I was sitting down last night contemplating the last couple of weeks, as we have been hosting an overseas guest, Kaplan Mobray. Kaplan was in NZ, all the way from New York City, for four speaking engagements on the topic of his best-selling book … The 10ks of Personal Branding.
It was great to be able to show Kaplan a small part of our country, as well as have him experience the hospitality that we Kiwis are known for.
Kaplan was the Key Note speaker for the Sovnet Insurance Conference, spoke at the Warriors Rugby League Club, the Entrepreneurs Organisation Auckland chapter and of course, our own BRAVEday client function - it was a busy two weeks!!
It was awesome and really satisfying for me to be a "connector" and assist him with all these engagements while he was here in NZ. I also got to introduce him to the audience at three of the four events, which, while way out of my comfort zone, was a great honour and learning experience for me…something I will remember for a long time. I was preparing for weeks, going over in my mind what stories I would share.
So how did it all come about?
I first met Kaplan when he was speaking at an MDRT (Million Dollar Round Table) conference in LA in 2012. His presentation really resonated with me and I took heaps of notes and ideas away. The one thing that stuck out was "Always have a point of difference with your competitors". This is something which is so important to us at BRAVEday - in the insurance industry we essentially all sell the same product, so it is very important for us to differentiate ourselves.
Before Kaplan spoke at the MDRT conference, I recall he went around the whole room to introduce himself and make a personal connection….there were 300 or 400 people in the room that day, so it was no mean feat. I still recall the first time I shook his hand - it was that personal connection that brought him half way around the world to NZ.
After hearing Kaplan speak in LA and buying his book, my wife Tania and I were travelling to New York (which is where Kaplan lives) later that year on holiday. One other point Kaplan really makes is "Live by decision, not by default", so a couple of months before we travelled, I thought "bugger it" and emailed him…
"Hi Kaplan, Dean here - you probably remember me from LA earlier this year, I met you at one of your speeches? We are heading to New York in a few months, do you want to catch up?"
He replied
"Yeah, why not. Let's touch base closer to the time".
I was wrapped!
So a couple of weeks before we left, I emailed him again to let him know our travel dates and where we were staying . . . no reply.
A week later, I emailed him again . . . no reply.
The day before we left . . . no reply.
Mmmm . . . I was miffed, but anyway, off we went to New York.
Three days after arriving in New York, I got an email from Kaplan that went something like this:
"Hey Dean, I've been on holiday with my family in Bermuda for the last two weeks. I've just landed today, so can drive into the city to meet you. It's about an hour and a half drive, so see you about 5pm."
We met Kaplan that afternoon at our hotel for 15 or 20 minutes. He had driven an hour and a half for a 20 minute catch-up …now that's what I call making a personal connection. That connection brought him to the other side of the world. That connection made a real impression on me and now means I have made a friend - for life!!
The power of a personal connection….
What personal connections have you made lately that could have a dramatic effect on your life?