I hope that people can tell that I love what I do for a living just by the way I present myself – because I do. I get to work with an amazing group of people at PromoCorner that truly care about creating work that matters, work with great clients that have turned into friends, and be part of an industry has generously given me far more than I’ll ever be able to give back.
In my travels, I get asked a lot of “why” questions. Sometimes it’s why I loathe the proliferation of pumpkin spice products (just look at the pumpkin spice Spam and that should answer that question) while other times it’s why I favor a certain Pasadena, CA-based hard rock band with one of the best guitarists on the planet. Most of the time, however, I get asked about the things I do in the industry and why I approach it the way that I do:
- Why do you still write a blog every week?
- Why do you still speak at industry events like SPARK?
- After 165 episodes, why do you continue to record unScripted every week?
- Why are you burning so many calories trying to launch a new industry education event in PromoMBA?
- Why do you continue to mentor people in the industry?
- Why are you spending time volunteering as President of the Regional Association Council (RAC) Board?
The answer to all of the above questions is the same: because it’s important to me.
Many times, the above questions are followed up with some variation of, “you’re so busy – how do you find the time?” The answer, frankly, is almost exactly the same as the first one: if it’s important to me, I will find the time.
There’s not one person I know that’s not busy. Between work, family, social, and other obligations, every single person I know is jam-packed with things that make them busy. This is the reason I loathe the word itself because “busy” has become a crutch-word that people prefer to use instead of no because they (incorrectly) think that it’s a softer way of letting someone down.
It’s not.
We all know that busy is a euphemism for “it’s not important to me.” From my perspective – and, after all, this is Petrie’s Perspective – it’s far better to simply say no to a request and offer an alternative than to profess how busy you are. If someone only states they are too busy to do something, they are telling you it’s not important to them.
This goes for prospects and clients as well. You know the ones I’m talking about – the ones who tell you they are too busy to meet with you this week, too busy to look at your proposal today, or too busy to think about promotional products as part of a new product launch right now. These are also the same people that build false hope by asking you to contact them next week, next month, or at the beginning of the year only to brush you off again. In most cases next week, next month, or next year never really happens because they don’t see the importance and/or value in promotional products.
This is where you, Mr. and Mrs. Promotional Products salesperson, comes in. Have you shown them – not told them, but shown them – how valuable a properly decorated piece of promotional merchandise can not only enhance their project, but define it? Have you explained to them that promotional marketing is the only advertising medium where the recipient says, “thank you?” Have you thought beyond the simple tangible product and, instead, communicated the end-user experience from packaging to usage?
When a prospect’s words or actions tell you that promotional products aren’t important to them because they, “too busy” right now, it’s up to you to change that conversation. Don’t buy into the false hope of, “call me next week” when you know that next week is nothing but an apparition.
It’s time to realize people will only truly engage you when they realize how critically important promotional merchandise is to the achievement of their goals. Remember, just like you or me, they will only do things when it’s important to them.
Bill is president of PromoCorner, a digital marketing, media, and advertising agency, and has over 19 years working in executive leadership positions at leading promotional products distributorships. A featured speaker at numerous industry events, a serial creator of content marketing, president of the Regional Association Council (RAC) board, and PromoKitchen chef, Bill has extensive experience coaching sales teams, creating successful marketing campaigns, and developing branding that resonates with a target audience. He can be reached at bill@PromoCorner.com.