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| Issue #75 - The Personal Sale |
You can't sell your stuff unless you sell yourself.
THIS MONTH:
+ Toot Your Flute
+ Personal Selling Strategies
+ Toot Your Flute
If you're not getting the respect you want -- and the
income you need -- it's not "This Economy's" fault.
It's yours.
You're not doing a good enough job of telling others how
good you are. You're your own best-kept secret.
This is a
bad time for that.
The most financially-successful design professionals today
are not necessarily the best designers.
They're not necessarily the ones with the most experience,
affiliations or design degrees.
The most financially-successful design professionals are
the ones who are the best personal promoters.
Maybe that's not right, or fair. But it's
fact.
The designers, architects, decorators, stagers, kitchen
and bath specialists, retailers and others who are
thriving this year are doing the best job of personal
salesmanship.
They're the ones who realize that, first and foremost,
they're not selling furniture, fabrics or flooring in this
economy.
They realize that, first and foremost, they're selling
themselves.
It's never been easier to get elsewhere the design
services and products that you sell. But there's one thing
that prospects can't get elsewhere: You.
Don't just tell me you offer nice cabinets and
countertops, and fixtures and finishes. I know that.
Tell me why I should buy them from you.
Tell me that you're the ONLY design professional in your
area offering such a wide selection of window treatments,
or the only one with clients worldwide, or the only one
working with five national restaurant chains.
"Our biggest challenge worldwide as designers is getting
respect," Shashi Caan told me recently. Shashi is
president-elect of the International Federation of
Interior Designers/Architects, the group I'm speaking to
next month in Dubai.
Respect comes when people recognize your value.
And that can't happen without your help in educating them
about
your value.
+Personal Selling Strategies
Ten tips on how to make the Personal Sale:
Establish Your Expertise. Write articles for, and
present seminars to those you seek to influence.
Create Credibility. Publish your ideas on a
blog, ezine and website, and share them
on social networking sites.
Expand Your Brand. Add a personal marketing message
to your voicemail and email, and to invoices, contracts,
and other business forms.
Present Yourself with Polish. Master eye contact
and body language. How you deliver your message means as
much as the message itself.
Communicate with Confidence. Accentuate the
positive about yourself and your services. Avoid such
credibility-killing phrases as: "It's only my opinion..."
Tout Your Team. Discuss your collective experience
and capabilities.
Become a Media "Mouthpiece." Offer yourself as an
interview source on design for print and on-line outlets.
Be Clear. Make it easy for others to understand
your services, and your value.
Be Bold. Have the courage of your convictions as
you promote your design style, philosphy and rates.
Be Unique. Dare to be different. Promote yourself
in ways your competitors don't.
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© 2006 Fred Berns
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