The problem that many women have is that we get into cliques. Even after all these years out of high school. Even those of us who always considered ourselves outside the “in crowd.”
The problem with this as a business owner is that you are only talking to the same people all the time. And likely, these people think and act just like you. Worse yet, you don’t talk to anyone new at all because you are always busy, busy, busy. If you actually stop to listen to thoughts outside your own head, your world might fall apart. Yes, I get into this mode as well!
Sometimes I just want to eat chocolate and whine. And there’s a time for that. As long as you don’t make it all the time.
Since I expanded my Twitter world, I’ve started getting insights on all types of topics. Jeremiah Owyang, Senior Analyst at Forrester Research, tweeted the following in the last 24 hours (follow Jeremiah on Twitter):
- Most vendors don’t realize the most important thing to do in a briefing is to occasionally stop talking.
- Once you realize that the more you talk about your competitors, the more relevant you become. Guess what, Google search results prove that
Brilliant thoughts. Yes, I have heard this before, but it is good to be reminded of these basic sales truisms.
Two things I find myself constantly saying to my clients and students who complain that they don’t know what their target market wants:
“Ask them.”
And then I tell them: “Shut up and listen.”
Try it! And…I’m listening for your comments.
