How to Sell Yourself Effectively The First Time?

How to Sell Yourself Effectively The First Time?

Did you say the right things

When you introduce yourself for the first time to someone you just met in a networking session, how will you sell yourself?

Think, and go through your self-introduction speech in your head before reading on. There’s a reason for this suggestion.

The conversation probably goes like this:

John: Hi, I’m John Smith.
Harry: Hi, John, I’m Harry Jones. What are you doing?
John: Oh, I’m in the insurance industry.

What do you think will happen if Harry’s mind has been programmed and conditioned by parents, siblings and friends that insurance agents (a.k.a. financial planners) always use fear tactics to get people to buy a policy that they don’t need and don’t want? Or, what happens if Harry has an unpleasant past experience with a hard-selling pushy insurance person? Either way, this conversation will either be terminated prematurely or be channeled to a safe subject by Harry.

Who is on the losing end?

Naturally, it’s John. Yes, John just lost a one-to-one, face-to-face opportunity to tell Harry of the values, benefits and solutions that can make Harry ‘s life easier and better.

However, Harry is not on the winning side either.

It could have been a win-win scenario had the self introduction of John went this way.

John: “Hi, I’m John Smith.”
Harry: “Hi, John, I’m Harry Jones. What are you doing?”
John: “Harry, do you know there’s more than 60% of seniors in this country cannot afford the large medical bills when they fall sick or injured? My main focus is helping seniors aged between 70 and 85 to minimize, or even eliminate 100% of their medical expenses.”

Harry has an ailing mother of 72 and he is still paying the exorbitant medical bills when the old lady was hospitalized for five and a half month when she fell twice last year. And, Harry never knew seniors could be covered until 85 years old. How do you think Harry will response? I bet he said, “Tell me more”.

What’s the difference?

1. “Problem” and “Solution”

When you don’t know you have a problem, will you want to buy a solution?

“I’m in the insurance industry” does not identify a PROBLEM that begs to be solved.

“Harry, do you know there’s more than 60% of seniors in this country cannot afford the large medical bills when they fall sick or injured?” clearly presents a real problem that many people in the late 30s, 40s and 50s can resonate with.

“My main focus is helping seniors aged between 70 and 85 to minimize, or even eliminate 100% of their medical expenses.” is the SOLUTION.

2. “Feature” vs “Benefit”

“I’m in the insurance industry.” is the “FEATURE”

“My main focus is helping seniors aged between 70 and 85 to minimize, or even eliminate 100% of their medical expenses.” is the “BENEFIT”.

We buy “absolutely, positively has to be there overnight” and not “courier service”. We drink to “Good To The Last Drop” and not “coffee bean”.

3. “Selling” and “Buying”

We live in a world of demand and supply. One party gets to give and the other gets to receive. In the business world, it means, one must sell so that the other gets to buy. He has a problem and a pain, you have a solution to ease the pain. Perfect.

If you still say you are not salesman and therefore need not sell yourself. Well, just reflect if your presentation wasn’t accepted or you were walked over during the last promotion or job interview. The easy introduction that you used to use may not be serving you.

[tags]selling, sell yourself, self introduction, personal branding, Guerrilla Business Intensive, Millionaire Mind Intensive, T Harv Eker[/tags]

19 Replies to “How to Sell Yourself Effectively The First Time?”

  1. This is definitely a subject that should be introduced at schools as a life skills module.

  2. Hi Stanley
    Yes, you used a great description, “softly”. No one likes hard selling.

    === ===
    Hi Anja
    You are right but regrettably, Money Management 101 or Life Skill 101 aren’t the essentials in most public schools’ curriculum.

  3. Great learning Vivienne! Thank you for sharing.

    It was one of the most best seminars I attended building on the foundation of Money & YOU, Excellerated Business School for Entrepreneurs, Roger Hamilton’s Wealth Dynamics and Jay Abraham’s Strategic Business Building Weekend.

    I look very much forward to applying what I learnt from Harv in the coming weeks and months.

    Stay driven!
    Moonshi

  4. Hi Moonshi
    Glad you enjoyed the seminar. He did make it easy for everyone to understand. I believe he is successful because he specializes in “inner world principles for real world success.”

  5. Hi Vivienne

    Thank you for sharing the distinctions that you got from T Harv :) and all your previous posts.

    Looking forward to hear more from you!

    Cheers!

    Jacy

  6. It was a hell of a time for me on stage though with Alex Mandossian. Being grilled for nearly 20-mins in front of 2,000 people was an exhilarating and humbling experience.

  7. Hi Moonshi
    When you are at your most comfortable moment,it’s also the time that you are learning and growing fastest. We are always wiser after a tiring experience. I should be writing something on Alex Mandossian. The guy has a big heart, and not all internet guru has that gift . Well, I did attend at least 2 World Internet Summits to know the difference.

  8. Hi Vivienne,
    Thanks for summing up the 2 days of learning from Joe Roberts so succiently in your blog.

    Many businesses failed to expand because they failed to communicate. They failed to communicate because the had not first ‘sold’ the problems to their potential buyers.

    Without knowing they had a ‘problem’ , why would they want to buy. Thus, you had nailed it very well in your blog. Congratulations.

    I believe that with your keen focus and desire to help solve other people’s business and communication needs, you’ll soon take your business to new heights very soon.

    Once again, I want to congratulate you in advance.

    Cheers,
    Steve Chia

  9. Hi Vivienne,
    Good summary :)
    Agree also with opinion from Stanley on ‘soft’ selling… Anyway, as Harv and Joel Roberts mentioned:
    You can make a living if you let your customer to tell you their problems
    But,
    You can make a fortune if you make your customers to let you to tell them their problems..

    Cheers…
    Gita

  10. Great post- I talked about this in a post I wrote a while ago. I think its extremely important to give yourself a “line” when somebody asks you what you do instead of a title.

  11. This is a new learning for me. I lookforward to learn from you more on these subjects.
    Thanks Vivienne!

  12. Hi Erica
    The “elevator speech” is really useful. I’m fine-tuning my own introduction too.

    === ===
    Hi Solomon
    You’re most welcome. Sharing is learning more as Buckminster Fuller will say.

    === ===
    Hi MAT
    Thanks for the link love. I appreciate it.

    === ===
    Hi Promotional Card
    Practice make perfect! :)

    === ===
    Hi Ron
    That’s why “elevator line” is all the more important. Thanks for visiting.

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