If you are like me, you are passionate about what you do and you like to have others into it too. For me, I am quite an advocate. I like talking about investing, entrepreneurship, passive income, internet marketing, empowerment, female power, organic living…you name it. If it’s something I believe in, and it’s changed my life in a positive way, I like to spread the word.

But, this approach isn’t the way to go when you are working to acquire new business. Although it’s important to communicate the benefits of your products and services, if you’re having to convince the client, to push, to manipulate with fancy sales technique, you don’t have the sale. And, you probably don’t want it even if you do finally “win” it. Here’s why:

The people you have to convince are the hardest to sell, the most expensive to service, and are the most likely to want a refund. You’ll work your tail off for them and then they won’t refer you to their friends. Or, worst still, they will refer their friends. Since the old adage “Birds of a feather flock together” often rings true, their friends are going to be like them– a pain in your balance sheet! Convincing just doesn’t pay and it isn’t the way business is done anymore.

Advertising and marketing have changed a lot in the last decade. People’s buying behavior has changed too. They concentrate on relationships even more and they don’t buy things that they don’t already know. When was the last time you bought a book or went to a movie with little idea of what you’d be getting? It was a long time ago for me. More to the point, when was the last time you paid more for a product because you knew and trusted the vendor? I did that yesterday, was happy to do it, and I would do it again today.

It’s not that I don’t buy new inventive products. When I do, it’s because I was educated about them first. The business owner took the time to be in the market, teaching me what their product was and what it does and how it works. Even though their idea was brand new, when I finally bought, my relationship with them was not.

I’m not saying I am immune to great sales technique. None of us are. I tend to study it and admire it. But it’s not why I buy. I don’t buy because some slick salesperson knew the right “close”. Sales technique shouldn’t get in your way, but the quality of the product and the relationship drives the sale, not the sales technique.

So, what does this mean to you? Get yourself out in the market ahead of your sales pitch! Give people ample opportunity to know you and learn about your product. Educate, communicate, give people a way to learn about you prior to even contacting you (your website’s a great tool for this). Get involved in your community so your reputation preceeds you. And protect and enrich that reputation with great service and honest dealings.

If you do these things, people will come to you and they will be great clients. When you approach them, they will already know you and will be glad to see you. They’ll be a raving fan that insist their friends should deal with only you. They will buy more often, in larger amounts, and be a breeze to service. They might even become your friend. They will already be convinced from the start because they had the opportunity to be convinced by the person whose opinion they respect the most–themselves.

When you finally embrace the power of the relationship, you’ll be out of the convincing business too.

Yep, that’s right. I am seeking a fiery woman to speak her mind on my blog. A woman other less enlightened people would call uppity, or strong minded, or maybe even downright stubborn. If this is YOU, dear sister, then know that you are invited and truly welcome here.

You see,  I tend to be a modulator, a moderator, a peacemaker/keeper. Been one all my life, actually. I have sometimes behaved in slightly anti-social ways–being a self-employed entrepreneur is slightly anti-societal–but I can also be observed following rules, mediating…some would say leading a bit of a boring life. I like who I am, but it doesn’t always start a good discussion.

So,  I decided to embrace my true self, admit my “can’t we all just get along?” attitude and find someone else besides me that could do a better job at stirring things up. I know you are out there.

I’m not looking for vulgarity but rather passion of thought. You can write about just about anything women care about. Some suggestions might be sexism, discrimination, ageism, marriage, divorce, society’s beauty standard, the battle of the sexes….it’s wide open.  I need it to be radical and thought provoking so others will flock  to our great community here and engage. I’d even consider using a male author with the right approach. Controversy is encouraged.

So, is that fiery woman you? If it is, contact me.  I will set you up as a guest author on my site and you can have your way with the topic of your choice.

And, thanks, in advance. I am grateful for those who speak out and stand up.  I admire you.

Together, we are stronger.
Vicki Flaugher,  the original SmartWoman

Qassia is this great encyclopedic website where you can post “intel” for free and get backlinks to your website, advertising credit, and advertising revenue. It’s in private beta-version now so you can only join through invitation so here’s the link
Qassia Private Invitation Link

You add info–not just egghead stuff, but normal stuff–and you get points for it. You get points for posting intel (if it’s original & never published, you get the most). You get points for reviewing and rating other people’s intel. You get points for referrals.

Unlike Wikipedia, your stuff won’t get edited but the users rate it. You can write in any voice or style you want. It can be something as simple as the great neighborhood bars in Soho to a thesis on evolution. Whatever floats your boat!

The points are rewarded in ”Qassia dollars” that determine your ranking on their pages. More networth, more visibility. They are also tossing around the idea that you might get to spend your virtual dollars on other stuff, but that’s not decided yet.

Also, they will pay you 100%  of the revenue from the Adsense ads that people click through while they are on your intel page. So, if you have good stuff that people like reading (and more of it), the likelihood of people clicking on relevant ads goes up. That could mean cha-ching in your bank account!

I have added 16 articles about search engine optimization and internet marketing. If nothing else, go read my articles. If the site looks interesting to you, sign up. Why not, right?

Qassia’s goal is to bloom into a vast intelligence engine, with content that real people, like you and me, create. The community does not encourage pitching, so don’t do it–you will be smacked down for that, but I have had many people visit my blog and email me from the articles I’ve posted.

If you provide real value and service, you will be rewarded. Here’s the link again:
Qassia Private Invitation Link

See what you think!

Together, we are stronger.
Vicki Flaugher, the original SmartWoman

p.s. If you sign up, BE SURE to validate your account through the confirmation email you will receive, otherwise you won’t be properly signed up.

I sometimes get teased for my moniker, but I like it, so I use it. I wrote a manifesto some years ago to sum up my view. I felt I should republish it here to renew the message.

(The picture to the side is by Joyce Roe Flaugher, the original Mom of the original SmartWoman. Isn’t that cool?)

SmartWoman Manifesto

“A Smart Woman uses her entire toolbox of experiences, talents, feelings, logic, intuition, education, and yes, even her mistakes, to live her life authentically engaged. She takes the time to care for herself, evaluate what she really thinks and feels, and acts and reacts from a place of patient love, energized compassion, and balanced accountability. Choices are opportunities and she welcomes them. Opportunity leads to her future and she faces that future with a ready and willing heart and a nimble and open mind.

A Smart Woman respects others’ points of view while still making her own choices. She gives generously to others while nurturing herself. She knows the value of boundaries and is skillful in using them to build stronger relationships. She speaks up when she needs to and she knows how and when to supportively listen as she keeps her vision of peace and tolerance in sight. She knows when to walk away, wishing luck and best wishes to those who are on another path. She knows and values her true worth.

Adaptable, caring, capable, and clever, a Smart Woman embraces life and triumphantly whoops and hollers her way to joy. She claims her power and her divine birthright, as each of us do, in a myriad of infinitely beautiful and unique ways, creating a fulfilling life as a Smart Woman. She’s not out to prove anything to anybody. She is here to learn, live, love, laugh, and contribute.

I believe we all have a lot to share, to communicate, to witness, and to celebrate. I would feel honored and thrilled to know you are by my side. So, what do you think? Are you ready to explore? I hope so, because today, I am making firm plans and those plans include you. I am a Smart Woman with firm plans. Are you?”

Side note: If you google “smart woman” you see there are lots of others who are in solidarity. I have tried logging on to enough websites where the username “smartwoman” is already taken, so I must be on to something…

Together, we are stronger.
Vicki Flaugher, the  original SmartWoman

p.s. I promised in my weekend post to solidify “what I call what I do”. Here’s my first draft: “I empower female entrepreneurs by providing services and products that help facilitate their success.”

Not sure it’s a keeper, but what about you? What do you call what you do?  Do share!

Do you like to watch? I do!

If you want to watch over the shoulder of two great marketers who make money online from blogging, here’s your chance.

Monday May 19th launches a cool blog contest between John Cow and Garry Conn and you can take part in it for free.

It’s a great promotional stunt and the proceeds for the winner (at least on John Cow’s side–not sure about Garry Conn) have been pledged to charity. These two guys probably drink beer together as friends, so I can’t tell you they are mortal enemies competing. Truth is, they might be, but I can’t say. Does it really matter? Personally I signed up for both of their information so I could learn from both teams.

It costs you nothing to watch over their shoulders as they launch new blogs and build them into revenue streams. You can emulate what they do for your blog and enjoy the fruits for yourself. They are also offering free prizes (lots of cool software, promo sponsor spots, etc.) for you helping them promote it.

If you have an interest in doing this, go for it.  I am! I think it will be fun. We can discuss the things we learn here as they go along.

Just in case you are not ready to pick sides yet, here are both of their websites. Both are offering phenomenal classroom training for free showing you what they are doing. Enjoy!

John Cow’s website: http://www.johncow.com/competition

Garry Conn’s website: http://www.garryconn.com/cowpetition

Together, we are stronger.
Vicki Flaugher, the original SmartWoman

p.s. YES, I am trying to get SmartWoman more exposure by posting this contest info. I firmly believe more women need to learn about our community here, so I am not ashamed. It seems a harmless thing to promote a contest that I am participating in if it means more women come visit here. Are you ok with that? I hope so. If not, let me know and I will delete this post. This is your community and your opinion and vote counts.