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What if...

by Denden
7 replies
I find myself becoming more and more interested in offline marketing and am pretty certain I know a bit more than many offline business owners. I don't know anywhere near as much as many of you warriors on here but I do have some simple services I could offer to start with.

The problem is I find my head spinning with 'what ifs'.
  • What if they ask me a question I can't answer? I'll look stupid and they won't want to work with me
  • What if I speak with someone and it turns out THEY no more than ME! (I have 'amateur' ringing in my ears!)
  • What if they want proof of what I can do for them? I don't have any.
  • What if they go off and tell people not to work with me because I couldn't help them...
I know, I know, you think i'm being silly but those kind of questions are in my head right now and I want them to stop because it's stopping me from making any kind of real progress.
  • Profile picture of the author Ricardoernestogonzalez
    Originally Posted by Nathan Robinson View Post

    Become more knowledgeable in the field. Stop being insecure as well, you have to come off as confident when talking to business owners.

    If they had a question for some reason that you had no idea about. For example maybe asking about white hat vs black hat SEO (I know common terms but just an example) you could say something like "Let me ask my SEO team about your question and I will get back to you on that" Even if you dont have an SEO team and do it yourself.

    I would read up a ton on these forums. Also try to get some people you know as your first clients. Then if they ask previous work you have done you can show them.
    Really good advice. Practising SEO with online marketing by self makes us aware of how to present a business to our customer in a way that they like.

    Good Luck Chris Rivers
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  • Profile picture of the author Matt121
    I agree with Nathan. Read up first before starting your offline marketing. If you think that you're still not sure about some methods then seek the advice of others. There are lots of warriors in here that would be glad to help you out. When you have everything down, stop being insecure and start out with your campaign. True that it may not be bad for you to not do any offline marketing but there won't be any good in doing nothing either.
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  • Profile picture of the author My220x
    Look 99% of offline businesses know nothing about marketing at all so it's more than likely most of the people wanting to hire you don't know more than you and even if they do than it's not a problem, just say thank you and move on and as for not having proof go out and get proof, find a buddy or a family member who has a business and help them make more money for free and use them as a case study.
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  • Profile picture of the author WebProphet
    Originally Posted by Denden View Post

    I find myself becoming more and more interested in offline marketing and am pretty certain I know a bit more than many offline business owners.
    Yup! sure you do, unless they come here of course.

    Originally Posted by Denden View Post

    I don't know anywhere near as much as many of you warriors on here but I do have some simple services I could offer to start with.

    The problem is I find my head spinning with 'what ifs'.
    • What if they ask me a question I can't answer? I'll look stupid and they won't want to work with me
    Get some gonads my friend! - looking stupid is easy, feeling stupid like you say you do (or might) is way worse. Embrace "looking stupid" coz truth is you won't look stupid if you are honest. If they ask you a question that you can't answer, tell them (honestly) that you don't know the answer but you promise to research the full answer and get back to them, and If they don't want to work with you move on to the NEXT!

    Originally Posted by Denden View Post

    • What if I speak with someone and it turns out THEY no more than ME! (I have 'amateur' ringing in my ears!)
    They might, so what??? Amateurism is an ATTITUDE, and no offense but NOTHING is ringing in your ears unless it is from your own voice. What do you want, send me $10 and I'll send you a confidence pill!

    Originally Posted by Denden View Post

    • What if they want proof of what I can do for them? I don't have any.
    You create the PROOF with the first paying customer, and the second, and the third... PROOF not for them, but for you!

    Originally Posted by Denden View Post

    • What if they go off and tell people not to work with me because I couldn't help them...
    Then go work with other people that they don't tell.

    Originally Posted by Denden View Post

    I know, I know, you think i'm being silly but those kind of questions are in my head right now and I want them to stop because it's stopping me from making any kind of real progress.
    These questions are only in your head coz you are not starving my friend, you got it all too easy Mr. Denden (or is it Ms., sorry I don't mean to be rude). I only want you to wake up and get some gonads as I mentioned earlier. Sheeeesh! is this turning into a nanny state or what?

    I guess I better end by saying something nice, comforting and motivating, well the best I can offer is this... if you can't hack it, go get a job! - please take this as intended, I have no wish to bash you, I harbor no wish to offend you, my guess is you need some hard knocks and experience under your belt, that is ALL that is stopping you being the success you dream about, get out tomorrow and tell the world about everything you can do, everything you want to do, make the world an offer it can't refuse.

    Ask, and you shall receive

    Get up an hour earlier every day from hereonin, grab a coffee first thing (or whatever makes you tick), pick a new area each day, and go knock on some doors with your business cards and an iPad (or whatever you need to make presentations). Then report back in three months time. My bet is you won't even have the time to post here... you'll be way toooooo busy!

    Good luck!
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    • Profile picture of the author WebProphet
      Look, just before I sign off Denden, let me tell you a story. Many years ago, just over thirty years actually, when I was first starting out in sales and marketing, I was, well... a young guy (teenager), zits all over my face (pizza face they used to call me!), no confidence, used to get embarrassed (and really red faced) very easily. The fact is, it doesn't matter if someone is a teenager or 80 years old, the same goes...

      I did not work for myself back then, I had a boss *his name was John McDonald - and he was probably the best sales person I have ever known* anyway, he gave me my start. I was selling (or *trying* to sell) high end office equipment to the CEOs, Financial Directors, Managing Directors of like, Fortune 500 companies. What the fuc& chance did I have, what confidence could I have trying to deal with these high power successful people. They would know that I was just a boy, they would know that I was a fool... here is what John McDonald said to me...

      Don't sell anything, don't even try to sell anything... just make appointments with these people and go speak to them, tell them what your job is, be honest, and ask them how you should learn to be successful at what you do.

      The surprising thing was that a very high number of these folks would meet with me, I would be dressed up in my "Woolworths" suit and shoes (sorry it was a long time ago), and I would be invited into their grand offices. They did not feel intimidated, after all I was only a boy (maybe 18). And I would ask them questions, yes I would ask them questions about their office equipment, but that was almost secondary, I would tell them that I wanted to be successful and I would ask them what they thought I should do to achieve this...

      Here is what I learned...

      1. Be Honest Always

      2. Do The Work

      3. Know More About My Product/Service Than The Next Guy

      But more than anything, the thing I learned most (from a lot of very powerful people) was, just be myself.

      We are all stars, the difference is, some of us shine now while others are just waiting to shine. Stars die, stars are born... we are all the creation of our own hearts, your star waits to shine, and the beauty is, you can shine today!

      It's ALL your own CHOICE.

      As I said before, good luck!
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  • Profile picture of the author Hugh
    Pick one item to sell. Learn it back & forth/upside down. Sell it.
    If someone ask you about something else, "I've been thinking
    about adding that to my line. On my schedule for next month."

    Go back when you're ready.

    Hugh
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