How To Succeed In Biz As An Introvert

I've written on this subject before, but today, I learned another valuable lesson.

Every introvert who wants to succeed in marketing herself and her biz needs an extrovert on her side.

Mine's Steph Davy of Learning Ladder. We've known each other for about 6 months now, mostly with me buying books off her for my kids and as birthday gifts. Recently, she became a Miessence customer and I was so thrilled, especially as she loved the products enough to say so on FB.

Disillusioned by my meagre 'like' numbers on FB, I put out a general call for help yesterday and today added 11 new likers, most sent by Steph. I think her friends alone accounted for 8 of those likes.

Such is the power of leverage.

Will have to do more work to find out how to apply this latest revelation.

Am I Wasting My Time Being A Writer?

If something I desire does not flow to me naturally, does that mean I am not meant to have it?

And if so, does that mean pursuing it would be a waste of time and energy and I should instead be focusing on what I naturally do well?

This thread came out of a long Skype conversation I had with my uncle yesterday.

He observed that while my passion lay in writing, I do not seem to be profiting financially from it, because marketing is not my strength. I may need to team up with someone who is a natural at marketing.

Point taken.

Guess it all depends on how I want to measure my success.

If being a successful writer means being a well-fed one, then I am definitely in the category of the starving artiste who needs a regular day job to pay the bills. Ouch.

But if being a successful writer means doing what I love, being happy and fulfilled because of it, and enjoying the occasional affirmation from a grateful reader, then regardless of how many zeroes there are in my bank balance, I guess I am a successful writer.

Things I Need To Think About, Even Though I Would Rather Not

Had an interesting chat over Skype with an uncle today.

Lots to think about:

• Pros and cons of converting PPOR to IP
• Setting up family trust
• Gary Chapman's The 5 Love Languages (what are mine? what are my mum's? what are my children's?)
• What is my natural preference in relation to wealth dynamics - am I an ideas person? A connector/deal maker? A trader? A systems person?
• As an introvert, what am I marketing: myself? the products? What is important to me: building relationships and gaining trust, or selling to anyone who will buy?
  

Forcing The Introvert To Converse

I have just made a commitment to run a market stall on the first Sat of each month between Aug and Dec.

The aims:

• to promote my ONE Group business and products
• to have an excuse to talk with people about their needs and wants and see if my product and/or biz opp is the solution to their problem
• to get to know the other stall holders esp. those who are not HXUCA attendees, and look for opportunities to win them for Christ.

By Christmas, I will have a very good idea if markets are a boon or bane to my biz, and whether I should persist with this biz at all or just relegate it to hobby status.

The Problem with Tithing

⁸ "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me.
"But you ask, 'How do we rob you?'
"In tithes and offerings.
⁹ You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me.
¹⁰ Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.
¹¹ I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty.
¹² "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the LORD Almighty.

Malachi 3:8-12

This is a subject that makes me squirm - and rightly so.

The Bible makes it clear that God will provide all our needs. We are not to worry about tomorrow, what we shall eat or what we shall wear. We are instead to seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto us. In other words, if we honor God and stay busy about His business, He will surely provide for our physical and material needs as well.

I have no excuse for why I often pass on the invitation to give an offering. Either I am not present (at Sunday School next door), or I fail to get my money out in time to put in the offering bag.

Last Sunday's message from Pastor Paul was very direct on this subject. We are to give as cheerful givers from what little or much we have. Ref: the widow's mite.

So starting from this month, CA and I have set up a direct debit with the church so that $x goes straight to the church every fortnight on payday. And as our ability grows, we hope our giving will likewise do.

Help Thou mine unbelief Lord. Help me to truly, wholly and completely trust You for all things, the seen and unseen, the material and spiritual, things I need and things I desire. Keep covetousness and discontent from me, and let me give thanks for all things each day. Amen.

Self-evaluation at the halfway mark

I am feeling restless again.

I feel like I am not living up to my fullest potential.

I need to write, coach and mentor full-time, or as fully as possible around my family and church commitments. But it's not happening.

Whichever way I do it, I run into the Scylla and Charybdis of sales and marketing.

Question 1: What do I best love doing? Answer as above.

Question 2: How do I make it profitable enough to be a regular, reasonable stream of income?

Question 3: Why would someone come to me for their writing or coaching needs when there are so many more competent, confident and experienced pros out there?

I'm stuck at 2 and 3. And I never seem to find a way around it.

I know the importance of sales and marketing, the need to be upfront about my business and my abilities.

But I can't translate it into something viable and long-term.

I've got SBI at work on my careers site and SiteSell Services for my supplements site. The numbers are nowhere near what is needed for good solid traffic. And I've yet to make a single online sale.

I need someone to look at my sites and tell me what I'm doing wrong and what I need to do to get back on track.

For my ONE Group organics biz, I love the products but struggle with talking about them. I need to know what are the best channels of marketing. My hubby doesn't support markets; he thinks they are a poor investment for 4 hours and $20. Especially as he then has to ferry B to music class and take J along. Lots of the mums on FB who are WAHPs and WAHMs do markets, particularly for handmade things like clothing and accessories. I haven't seen anyone else do organics yet at our monthly market so I haven't anything to gauge against.

I'm on FB everyday studying what the more active WAHPs do and learning from them. Shoutouts. Referrals. Article writing. Self-promotion. When I'm not feeling up to it, all this social networking feels so shallow. Who am I kidding with my 64 likes? What difference am I making in the world? Who should I be marketing to? People who love organics? People who are interested in their health? Parents?

I guess I have to try everything to see what works best don't I?

With coaching, the same issues come up. I'm not a certified coach (though I know I don't have to be), and I don't know how to bring in paying clients. Why would someone come to me for advice? What do I know that's so amazing that others can't provide?

I need direction and wisdom God. I can't do this alone. Please show me the way you want me to go, the way you want me to live. Help me do what is right and needful and avoid what is trivial, time-wasting and does not serve your purposes. Help me live fully in the joy of what you have already provided and blessed me with. Amen.

Wedding Anniversary (12 July 1997)

13 years ago today, I said "I do" to CA.

Has it been that long? Sure doesn't feel that way.

To God who gave us the faith, courage and strength to take that huge step and who has sustained in us an attitude of love, mutual encouragement and gratitude, all thanks and praise.

I couldn't have done it without You.

Don Moen (Praise & Worship Leader)

Hands up how many have heard of Don Moen.

DM is one of the most inspiring worship leaders of the '90s. For me anyway. I still have his God Will Make A Way and Hallelujah To The Lamb CDs. I like his non-showy demeanour, his old-world dressing, and how he avoids drawing attention to himself but instead deflects all praise and glory to the Creator.

Recently, I discovered DM on Facebook. Whoa! Of course I 'liked' him right away.

Here's what he had to say that really spoke to me:

Take a second to invite the Lord into everything that's going on. Yes, He's there already, but invite Him to be Lord in the midst.

He makes all things new. Moment to moment we have a new start and another chance to make Him Lord of that very instant, whatever is going on, and regardless of how many times we choose to take it into our own hands. Praise Him for it!

I decided to take his advice. Just before going into Beth's room to remind her that it was time for her bath, and knowing that there was a 99% probability of her protesting vigorously and even being rude about it, I prayed and asked God to take charge. The simplest of prayers. No me interposing my idea of what I would like to happen and any number of variables. I simply asked.

And boy, did He answer.

I knocked on Beth's door. She responded in a reasonably polite manner, and I discovered to my pleasant surprise that she was sketching the Sphinx. When I reminded her it was time to bathe, she did not protest. In fact, we were able to have a friendly chat and she dutifully went off to the bathroom.

And after that - get this - she sat down at the keyboard to practise.

With a cheerful attitude!

There is nothing more to be said, except Praise God.