Maybe I have this all wrong…
Recently, I spoke on a panel about blogging for business at the National Association of Realtors convention. At the end of the session, I was approached by an attendee who asked:
But when do I sell?
I paused, gathered my breathe, and said, “you don’t.” We looked at each other for a moment, and I could see that he was struggling with the concept. It was written all over his face, “but I am a salesperson.”
“Sir,” I said, “provide information. Be a resource. You don’t need to sell.” (Benn Rosales may disagree with me on that, but I love him anyway)
By believing we have to sell something on our blog, I think we are limiting our potential for success. Selling requires a specific, definitive outcome. They want something, I sell it, they move on. My goal through blogging and social media is to develop relationships. If the result later is a sale, that is fabulous, but my ultimate goal is to develop (and sustain) as many relationships as possible. A relationship can create an unlimited number of sales, while a sale most likely creates A sale. One sale.
If the goal is “A SALE”…aren’t we limiting ourselves? By focusing on THE sale, I think we are putting boundaries on our potential success.
Creating unlimited boundaries
So how do we create a relationship with people we meet online? It starts with the gift of contribution. The old principal that you get what you give is true. The more you give, the more you get. Don’t focus on getting, focus on giving. The beauty of blogging is that your potential to give is unlimited.
What knowledge or expertise do you possess that others want or need? Where is your passion? Demonstrate and share that passion with others. Sometimes this leads us away from our initial focus. I recently starting blogging for a non-profit. I guarantee that blog will generate far more relationships that result in sales than any post on my hyper local real estate blog ever will.
A new direction can be ok. I have been asking myself- what is my contribution? The more I analyze it, the more I find that my contribution may be something other than I had originally planned. Instead of focusing on “the sale”, I am allowing myself to adapt and maximize my contribution. Creating unlimited boundaries? At the very least, creating new relationships.
We will see if I am getting this right..
