Got a job - unfortunately

by abozeb
17 replies
Just wanted to share some thoughts about my experience of selling my own digital marketing services, and what you can lose if you don't commit 100% for your success.

Well it may be a bit confusing title, but after I've been a freelancer for a year and was struggling with finding clients. I decided to take on a good paying job, but I discovered that once I felt the freedom of being my own boss, a job would never do it for me anymore.

I have learned allot on this forum, and from my mistakes. I'm a really good at what I do, but without selling skills I will never find enough clients to be able to make a living out of it.

I never dared to use the phone as a selling tool, but at the same time everyone in my industry was hammering the phone. I settled with just sending emails, and I made myself believe that it was good enough, but it was not. How can I make it, when there is hundreds of companies selling the same services, with experienced key account managers that make 200+ phone calls a day?

And now that I have experienced the freedom of being my own boss, I can't let it go. I want back in, back to the game. And hopefully I will not be afraid to use the phone anymore.
#job
  • Profile picture of the author iAmNameLess
    Originally Posted by abozeb View Post

    Just wanted to share some thoughts about my experience of selling my own digital marketing services, and what you can lose if you don't commit 100% for your success.
    You can lose it all even if you do commit 100%.

    Yeah, I can see how the emails didn't work out. We've sent millions in 2013 and the sales generated from that wouldn't have kept me afloat even if I were working from home.

    Sorry things didn't work out. I appreciate this post though. It really sticks out to me. For what you aren't willing to do in order to gain success, there are countless others out there willing to step out of the comfort zone and do whatever it takes. Realizing that, it seems pretty important to stay on top of your game or any one of us could end up falling out.
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    • Profile picture of the author Randy Bishop
      Banned
      [DELETED]
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      • Profile picture of the author Marketsource
        Originally Posted by Randy Bishop View Post

        I say all of you offliners should follow the OP's example, and get a real job. because most of you just don't understand the basic laws of business
        Maybe you can enlighten people with more of your brilliance?
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        • Profile picture of the author marketempowered
          Abozeb,

          I am sorry for your frustration, but you can still turn your experience into an enlightening one in which you can learn from your mistakes...You seem to already know some reasons for which you were not successful, so now you must ask yourself if you are willing to go that extra mile to turn things around...I agree that the phone wouldn't be too appetizing for me either, but there are other methods of advertisement and communication besides the phone...

          What methods are you agreeable to using, are you willing to learn from/with others, and are you willing to give it your all, so that you can go back to being your own boss? Sometimes it takes the loss of something to truly realize and appreciate what you had...

          A positive attitude is also essential in any success, as is a willingness to turn pitfalls into hills that will help you reach the mountaintop ;-)

          Marjorie
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      • Profile picture of the author abbot
        Banned
        Originally Posted by Randy Bishop View Post

        Well DUH... isn't exactly rocket science is it?

        Emails, DM, Cold Calling - whichever technique you use - you aren't going to generate any significant sales if all you have to offer is "SEO" or whatever else it is you offliners sell.

        Don't confuse these ancient marketing techniques as ingredients that can be used to create a prosperous business.

        In fact if your game plan consists of contacting businesses and forcing these laughable "solutions" upon them, then you have already failed.

        If an established business doesn't already have a website, or has an out-dated layout - they don't derive any revenue or a significant amount of revenue from online. Yet, they are still in business. What does this tell you?

        I say all of you offliners should follow the OP's example, and get a real job. because most of you just don't understand the basic laws of business
        You're barking up the wrong tree. Specifically when you're giving advice like you this....and I quote.

        1. Forget "building a list"... leave that to the morons and bottom feeders

        2. Build a website that has within it at least 10 income streams
        You must be one successful fella, because back in my days of IM there was a term amongst many marketers..."the money is in the list".

        Now i know it's the wrong section of the forums to bring up internet marketing tactics but I'm personally one of them people that you referred to as a bottom feeder who paid his house off with the income from a list.

        You shouldn't judge people. No one here forces services on offline business owners. Many people here have made businesses more money than you'll ever see.

        Don't judge a book by it's cover
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        • Profile picture of the author Darrin Bentley
          Originally Posted by abbot View Post

          You're barking up the wrong tree. Specifically when you're giving advice like you this....and I quote.


          Quote:
          1. Forget "building a list"... leave that to the morons and bottom feeders

          2. Build a website that has within it at least 10 income streams
          GREAT advice! Building lists is for idiots like Frank Kern!...oh wait....he made millions from it. Whoops....never mind.
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          A sucker MAY be born every minute, but that don't mean you have to take advantage of them.

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          • Profile picture of the author savidge4
            3 words... FIND A PARTNER

            its not hard to admit you are bad or don't like doing something, but shoving that under the rug can only lead to "A Real Job". SO you have 2 choices... start calling... or find someone to partner with that will do the calling.
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            Success is an ACT not an idea
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            • Profile picture of the author nettiapina
              Originally Posted by savidge4 View Post

              3 words... FIND A PARTNER
              This is the best advice I could give on this subject. I'm terribly at networking, but I've found half a dozen really good partners. More than 3/4 of my gigs come from them. If I was better at selling myself, this might have happened sooner, but I guess you can't rush these things that much.

              Being my own boss means the freedom to work like a slave, but also the freedom to choose projects and areas of business that I find interesting.
              Signature
              Links in signature will not help your SEO. Not on this site, and not on any other forum.
              Who told me this? An ex Google web spam engineer.

              What's your excuse?
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  • Profile picture of the author Peter Lessard
    The biggest thing that held me back is being pretty good at many things.
    I am pretty good at copy, graphic design, coding, building sites, video creation yada yada...

    It is only when I learned to spend 90% of my time doing what I am best at and outsourcing the rest did everything change.

    Not being good on the phone is no big deal, hire someone that is good at it.
    Just do whatever part you are best at!

    As an aside I have never hammered the phones nor has anyone that works for me.
    I like automation. Fax, email, posting to directories, posting to forums, responding to the gazillion posts all over the place from people seeking help etc..

    We always give them a bit of info, drive them to pages that pre-qualify them and if we ever end up on the phone it is because the requested a call.
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    Ready to generate the next million in sales? The Next Million Agency
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  • Profile picture of the author Matthew North
    Find a 20 hr a week job to survive and spend 4 hrs a day cold calling. Learn how to sell, surrender to the process completely and you will make it through.

    Selling isn't hard, but it IS hard work like everything else.

    Emails don't sell, they open the door a little so your call isn't ice cold.

    There are plenty of things you can do to differentiate the call so the decision maker treats you different.
    Signature

    you cant hold no groove if you ain't got no pocket.

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  • Profile picture of the author bizgrower
    So many other ways to market:

    on and offline networking - meetup

    speaking

    put your own small group of business owners together and do a Q and A session
    about your best subjects

    writing and syndicating articles
    writing books

    contribute your expertise to local print and radio media

    good online presence and content - your own website, linked in, local search, SEO...
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    "If you think you're the smartest person in the room, then you're probably in the wrong room."

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  • Profile picture of the author TeamBringIt
    If selling, isn't your thing...then either hire or partner up with someone, that can sell well. Not all are great sales people. Sales is something, that you stick with and you eventually get better. As Frank Kern says "If you can sell, then the world is your playground".
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  • Profile picture of the author Lopaca
    I can relate to your frustration as I hear similar stories every day. Over the years of being in the marketing and advertising business I have learned one very important thing. You are either a salesperson or you are a marketing consultant. A salesperson looks for clients to sell and a consultant provides solutions for clients that search him out.

    Too many offline marketers spend way too much time and energy selling rather than marketing. Marketing not only can produce business for your clients but it is essential in getting clients for your business.

    My only recommendation to you to turn your business around is to start marketing you, your business and your products and services and you will see clients coming to you rather than you walking, talking and dialing. (The old school)

    Just a comment from an old marketer
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    Lopaca
    Get the Free Training You Need to Become an Offline Marketing Expert. Learn how we make getting local clients easier and how to keep them longer.

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    • Profile picture of the author FeelGoodIQ
      Originally Posted by Lopaca View Post

      I can relate to your frustration as I hear similar stories every day. Over the years of being in the marketing and advertising business I have learned one very important thing. You are either a salesperson or you are a marketing consultant. A salesperson looks for clients to sell and a consultant provides solutions for clients that search him out.

      Too many offline marketers spend way too much time and energy selling rather than marketing. Marketing not only can produce business for your clients but it is essential in getting clients for your business.

      My only recommendation to you to turn your business around is to start marketing you, your business and your products and services and you will see clients coming to you rather than you walking, talking and dialing. (The old school)

      Just a comment from an old marketer
      Well said Lopaca.
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      Digital self improvement programs from stress relief, improving sleep, weight loss, relationship advice and more.

      www.feelgoodiq.com

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  • Profile picture of the author DaniMc
    Don't feel bad and don't worry about it.

    There is no rule that you can't change direction in your career.

    Look at your career and life as a stream - it changes direction and follows the best path downhill. You are going to work the rest of your life no matter what. Work defines us as long as we control and define our work.

    I have left business and jumped into a job before. I personally know many very successful entrepreneurs (I can think of 5 that I could text right now), who have made millions, who left their own businesses to jump into a job or executive role.

    Seriously, it's not a mark of shame at all. You have gained valuable knowledge and experience from your time. Make sure you use it to further your next phase of work.

    The key is not to just take any old job that you are going to hate. Pull all your experience together, and get a job that follows the path you want. In the interview, tell them "I just want to do X - not the selling, not the accounting, not the hiring, not the customer service...I am very, very good at X - and I want to be able to focus on doing that type of work for you."

    I have no doubt that I will, at some point, jump into a company that I do not own. I will be shooting for an executive position because that fits where the arc of my career is.

    Look man, this is your life. Love it. Grow it. Follow your folly. Build one step upon the next. And most of all never, ever apologize for who you are, where you are, or what you have tried to accomplish.
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    Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.
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    • Originally Posted by Dan McCoy View Post

      Don't feel bad and don't worry about it.

      Seriously, it's not a mark of shame at all. You have gained valuable knowledge and experience from your time. Make sure you use it to further your next phase of work....

      Look man, this is your life. Love it. Grow it. Follow your folly. Build one step upon the next. And most of all never, ever apologize for who you are, where you are, or what you have tried to accomplish.
      Kind and wise words Dan. Thanks for reminding us what the path to success really looks like, and it ain't pretty.

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  • Profile picture of the author IlanMVP
    From my experience working at VIP Affiliates one thing I learned being in this buisness is that you have to be persistant. One email/call is usually not enough to get clients on board. It takes time and belief that what you have to offer is unique and there is no way that the potential client will not want the product offered.

    Also, when an opportunity arrives to close a deal it's all about taking it before the opportunity vanishes.
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  • Profile picture of the author Aaron Doud
    Originally Posted by abozeb View Post

    And now that I have experienced the freedom of being my own boss, I can't let it go. I want back in, back to the game. And hopefully I will not be afraid to use the phone anymore.
    First thing I want to point out is that you were a horrid boss. If you were a manager working for a company and your team got no results would you have a job? Of course not. As a boss you didn't hold yourself (the employee in this case) accountable.

    Managing yourself is no different than managing others. That is a big problem I see with people who want to work for themselves. Working for yourself should, at least in the beginning, suck. It should be harder than working for someone else.
    • It means longer hours
    • It means less pay
    • It means being micromanaged (though by yourself not a separate boss)
    • It means failing and getting back up because there is no one to cover your ass
    • It means putting it all on the line
    So if you had "freedom" and were not getting results you were doing it wrong.

    Now if you are truly planning to do it again and do it right here is what you need to do.
    • Figure out how you sell best (in person? on the phone?) and commit to that method
    • Create a schedule for yourself. (example: Cold Walk 9am to 5pm everyday minus Sunday unless you don't get a sale and than cold walk till 9pm)
    • Create goals and quota for yourself (basically be a sales manager to yourself)
    • Create rewards and punishments for yourself. (5 sales in a week? Treat yourself to dinner. Miss your quota? Work Sunday that week.)
    To get your business off the ground you really have to look back on your time as an employee as the good old days. Unless you are successful from day one you should hate your choice to be your own business. I know that sounds harsh and maybe it is but until you are at least relatively successful that is the life of a business owner.



    Once you get it off the ground then you can set a schedule that creates the income and life you want. Hell maybe you want a 3 day work week. If you can pull that off by all means do but to get to that you have got to pay the dues up front to get the business going.


    Finally I want you to remember that being your own boss does not mean freedom. As an employee you only had to worry about doing ____. As your own boss you have all that plus everything else that comes with running a business. You take on all that because with great risk comes great reward. But right now there is a 25ft wall in your way and you need to scale it.

    Are you ready to scale that wall?
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