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In talking with a blogging friend of mine, the subject came up about selling yourself and still BEING yourself. We were talking about how it’s not in our personalities to add exclamation points to our sales pitch when selling ourselves. It’s not that we don’t believe we’re great at what we do or that the potential client won’t completely benefit from our product and/or service, but we’re used to letting our actions speak for themselves. And yet in this completely commercial World that we live in, with everyone and their grandmother screaming for attention, we are liable to get drowned out if we don’t speak up.
Can you raise your voice without yelling?
It seems clear that in today’s society we HAVE to declare our greatness or nobody will look up from their busyness. But does this mean we have to become annoying sales people yelling and screaming like a two year old trying to get their mommy’s attention? Can we still be ourselves and feel comfortable in our own skin while getting in front of others to state or worthiness? I think these are extremely important questions to ponder because I know that many of us are not willing to be fake for the sake of a buck and yet desire financial success at the same time.
Finding the balance.
It’s not always easy to find that perfect balance between confidence, self promotion and yet an attractive humility that still seems human. I always tend to air on the side of insecurity which does me NO GOOD when I try to monetize my skill set. But if I push too hard in the other direction I fear turning others off and coming across as FAKE, a word I despise! So I’m in the process of finding that balance as my desire for success is much stronger that my insecurity in life. This is something that doesn’t come naturally, but I know is necessary for certain goals to be met in this lifetime.
What about you?
Am I making any sense here? Do you ever feel that you’re getting lost in the mix because you don’t want to feel like a show off, and yet you know you’re as good, if not better than, most in your field of expertise? Let us hear your thoughts so we can hash out this subject of self promotion and staying true to thyself.
I believe it’s about finding a particular strain of yourself and then amplifying that particular voice. You will never achieve vast success by resting on your laurels. Sometimes it is necessary to tap into different parts of your voice that might make you a little uncomfortable. This I know all too well.
Your friend sounds like a genius.
Writer Dad’s last blog post..Building a Bridge
I just show up in places like this and be myself. Of course, since I don’t need to promote myself, it’s easy.
There is NO way that I want to become an annoying sales person. In fact, I really don’t want to be a sales person of any kind. That’s part of the reason that you’ll never find any direct sales on any of my pages. I’ve done that and didn’t like it. It was too much like WORK. If I had to do that, I’d seek employment in my old line of work. That was far easier (and, there, I could be sleazier than here — just kidding!).
Mike Goad’s last blog post..Wednesday Weigh-In and another new look
I would like to address your concern about becoming an annoying sales person, by sharing some personal experiences.
I have managed, or been on management teams, in several different businesses. In all of these businesses the end goal was to increase sales of our particular products. I, however, detested the thought of trying to talk people in to buying something they did not want. Being a salesperson was just not in my character. Or so I thought.
Over the years, I realized that being a good salesperson was nothing more than being a good teacher. Teaching I could do! I didn’t have to try to talk somebody into buying anything. All I had to do was CARE and educate. If I had a product that I believed was useful, met needs, and was fairly priced, and if I truly cared about my customers, then the product basically sold itself.
The most important part of marketing a product, in my experience, was in making sure that I was 100% honest. I’ve fired people who lied to my customers, just to get a sale. Our philosophy was that any sale obtained by deception or fraud was not worth having.
Already I see that integrity in you as you try to market the Blogopolis Blueprint. You clearly tell your prospective buyers who the product is NOT for. By doing so, you show your customers that you care about them. No one likes buying something only to find it is not what they needed. I don’t know if this is your first product or not, but it definitely leaves a good first impression. If a potential customer decides your product does not meet their needs now, then when you have the next product that DOES meet their needs, the trust has already been established. Also, your promise of email support after the sale establishes you as someone who cares.
A good way to avoid seeming to be a blatant self-promoter is to take a step back from your product/ your site/ your posts/your whatever-you’re-trying-to-promote and try to see it as an outside object, not just as an extension of your identity. For example, if you’re trying to sell a book you’ve written, never word it as “my” book. Educate (not sell!) people as to why this book (not “my” book) will meet their needs. Does it help them learn a new skill? Will it teach them ways to increase productivity? Will it give them the warm fuzzies? Determine what the product will do for people, and teach them how it will benefit their lives. But, if they determine that “the product”does not meet any of their needs, they have not rejected you, only “the product.” You’re not promoting “you” and they have not rejected “you.” Even when the product IS you—such as in the case of say an appliance repairman, you wouldn’t market it as “I do this and that and this…” You would market it as “In-home service by certified repair professionals.” You’re meeting the need of the customers without resorting to an “I rock!” mentality. You do rock, but you want them to have the satisfaction of drawing their own conclusions.
Based on what little I have seen, in your posts and in your video updates, you come across as a genuine, caring, humorous person of good character. I think it would be a rare person, if any, who found you to be a show-off as you promote your skills.
Randi’s last blog post..Little Men
@Sean: Let me just say that the guy is Albert Einstein and Bobby Fischer all rolled into one.
@Mike: I totally agree, if you can’t be yourself in the blogging world, you might as well quit while you’re ahead.
@Randi: Wow, Randi! Thanks for the combination of insight and encouragement. I really appreciate it.
I think you’re spot on when it comes to building trust from your perspective buyers. It’s our honesty that will always pay off in the end. Eric
Practice practice practice! If it’s uncomfortable for you practice in the mirror. Use your own voice and learn to toot your own horn. If you don’t others won’t do it for you.
Tess The Bold Life’s last blog post..What Was Your Biggest Insight In January 2009?
@Tess: Well said, Tess! Eric
You make perfect sense. I wrestle with the same struggles to balance being myself, promoting what I know I have that can help others, and yet not wanting to shove it down their throats.
I am STILL working on it. I just don’t have enough Macavelli in me at times lol.
I do, however, believe the balance you mention does exist and is attainable, even for people like me.
Hey Eric….
Hmmmm I can really relate to this post. I’m no marketing guru, which is probably part of my problem, but I’m also don’t have that ‘salesman’ personality. I’ve often wondered if I need to swing more in that direction, or if it’s better to stay as.. well, me!
I guess for me finding a balance has a lot to do with stepping outside my comfort zone and balancing my personality out a little more….
Ross’s last blog post..The heart of life
@Karen: I definitely believe there’s balance to be had. Just hard to find it sometimes.
@Ross: I definitely don’t see you as the salesman type either. But we’ve got to let the World know that we ROCK! At least bring our skill set to the forefront so we can benefit from God’s gifts. Anyway, I totally hear you about the comfort zone thing. Totally! Eric