Knock Knock ( #AtoZChallenge )

"Knock knock!"
"Who's there?"
"This is me!"
"Why are you knocking so loud?"
"Because I have my degree from the School of Hard Knocks."
"Where's that school?"
"Knoxville."

Door knocker in Florence, Italy

           

        Opportunity knocking at my door has gone unanswered on many occasions.  Hard to say what different outcomes there might have been in my life if I had welcomed those missed opportunities.  Many of us have likely done the same.  Perhaps it was fear or uncertainty that prompted us to pretend we weren't available.  It might have been laziness or just a lack of self-confidence. Whatever the reason, once an opportunity was lost, it was rarely offered again.

         Now I'm hoping for a new knock at my life's door.  I'm waiting.  What will I do when it comes?  Will I find some excuse not to answer?  Do I have time to make excuses or any good reason to do so?

          Conversely, maybe I will need to knock on some doors.  Maybe a lot of doors.  Doors that might go answered.  There might be a fearful voice inside begging me to go away or a disgruntled face appearing before me telling me they are not interested in what I have to offer.

          "Come on!  I'm not selling Fuller brushes, overpriced vacuum cleaners, or Amway products.  You might like what I've got.  Please give me a chance!"  I say (though not in those exact words).

           "Go away!  I don't need or want what you've got!"

             Still I must persist.  Time is ticking away.  I need to get this done.  Maybe the next door will be the one.

             Knock knock!


           Have you ever done door-to-door or cold call sales?  Do you tend to get discouraged easily when you don't find quick success at something you're doing?   Where might be places you might go to seek investors for a business proposition for which you needed money to get off the ground?

       





                                                                                                                                    

Educate Your Ego #atozchallenge

Humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less.
(Photo credit: symphony of love)

         When it comes to self-promoting, many of you start experiencing ego deflation.   A lack of self confidence and fear that you are not good enough can hamper your ability to sell yourself to others.  Maybe it's time for a self-evaluation.  Take inventory of what it is that you are offering others and then look deeper to see what else you might be missing.

          You have talents.  You have something to give others.  You are valuable in your uniqueness.  And now you have to convince yourself.   It's time to educate your ego.

           The concept of ego often is put in a bad light and for good reason.  An egocentric person can come across as very unlikeable and annoying.   You don't want to be that person.   You are important, but you also need to keep others in mind.

           Teach yourself to carry yourself with a air of confidence but not arrogance.  Paying attention to your appearance, mannerisms, and speech will make that good initial impression on others.  The way you behave and treat others after the first encounter will carry the relationship forward in a positive manner.

            Don't hide behind a mask of fakery, but be personable and approachable.  You may know more than others regarding your field of expertise, but that doesn't make you better than your market audience.   Maybe you  are smarter than others--perhaps brilliant--but condescension doesn't make you attractive to those whom you are addressing.   If you want to win others over to your side it's helpful to be at least somewhat nice.

           Learn by doing.  In your encounters with others gage reactions carefully to learn what gets a point across well and what doesn't.  Get feedback from others.  Ask those you trust how they think you've done in your communication efforts.

            Most of all, look at the end results of what you are doing.  Did you get the results you were hoping for?   If not why?   Be honest with your self-assessments.  Don't let yourself get in the way of what you are trying to do.

           Do you think you might have an inflated ego?    What draws you to another person?   Are there any particular sales techniques that you think are particularly effective?

Related articles

• Danger, Pride
• Facing Ego
• 3. Egos.
• Flow - With a Healthy Ego
• Drop Your Ego and Improve Your Ideas

Sell Yourself

Lincoln Beachey, in his business suit he wore for flying (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Seeing Is Conceiving   

       In show business, stage performers are advised to learn how to sell their acts.  In other words, when they're in front of the audience they need to do whatever it takes to please and entertain their audience.  Performers are selling themselves to their audiences in hopes of maintaining an image that will make them more appealing to their public.  

           Whether we are going to a job interview, a first date, or some other situation where image can make a difference, we want to make good first impressions.  A product with good packaging will stand out more than the one in the plain brown wrapper.  Attractive art work on a book cover might be just the thing to cause the browser to pick that book up to learn more about it.

            Likewise you should look like the role you're being expected to play.  If you're being hired to be a birthday clown and you show up in a business suit then you'd better be darn unique, funny, and entertaining if you want to keep getting hired.  The point is either fulfill the expectations of others or make your image work for those with whom you are dealing.  Looks may be superficial, but they're often the first level by which you are judged.

Make It Real

           Looks are easy, but actually playing the part may be more difficult for some of you.  Determine who you are or want to be and play the role accordingly.  You want to impress others and not depress them.  You shouldn't do things to offend or upset those you are trying to sell yourself to unless that's your shtick--and that's rarely the case.

            Practice smiling and being attentive to others.   Be interested in your customers--it will make them feel good about you and you might learn something.  Come across as genuine, sincere, honest, and trustworthy.  You want to be someone who others will like and find dependable.  When customers believe in you, they will feel more confident about whatever it is you are trying to market.

Leave a Good Impression

          If you've done a good job at selling yourself, people will remember you.  Building and maintaining a good  reputation is part of your sales job.  It's an ongoing process.  If your client base likes you well enough, you can even survive shortcomings if they happen.   We're all susceptible to a bad day now and then and when you have solid loyalties established they will usually be very forgiving if you acknowledge mistakes and failures.  Don't let pride or resentment get in your way.   Your goal is to strive to do better and your customers should have faith in you.  It's your responsibility to give them reason to believe in you and for them to want to believe in you.

Some blogs that I'm Sold on:

Spunk on a Stick is L. Diane Wolfe's forum for presenting what she's learned as a professional in writing, speaking, and promoting.   Diane presents vital information in her own spunky style.

Then there's the blog that asks the question:  What does Little S have to say today?  In fact that's the name of Sylvie's blog.   And if you want to know what Little S has to say then you'll have to go over there and find out.

If you want to read about food then head on over to Sheila Scribbles.   Sheila doesn't always talk about food but that's her topic during the A to Z Challenge.   And who doesn't like to talk about food?

         What are some of the things you do to sell yourself?    

Related articles

• 5 Tips to Nail That Interview! (wyotech.wordpress.com)
• How to Make a Great First Impression on a Job Interview (5min.com)
• Know That It's Easier To Sell To A Previous Customer (williecrawford.com)
• Promoting in the Real World - Is it Still Viable? (breakthroughblogs.blogspot.com)
• Guru Sales Pitches and Products of Shame (duncanwierman.wordpress.com)