Posted by Stephanie Ventling on July 27, 19100 at 01:54:15:
In Reply to: Shyness and Marketing posted by Jeralynn on July 26, 19100 at 13:02:10:
Dear Karen
I´m still working on the same issues as a work-at home-mother offering interpreter/translations in german and english as well as Public Relations Services.
It does get easier. I finally buckled down and went to see a business consultant to put together a marketing plan. This was a tremendous lesson, because I just sat and thought for three months and then wrote everything down, strategies, potential clients everything, who do I want to reach, how? In theory I had it mapped out. Then I struggled and let things slide etc. After 6 months I had to say, I hadn´t actually done the strategy, because of the same shyness. So I gave myself a short list of say 8 calls a week. Now if I am feeling good on one day, I´ll do all 8, sometimes I just do 2 a day. Another strategy has been to just define one day in the week, where I "work the phone".
Unfortunately when you make a contact, you must make a note of it, and then recontact that person again, say within 2 months, even if you handed out a business card- say, just wanting to say hello, in a friendly voice. The worst that can happen is that they do not need your services.
I´ve had to tell myself that I am not selling my soul, just my services.
And I have found out that noone is out there to eat me. But some business calls can be very tricky and when the working gets going, I have found being and staying professional the best bet still. Friendliness yes, friendships no.
Good Luck
and warm regards
Stephanie Ventling
Translations & Public Relations Services
Zürich Switzerland