For the self employed professional, nothing is more important than the image you project to your clients and potential clients. Napoleon Hill put it best when he said, "People buy your personality and ideas long before they buy your products and services."
Your image may be projected by the clothes you wear, the car you drive, and your posture. But, your image is also projected by the marketing contact points you make. What does your website say about you? What do your brochures or office sign say about you? Are you communicating the image you want to communicate?
I worked with one self employed professional whose target market was other small business owners. Yet his website had a very corporate feel about it. It wasn't designed to attract the kinds of customers he was interested in attracting. The language he used on the website was formal and stripped of all "person-ality". But in talking to him, I really "got" how much he loved working with small business owners and helping them become more successful.
Statistics overwhelmingly support that when people are shopping for a professional they buy the person first, the company second, the product or service third, and the price last. Your personality is a major competitive advantage. It's what sets you apart from all the other people who do the same work you do.
Think about you favorite professionals. Why do you like working with them? My dentist is always jovial, laughing and telling stories during my visits. His personality carries throughout his practice and makes going to the dentist actually enjoyable. If he stripped away the personality, he would be just another dentist.
Let's say you're a real estate agent who loves golf and you communicate that to potential customers. You'll find that you attract customers who also enjoy golf. It establishes a point of connection between the two of you. Your potential client starts out feeling like they know something about you. You're not a stranger. You're a fellow golfer. That builds rapport and trust.
Don't be shy about letting people know who you are and what you stand for. If you're an eye doctor who travels to Guatemala once a year to provide eye care for children, post a picture on your website or in your office. Send a press release to the local paper about your trip. Not only does it encourage others to support worthy causes, it establishes you as a caring person and a dedicated professional.
Give clients and potential clients multiple opportunities to get to know you by carrying your image and personality throughout your business.
Caroline Jordan, MBA helps self employed professionals who struggle to build their businesses, attract clients they enjoy, improve cash flow, and find additional revenue streams. For more success tips and strategies visit http://www.TheJordanResult.com
![]() Google News Updated : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 20:50:00 GMT Fitch says AMD factory move has no ratings impact - Forbes
Forbes - AP 10.07.08, 3:48 PM ET Fitch Ratings said Tuesday Advanced Micro Devices Inc.'s ratings are not affected by the chip maker's plans to spin off factories into a new joint venture with investors in the Persian Gulf state of Abu Dhabi. What AMD's fab spinoff means for Intel, industry Who Benefits From AMD’s Financial Engineering? Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 19:58:11 GMT Union-Backed Party Opposes Term Limits Plan - New York Times
New York Times - By Fernanda Santos The Working Families Party began on Tuesday the labor community’s first major offensive against Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s plan to change term limit laws through legislation that would extend to three, from two, the number of terms ... UPDATE 1-NYC lawmakers to weigh bill raising term limits Bill to end term limits introduced in City Council Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 19:15:23 GMT Fed Announces Plan to Buy Short-Term Debt - New York Times
New York Times - By EDMUND L. ANDREWS and MICHAEL M. GRYNBAUM WASHINGTON - The Federal Reserve announced a radical new plan on Tuesday to jump-start the engine of the financial system. Fed makes boldest move yet Federal Reserve to buy up short-term commercial debt Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 19:51:44 GMT Study: Using fan on sleeping baby reduces risk of SIDS - San Jose Mercury News
San Jose Mercury News - By Linda Goldston Ayde Gonzales's mother was surprised when she insisted that her newborn son must sleep on his back, not on his side. Fan Use May Save Your Baby’s Life, Reduces SIDS Risk Fan in Room Seems to Cut Infants’ Risk of Crib Death Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 12:46:19 GMT Axelrod Says Obama Will Counterpunch if McCain Raises Ayres - New York Times New York Times - By Patrick Healy NASHVILLE - Senator Barack Obama is prepared to hit back, including with Keating Five scandal if necessary, if Senator John McCain uses tonight’s presidential debate to attack him over his associations with controversial figures like ... Video: AP Campaign Minute Palin Adds Fannie Mae Execs to List of Objectionable Obama Associates Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 18:32:14 GMT Get moving: Guidelines set healthy activity levels - The Associated Press
The Associated Press - WASHINGTON (AP) - Get moving: New exercise guidelines released Tuesday set a minimum sweat allotment for good health. For most adults, that's 2 1/2 hours a week. Government tells Americans to take stairs, go out and play Get 2 1/2 hours of exercise per week, US says Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 20:11:51 GMT Kenya deports anti-Obama author - Christian Science Monitor
Christian Science Monitor - Jerome Corsi, author of "Obama Nation: Leftist Politics and the Cult of Personality," tried to launch his new book, but violated immigration rules, Kenyan officials say. Barack Obama's African grandmother Sarah Onyango Obama roots for him Anti-Barack Obama author detained while promoting his book in Kenya Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 16:09:55 GMT Add RSS Feeds to My Website |
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