Walk Your Talk Or Take A Hike

In late 1996, when my partner and I first started our IT firm, I contacted one of the E-myth franchise guys to see whether his company could help me organize my company's processes -- documenting everything the way Michael Gerber discusses in his E-myth books so I could more easily grow.
At the end of my first conversation with the franchisee, he promised to follow up with a bit more information and then to call to discuss it.
I never received the information. I never received the call. As a result, I ended up going with the mentoring program of Alan Weiss, president of Summit Consulting Group, Inc.
More than seven years later, this past October 30, I got to hear Michael Gerber himself speak, and subsequently wrote a blog entry about the presentation. The part of the story I didn't report goes as follows:

Several times during Gerber's speech, he referenced his "Dreaming Room®" -- an event where he helps entrepreneurs crystallize their visions -- and told attendees of the upcoming dates so we could sign up. I was intrigued by the concept and the opportunity, so in the VIP reception that followed I handed Gerber my card.
Me: "I'm intrigued by your Dreaming Room concept and I might want to attend. Can you call me about it?"
Gerber: (with a slight gleam in his eye and small grin) "I won't promise it will be a phone call."
Me: (chuckling slightly) "Then let me rephrase. Will you please plug me into whatever process you've created to follow up with people interested in the Dreaming Room?"
Gerber: "Gladly."

Today at lunch I learned that Steven Kelly (president of MESSAGEbuzz -- a text-message marketing company) had a similar conversation with Gerber that day -- handing him a card and asking for information. It's been 17 days, we're both still waiting and we agreed that because of the lack of follow-up, neither of us would attend now if it was free.
Are you walking your talk? If not, why the hell should we?

Gill E. Wagner, Sage of Selling
President of Honest Selling
Founder of the Yellow-Tie International Business Development Association

Comments

[Gill Wagner]

FYI: It's a year later and I still haven't heard from Gerber.Gill