Chelsea Clinton had her baby over the weekend. Charlotte Clinton Mezvinsky. I’ve read that her parents, past president Bill Clinton and possibly future president, Hillary Clinton are really excited to be grandparents and have been looking forward to this day for a long time. In past interviews they’ve both on separate occasions mentioned how excited it would be to have grandkids. All this way before Chelsea was pregnant. So you can only imagine what great excitement they felt when they heard that Chelsea was pregnant. And now that the baby is here so you know they must be over the moon.
Their joy at being grandparents makes me smile because it just goes to show that even people like the Clintons who have this high profile life, prestigious titles and great life experiences, they get excited about the same things like ‘regular folks’ do too.
It’s something we should remember when it comes to doing business, especially with people who you may feel intimated by because of ‘who they are’. It’s a reminder that your prospects are regular people too. Although their titles may be CEO, Founder, Owner, maybe even President of the United States they too love the idea of being grandparents or enjoy reading a good book or seeing their kids get married; whatever ‘normal’ thing you can think off.
Have you ever limited yourself from pursuing certain types of clients because you fear they wouldn’t think you were good enough, because they are who they are and you are who you are? If you have, then you’re holding yourself back from getting all the clients you really want.
Do you suffer from the ‘not enough syndrome’? Is it that you don’t know enough about Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, SEO or [fill in the blank]? Do you think if only you could master this one area you’d really start bringing in the clients? Whatever ‘not enough’ syndrome you’re suffering from, here’s something I’d like you consider; it’s not about what you know or even who you know. Your business success is all about who knows what you do.
So while marketing activities are important and being educated about marketing tactics is helpful, the biggest thing you can do to get more clients is to have a system that includes telling people what you do everyday. One of the fastest ways you can do that is through directly contacting prospects and referral sources.
But if direct contact conjures up images of being hung up on or getting no response to emails and calls, then fear of rejection, ridicule or embarrassment may be the underlining issue of your marketing. preventing you from getting all the clients you need. You may be afraid of feeling hurt, unloved, maybe unworthy, if people don’t want to do business with you. This is quite common among women entrepreneurs.
Here are four key principles to understand so you can increase your chances of getting more clients even if you have a fear of rejection.
1. Prospects are more than just their title.
Often your prospect is just a regular person like yourself. Although they may have a prominent title, they get excited too about grandkids (like the Clintons). They too worry about gaining weight, check the back of their clothes in the mirror, skip baths for a day or two when they’re on vacation. They love having family dinners, block other parent’s view as they take pictures of their child in the school play and even make cooing noises when they hold a baby. Whether you’re making a warm or cold call or sending a warm or cold email, just remember the person you’re reaching out to is a regular person just like you, no matter their title. Picture that person being human and take the action you know you need to take.
2. You have a gift and you rob people the chance of experience that when you hold back out of fear.
As Marianne Williamson says, “Your playing small does not serve the world.” Each time you do not share what you do, your unique gift of knowledge, skills and experience mixed with your desire to serve others, goes to waste. Your prospects misses out on the opportunity to have you help them but mostly you miss out on the opportunity to make a difference in someone life. You know how people say being an entrepreneur means taking risks? Well here’s an area that you have to risk. Moving past the fear. Risk it and see what rewards follow.
3. Remember what marketing really is.
As C.J. Hayden, author of Get Clients Now! says, “Marketing is telling people what you do… over and over. There are many ways of telling people – in person, by phone, in writing, on the web, through the media – but you do have to tell them. You can’t just wait for the phone to start ringing. You also have to tell them over and over. No one will remember you if they hear about you only once.” This is where you can really shine. Think about what results people experience when they work with you and tell people about it in a clear easy to remember way. do this every day, every chance you get. Better yet create a system that includes you telling people what you do everyday.
4. Take Action Any Way
Here’s an exercise I’d like you try:
- One way you can do to move past your fear of rejection is to acknowledge the fear and tell the worst case scenario out loud to someone you trust. Sometimes saying your fear out loud takes power away from it.
- After you’re done that, think of one direct action you will do that lets people know what you do. This could be calling people in your network, sending warm emails to prospect, networking, reaching out to referral sources, etc. Don’t hold back either. Think of the ‘Clintons’ in your group that you always wanted to contact but feared the rejection.
- For the next 30 days, do this one action, every day and see what powerful results you’ll generate
Will you feel scared? Yes
Will you experience rejection? Yes.
Will you experience your worst case scenario. Probably not.
Will you possibly land a new client or two this month? Absolutely!
One of my favorite quotes is by Marianne Williamson, author of ‘Return to Love’:
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world.”
Remember that quote when you find yourself letting the fear of rejection hold you back. Stop playing small because when you do, you deprive those you were meant to serve, of your talents skills and special gifts that makes you YOU, even regular old people like the Clintons.
