Most of my proposals are done via email.

We flush them out in a back and forth and the client just says “ok.”

With Microsoft, it doesn’t work that way.

We’ll do all the flushing out and then someone will say, “ok, can you send me a Statement of Work?”

Like taking the air out of a balloon, I deflate. SOW’s are just not that much fun.

Or are they?

I looked at myself in the mirror and said (yes, I actually did this), “uh, you idiot, the SOW is a touchpoint. It’s an opportunity to do something remarkable…or at least go for it.”

So, instead of a boring exercise, the SOW became an opportunity for creative expression.

The title of this one?

Michelle’s Conquest of the xxx Market Begins Here and Now

In Investment, I wrote:

Since I really like Michelle (she’s a lot of fun and has a ton of energy), she gets the “Raving Fan of Never Stop Marketing” price of xxxx

Lesson (for all of us): EVERY touchpoint is an opportunity. Take advantage of it. It’ll be more fun for you AND (hopefully) more remarkable for your clients/prospects.