February 15th, 2010
by Lorrie Thomas
I was taking my own advice this morning by adding new business card contacts to my social media Rolodex, when I stumbled across the card of an entrepreneur who said her company needed my web marketing agency’s help. She has met me live several times, always comes up after I speak to say she needs my help, but never follows up. She indicated that I should contact her, which projected her marketing responsibility onto me – NOT a healthy sign of how a working relationship was going to go.
With a smile, I handed her my business card and told her that “admitting she needed marketing help was the first step to recovery” and firmly (but nicely) said that if she wanted to take the next step she needed to “own it” and reach out.
Embarking into the wild world of web marketing is no easy task, and it is best to take on the “wild wild web” with savvy tour guides who can advise, guide and protect you from the unknown….
Like any step in the right direction, a professional has to make a commitment, speak up and reach out for help. It is up to the business owner to own their wants, needs and questions and being a proactive communicator is the first step.
I have made it a policy to NEVER pitch our services. Qualified leads are folks who reach out to us…owning it says to me that there is a stronger likelihood to take a step in the right web direction.
Web marketing is NOT magic pixie dust – it takes HARD WORK, commitment, education and asking the right people for help.
Nobody cares about your business more than you do. Be a big kid. When you want marketing help, take responsibility – reach out!
uberVU - social comments
(February 15th, 2010 at 12:54 pm)
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This post was mentioned on Twitter by NickiG: Admitting You Need Help is the First Step to Web Marketing Recovery – Own It!: I was taking my own advice this mor… http://bit.ly/c0ULzR...
Bill @ SBCC
(February 19th, 2010 at 3:44 pm)
Thanks for the wake up call.
TerryR
(February 20th, 2010 at 3:46 pm)
I’m torn on this one.
On the one hand, yes, a foundering business person should reach out when she realizes she needs help. A web marketing commitment shouldn’t be taken lightly. On the other hand isn’t there just a bit of conceit revealed in admitting that you were approached three times by this person in need and you never called her back?!
I’m afraid I must be missing a larger message here. I was always taught to follow up on a sales lead… : / I think you may be taking this “therapy” analogy a little too far.