Unique Beautiful Fun
05 May 2017 by Sarah-Jane Smith
sjsmith.com.au - blog
Stepping out of your comfort zone
Getting Seen
One of the scariest things when you first start in business is putting yourself out there. It's the number one thing that business owners seem to struggle with (me included!). Lots of business owners find the prospect of presenting themselves and their business to be one of the hardest things to do. It feels icky to be trying to promote yourself, unnatural and even a bit fake.
Try to remember that if you feel like this, you absolutely are not alone. The fastest way to overcome the feelings of awkwardness is to do more of it. Think carefully about what it is about your product or service that you love. What's your unique selling point? Have a little elevator pitch prepared for when sometime asks you what you do. A few sentences that gives a clear idea of what you do, make or sell. For example, my elevator pitch is "Hi, I'm Sarah-Jane. I make affordable watercolour prints of Brisbane that are perfect for peoples homes or offices." I may vary it slightly depending on the situation or who I'm talking to.
The thing is, if you have a business and you need customers, you need your offerings to be seen. Customers will not arrive by magic. You need to find out where your customers hang out and go there. Go to local business meetings such as your chamber of commerce or small business association. Engage your friends and family to help in your promotion. If you have a sale mention it in your social media. Contact your local paper if you have a new product or service coming out. Small papers are often looking for human interest stories from the local area. Don't forget to use any online platforms to also promote your business. Find an online business community, join groups relevant to your industry and engage with people. It's called social media for a reason - be sociable and not just a voyeur.
The more you get used to talking about what you do and, the benefits it has for your customers, the easier and more natural it will become. Go on - get out there - get seen!
Till next time,
Sarah-Jane X
