How can a little guy make it in a such a big world?

17 replies
Hello all,

So I've been given let's say the freedom to take the next year off after finishing high school this year. So I have one year to do something big, to prove to my parents, but most importantly myself that I can make it on my own, without a fancy piece of paper we seem to hold so dearly nowadays.

I'm not looking for deviance from my plan to take next year off; but rather input, on the following.

1) How does an 18 year old kid approach a business? Do I walk in off the street, cold call, what?

I have the ability to provide results, I have proof of results, I can do it all and I have the confidence - I've worked online for almost 4 years, it is a dream to work for myself and succeed; I plan on doing this in the offline sector incorporating my IM skills.

The initial confrontation seems to be my concern, however, after that I am gold - so how can a little guy make it in such a big world?

To our success in 2013!
#big #guy #make #world
  • Profile picture of the author econnors
    I think that once you stop thinking of it as a "confrontation," you'll find that it's a bit easier to get into the mindset of devising an action plan. That said, I can't offer any other advice as I'm stewing on my own over here. :-)
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  • Profile picture of the author danielgb123
    Well we'll refer to it as in the 'initial approach' in that case

    Perhaps I worded it incorrectly, I don't see it as a 'confrontation', but rather find the approach and devising of my service a difficult to introduce cold.
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    • Profile picture of the author RentItNow
      Originally Posted by danielgb123 View Post

      Well we'll refer to it as in the 'initial approach' in that case

      Perhaps I worded it incorrectly, I don't see it as a 'confrontation', but rather find the approach and devising of my service a difficult to introduce cold.
      Nothing wrong in thinking of it that way at first. When I first started for some reason I thought of it as a boxing match as well. Now its a business partnership I am looking for. You can both learn from other and help each other. You help them grow your business and their money helps you grow yours.
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      I have no agenda but to help those in the same situation. This I feel will pay the bills.
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  • Profile picture of the author RentItNow
    Originally Posted by danielgb123 View Post

    1) How does an 18 year old kid approach a business? Do I walk in off the street, cold call, what?

    I have the ability to provide results, I have proof of results, I can do it all and I have the confidence - I've worked online for almost 4 years, it is a dream to work for myself and succeed; I plan on doing this in the offline sector incorporating my IM skills.

    The initial confrontation seems to be my concern, however, after that I am gold - so how can a little guy make it in such a big world?

    To our success in 2013!
    Answer to #1. Whatever you are most comfortable with. I personally like to stand in front of someone.

    Answer to rest....a business owner is not going to give a cr@p about you or your accomplishments but I can guarantee if you listen to them, learn about THEIR business, ask a few very important questions you will then be able to say, "You know what Mr. or Mrs. Owner. Here is where I think I can benefit your business. You did not mention anything about your online presence." They will then say "Your right. I know nothing about that but really think we need it. What do you propose I do about that?" "Funny you asked Ms. Owner because this week we have a special that will cover 99% of that for you....etc." In other words you let them sell themselves.

    Just as an example, my most recent sale took me 1 hour of talking. About 90% of the talk was about his business (and he knows his business well and educated me on things I had no idea about). The rest was what I said above. It is a typical sale to me. We did not discuss my accomplishments or previous work or any of it. He just wanted to hear I could help him with what he did not know about. No one did that for him before me. Funny thing is is he was a marketing student in U and he is coming to me to find out how to market his biz online.

    Here are three questions to ask a prospect on your first sit down with them.

    Question 1. What marketing are you using now? What are the results of each?
    Question 2. Who is your target customer?
    Question 3. What makes you unique from your competitors?
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    I have no agenda but to help those in the same situation. This I feel will pay the bills.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jason Kanigan
    Talk to potential customers. There are going to be two kinds that you encounter:

    1. Those who have a problem with the fact that you are new to the game and aren't bringing the resources of a huge organization with you

    and

    2. Those who don't care that you're new to the game and aren't bringing the resources of a huge organization with you.

    Your job at the start is to qualify prospects into one or the other (IN or OUT).

    Then your second job is to sell prospects in group 2 (IN) on choosing YOU to be their service provider.

    Make sense?

    As to how, you can start here.
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    • Profile picture of the author David Miller
      Being young is not a problem. However, arrogant is not going to win you any points. In fact, arrogance will get you tossed out on your butt.

      As I'm reading your post, your words come across with a certain amount of arrogance. I believe it's because you assume that an older business person is going to have a hard time taking you seriously.

      One of the problems many young people going at this face is placing the focus on themselves rather than your prospect. Your post is tells me that your presentation is going to be more about you and less about your prospect.

      Knowing technology is great, understanding the sales process is more important if you want to market your knowledge. Spend a little more time in this forum and research the threads about sales and sales techniques. If you think you can walk into a business and razzle dazzle them with tech-speak, you may just end up with a liberal arts degree.
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      The big lesson in life, baby, is never be scared of anyone or anything.
      -- FRANK SINATRA, quoted in The Way You Wear Your Hat
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      • Profile picture of the author danielgb123
        Originally Posted by David Miller View Post

        Being young is not a problem. However, arrogant is not going to win you any points. In fact, arrogance will get you tossed out on your butt.

        As I'm reading your post, your words come across with a certain amount of arrogance. I believe it's because you assume that an older business person is going to have a hard time taking you seriously.

        One of the problems many young people going at this face is placing the focus on themselves rather than your prospect. Your post is tells me that your presentation is going to be more about you and less about your prospect.

        Knowing technology is great, understanding the sales process is more important if you want to market your knowledge. Spend a little more time in this forum and research the threads about sales and sales techniques. If you think you can walk into a business and razzle dazzle them with tech-speak, you may just end up with a liberal arts degree.
        I like this, taking me a down a peg - don't get me wrong, confidence is key, and I have come across arrogant re-reading that post.

        However, I'd like to stress it isn't all about me, I'm providing a service, a HELP SERVICE; my objective is to provide results for my client, develop a relationship that will eventually result in them becoming advocates of my business.

        I understand what you're saying and I agree; arrogance won't get me too far - try to see it fro my point of view. I have no intention of making the conversation about myself; the business I am targeting is the focus, hearing them out is far more important than exemplifying my achievements - at least initially.

        I must say, however, confidence in both myself and the service, is a hell of a lot better than presenting myself in an unsure or insecure tone. I'm driven, I've got one shot, and I want to take it by the scruff of the neck!

        Thanks to everyone else posting, some great ideas!
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      • Profile picture of the author ryanmckinney
        Originally Posted by David Miller View Post

        Being young is not a problem. However, arrogant is not going to win you any points. In fact, arrogance will get you tossed out on your butt.

        As I'm reading your post, your words come across with a certain amount of arrogance. I believe it's because you assume that an older business person is going to have a hard time taking you seriously.

        One of the problems many young people going at this face is placing the focus on themselves rather than your prospect. Your post is tells me that your presentation is going to be more about you and less about your prospect.

        Knowing technology is great, understanding the sales process is more important if you want to market your knowledge. Spend a little more time in this forum and research the threads about sales and sales techniques. If you think you can walk into a business and razzle dazzle them with tech-speak, you may just end up with a liberal arts degree.
        Agreed. There is a fine line between arrogance and confidence. If you stay confident, it comes across in your voice, your posture and they feed off of that. Coming accrossed as arrogant will shut them off.

        The first thing I had to do was gain confidence I could provide a service, once I did that, I could confidently tell businesses I could provide it. I didn't come acrossed as arrogant but once (in retrospect) which resulted in a near immediate hang up. At the time, I wasn't sure what I had done, but now looking back after reading David's post, that is exactly what happened.

        Once I started actually learning how their business worked, and dive into their businesses needs, I started closing deals.

        I like doing what I have been doing, and learning how different businesses operate, how they get paid, how they thrive, what makes them work and what does not.

        I think the most interesting explanation I got into was how a new bail bondsman's business works, and the whole process. i.e. how their insurance works, how it builds up, how high of bonds he can take and feel 'safe", how he gets paid, how the insurance gets paid, how he has to get clearance for bonds of x amount of dollars..and how (basically) over a period of time he is able to take on larger and larger bonds..

        So what can I do with that? The next bondsman I talk to, I know how is business works, I can talk with some decent knowledge in his industry,and I can ask him questions no other "marketer" would ask, or know to ask, which will set me apart.

        To me, it is fun to learn that, and it is also good to want to learn that, because the business owners:
        A. like to talk about their business (the same way you talked about you) B. Think to their self you are an organized person that doesn't make rash decisions
        C. Most "salesman" don't take the time to figure out what their business needs help with - they just shove a services down their face hopin they say yes

        Ryan
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  • Profile picture of the author beeswarn
    Work hard, be aggressive, make a lot of calls. If you feel self-conscious about your age, counteract it by acting and thinking like an adult. Dress for business and present yourself like a pro. No skinny jeans, no tongue or nose rings, no lime green or orange hair. Be honest with people and helpful to them and don't let any one or any situation intimidate you.
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  • Profile picture of the author iAmNameLess
    Daniel,

    The thing that you lack is getting results for local businesses. You can do it all you want yourself, but there is a difference here. It's just so different when you are doing this for businesses, and not yourself.

    There is more to it than sales... organization, project management, accounting, marketing, sales, support.. lots of different areas. You'll be doing all that when you first start.

    Anyone can sell a product or service.. that's nothing special. Not anyone can run a marketing machine of a business and wear all the different hats you need to when you first start out.

    I don't really care about arrogance, I'm arrogant and cocky and a lot of people on this board probably wish they could reach through their monitor and slap me at times. I've been arrogant with clients, but I have the experience to know which types of people respond to arrogance and which ones have hungry ego's to boost their arrogance. Be a sales vampire and feed off their personalities.

    Anyway though... its definitely about providing results, but there is more to it. If you get a pissed off customer, what do you do? If they issue a chargeback, what do you do? How do you process payments? Does your contract protect you? Tons of things to think about.

    You will learn along the way, I'm sure, but don't for a second think that all that matters is you can provide results. Think about the big picture, and how you can not just make sales but grow a healthy business!
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  • Profile picture of the author danielgb123
    @iAmNameLess - Thanks for the insight, I've seen a few of your posts around the forum and was hoping you'd post a reply a little longer than the Chris Rock reference above

    Perhaps I was a little vague in my response, solemnly addressing the issue of providing a service. I am definitely aware that there is more to the service than the product itself, and I have found a lot of resources that can assist in the preparation of the other forms of work.

    I agree, I'll learn it along the way, and no one is completely flawless upon commencement, however, I want to be as close to that as I can - get it right from the beginning and you're on your way.

    After all, I've got 6+ months to have everything ready.
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  • Profile picture of the author Ferma231
    Will subscribe to this

    Im 18 years old too, and starting offline marketing
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    • Profile picture of the author David Miller
      I wasn't trying to bring you down a peg, I wanted to point out the tone of your post and give you the opportunity to see how it could be seen as arrogant. Nor did I imply that I thought you would make your presentation about you and not them.

      However, don't make the assumption that everyone will have an issue with your age. You're going to be surprised to find out that many people will assume it's your youth that gives you your expertise. You grew up with the internet and what's second nature to you is still a mystery to many others.

      Unless someone makes an issue of your age, neither should you. Not to mention, I would prefer to work with a vendor that can stay awake past 11PM in case I need some help!
      Signature
      The big lesson in life, baby, is never be scared of anyone or anything.
      -- FRANK SINATRA, quoted in The Way You Wear Your Hat
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  • Profile picture of the author Hugh
    If you do indeed have a full year to get established you are fortunate.

    I would spend the first month giving away a simple service. Maybe help
    businesses claim their Places listing. If you do 2 a day, at the end of the month you will have forty or fifty semi-clients.

    Second month. Go to their place of business and talk to them about their business. Ask questions, listen a lot. Take notes. Offer a suggestion about how they can improve their Places rating. If they ask "Who is going to do that?" you reply "I can". Now these people are "Real Clients."
    Now you have maybe 10 or 12 in your "A" list. Keep your prices fair.

    Third month. Add a new upgrade to your repertoire. Maybe mobile websites. Or what ever you like doing. By now you are beginning to not
    care for some of your clients. Just stop calling. But replace every one that you cut off by doing your free gig again. This way you will always
    maintain that pool of 40 or 50 people you can call on.

    Fourth month. Fifth month. Etc. Just keep on keeping on.

    Somewhere early on start adding in services that generate residual income. By the time the year is half over you will have an established monthly income. Now just grow it using the same formula.

    HTH

    Hugh
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    "Never make someone a priority in your life who makes you an option in theirs." Anon.
    "Some see private enterprise as a predatory target to be shot, others as a cow to be milked, but few are those who see it as a sturdy horse pulling the wagon." -- Winston Churchill

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    • Profile picture of the author Eagleairla
      Thanks for this information
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  • Profile picture of the author maricelu
    I like this thread. i am 18 years old also and I surely can provide results, BUT it's hard for me to sell them, lol.
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