The Sooner You Know the Truth the Better! Family/Friends are the Hard Sell!
I’ve been a writer forever, but have had my first published book for
over a year now. I also have this blog that I thoroughly enjoy. My goal
is to get my message to as many out there as I can,
to help, but also to eventually make it into a profitable blog, with
ads, sponsors etc. I’m writing every day and giving the best advice I
can which makes me feel good to share, thinking that I can help someone
for nothing by giving ways to be happy, save money, be wealthy and put a
few dollars in my pocket without hurting anyone else’s pocket is always
good.
The thing is, as easy as it sounds to do this, it isn’t and after many years and a few false starts, I’m not surprised. I have started businesses that crashed and burned as a young person. And the people who discouraged me the most were the people I knew the best. Why would your family and friends not support you? Aren’t they the first to cheer you on? The first to believe in your cause, your business, your ideas!
To a degree, they do, but I will tell you a secret. Here’s the thing. They have known you through all your ideas, all your life, all your mistakes and with that, their pre-conceived notions that they have of you.
Most of the time they think they know you well. I was warned many years ago when I tried to go into business for myself, that my best sales would not come from my family. I was introduced to this idea which I thought was ludicrous at the time.
I remember trying to get into a company that was part of the deregulation of long distance services years ago. Even though the plan was absolutely amazing with them even offering you a 1-800 line for free for joining, and the money saved to join them was absolutely incredible (they are still a company today), I could not even get my parents to switch from Bell. Not only that, when I called my brother to tell him how excited I was, he basically told me that I was naive and young for believing that I could sustain an income with my own business such as this. After a few months, I gave up and lost my small investment of $500. Although it would be a minimal loss today, it was huge amount of money for a family with only one income to lose at the time. I think I gave up before I even started because I felt no one would believe me.
Even when I was offering people savings and basically putting money back into their pocket, even when now I ask people to share my blog, there is always a resistance to it.
Why the resistance? Because they think you expect something from them without proving yourself. They may think you are too young or that you are being taken for a ride by others.They may think you are trying too hard to convince the people you know that your ideas are good. Some may be jealous, some may think you have not paid your dues. Some may just not want you to succeed. Who knows what they think that actually stops them from being supportive! But it is a proven fact that to sell your products or ideas, that family is the hardest sell!
So what do you do about it? Nothing. Wish them well and walk away. In this world of social media, take a moment to cater to the people who don’t have pre-conceived ideas about you. Who will want to hear what you are saying. It’s a lot easier and you will not suffer from disappointment if someone you don’t know won’t follow you, and a great deal of gratitude if you they trust you and do follow you.
Ever give advice to a loved one and then some outsider gives them the same idea and they do it. I believe it’s the same kind of phenomena.
Be the stranger with all the answers and great ideas. Be a teacher to someone you don’t know. Build your audience that way. Expand your circles and forget about trying to convince the people you already know. They will either come around in time or not. In either case you will feel that you have succeeded by your own merit.
Not to be mean, but people who sell $100 candles etc...were not included in this list. Your jobs are much harder since you need party after party that lead to exhausting your circles. And if its a decision between food or candles, I'm pretty sure the candles will suffer. And with this kind of sale, if you as a consumer say yes once, they expect you to say yes every week or month like it's a necessity, and unfortunately it gets old and people don't want to buy it anymore. Eventually, everyone wants to stop needless spending, so this usually end up meeting a sad ending.
For now I send a great big hug to my family and friends who do take the time to support me these days and to the audience who supports me daily.
For whatever the future has in store for me, I have always tried to put something out there that would be a great value to everyone without breaking the bank. I've always thought, if I won't buy it, why would anyone else?
For the people who are following me in this journey, I think of all of you every day and like to think we are like minded. And knowing there are people who want to learn and have better lives is awesome. Makes me feel good knowing I’m not giving advice to just myself and I hope you are reaping the benefits as well!
And if you are trying something like this. Don't get discouraged.
Mark Twain once wrote in Innocents Abroad!
"Yes, a journal that is incomplete isn't of much use, but a journal properly kept is worth a thousand dollars—when you've got it done."
Don't give up. Complete your journal, your projects, your new career path. Once you've got it done, it can bring many rewards and not just money!
***Please share this post***
Have a great day!
The thing is, as easy as it sounds to do this, it isn’t and after many years and a few false starts, I’m not surprised. I have started businesses that crashed and burned as a young person. And the people who discouraged me the most were the people I knew the best. Why would your family and friends not support you? Aren’t they the first to cheer you on? The first to believe in your cause, your business, your ideas!
To a degree, they do, but I will tell you a secret. Here’s the thing. They have known you through all your ideas, all your life, all your mistakes and with that, their pre-conceived notions that they have of you.
Most of the time they think they know you well. I was warned many years ago when I tried to go into business for myself, that my best sales would not come from my family. I was introduced to this idea which I thought was ludicrous at the time.
I remember trying to get into a company that was part of the deregulation of long distance services years ago. Even though the plan was absolutely amazing with them even offering you a 1-800 line for free for joining, and the money saved to join them was absolutely incredible (they are still a company today), I could not even get my parents to switch from Bell. Not only that, when I called my brother to tell him how excited I was, he basically told me that I was naive and young for believing that I could sustain an income with my own business such as this. After a few months, I gave up and lost my small investment of $500. Although it would be a minimal loss today, it was huge amount of money for a family with only one income to lose at the time. I think I gave up before I even started because I felt no one would believe me.
Even when I was offering people savings and basically putting money back into their pocket, even when now I ask people to share my blog, there is always a resistance to it.
Why the resistance? Because they think you expect something from them without proving yourself. They may think you are too young or that you are being taken for a ride by others.They may think you are trying too hard to convince the people you know that your ideas are good. Some may be jealous, some may think you have not paid your dues. Some may just not want you to succeed. Who knows what they think that actually stops them from being supportive! But it is a proven fact that to sell your products or ideas, that family is the hardest sell!
So what do you do about it? Nothing. Wish them well and walk away. In this world of social media, take a moment to cater to the people who don’t have pre-conceived ideas about you. Who will want to hear what you are saying. It’s a lot easier and you will not suffer from disappointment if someone you don’t know won’t follow you, and a great deal of gratitude if you they trust you and do follow you.
Ever give advice to a loved one and then some outsider gives them the same idea and they do it. I believe it’s the same kind of phenomena.
Be the stranger with all the answers and great ideas. Be a teacher to someone you don’t know. Build your audience that way. Expand your circles and forget about trying to convince the people you already know. They will either come around in time or not. In either case you will feel that you have succeeded by your own merit.
Not to be mean, but people who sell $100 candles etc...were not included in this list. Your jobs are much harder since you need party after party that lead to exhausting your circles. And if its a decision between food or candles, I'm pretty sure the candles will suffer. And with this kind of sale, if you as a consumer say yes once, they expect you to say yes every week or month like it's a necessity, and unfortunately it gets old and people don't want to buy it anymore. Eventually, everyone wants to stop needless spending, so this usually end up meeting a sad ending.
For now I send a great big hug to my family and friends who do take the time to support me these days and to the audience who supports me daily.
For whatever the future has in store for me, I have always tried to put something out there that would be a great value to everyone without breaking the bank. I've always thought, if I won't buy it, why would anyone else?
For the people who are following me in this journey, I think of all of you every day and like to think we are like minded. And knowing there are people who want to learn and have better lives is awesome. Makes me feel good knowing I’m not giving advice to just myself and I hope you are reaping the benefits as well!
And if you are trying something like this. Don't get discouraged.
Mark Twain once wrote in Innocents Abroad!
"Yes, a journal that is incomplete isn't of much use, but a journal properly kept is worth a thousand dollars—when you've got it done."
Don't give up. Complete your journal, your projects, your new career path. Once you've got it done, it can bring many rewards and not just money!
***Please share this post***
Have a great day!
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