heidi's comment prompted my response I thought to share.

Your headline should be forward looking. When crafting your headline, write it for the next job you want to have and don’t be restrained by the corporate-speak title that you had previously. For example, use Social Media Manager rather than Manager of Left-Handed Promotions (yes this is a made up example!).

I thought her comments were spot on and I replied,

Two great suggestions Heidi. And people should also remember to make deliberate choices about words they use. For the more adventurous, consider testing different headlines. Think more than just A|B testing, think A|B|C|D|? testing until it generates the results you want.

The article was written for a marketing audience. If you are unfamiliar with A|B testing. Think about catalogue shopping. There is always a code on the back when you order. Well this code has embedded in it a lot of useful information to the company. It may point to a certain version of the catalogue. And the version will likely have a different layout and design, colors, products, etc. Whether the differences are subtle or noticeable, the company is attempting to research the effectiveness of different messages and layout.

If you are a LinkedIn user, casual or frequent, I strongly urge you to do the same type of approach of A|B testing. Change your professional headline into something compelling and memorable and do not use the standard default of your current job title. Ensure it is part of a unified business storytelling/messaging approach. Your approach should bring together all of your story components. For job hunters, examples include your resume, cover letter, LinkedIn profile, and elevator speech. For organizaitons, examples include your website, proposals, press releases/outreach, elevator speech, and mission statement.

Additional Resources:
- Visit our Tip of the Week. The last one was "Improve Your Credibility on LinkedIn"
- Business Storytelling for Social Media  (blog)
- It’s Who Knows You: Three Little Known Ways to Turn LinkedIn into a More Valuable Sales Tool (article)
- The “What Do You Do?” Answer: A Key Tool in Your Sales Toolbox (article)

Here's a great cartoon from C-Section Comics. It has characters representing all types of smart phone users from iPhone, Android, and Blackberry.

We’ve all been there. Last-minute packing before an important business trip, luggage that’s seemingly too small for everything you want to bring, and…when you’re finally ready to leave…a load that’s too heavy to carry. As you take the first steps on your journey, you embark on a mental hike through your packing checklist. And then it dawns on you…did you remember to bring your A-game?

If you are in a sales or marketing role for an association, corporation, or government agency, your A-game is a great segue into business storytelling. It’s your elevator speech (answer to “What do you do?”). It’s important because business stories are the engine of relationships and relationships are the engine of continued success.

For me, lasting business relationships are a journey. It’s like going on a long hike. I start with a packing checklist that includes a well-rehearsed 30-second elevator speech. It’s light on acronyms and says precious little about me and the organization I represent. Most importantly, it’s loaded with three reasons why people I meet along the trail might want to start a business relationship with me.

Each stop is an opportunity – for a new relationship and future business success. Almost everyone I meet loves a good story. My stories always begin with my A-game, or elevator speech. From there, it’s an easy transition to a relevant experience or two from my business story inventory. And that’s how relationships and opportunities for future success begin.

The next time you travel, remember to bring your A-game. As the popular American Express tagline used to say, “Don’t leave home without it.”

When I was younger, I always thought the easiest job in the world was being a salesman. I loved to talk. What could be easier, I thought, than to take that new toy I just got for my birthday and tell everyone how great it was. Heck, I always did that anyway. I could pester people and talk to them forever about something I liked. And if I ever did run out of words, I could follow up by spending twice as much time showing them how wonderfully it worked.

When I got older, guess what happened? You guessed it; I became a salesman. But I soon learned that I could not have been more wrong about the best way to go about making a sale. My preconceived formula for selling (talk about the product, show them the product, and then watch them happily walk away with the product while I count my money) was not only ineffective but a recipe for disaster for someone who really wanted to become a good salesperson.

I started to notice that some of my peers were a lot more successful than others. When I watched various sales techniques, I began to see a common denominator among those who made the most sales: questions! The best salespeople were asking questions. But these were not just any questions; they were thoughtful ones. They were not simply a long series of questions requiring "yes" answers in the hopes that the final answer would also be "yes". They were good quality questions.

So what exactly are "good quality questions?"

Well, I started to use some common sense. How can you sell something to a customer without first finding out what makes the customer tick? The more I actually began dealing with real customers, the more I realized the importance of establishing an initial bond with them. I asked them questions about themselves...open-ended questions which did not require simple yes or no answers, but instead engaged the customer in a dialogue where the customer was an interested participant instead of a passive sales target. And then, most importantly of all, I shut my mouth and listened to their answers.

As I did this, I realized the gold mine that lay in front of me. I was not only building a foundation of trust between the customer and myself but at the same time I was learning a lot about my customers:  what motivated them, what they were feeling at this particular time in their lives, and what they needed.

This strategy has the customer reaching the point where he is telling both of us, me and even more importantly, himself, what his problems are. In many cases these are problems which my customer never really articulated before. If I had articulated them to him, it could have been perceived as me giving a sales pitch. But the fact that the customer himself is doing the talking increases the value ten-fold.

This is where my job becomes easy because all I need to do now is gently guide the customer towards the solution to his problem. But once again, instead of making statements, I ask a few well-formed questions! And, of course, I supplement them with a heavy dose of listening! These questions simply plant a seed in the customer's mind; an image of the customer's problems being answered and the product I happen to be selling being the main ingredient in the solution.

Most of the time I not only get the sale, but also the gratitude and lasting trust of my new client for helping him/her find the right answers.

To summarize my simple strategy:

• Ask questions to find out as much as possible about the customer.
• Let the customers to do most of the talking; simply reinforce and gently steer so they articulate their problems.
• Listen! And then listen some more!
• Lastly, ask questions which cause the customer to visualize the solution with the product I am selling as the solution's centerpiece.

 

Art Gould is a division manager with Self Storage Company, which operates a group of websites, including one for California self storage.  Art works with a number of sites including those in Texas as well as Illinois self storage sites.  In an effort to boost sales, he has tried many different sales strategies and has found that those that create the most dialogue with consumers are often the most successful.

One of our readers emailed me this advertisement from a popular men's magazine (see below - click on the picture to view a much larger version). Head & Shoulder's Polamolecule ad offer is "Formulated to give you fuller, thicker-looking hair in one week. Guaranteed."

Head & Shoulder's should be congratulated on its excellent tie-in with a celebrity like Troy Pola, who obviously spends a lot of time and money on his hair. The many challenges facing them is the execution of the ad...Here are five quick review items.

1. Key Message: Western hemisphere visitors will always look to the top left first when viewing just about anything. The top left here should have the Head & Shoulder's key message or headline here.

2. Picture is Not Compelling: The picture is well, a bit strange. It's not really a molecule and the ad states this at the very bottom. Then when you get past the initial strangeness, you start deconstructing the image and focus on the many mini heads. They are distracting and take you away from the key fact and benefits of using the shampoo.

3. Headline at the Bottom:  As mentioned in #1, here is the key message. What is missing here is the tie-in with and to Troy Pola. The ad should specifically talk about how Troy enjoys Head & Shoulders and what it does for his scalp and hair.

4. Muddled Message: The bottom paragraph should also tie-in the shampoo with Troy. Instead the text is trying too hard to be clever and humorous. Where is the call-to-action of trying and buying the shampoo? Such a call-to-action is on the website!

5. Fails to Leverage: One of the supporting messages is "Official shampoo of the NFL." Again, specifically tie this in and to using and the benefits of the shampoo.

In July, I wrote about the importance of a good elevator speech (answer to “What do you do?”) in Business Networking in a Foreign Land. In that post, I described how an interesting 30-second elevator speech would be a great way to introduce yourself at business networking events.

In many ways, the profile statement you use for social media applications like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn is your elevator speech. Think of it as business storytelling. It speaks to what you do and how you might be able to help others. It should contain some interesting information about you and, above all, it should be brief (i.e.,160 characters or less). After all, it’s your introduction to potential followers, friends, and connections.

Take a second to read my profile:

Award-winning marketing and sales leader, social media user and fitness enthusiast who likes exploring the great outdoors without having to ask for directions.

It’s business storytelling for social media. It’s my elevator speech and it’s the answer to “What do I do?” I’m someone who knows a thing or two about sales and marketing, who dabbles in social media, who is a gym rat, and who can take care of myself in the wilderness. Every written word or image I include in my Tweets, Facebook posts, LinkedIn updates, and even my blogs are part of this story.

Stay tuned for my next blog post, where the story continues…

I found out about SlideShare.net's annual contest a little late--just two days before the submission window closed. Well, lo and behold, they extended the contest entry another week to November 15.

If you have a moment, please vote for my presentation at SlideShare. It will appear like the first image below. This is one of my favorite topics, The Deliberate Storyteller. Here's a brief description.

The Deliberate Storyteller:  Turn Your Business Stories and Key Messages into Your Competitive Advantage
Business stories are memorable, powerful packages that get prospects to say, “Tell me more.” They are the words, images, and sounds you use throughout your sales and marketing materials. Examples include presentations, elevator speech, LinkedIn profile, advertising, and website. Learn how to develop high impact messages and select the right business stories through an easy-to-follow process. Stay engaged with practical ideas and thought-provoking exercises you can implement immediately.

My daughter's day care staff reminded us of the upcoming picture day with a sticker (see below). Signs are posted everywhere--at the front door, in the class rooms, and in the hallways. The providers have been telling us for weeks and for the past few days.

Did my wife and I remember? Not really. When we looked at our daughter's daily report form (below), we saw the bright green reminder sticker for tomorrow's picture day.

Likely the stickers were provided by the photography studio. What a great idea.

What little touches can you make with your clients, members, stakeholders, grantees, etc.?

Article Summary:  When you scan a resume, where do you typically start reading? Generally, it is the “Summary” section. It is the executive summary of your entire employment history boiled down into about 100 words. It is the most important aspect of your resume. Too often, people try to squeeze in too much. And they do not convey the potential value they could bring to the organization.  If you are not receiving interview requests from well-matched position descriptions, it is time to revise and tweak your resume. Your summary sets the tone for what is to come. Decision makers read many resumes, sometimes hundreds, for each position. Excite them. Pique their interest. Remember, people hire potential, not resumes. What does your Summary say about you?   [Note, this article was originally written for the Marketing Executives Networking Group (MENG)] 

If you have any preferences or requests for topics, contact us by telephone, email, or leave a comment on this blog entry.

To read other articles in The Chief Storyteller Blog, select the category, Articles.

 

Does Your Resume’s Summary Scream? How to Write a Summary Section that Screams “Schedule an Interview with me Today!”
© 2010. The Chief Storyteller®, LLC.
Ira J. Koretsky
September 2010

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let’s pretend you are Rebecca, the CEO of a multi-million dollar consumer products company. Oscar, your Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of 18 years, just retired. You received three resumes today from your executive search firm.

When you scan a resume, where do you typically start reading? Generally, it is the “Summary” section. It is the executive summary of your entire employment history boiled down into about 100 words. It is the most important aspect of your resume.

Writing the summary is usually the most challenging part of the resume. Too often, people try to squeeze in too much. And they do not convey the potential value they could bring to the organization.

Here are three suggestions for developing a resume summary that screams, “Schedule an interview with me today!”

1. Make it a Powerful Personal Advertisement
Think like an advertising copywriter. What are the most interesting and relevant words and phrases needed to pique Rebecca’s (your decision maker) interest? Truly, your summary should set the stage for the rest of the resume. It should contain active/action verbs and accomplishments with quantifiable benefits.  Use a few well-placed key words and phrases from the position description and your individual experience. While the entire resume should be tailored to the position description, the summary has to be spot on.

2. Pique Our Interest with Your Business Story
Summarize with powerful phrases hinting at something much greater.  Rebecca is evaluating your accomplishments as much as she is your potential. In marketing terms, this is your elevator speech or value proposition. At its core is a headline—three to seven words summarizing your potential value.

Some examples include “Building Great Brands for 25 Years,” “Growing Departments into Divisions,” and “Positioning Fortune 2000 Companies for Explosive Growth.” Your business story should represent your personal AND your professional self.

3. Use Bullets
The typical summary section is a paragraph, spanning four and as much as 10 lines on the resume. Paragraphs are dense and impossible to read quickly. Most people scan paragraphs, especially on resumes. Instead, structure your summary to the way your reader is likely going to read your content. Use bullet statements.

Example from the Internet
The following is a real example of a summary statement from a senior executive. Let’s call the candidate, Laurie. After the paragraph, there are some introspective questions to ask of yourself you were Laurie followed by three suggestions. 

Results-charged entrepreneurial career is distinguished by achievements in generating business outcomes that favorably impact bottom-line performance and increased shareholder value. Lead by example and build high performance teams by creating focus, achieving buy-in and involvement, and serving as a mentor. In-depth knowledge of the principles and methods of business administration and supervision as they relate to personnel administration, fiscal management, program development, and overall policies and practices. Strong strategy development and analytical skills; evaluate business opportunities and develop economic analysis for entry into new markets and retreat from unprofitable markets. Excellent interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills with all intermediaries – boards, partners, customers, employees, and the public. Decisive, action-oriented, and competitive.

Two questions to spur some introspective thought:
1. How would you rewrite this to tell the business story of a highly successful CMO?
2. What key elements/words would Rebecca, the CEO, want to see here?

Here are three suggestions among many to improve this summary statement.
1. Results-charged entrepreneurial career is distinguished by achievements in generating business outcomes that favorably impact bottom-line performance and increased shareholder value.
>Developed internal customer service initiative increasing retention by 16%, resulting in $3.3 million in additional profits.

2. Strong strategy development and analytical skills; evaluate business opportunities and develop economic analysis for entry into new markets and retreat from unprofitable markets.
>Turned around an underperforming product representing over 37% of current revenue. Implemented a highly targeted, year-long nation-wide sales and media campaign.

3. Excellent interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills with all intermediaries – boards, partners, customers, employees, and the public.
> Delete entire sentence. This is expected of a CMO. Only include content to help you differentiate yourself.

It’s an Evolving Story Element
Each position is different. Each organization is different. Each hiring executive is different. Each team is different. You get the picture. As such, your resume has to be tailored to each position. And your resume is just one element of your business story (e.g., cover letter, resume, interview, accomplishments, success stories, and elevator speech). Ensure your story elements are unified with your headline and core business story (i.e., your elevator speech—your answer to “Tell me about yourself).

If you are not receiving interview requests from well-matched position descriptions, it is time to revise and tweak your resume. Take your time. Write, rewrite, take a break, and continue. Ask for help from friends and colleagues—a fresh perspective is often helpful.

Your summary sets the tone for what is to come. Decision makers read many resumes, sometimes hundreds, for each position. Excite them. Pique their interest.

Remember, people hire potential, not resumes.

Eugene Finerman said, “Every word has a story…one word can tell an epoch of history, define the attitude of an era, or reflect an ancestral sense of humor (The Toastmasters, 2003).

What does your Summary say about you?

 

Ira Koretsky is the president of The Chief Storyteller®, a firm that turns your communications and messages into results, with keynotes, workshops, training, and consulting. Contact Ira at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit www.TheChiefStoryteller.com.

Article Summary:  In June I had the priviledge of addressing participants at the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (ACEVO) conference (see blog entry, Charities Must Also Have Great Messages). This fantastic opportunity was because of a serendipitious meeting with Seb Elsworth, Director of Strategy, at a Great Ideas Conference (from ASAE). One part of the conversation led to another and to another and finally to a verbal agreement of me presenting a business storytelling keynote. After the keynote, I was introduced to Agnes Jumah, Head of Marketing. We chatted briefly about writing an article. Find below the text to the recently published article in the ACEVO Network Magazine. In a nutshell, the article furthers the London discussion about the importance of being different in how you develop and deliver your key messages. And second, to be deliberate in the words you use in your messages and where you use them as you engage your target audiences.

If you have any preferences or requests for topics, contact us by telephone, email, or leave a comment on this blog entry.

To read other articles in The Chief Storyteller Blog, select the category, Articles.

Wow! Tell Me More
© 2010. The Chief Storyteller®, LLC. 
Ira J. Koretsky
September 2010

Ira Koretsky spoke to ACEVO members at the CEO Summit and impressed the audience with his thoughts on why a unified story is critical to the future success of a third sector organisation. Here he describes how to get potential stakeholders wanting more.

What is the main lesson we can learn from the long history of consumer product advertising? Message unification. Companies have spent billions of pounds connecting to our hearts, to move us to buy their products. They unify words, images, and experiences across their communication materials into one core message, typically with great effect.

Business stories—and their communication of shared experiences—are enduring assets. From you, the CEO, to every staff member, through every medium, everything your charity communicates is a business story.

The single most important business story is your core story—the story that answers the question, “What does your organisation do?” Your answer makes the difference between someone saying, “Wow! Tell me more” or “Oh, that’s nice.” The more interesting, the more compelling, and the more tangible your core story, the more likely the audience hearing or reading it will, in turn, repeat your story to others.

Complementing the core story are your supporting stories. These are the stories and messages generating interviews and publicity, inspiring volunteers, increasing donations, yielding grants and funding, and enabling you to help more people.

Many organisations miss the opportunity to better leverage the power of a unified story. Why? Because they 1) Communicate details and facts rather than goals and success stories and 2) Communicate according to their own, not their audience’s, perspectives. What can a third sector organisation do?

Develop a “Wow! Tell Me More” Core Story
When you pick up a newspaper, what do you read first? Headlines. Your core story is like a newspaper headline. It should grab your audience’s attention with the promise your organisation offers a better future. And the headline should be no more than 10 words.

Here are a few examples:  We are champions of healthy living for the American Diabetes Association; We build futures for the United Negro College Fund Special Programs; We help kids nationwide stay in school for Americans All Foundation; and We build healthier communities through partnerships for The Centers for Disease Prevention and Control.

Develop a Story Library
Do you know what stories inspire people to act? To volunteer? To donate? To provide press coverage? Along with traditional business stories (e.g. articles and presentations), develop your own library of success and case stories to inspire action.

Categorise and reinforce them so your team members are comfortable sharing them at the right times. Tell us about the challenge you faced, how you overcame it, and what impact your actions achieved.

Unify and Update
With the tough economic climate, resources are increasingly scarce, government initiatives are changing the face of the third sector, and corporations are reducing charitable donations. You cannot afford to have a muddled message.

In the absence of a unified message, people will either forget you or make up their own version. Spend the time needed unifying your messages to your core story. Everyone involved in your charity—volunteers, board, staff, partners, and those you help—should be ready to tell your core story with your key support messages. Evaluate your success and update your communications accordingly.

Think Differently and Deliberately
Great stories travel. As with great personal stories, great business stories transform facts into ideas and ideas into action. Action can generate the funding, support, and publicity enabling your organisation to help its clients. To develop great stories, focus on goals and success stories, be mindful of the audience, and satisfy your audience’s needs. For more resources to help you develop unified stories, visit our website for hundreds of tips, ideas, and articles.

Remember the advice of novelist Joseph Conrad: “I have no use for engines. Give me the right word...and I will move the world.”

 

Ira Koretsky is the president of The Chief Storyteller®, a firm that turns your communications and messages into results, with keynotes, workshops, training, and consulting. Contact Ira at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit www.TheChiefStoryteller.com.

In March of 2009, I met Seb Elsworth of the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (ACEVO). It was about 9pm at a reception at the Great Ideas Conference (from ASAE). Seb is the director of strategy for ACEVO, a very important association in the UK. They bring together the senior leadership of charities to discuss strategy and tactics on a variety of topics such as messaging, volunteerism, government support, grants, programs, publicity, board of directors, and the list goes on.

Our serendipitious meeting included of course, seredipitous conversation. By the time the night was over, we had agreed I would present a business storytelling keynote in London.

Image 1 is the cover page of my keynote, Build the Right Relationships:  How What You Say Significantly Impacts Organisational Performance. Over the course of about 20 minutes I shared several important concepts. One of the big ones was shown on image 2 below--Pants.  Several years ago I learned the word "pants" to the British means underwear and trousers are used for what we refer to as pants in the United States. I shared this story with the group. I then asked them, "Do you have any pants in your messaging?" Are there words and phrases you know of or think might be misunderstood or not as impactful as they could be?

Additionally, on image 3, I briefly covered the four questions about business storytelling and how it affects the CEO and his/her charity organization.

"What Do You Do?" and "That's Interesting, Tell Me More," two fun, insightful business exercises were introduced to the group of about 200.

It was another fantastic international experience. (Read the subsequent blog entry, Wow! Tell Me More - An Article for United Kingdom Charities, on my article published in ACEVO's Network Magazine).

 

During some of my recent overseas trips, I gathered several wrappers and packaging from various products. As you'll see, everything except for language is really the same. I'll share additional pictures in the future. Here are three from Germany, Armenia, and United Kingdom.

Lufthansa Pretzel Bag, Received on Flight from London to Armenia:
(1) Lufthansa puts its message in the first spot people English readers look to on something. English readers always start from the top left. Other languages such as Chinese, Japanese, and Arabaic start from the top right.
(2) Spot advertising for water is on the bottom, supporting the imagery. Personally, I think it is a bit confusing and distracting. I'm conflicted to see a sparkling water advertisement on a pretzel bag.
(3) Lufthansa has the last word, "With compliments." Every little detail on Lufthansa is thought of.

M&M's Candy Wrapper, Purchased in Armenia
- The same advertising, branding, messaging, and colors are used smartly by Mars, Inc. The good thing for them is all of its brand equity easily translates country to country.

London Transportation Pass (Oyster Card) for the Underground/Tube:
(1) Ikea has purchased the Oyster Card protective cover. Big bold logo with its tagline (in the UK, it's called the strapline). No other confusing or competing messages or images.
(2) Ikea tied in a clever phrase related to travel. They used a metaphor of travel and home.
(3) On the card itself is a bit of branding with the Mayor of London and London Underground logos.

Until I was called by the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE), I did not know Professional Engineer® was a separate certification and distinction. Indeed it is. In fact, it is a registered trademark. To become a PE, you have to pass rigorous educational and employment experience criteria.

Learning new things is one of the best parts of being a professional speaker. You meet people from around the world with different backgrounds, experiences, cultures, points of view, and the list goes on. It truly makes you a "smarter" person in so many ways.

Of course, traveling to wonderful places is also a nice perk. The NSPE conference was held at the beautiful Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld (read my blog entry, A Very Different Lobby Experience - Talk about First Impressions, on the visually stunning reception area).

I challenged the audience filled with all sorts of engineers and NSPE leadership with two thoughts: (a) Communicate the right messages to your members and (b) Communicate the right messages to your prospective clients. As with most technical professionals, they tend to communicate with jargon, facts, and details. Instead, they need to use words related to a better tomorrow. Why else would people join an association? Every reason is about making a difference...that's what has to be communicated.

I returned from a wonderful experience at the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld. I gave the luncheon keynote at the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) annual conference. (See Not All Engineers are "Professional Engineers" for my blog entry about the NSPE conference)

Outside of the conference, the most interesting part was the reception area. As soon as you enter the lobby, this is what you are greeted by (see first picture below)...four huge television screens playing a fantastic undersea video. And if this wasn't enough, walk about 200 feet into the bar and atrium area and you'll be greeted by a gigantic tv screen setup (16 televisions connected) also showing the video (see second picture below). Watching the various scenes truly made the few minute wait to check-in virtually melt away.

I loved the video so much I bought myself a copy. I learned that the Renaissance Orlando commissioned a dive team to develop the undersea stress reliever. And kudos goes to the person who chose to start each video at a different place making it seem like multiple videos were playing simultaneously.

Talk about first impressions...

What makes you different? How does your corporation, association, or government agency stand out?

How well you differentiate yourself is often the key to success. The most successful organizations are those who offer a unique quality or attribute that resonates with their target audience. Differentiation, in other words, is in the eye of the beholder.

Suppose, for example, I owned a car wash. I use only the finest soap and wax. I might be tempted to promote my business by saying I use only the highest quality products for cleaning your car.

What does that mean to you? Do you really care about the kind of cleaning products I use? If I asked car owners why they chose one car wash over another, most would tell me it’s because of how nice their car looks when they leave. Or, how fast and easy it is to get through the car wash.

Now, imagine the impact I would have on you by promoting these unique attributes: “The only car wash in town where you can restore your car to showroom clean in the time it takes to order drive-thru at a fast-food restaurant.”