I just returned from a successful workshop in San Diego where I facilitated (with a friend Marcia Hoeck). We were teaching graphic designers how to drive profits by building brands for clients before any design work is done. Our audience was graphic design firms from across the U.S. Essentially we went through Marcia and my eleven step branding process. One important issue kept cropping up – confidence. It would appear that our audience that day and i’m sure many small businesses in our audience here, have a rough time selling with confidence. Especially a new service like ours.
I’ve found over the years and I’m sure Marcia would concur, a great way to gain that desired confidence is to start the conversation immediately. Start talking up the subject with everyone you come into contact with. Without looking like a boor that is.
One of our attendees did exactly that on the flight home and landed herself a new lead. Talking – it’s that simple. Show everyone how excited you are about what you do. Show the passion. You will find yourself getting on people’s radar. You become the go-to person on that category. Your personal brand is tied to it.
Because of our subject matter we encouraged them to making branding their core service, driving all other services, starting the proper conversation helps to clarify and differentiate them in their markets. Go ahead and say nice things about your brand, it’s good for the soul.
Great article Ed.
Confidence, whoa such a simple word
indeed but hard to practice. But the key to a smooth conversation is
that be yourself, know what you’re talking about and let the
conversation flow. Don’t be over confident it will surely make you
stupid.
juliedawnharris45 Â Thanks Julie. Sometimes it’s the simplest words that have the biggest impact.
Funny but you can smell the insecurity when someone tells you about their business and their heart is not in it!