I regularly consult with small business owners (aka solopreneurs) about how to network and market.
Those two are almost one-in-the-same, aren’t they?
On a recent call I was talking to a solopreneur about doing webinars or teleseminars.
You can get a lot accomplished with a teleseminar, but what if no one comes?
Same question with a book… what if you write a book and no one buys it?
My answer: IT IS OKAY.
Perhaps the purpose of the teleseminar, webinar or book is NOT to get it in front of people, have people buy it, or even come (to the webinar or teleseminar) or read it (the book).
Let me give you an example: When I go somewhere to speak I might speak in front of 100 people.
That isn’t very many people! I don’t want to get on a plane, take about a week from my schedule (a trip can take a week… 2 travel days, the day of the presentation, the prep before and the catchup after) to get in front of 100 people – especially if I do that for FREE! (I usually waive my fee to job clubs)
No money (or, the opportunity to make a sale, but I’m usually not even going to break even), all that time, for only 100 people?
That’s not entirely why I do it.
Would I do it if it were 10 people? I did that before (even though I was told there would be 100 people there).
Where is the value?
Here’s the value… and this is important for you as a solopreneur to know, and it is important for you as a job seeker to know:
The value is in the pre- and post- marketing.
The group who has 100 people coming… they might have an email list of about 4,000 – 10,000 people.
I want (them) to TALK ABOUT me, my message, and my trip. I want them to email their group twice before I come, and twice after I’ve left.
In each email message I want a link to JibberJobber (the best and most important career management and job search organizer out there) and my LinkedIn book (linking to Amazon and/or my LinkedIn blog).
I know have given this job club organizer something to say, about me, to his/her audience.
And in addition to the 100 people who actually come, I’ll get four touch-points to the 4,000 people on the list. That will result in:
- book sales,
- JibberJobber signups,
- more evangelists talking about me,
- curiosity and branding.
Is THAT worth it?
Shooting an email out to 4,000 people randomly is not a big deal. It would likely have a negative impact.
But for the TRUSTED organizer to shoot the email out, and have them say something like “ JibberJobber is the best and most important career management and job search organizer out there,” is really, really, really valuable.
My point is, I’ve given them something to talk about.
What can YOU give your network to talk about?
What I’ve learned is it can’t be one single thing or event.
Think of something you can do monthly, or every other month, that they can say “oh, that sounds cool. And I’ll tell my friends about it…”