Almost Done With Biz Setup (and why I’m not selling to you)
Today I spent the majority of the day working.
Yes, working.
Even though I’ve been playing Suzie Homemaker for the last couple months I’ve been going nutty without something to do that didn’t involve cooking or diaper changing.
It looks like I’ll be selling over at Etsy.com and maybe (depending on the TOS) Artfire.com as well. Of course there will be the standard website/blog combo and some traffic driving and all the good things that go with being in multiple places online.
And you know what? I’m not telling you what I’m selling or what name I’m selling it under. Cause it’s a secret.
I’m still pulled back from all the social networking online except for the random fun of Facebook, where I don’t have to see constant business updates or one more person trying to tell me that marketing isn’t about sales, it’s about SHARING and CARING and LOVE. (No, I don’t mean YOUR blog post…there are like twenty on the topic…stop being sensitive…you’re not the only one who blogged about it…LOL)
Almost anyone paying their mortgage is targeting customers like a freakin’ hunter in a forest. Want to know why? Because most customers are part of a herd. If you have to sell with sharing, caring, and love to get a sale…you’re selling to a really freakin’ small demographic – only a fraction of a percentage of which even have the money to buy your product or service. Love is awesome, but it is not the #1 go-to strategy for paying the bills. I’m not saying it can’t be done…just that it’s more difficult than traditional, effective, proven marketing techniques. (of course this varies based on what you sell, if it’s a product or service, who your demographic is, what your price point is – and a whole bunch of other stuff – I’m not trying to say what I’m saying is true for everyone, everywhere, everytime)
But whether your demographic has money or not – they WILL tell you how you should be running your business. So beware! Especially if you’re using social sites to promote your business. There are so many damn social media consultants out there – some of whom don’t even know that tagging pictures can be kind of a good thing – that it is difficult to NOT get advice about your business. (Remember, the first hit is always free…LOL)
One of my favorite movie quotes is from American Beauty, “In order to be successful, one must project an image of success at all times…” It’s like the Internet business owner’s mantra, and it’s kinda gross. I mean, if you look at my blog I’ll tell you about my debt, I’ll tell you when I don’t have money…but once I started doing really well…the money posts kind of dried up. Because I’m not into bragging or posting my paypal or bank account screenshots to show how much I made. Mostly because social media only gave me the connections to make that money. I had to SELL to actually score the cash in the account.
But the quote also reminds me that while there are some super successful people out there (like Ali Brown) that does not mean that everyone who seems uber successful actually are. In most cases there is no real way to find out unless you know them or know someone who knows them. Any more than one reliable degree of separation and there’s no way to verify or know for sure if who you’re talking to is the real deal.
Because good social networking and pink candy kisses and rainbows marketing is all well and good – but if you’re in it for a paycheck, you need to make sure your target is good, your advice is good, and your gun is loaded for bear.
As much as I love all of my readers, who are smart, funny, caring, and wonderful – I’m not selling to you. I’m selling to the person who bumped into you yesterday in the store and didn’t say excuse me. I’m selling to the guy who took up a parking space and a half because he was too lazy to back out and line the hell up into the space. I’m talking to the mom who is letting her kid yell at her in a public place because she believes she’s giving her child the freedom she needs to be herself. The people who still don’t get that credit cards aren’t a smart way to buy groceries. People who will spend money they don’t have.
I’m selling to a large niche that lives in the hugeness of the middle of the bell curve (and maybe even a little to the left). Not my awesome “so smart they’re at the right edge of the bell curve” readers.
So there’s your cynical business advice for the day. I’m still waiting for my new domain name to propagate or I’d be setting up my shopping cart and building my site. Guess it will have to wait ’till tomorrow.
Good night, and sweet dreams you smart, well-mannered, awesome people!
Oh, and I made the best cream of potato soup ever last week. It tasted the way I always wish it would when I order it from a diner. Just…perfect. Knowing I did that was a feeling I want to have again and again. Yea for homemade!
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2 Responses to “Almost Done With Biz Setup (and why I’m not selling to you)”
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Yep – I’m a Joiner!
“In order to be successful, one must project an image of success at all times…”
American Movie- Great, great movie
Best wishes with your new business! I am still really curious. I dun like secrets!
Take care, chicadee.
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