Self-Promotion Part 3

For a few weeks we have discussed Self-Promotion, the process of telling everyone how great we are and how no one can be successful without our products or services. We also talked about how showing gratitude towards others is so much better for gaining, and retaining, customers, and their referrals.

Does this mean that we cannot tell others about our products and services? Does it mean that we cannot discuss how much we believe in customer service? Does it mean that we cannot point out the great aspects of our offerings and how they can help our prospects or customers? Of course not, but here is an art to this type of marketing.

It is always better to simply explain what we offer to prospects, what the aspects of our products or services are, what the level of our customer service is, and how we address customer problems or questions. We want our prospects or customers to never question what we are and what we offer. We want others to understand the details of how we can help someone be better and prosper.

Remember how we discussed getting to know someone and discovering what they need instead of attempting to sell them anything. If whatever we have would be useful for them, then providing information about our products or services is appropriate. If we do not have what they need, we should help them connect with someone who does.

We all need to know about what each of us offers in order to be able to refer business to others. We are able to make referrals because we learn what the other person offers. Asking for that information is simply a request for data. We cannot refer others if we are ignorant about what the other party does or offers. We also cannot assume. To not ask those questions means that we are not willing to refer business.

The manner that anyone discusses their business, products, or services, indicates their passion for what they are. It shows how they feel about their business and what they can do for others. Are they a product of their product and passionate about what their business does and how they can help others? Then they are someone with whom we should want to do business or refer to other partners that we have.

Do we want to do business with someone who does not believe in themselves, has no passion for their business, and is not sincere about helping others? Are they anyone that we would want to refer to someone else? When we refer others to each other, we are putting our reputation on the line. Do we trust others enough to do so? Are they someone who we would trust or do we even like or really know them?

Can we explain what our company is, what our products or services are, and what we do for others in simple terms? Can we do so without trying to “sell” others, just to impart information to them to inspire referrals? How do we ask others about their services in order to lead them to ask us in the same manner? There is a large difference between trying to sell ourselves to others and just exchanging information.

Gratitude Marketing still beats Self-Promotion when interfacing with others. Our presentation allows us to inform others about what we do and how we do it. Make others glad to do business with us after they were glad to learn about us. Please leave me your comments, or email me at Jim@JimTeasley.com, or call me at 360-314-8691.