What’s Your Talisman?
- May 9, 2011
- Posted by: Rochelle
- Category: Marketing + Selling, Niching
We all have one. An object that is deeply sentimental. That represents some essential part of you.
Ever thought of using it in your personal marketing?
Most professionals struggle with the right balance of the personal and professional that will distinguish them from the hordes doing similar work. But one small—yet potentially powerful—differentiator may be right in front of you.
Take a look around your home or office. Imagine you must run for your life—your family and pets are safe—and you can rescue only one thing. What would you choose?
Maybe the photo of you playing football when you were seven? Or the necklace you bought with your first paycheck? Perhaps your grandfather’s lure collection that he used while teaching you how to fish?
The picture above is mine. It’s a small oil painting of the harbor of La Rochelle, the French town where I was born. My parents brought it to the States and I’ve carried it with me through cross-town and cross-country moves. Home isn’t home until it is on the wall. Valuable? No. Sentimental? Priceless.
As always, I invite your comments here. But if you’re inspired to share a photo, do visit on Facebook and show us what matters most to you.
6 Comments
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Rochelle, I received a 1887 pure silver dollar for being the high saleskid many moons ago when my 3rd grade class sold magazine subscriptions as a fundraiser. I actually tried to give my subscriptions to less fortunate kid than myself. The school chastised me and said “In the future making sales may not be so easy for you. You learned the lesson of salesmanship and earned the silve dollar”. They were so right. To this day, I cherish that coin and get motivated because I made sales. Now my sales are helping people save money on their home and business expenses. I still need to hve the prize in front of me all the time. It’s my motivator. By the way, I should probably say I would save my wife and then her cats if there is fire; just in case she reads this. After all, the silver will melt and re-formed into a ring maybe?
I would be interested to know just HOW you weave that into your marketing narrative apart from on this blog entry!
Thanks
Richard
Great story Carl! It helps having that right in front of you as a visceral reminder of your success….
Hi Richard,
I think the answer is different for everyone because it depends on how it fits into your unique story. For example, Carl could build how he learned the value of money into his story and show how that motivates him to help others save. He might even show the silver dollar if he carries it around in his pocket.
In my own case, I use my foreign birth in my bio and sometimes as an illustrative story/theme with clients who are dealing with changing cultures or moving geographies.
My talisman is more my music and I doubt I can save the entire collection of LPs and CDs (and cassettes) but I save most of it to the computer. I’ve use lyrics and song and album titles or both in various posts and commentaries on a host of subjects. People I deal with appreciate my knowledge of the music I appreciate; I think they see in my commitment to my music how I am committed in my professional life; they see the enthusiasm I exhibit with music as something I approach my work with.
That’s an excellent example Corey. Sounds like you use music to demonstrate how you work AND let people engage more deeply. It’s part of who you are…