An interesting question posed to me….

On 08/20/12 8:21 AM, Mike Garner – a LinkedIn connection wrote:
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As one of my Linkedin connections, could help me with a project I’m working on?

I’m currently doing some research into the way small businesses and very small businesses promote and brand themselves. It’s not easy to find inspiration when the pressure’s on and the phone’s not ringing. Even less when ther orders and coming in like mad and you have to get the work done. So how do you promote yourself? What challenges do you face? What do you enjoy and what do you really hate?

My response…….

Delighted to help! Could this be a discussion somewhere? Or is this crowd sourcing!

My simple approach is to look for the opportunities to help and promote others – I guess running a networking business would mean that – but all businesses should perhaps try and adopt the abundance mentality (even the full 7 habits!) that Stephen Covey talks about “there are enough resources and success to share with others – rather than scarcity mentality”. What goes around comes around. By sharing the success you are promoting you and your own brand in a really positive way. It could be by using the vast number of ways of delivering testimonials/recommendations or by sharing some great information/tips/knowledge that you have found/been given by a customer/or given to a customer. You are busy creating – for want of a better word “noise” not about you trying to sell something or get “likes” or get direct enquiries but what goes around comes around. I get a lot of enquiries because people have heard about me/the business from another person I have met or I am connected to.

Following the right type of media/people/blogs can generate inspiration and ideas for you and possibly more importantly for others you know – share it – you never know! If it’s to an existing customer they’ll be grateful and who knows what might happen – someone you don’t know – that’s abundance!

Just some initial thoughts – certainly got the keyboard skills back after holiday

Best regards

Sean

What are your thoughts?