Putting Oneself out There is a Lot of Fun

Putting Oneself out There is a Lot of Fun

Stop thinking of marketing as just another form of advertising, like the thousands of mail, spam, TV, radio, and now even movie theater ads that constantly interrupt your day. We feel violated when these communications intrude on our lives and privacy. Nothing you do to promote yourself will look like this. In no way, shape, or form do I advocate, instruct, or encourage you to engage in such marketing. Relieved?! Good.

As its name suggests, the more common type of marketing is known as "interruptional marketing," since it constantly interrupts you in an effort to catch your attention. To be honest, doesn't this sum up the general consensus about marketing? Permission marketing is the flip side of the coin. The two are poles apart. This word was created by renowned marketer Seth Godin. To learn more, stop by www.sethgodin.com.

Selling oneself and one's wares with no strings attached is at the heart of permission marketing. And the very terms "marketing" and "promotion" make me cringe... Getting people to trust you is crucial if you want them to become actual consumers. When you focus on what your clients and consumers want and need and offer a solution to their problem, you will see the most success.

If you're a one-person shop, then permission marketing is how you should go about attracting clients. It could very well be the only form of advertising you can manage. The basic tenet of permission marketing is to aim for long-term relationships with customers by providing them with goods and services that add value to their lives. Imagine a memorable meal you recently enjoyed. I'm betting that the service was just as excellent as the meal. 

Did the server mention the chef's specials and suggest any of them? Did they double-check the food's quality? Who did you expect them to advise on pairing with your meal? Well, duh, they were. They were also quite polite and sought your approval before offering any ideas. This would have prepared you for their arrival. and their advice was tailored to your individual preferences and interests, which they had gleaned during your time together.

You are Not an Encyclopedia Salesman Knocking on Doors for a Fast Buck

Your goal is to provide assistance to possible clients even before they hire you. You can't ask someone to take a chance on you by writing you a check until you've first provided them with something of value.

The answer lies here... You keep giving people more and more permission to contact you until you're meeting their deep, vast, and personal wants. Your ideal customer and their requirements are front and center. Customers will give you the green light to extend your offerings and meet their unique requirements once they experience the positive effects of using your goods and services. Do you see how win-win this is? With the following methods, you can ensure that your customers come first, leading to a long and fruitful relationship based on mutual trust and support. There will come a time when they can't imagine life without you.

You can boost your status and earnings by employing any number of entertaining and straightforward methods of self-promotion. With these short, action-oriented techniques, you may better inform, educate, and service your current clientele while also attracting new clients who are likely to become lifelong patrons. I will focus on the first tactic because it is the most relevant to the topic at hand:

Proposing Complimentary Meetings Services or Goods

Make sure everything is clear; there should be no confusion. Allow potential customers to try out your service for free by offering them a trial run. You have nothing to lose (except perhaps some time) and a lot to gain.

Phone meetings (party lines)

For example, if you're a trainer, accountant, or web developer... There is a lot of valuable information you possess that others would be interested in hearing. Get everyone you know and meet together for a 30- or 60-minute Q&A on a topic that is timely and relevant for your ideal clients. www.freeconference.com is a service that provides free conference call telephone lines for groups of up to 100 individuals. Increasing the amount will incur further fees. Every Monday at noon Eastern time, I continue doing this. Each week, over 150 people attend a free discussion aimed at helping them expand their perspectives on who they are and what they can offer the world. In fact, I've coined the phrase "Think Big Revolution" to describe it, and it's awesome. The ability to interact with new people, many of whom I may be able to assist, is a huge perk, as is the chance to share experiences and knowledge with like-minded others in a safe environment. To become a part of the ThinkBIG Revolution, visit www.michaelport.com right away.

Create some buzz by setting up a service demonstration that will interest potential customers. Make all of your writing, free reports, etc., easily accessible. Get some of your current customers to talk about how happy they are with the service. Exhibit the efficient procedures, cutting-edge tools, and innovative strategies you utilize to get your desired results. This is something one of my clients regularly does. As the Fit Foodie, he combines the roles of fitness trainer and gourmet cook. When his clients want to maintain their love of food while still fitting into tiny jeans, he's the man to turn to. 

Once a month, he hosts Fit Foodie cooking and eating demos at his place. It's a huge party because he invites everyone he knows, and they all invite their friends. They eat delicious, nutritious food that he teaches them to make, and then they party till dawn. This activity is a lot of fun. Oh, and if you ever visit his place, you can look at his collection of books. He does sell a few books at the "party," but he doesn't try to force them on anyone. Because he is giving so much to the community and expecting little in return, this is not a normal occurrence.

Then to Develop this Idea Further Try Retreats or Seminars

Spend half of a Saturday at a retreat that doesn't cost a lot of money. Don't be afraid to take risks and have fun; being original is more important than spending a lot of money. Provide a light breakfast or organize a morning retreat where customers can learn something new. Plan a picnic in the park or a meal focused on self-improvement.

You can also accomplish this by teaming up with other experts who are similarly situated. To reap the full benefits of the services they provide, professionals from non-competing but similar businesses should gather together. Prepare your clients for success by instructing them in simple tactics they can start using right now. Make sure to include your current clientele on the invite list so they may network and brag about their positive experiences with your company. As an afterthought, remember to assign some tasks to other people. Your fellow professionals will be enamored with the opportunity to network with new clients thanks to the platform you've provided; they'll be glad to pitch in, and you'll rest easy knowing you have support.

And why not meet on a grassy knoll, in a park, or on a lake for a change of scenery? Getting outside and re-connecting with nature will be really invigorating, and it may even help you shift your focus in significant ways compared to how you normally react in an urban setting like an office. Why not organize a little social outing for a group of four or five people if you want to be outside enjoying the day? You should start a special interest group that gets together on the first Saturday of every month. Perhaps it's a stroll for moms with strollers, a senior promenade, coffee and conversation, or a group dedicated to doing exciting things.

Review Samples

Do an exclusive product preview and give people samples of your work or physical products if you are creating anything new or currently have something on the market. In this way, potential clients can experience something before committing to work with you, engaging more of their senses in the process. If the content is valuable, trustworthy, and helpful, the reader is more likely to want to learn more and eventually become a paying customer.