Monday, November 14, 2011

Making Yourself Unforgettable

Selling is everything.  And everything is selling.  It's all around us, in every interaction, in every relationship, all of the time.  We're selling ourselves to a potential employer.  We're hired, and then we're selling our services to a potential client.  We work long hours, come home, and sell ourselves to our spouses on why we're home late.  Literally, every interaction is a version of a "sales call".  I sell, you sell, we all sell.

There's a good possibility that upon reading that YOU are selling yourself every single day, you felt a little gross - uncomfortable - maybe even slimy.  Here's why;  people love to buy, but hate to be sold.  The word "selling" carries this notion that someone was taken advantage of.  Being a sales professional myself, I'm quite aware of the negative weight that word carries.



Call it what you want, you're selling yourself.  Whether it's in a professional setting, trying to influence your ideas and beliefs to your boss or the company.  Or, in a more personal setting.  Maybe trying to sell your girlfriend or boyfriend on your future together.  Or your kids on studying more, or cleaning their rooms.

This is an area of my life that I find myself focusing on quite often as of late.  How well I can convey a message can make or break a relationship, a sale, an idea, etc.  Some are simple, yet rarely is it easy.

A friend of the family asked me the other day, "What is your purpose for writing?  What's your goal?"  I thought about it, and came to the conclusion that it's my personal platform to sell my ideas, beliefs, lessons learned through successes and failures, and daily challenges to the world.  Long answer, but that's the purpose.  Again, how well I do at selling the aforementioned will determine whether or not you continue to read, or I become a forgettable blogger.

Areas where making yourself unforgettable are key:

- Relationships:  whether it's with a spouse, partner, friend or family member - the strongest relationships will be the ones you invest the greatest amount of your attention, time and creativity in.  My personal goal:  be the worlds greatest son, brother, boyfriend and boss.  That's not easy - but it's worth it.

- Profession:  with unemployment at over 10%, and, in reality, probably closer to 15% nationwide you can no longer afford to be average or ordinary.  You need to stand out, and in a big way.  If you think that fancy card stock you put your resume on is enough, think again.  Even if you DO land the job, employers no longer have to "tolerate" mediocrity.  The talent pool is flush with individuals ready for you to slip, so they can slip in.

- Business:  things change so fast, you can't even be wrong for too long these days.  Clients are being tugged and pulled in all different directions by companies vying for their attention.  What are you doing to acquire more clients, and keep the ones you have?

Making yourself unforgettable is a big piece of the success puzzle, in my opinion.  It's also something that requires continuous effort.  Your spouse probably doesn't care about the flowers you bought them last year, or the card you gave them last V-Day.  Just like your boss probably already forgot about the overtime you put in last month.  Every day is a new opportunity to sell yourself to those around you.  Don't be afraid to strut your stuff, and watch as the people around you begin "buying" you in a big way!

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