Be a Product of Your Product

We should always endeavor to be professional in our business, passionate about our business, and personable with our clients and prospects. One of the ways that we can exhibit professionalism is to be a product of our product, use our service to represent the service, and share our knowledge with others.

Have you ever met a person who represents a company and does not use the products or services of the company? Have you ever met someone who is not a shining example of what they tell others? We meet these people each and every day, and they pepper us with wonderful stories about how their product or service is the one we should use, but they don’t.

A professional business person is one who has a valid product or service for a valid price, and they do not present their company’s product or service in a way that evades explanation. They are direct and straight forward in their presentations and in answering questions. They also present pricing information in the same manner, without misrepresentation.

A professional business person is also someone who uses the product or service of their company in their business and/or personal life. If they sell trucks, they use trucks in their business; if they are a realtor, they do not live in an apartment. If they are a financial planner, their life is financially stable; if they are a personal trainer, they are physically fit.

How can anyone present themselves as an example of their company’s product or service but not be a product of the product and still have credibility? I realize that there may be some situations where your product or service might be combined with some other product or service for a valid reason, but your main emphasis should be on your example to others.

It has been said that a cobbler’s children will go shoeless. What type of example is that? If you are a seamstress, your clothes cannot be in need of repair. If you are a house painter, your home should not need painting. You are your own best advertisement, and you work for a reasonable price. You need to represent yourself and your company in the best light.

Business coaches who cannot give professional presentations, accountants who do not keep accurate financial records, doctors who smoke, dentists with bad teeth, and police officers who have a disregard for the law are all people who are not products of their product. They have very little credibility, if any, with their clients and prospects.

To be professional in your business or personal life you must practice what you preach to others, you must have credibility in your dealings with others. People do business with, and refer business to, those who they know, like, and trust. If you have no credibility, others will not like or trust you. Therefore, they will not do business with, or refer others to, you.

If you want to be successful in your business and get, and keep, clients and receive referrals from others, be a product of your product or service. You must be an example of what you want others to use that your company has for sale. Have some thoughts on the subject? Leave me a comment, or call me at 360-314-8691, or email me at Jim@SOC4Now.com so we can share.