Sunday, October 31, 2004
Getting In Their Heads
Readers of my last FF column will recall that I whined and moaned and generally kicked up a fuss about the unsolicited marketing practices that invade our spaces, our time, and our lives. You know the type. The dinner time call offering us the wonderful opportunity to subscribe to a charity, sign up for a credit card, or change long distance service.
Well no sooner had I finished that column, and then it happened again. An annoying marketing practice that left a very bad taste in our family's mouth. This time it was from one of our major newspapers telling us how pleased they were to offer two weeks complimentary delivery of their newspaper. "We didn't have to do a thing." And here's the kicker. If we didn't want to receive two free weeks of their wretched rag - then we had to call them to call it off. That took no little effort on our part, dealing with voice and emails to get delivery stopped.
Perhaps you think I am a might too cranky on these matters. But you know it is a cranky old world and this was one unsolicited free thing too many.
Is there a lesson in all of this for those of us in the freelance game? Well, yes as a matter of fact. Whenever we send out unsolicited messages of any kind - the chances are pretty good we will annoy some people most of the time, and just about everybody some of the time. It is their very "unsolicitedness" that is the problem. It falls under the category of getting in the clients' faces rather than in their heads.
So what is the fine line between doing one and not the other? It can be a tricky business. If you do nothing and tell nobody about your services then you are suffering from the "blinking in the dark syndrome." You know what you do but no one else does. So you are neither in their faces nor in their heads and that's a bad thing. Equally - if you pester people with unwanted advances of any kind - then you have turned the light on - but the wattage is too high, too annoying or too presumptuous.
What now? The process of getting out there and getting known depends on two factors. Your willingness to make a lot of contacts - and develop relationships over time. But you have to do a little reflective soul searching. One of the key factors in making and maintaining successful contacts is not how good you are - but how likable you are. I know that sounds kind of strange. But if they are going to offer you work, above most other things [being competent, reliable and professional being a given], potential clients want to know if you are easy to get along with.
So, are you likeable? It’s a little difficult to be objective about that, I know. Think of the last networking event you went to. Who were you drawn to? No, no I don't mean the cute ones. You are not looking for a date. But in all the conversations you get drawn to, which ones are the most memorable? Usually it is not so much about the content of the conversation, but the dynamics of the exchange.
You would be amazed how people you haven't met before think you are a brilliant conversationalist when in fact you are not saying very much. I confess this line of attack is not my strong suit. I tend to jump in with both feet with an opinion. And let my enthusiasm for a topic get the better of me. I want to say everything I know about the subject. Not really a good thing. The saying everything I mean.
But the enthusiasm part is a good thing. Because it is infectious. I have landed more than one speech writing job based on my enthusiasm for what I do. When potential clients hear that in your voice, they begin to think that you would bring that to the table to - being enthusiastic about what they do.
So be a brilliant conversationalist by listening more and speaking less. And then when they come up for air, bring a little passion to what you have to say. Easy if you are passionate about what you do.
Next month, I am going to talk about a question I get asked all the time - should I specialize as a writer or should I be a generalist.
Until next time.
n
