BUILD VALUE

Uncles have a reputation to ask you to get your CV or resume for a job and most times they do nothing with it. If you stay with me I will tell you why. The world does not run on pity. The world runs on value. There is no amount of pity I can show a hungry man that will put food in his belly but if this man has a skill and can offer me value that I can pay for he will earn money to buy food with. You don't get anything from your uncle because you expect them to help you with a job out of pity without really making them see value in you. These are people who knew when you were born. They know what misdemeanors you did as a kid and teenager. They do not know you as an adult because you haven't told them. You haven't presented to them the value you possess as an adult who has graduated from a university. Do you now see why it's hard for them to help you? Follow me

When I started my business I had great hope that people who knew me would buy from me. I was disappointed and that's a good thing. It was a blessing. If they had bought from me I wouldn't have seen the need to cultivate and harvest my own clients. It was a good lesson. 

The lesson I learnt is that it is very important, while starting a business, you find clients who do not have any prejudice against you; people who see you for who you are and what you are selling; people who will listen to you and hope to be convinced to buy. You do not need people who know you by name and know your antecedents. That's the image they have of you and that's good. It was inconsiderate of me to take advantage of my relationship with my friends to sell pizza. It meant I didn't wanna put in the work and expected to reap where I had not sown. This doesn't in any way invalidate the immense support I have received from my friends. I set lofty expectations but reality cut them to size. Hahahahaha. 

Jesus was not 'liked' by his own people. They didn't 'buy' the salvation he was 'selling'. He moved around in Galilee but avoided Judea, because "the Jews/Judeans" were looking for a chance to kill him. In John 7:12-13 some said "he is a good man" whereas others said he deceives the people, but these were all "whispers", no one would speak publicly for "fear of the Jews/Judeans". The Jewish rejection of Jesus is also recorded in John 7:45-52, 8:39-59, 10:22-42 and 12:36-43. 

Knowing the above, who was I to make assumptions about people and my business. I was wrong. Today the Jews, whether they accept Jesus or not, know he created value. That's the point. If your business has not created value, has not found a need that has to be filled why should anyone patronize you and buy? 

Having set up 3 businesses in the course of my life I can tell you for free that marketing and sales should be taken as courses by anyone who goes to a university. No matter the discipline you take up you need to have marketing or sales skills. Why? You have to first of all know how to sell your time. It takes time to write, do research and so on. If you don't know how to sell time you would not know how to sell actual products. Even with all the things people think I know about marketing I am still reading to learn more. Someday I will share what has worked for me and what has not. 

If you expect business sales from friends and family you are not marketing. Marketing begins when you start pitching to strangers. My mentor reiterated this to me in my conversation with him this week. He is passionate about public speaking and told me how he went to a restaurant filled with strangers, called their attention and spoke for 5 minutes. That's real work. That's value creation at its finest. 

The last time I was actively engaged in running my own business was 2010. Perhaps I forgot what I did and how I farmed my clients. I got clients by doing direct marketing to people. It will interest you to know that even in this age of social media word of mouth is still a powerful tool for marketing. All you need is convince one person a day and make sure to demand that they tell others about you. If your service is as good as said you will have people referred to you. It's the simplest way to get clients but it's not as easy as I have said. You must be ready to take NO and not let it stop you. 

When you have built value or demonstrated that your business is one that fills any type of need, friends and family will seek you out. You know you are making a mark when your own people start calling you and saying they see your business. That's when you can pat your back and know that your strategy is effective. Then you can ask them for honest feedback. They will give it. Don't start business hoping for family and friends to buy. They have their role. Don't abuse them by having lofty expectations of them. Go out there and carve a niche for yourself. When you have done so they will come to you. Try it.