Today’s post is provided by Kim Clausen, Thanks for the great message Kim.

I had a great experience today that got me to thinking, which led me to an epiphany that I wanted to share. And it is this:

We should not be afraid to be sold to.
We should not be afraid to buy.
And we should not be afraid to sell to others.

Today I sent out a request asking for information about flash presentation software. I got several responses and one  that was especially helpful. In it, she talked a little bit about what she does and suggested that I think about not struggling to do it myself, but instead have someone help.

So here’s the big learning…

I wrote her back and said “O.K., how does it work and how much?” This may seem like a no brainer, but for a lot of us (and for me in the past) this is a big step! Because God forbid I get “sold” to! But the bottom line is that I need help!

So, why is it so difficult for us to say “o.k., sell to me”, especially when we have a need? Why do we dread the guy in the store asking if we need help? Why can’t we just say “no”? Or better yet, why can’t we say “yes”? AND, if it doesn’t work out and I don’t hire her after all, SO WHAT! I was at least OPEN to exploring the possibility with her. They’ll be other opportunities in the future. Or maybe not. And that is o.k. too - for both of us. TRULY.

That got me to think more about my 2nd thought - We should not be afraid to buy.

Early this week, I bought a “product”. I must admit, probably like a lot of you, I am leery of buying “products” sometimes. There are so many products out there, with so much hype, honestly when I am considering a purchase, I wonder if there is *TRUE* value in these products. If I spend a couple/few hundred dollars on a product, I don’t want to then HAVE to spend more to get the OTHER HALF of the info I need.

For me, being leery of buying product can be bad because I am now in the product business. (But, of course, mine are FULL of value!)  But because products are my primary income source, they HAVE to be good. And they are! I digress.

So, I did it. I bought a product. You should’ve seen me - it was like someone practically needed to force my hand to press the “buy” button. I was REALLY nervous! I mean, give me a break, this product was $297!!! Not gonna break the bank, you know? But you sure would’ve thought it would by the way I was acting!!!

So why are we so afraid to buy? I know why I was - I was literally having the conversation with myself asking what if I make a “bad” choice in the way I spent my money and not get my “value”? And then I would be the loser - the one with the bad judgment. But how’s one truly supposed to know UNLESS you take the risk? So I did it. I don’t have the product yet, so I don’t know how I did. But the bottom line is the $297 won’t kill me either way. And because I too am selling products, I want to be more OPEN to buying other products, as I want to send a receptive energy about the buying and selling of products.

AND, I’m sure I will make many good selections and some not so good ones. And the bottom line? SO WHAT! If I want someone to buy my products and services and let me sell to them, then I need to be OPEN to buy others’ products and services and be willing to have them sell to me.

Which leads me to my third thought - We should not be afraid to sell. Why are we so afraid to put ourselves out there, market actively and get people to BUY our products and services? One of my clients adamantly tells me she does not want to market because she does not want to appear “pushy”. We need to understand there is a HUGE gap between “marketing ourselves” and “being pushy”. AND, my big epiphany is that if I am OPEN TO BEING SOLD TO, then I can feel better about SELLING TO OTHERS.  Make sense?

This makes me wonder… are we REALLY worried about being pushy, or do we have this battle going on inside us because we are not open to being sold to and therefore are not comfortable selling to others? What if we all adopted the philosophy that we are going to be OPEN to hearing what others have to offer because if we support them, then they (or someone else) will support us? It’s the power of the universe at its best. And if I am OPEN, and one particular person doesn’t buy, SO WHAT! It’s REALLY o.k., someone else WILL.

The bottom line of my epiphany? I really like the idea of an OPEN “so what” approach.

I am open to being sold to.
So what that I get sold to; and I may say “yes” or I may say “no”.

I am open to buying.
So what that I buy; and maybe make a good decision and maybe make a bad decision.

I am open to selling to others.
So what that I sell to others; and some say “yes” and some say “no”.

I feel really free and enlightened by this perspective, and I’d like to suggest we all chew on it, and try being more “open”, and giving the “so what” approach a try.

Share your thoughts with us.

——————————————————————————-
Kim Clausen, President
Ready2Go Marketing Solutions, Inc.

Completely developed and ready to execute marketing solutions
to grow your business.
Download our FREE REPORT on
CONDUCTING IMPACTFUL WORKSHOPS at
www.Ready2GoMarketingSolutions.com

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Hello readers.  Here is a great quote that says it ALL!

“Action is a great restorer and builder of confidence. Inaction is not only the result, but the cause of fear. Perhaps the action you take will be successful; perhaps different action or adjustments will have to follow. But any action is better than no action at all.” — Norman Vincent Peale

Dear fellow small business owners…

Fannie, Freddie, Morgan Stanely, AIG, DSL, Circuit City, the entire US car industry…the list continues to grow of failing, struggling, and bankrupt companies.

I am never, ever one to blame my business challenges on outside forces.  I take credit, along with my team when things go well.  And I take the sole blame when we stuggle.  I believe that business success is within.

And, we gotta be real here.  The economy is struggling.  Our prospective clients are being far more cautious with how they spend their hard earned money.

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Which are you?  Are you going to complain about the economy and the election and not spend money yourself?  Or are you going to take action and create new product & service offerings, invest in business growth, and strive to buck the system and actually GROW during this challenging time?

I know it may not be easy.  I feel it to.  But let’s commit to being doers and not watchers.

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Hope you are well.  The world is waiting for you…Reach out!
Michael

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We will see you soon!