Growing Your Dye Sublimation Business: Pride
There is one principle however that most be adopted if you are to be successful: Pride. When we grew up, our parents probably taught us not to be too prideful. “Don’t brag on yourself”, or “Don’t think too highly of yourself”, “Don’t get the big head” is what some say. Whatever you chose to call it, it means not to think too highly of yourself. Well, that may be good advice for life but not for business.
First, if you can do a better job of whatever you are doing than your competition, you probably should be in business. And if you can do a better job and don’t tell anyone, who do you think will tell people? Expect “word of mouth” to carry your message? It won’t. Even when word of mouth has helped build businesses, it has taken years, even decades to do it. Coca Cola doesn’t depend on word of mouth to sell their product, neither does Wal-Mart.
Networking is when people get together to sell each other on how good they are. The Chamber of Commerce, business clubs of all kinds and trade shows are all built around networking in one form or another. Some work, some don’t but they all take a lot of time and cost a lot of money.
Here is one that you can do that won’t take any time nor cost you any money: “Brag on yourself”. Every chance you get, everywhere you go. Don’t be shy. Don’t hold back. When you go to your dentist, doctor, mechanic, neighbor, or other potential customer, take pride in what you do. And if you are excited and proud about what you do, you should tell people. Buying a candy bar from a local gas station? Say, “You a xxx fan? Last week we made a bunch of full-color shirts for a family reunion. Half were xxx fans and half xxy fans. Can you image what that reunion is going to be like?”
Through the years, I have made awards and gifts for the heads of state for all the NATO countries, plaques in Chinese, Russian and German, awards for the President of the United States and several Governors, Senators and Congresspeople. I’m not bragging, I’m just stating facts. Would the Chamber of Commerce or the United Nations or the United States Navy choose me to make these if I wasn’t the best? You don’t have to actually say it, they will get the message.
Now maybe you haven’t gotten to do those kinds of things yet but I’m sure you have done some really nice work. Don’t be bashful, tell people how proud you are that you were chosen to do….