The Sounding Board

Do you have your own space for your creative side? It might seem like a simple question, with a simple answer, right?

I have a home office to work in. It’s my ’space’ for getting work done. But it isn’t the right place for me to be creative. I walk into my office and I know I have ‘work’ to do…business work - client projects, bookkeeping, billing, marketing strategies to employ, etc. The office just doesn’t work for my creative side. It’s too ‘business-y.’

My back deck is my creative ’space’…the place I go when I need to let my creative juices flow. It’s where I recharge and re-energize my creative side. It’s best early, early in the morning…right after dawn, before the world wakes up. It’s quiet and peaceful so I can think. It’s one of a small handful of spaces where I feel the most like ‘me.’ There I can get back in touch with my creative self and let the ideas and dreams come and go at will. I get my best ideas there.

Your space could be anywhere…your couch, a favorite chair, the hall closet, the backroom of your shop or studio, your best friend’s backyard, wherever you feel the most like your true self. It should have all the ambience your muse requires, whatever those requirements might be. Whatever stirs that inner creativity in you. But don’t over-use it! If you spend too much time in your ’space,’ you may find that you’re not getting re-charged as easily.

I liken it to sprawling out on your bed after a long, hard day. You know that ‘Ah! This feels wonderful!’ feeling those first few minutes? That ‘oh-there’s-no-place-on-Earth-this-close-to-Heaven’ feeling? That’s what you should feel when you go to your ’space.’ Like there’s nowhere else on Earth you’d rather be right at this moment. Just remember, if you spend too much time there, you’ll loose that blissful feeling.

So, where’s your ’space?’

I swear, if I read one more stinkin’ piece of sales copy or hear one more salesperson blatantly trying to ’sell’ me on something, I think I might just scream! I hate it! I really, really do! When I see or hear hard-sell marketing tactics like that, I get visions of used car salesmen with bad comb-overs, cheap plaid bell-bottom pants, ill-fitting white polo shirts, and trailing the most unpleasant stench of stale cigarettes & over-used aftershave. Ick! The only thing left is to hear the slimy car guy call me “honey,” “sugar,” or “baby.” Eeeewww!

This is the picture I get when I think of marketing, sales copy, and salespeople. Not a pretty sight!

Now this isn’t a new topic…and I’m not the first person to ever have that kind of reaction to certain styles of marketing. However, my reactions to & thoughts on marketing & salespeople is probably more vocal than your average “joe.” I have been known to eat salespeople for lunch. Hee hee. Just ask the poor guy at the furniture store where I went to pick out stuff for my new house! I’ll wager a bet with anyone out there that he’ll NEVER approach a customer like that again! lol.

Let me explain…I was out shopping with a male friend of mine when we stopped in to have a look around. I had already seen alot of the things I thought I wanted on the store’s website. I just wanted to see it in person before I ordered. Now, keep in mind, I was looking for an entire HOUSE full of furniture, not just one or two pieces. So obviously, I was about to spend a fair chunk of pocket change.

As we come in the door, the salesman walked right past me…oblivious to my existance…and straight to my friend with a way-too-white-and-perfect-to-be-natural smile & outstretched hand. (I actually had to step to the side to avoid this guy bumping into me as he zoomed in on his target - my friend.) Nevermind that my friend was still in his shirt & tie from a meeting earlier. Nevermind the faded-out, just enough thin spots to be broken-in just right blue jeans and t-shirt I’m in.

“Hi there, sir. What can I help you find for the wife today?” As he pumps my friends hand with waaaay too much exaggerated enthusiasm.

My poor friend just looked at me with a “Should I duck now, or give you a minute first?” look on his face.

“Excuse me, sir” I say. “First, it’s normally considered rude to brush past someone without saying ‘excuse me.’ Second, that’s not my husband, and even if he was, he would never be so rude as to assume he needs to pick out my furniture for me. Third, I’m the one with the checkbook & a new 3 bedroom house to furnish. Not him. Fourth, give me one good reason why I should let you have this commission & not take it to the very nice lady sitting behind that desk over there?”

You want to talk about someone back-peddling at a high rate? I haven’t seen stammering & facial expressions like that since I use to sit on the Rec Room floor watching Bugs Bunny on Saturday mornings as a kid! I don’t think even Silly Puddy could contort the way that man’s face did! lol.

But my point is this…he already had that ‘desperate-to-make-a-sale’ look in his eyes. It was an immediate turn off for me. Ick! Is that cheap aftershave I smell in the air? Are you sure those are Duckheads you’re wearing & not plaid polyester bell-bottoms?

I bet you’re not surprised that I didn’t buy so much as a lampshade from that guy, are you?

Instead, I went to a little hole-in-the-wall furniture shop at my local flea market. I’m sure you’ve seen them before….the kind of places with rusted metal trash cans, plywood walls, concrete floors, not really anything to write home about in terms of appearance, and probably just as likely to have graphiti on the walls as they would fine pieces of art. Why would I go someplace like that?

Well, first, because it’s one of those little ‘Mom & Pop’ places & being a small biz owner myself, I have a soft spot for the ‘little guy’ businesses. And, because alot of the pieces they have are handmade by the owner himself, then upholstered by his wife. They have some really well-crafted pieces in there, made by someone who still understands the concept of craftsmanship. But most importantly? Because when I walked in the door, they met me with their authentic selves. They said hello. They asked how I was doing. They offered me a cup of coffee or cold soda while I looked around.

It might not sound like they were much different than any other salesmen, but the difference really was obvious to anyone in the room. They were welcoming me to their store like a guest in their home. Their store was very modest, to say the least, but the quality of their furniture was ten-fold that of the big chain store with Mr. Icky Used Car Salesman. Their true selves showed, in spite of the not-so-glamorous surroundings. The care, the attention to detail, being focused on their craft, as opposed to how much they sold…these were quaint, down-home, good ol’ country folks sharing their considerable talents as opposed to just finding a way to turn a profit. They were their true selves…imperfections & all. I have to have a certain amount of respect for a business owner like that. And it goes a long way towards earning both my trust AND my business. (And when I say these folks do quality work? I’m not kidding! There’s not a stitch of ‘engineered wood’ in any of the furniture I bought from ‘em! Dovetail joints in all the drawers, ball bearing slides for my keyboard drawer, I mean these folks take their time building this stuff! They want you to still have it 30, 40, or 50 years from now!)

But my point is this…people buy from the businesses & business owners they know, like, and trust. It’s as simple as that. If you aren’t marketing yourself and/or your business from a place of authenticity, how in the world is anyone going to get to know you, come to like you, and eventually trust you enough to do business with you? The best sales copy in the world & the smoothest sales pitch in the world, won’t do you any good if it doesn’t come from your heart. Especially for those in a service-oriented business, coming from a place of authenticity in your marketing efforts is even more important. When you market from the heart, from someplace authentically ‘you,’ you attract the clients & customers who are most aligned with your core beliefs & business practices. When your authentic self is put on display, you will resonate with like-minded clients who ‘get’ what you are all about.

You will be happier, the client is happier, and the relationship that stems from an authentic start has a stronger foundation from which to grow.

Are you really ready to hire a professional to take over some of your business tasks? Are you sure? Really, REALLY sure?

Aside from the time, thought, and research it takes to find the right fit for you & your business, YOU have to be ready to ‘let go’ of some of those tasks that have you bogged down & over-extended. Seriously, are you ready to turn those tasks over to someone else? You might think you are, but the professional you hire might feel differently.

Ask yourself these questions:

1. Am I willing to turn this task over to someone else and not think about it until its completed?
2. Can I give clear instructions for the end result I want & trust the professional I have hired to find the best way to accomplish that end result?
3. Am I comfortable not having control over how the end result is achieved?

If you can’t answer ‘yes’ to all three of these questions, you might not be as ready as you think to bring in professional help. Sure, there will be some tasks/projects you really do need to have input on before, during, and/or after. However, when you come to a project that doesn’t require alot of input from you, are you going to be ready to walk away and let the pros handle it to the best of their ability? If you don’t trust them to handle it, this might be a sign that either you haven’t found your ideal match, or you really aren’t ready to turn things over to a professional.

Envision yourself in any business situation you’re thinking about turning over to someone else. Imagine turning it over to them. How will it feel? What will you be able to do while they work on your project? It is something that you would enjoy more than the project you’re turning over? Will you be able to stay out from under their feet while they’re working on it? Do you have enough information on the situation to verbalize what end result you’re looking for?

Think about it. Envision it. Be honest with yourself. It takes guts to entrust your business (even just a small portion of it) to someone else. Make sure you’re ready, both financially and mentally, BEFORE  you decide on a specific professional. It can make all the difference in your relationship with that professional.