Sales and marketing go hand-in-hand with business ownership but that does not mean that all of us are thrilled at the prospect of having to constantly go out there and sell ourselves and our products or services. In fact, I think many people quit their businesses for this very reason; they just get tired or hate to do the selling. How can a person stay focused on building a business when he or she is just not in to having to be a salesperson?
Many years ago, when I started my first consulting business, one of the most aggravating and time-consuming parts of the business was the sales and marketing. I found it hard to balance out the work I had to do for clients we already had, with the work it took to go out there and pound the pavement to keep the shoots full of prospective clients. It wasn’t so much that I hated selling and marketing, but more that I had a hard time getting the time management right. I know, however, that there are plenty of individuals who have a really hard time with the selling because they don’t like the “idea” of self-promotion.
It might help to think of it as marketing and set up systems where you won’t have to do a lot of direct marketing—a web site, a newsletter, periodic notes and e-mails can help. Think of how to do more of a “soft sale” and just keep your business in the minds of your customers and prospects. Thinking of it as marketing or networking may make getting the word out about your business more of a palatable activity. I think it also helps to get other people to help spread the word—collaborative marketing, encouraging your customers and clients to tell others about your products and services, and other such endeavors can make it so that others do the selling that you really hate to do.
Also: Come up with Engaging Names for Things
Choosing the Right Words to Use in Your Marketing