August 2017 – Expressions of Tracey

How do you balance between self-promotion verses aggressive sales? As I begin putting my blog and art out into the world this self-promotions seems to be a challenging process. I am not a fan of the pushy or aggressive sales person. I understand that they have to sell to make money but I find them as irritating as those dinner time computerized robocalls and telemarketers.

I get harassed every time I go to the mall by assertive sales people. At my local mall there are kiosks set up all throughout the mall so even when I am not in a store I am still trying to escape sale people. It is no wonder online shopping has drastically increased. Usually it is the people with the hair products because I have thick long hair and they seem to want to sell me everything.

Recently my daughter and I were at the State Fair walking through one of many buildings that have venders crammed in from wall to wall. People are constantly calling out to try to get your attention. I find the key is to not make eye contact. Suddenly we somehow got wrangled towards this one booth that actually had something I was interested in. If you have a sore neck or back this is the place for you. They were selling these heating pads that you push this little button and they instantly heat up. It sounded interesting, so we looked at the different products and listened to the info until the price came up. Wow, way too expensive! I don’t have money for that. I was straight up with her. No I do not want it, thanks anyway. This woman would not let me go. So she pulls out the old tactic of dropping the price and then through extra stuff into the deal. Sorry I don’t have the money. I am not interested. Then she gives me the old story that this is the last day they will be here; it’s your last chance. Again, No I don’t have money. Finally I turn to make my get-a-way only to find a woman standing behind me from the other booth with her curling iron in one hand and a hair brush in the other and I am not sure but I think she was salivating! Can I show you our new product? No! And we ran out of there.

So how do you promote your business or sell your wares without becoming a crazy or aggressive sales person. I am not like that in general. I don’t want to try to manipulate someone into buying something they don’t need or want. So what am I supposed to do? Well let’s see I can dance on a street corner with a cardboard sign, or I can leave business cards on cars in the parking lot every time I do grocery shopping, put anonymous notes on Craig’s list, or have tee-shirts made up for my kids to wear with my info on it.

For now I am slowing piecing my social media sites together. However, I do not want to load up my personal sites with all my business items either. I would like to keep my friends and not overwhelm them with my constant blast of business related products. So how do you balance this type of thing? I would like to hear your ideas.