I have often spoken of the importance of positioning.
Positioning can catapult you forward in ways you can not imagine.
For example:
When social media was new I was one of a few "women of a certain age",
AKA "baby boomer", that was using it. My phone rang off the hook with other "boomers" wanting to know how I was learning it. Was it hard? Did it work?
And because of that, I built relationships that still stand...even 16 years later. I have trained their teams. They took my book to best-seller status. They have driven tons of business my way. All because of POSITIONING.
It's easy pickings because people want to work with those who are in the forefront. That's just human. And that's just positioning.
But then there's pandering.
Pandering is trying to convince or cajole.
Examples of PANDERING would be when someone takes a picture of themselves with a microphone and tries to convince people they are a speaker. Or posting pictures all over of themselves with the hottest business "gurus".
Or trying to show people how important they are because they're attending an event or eating dinner with someone of interest.
Pandering is when we are not demonstrating our skills but instead trying to capitalize on a person, place or circumstance to gain attention.
Pandering is taught by many in the industry. How many of you have been told to take a picture with all the big dogs in the business and post them everywhere?
Stand in front of the logo at an event and take a picture? Scream about your company and its products instead of promoting yourself?
But ask yourself...
Is that going to get you business? Or does it get the big dog business? Does it encourage someone to go to next year's event instead of hanging out with you? Does it build loyalty to a company that is not yours, that you don't own, and have no control over?
Kinda makes you go "hmmmmmmm"
Truth is that positioning is never about screaming about anything. It's not about bragging and manipulation. It's about execution and being known for something. It's about relationships. It's about being confident in what you have and what you know.
Proper positioning can explode your business and save you a ton of effort. Pandering can keep you stalled....forever.
So the next time you are tempted to jump up and down and shout, "Look at me! See me! See who I'm with! See what I'm doing!"
Ask yourself, " Am I positioned properly for now and for the future? Will what I am doing and saying today help me tomorrow? How are people seeing me? As a wanna-be trying to look big? Or as a confident professional?"
If you are in this for the long haul you want to think about these things and create true positioning that will carry you to the top much faster than you ever imagined.
This is the type of stuff I teach. I am not a coach. I am not a guru. I am a PERSONAL TRAINER. I am a MENTOR. I am not looking for tons of people. I am looking for the select few. The question is...are you one of them?
Positioning is everything. It's why the call me SAGE...keeper of knowledge, giver of wisdom. I didn't ask for that. It's just what they call me.
What will they call you?
