Free Your Mind #atozchallenge

Man thinking on a train journey. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

         Some of the most successful promotional campaigns have been the result of out-of-the-box thinking.  We can get so restricted to traditional advertising methods that our efforts become tired and stale, lacking in effectiveness.   People tend to eventually ignore what they've seen over and over, but surprise them with something totally unexpected then you've got their attention again.

         This is not to say that we should give up on all media efforts.  There is something to be said for that persistent media campaign if you can afford it.  But media can be very expensive and often we may not have the resources to maintain a media push that is effective.

         Use your noggin to think up other angles for attention getting.  Blogging and social media campaigns are fine to attain an initial outreach on a limited scale, but you are mostly restricted by the size of the community that you've built or have become a part of.   Distribute your time and resources through a number of outlets.

          No idea is necessarily too crazy to think about, though you do want to carefully think through particularly wild ideas before executing them.   Wild ideas can be toned down to make them work for who you are. Attention getting is what you want so long as it is good attention.  Bounce your ideas off of others you trust to get feedback.  

           Don't be afraid to use your imagination when planning promotional strategy.  Decide on how you want to portray yourself or your product to the marketplace and then let your mind run free.

           Are you willing to take chances?    What are the best free or low cost options you can think of in promotions?    What is the craziest thing you've ever done for the sake of promotion?

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

Dream Big #atozchallenge

Climb_Mayan Temple_Coba_Mexico_Sep12 (Photo credit: Ian Halsey)

            Success always starts with a dream.  Big dreams can lead to big success just as much as they can lead to big failures.   The key is to dream realistically.   Daydreaming about fantasies can be fun and have a place in our lives, but those fantasy dreams should not be our main vehicle to use on the road to reaching success.

            There's certainly nothing wrong with starting out with a big dream.  You might want to start big in order to get enthusiastic.  Then you have to put the dream into realistic perspective.  Understand how you can make a big dream succeed within your means and abilities.

              If it's a marketing campaign you're putting together, you want a decent return on your efforts.  You want to get the word out about your product in the most effective way to reach the broadest audience.  Do the research to see what has worked best for others and decide if that might be the same thing that could work for you.  Enlist the aid of those who are willing to help you.   Others want to see you succeed. They are often willing to share in your dream.

             Don't dream bigger than your reality. You wouldn't want to lose money on your marketing efforts.  If you do invest in marketing try to look beyond the initial campaign to see if you are laying a foundation for future campaigns.   Diversify your marketing attempts.  If you dump all of your resources into one big advertisement you are taking a risky gamble.  Be careful about not spending more on the marketing that you will realistically recoup in the sales of your product.  The marketplace may not believe in your product as much as unrealistic dreams can lead you to believe.

           Dream big on the first day, then think realistically on the second.   Hope for the best, but don't have any expectation that all will turn out as you imagined.   You don't get to the top of a mountain by flapping your arms and flying.  You have to climb the mountain to get to the top and often it can be a tough climb with many obstacles.  You might have to try more than once.  Sometimes you won't even make it to the top of that mountain.   But there is always another mountain to climb.

           Don't ever stop dreaming.   Dream big.  Dream often.  And most importantly be sure to act on those dreams.
         
           Do you give up easily when things get tough?    How have others helped you attain a dream?    Has there been a time when you invested too much in the pursuit of a dream?

Related articles

• Success
• Alexa Hirschfeld makes her dream job a reality, one invitation at a time
• Be It, Don't Dream It.
• Prioritize and don't let a goal become a dream.