I am literally doing marketing for self for last more than a year now. It is a tough ballgame but like everybody I do it everyday with my own pace. I am a hard hitter and a silent fighter. I have done it earlier, I am doing it now and I am sure of doing it in future.
I have received few queries from my friends who want to start their own business. As I have travelled this lonely and rocky path for more than twenty-five years, it is my pleasure sharing few of them with my blogreaders. It may be good for all who believes in ideas.
After writing my first book, I am looking for speaking assignments, which I feel has its own charm.
I try to meet good people who understand what I have done; besides I always look for somebody who remains in charge of putting together the program for the meeting and hiring the speakers. But as a speaker I have to make that person aware of my services and have to stand out from the crowd of other speakers also vying for the opportunity. This is again a tough job especially when I am going to them with totally new and innovative ideas.
This process of communicating your ideas with this world is called marketing, which is the first requirement of any business endeavour and it has to happen before I ever utter a word from the platform.
I learned that organisations like speakers bureau (hardly available in India) has no interest in you until you’re so busy you do not need them, which means you are going to have to do your own marketing.
John Azzaro who works with speakers to boost career talks about three simple steps –
1. Build a compelling speech
2. Set a fee schedule, and
3. Develop marketing plan.
I did these long back and moved ahead.
Now I am always in search of a good agent or bureau to represent me so that I can sit back and wait for the phone to ring. It is a tough call.
I am ready for following assignments –
1. Keynote presentations (to open or close a large conference)
2. Concurrent sessions speakers (also called breakout sessions)
3. Seminar -= half day, Full Day, Multiple Day
- In-house
- Public Seminar
I learned a lot about preparing business plan from various books or websites, which should adhere to three steps
1. Describe your business
2. Who your market is
3. Major strategies to reach to market
But be cautious before making business plan, company vision, mission, objectives, strategies and plans should all be in a single page.
Jim Horan emphasise on one page business plan. I follow this.
Because of my personal experience, for starting business in any filed, there are few important steps, which we need to remember nine salient points.
1. Create passions and love – You must love what you do. You must create heartfelt passion for the job you plan to do. Feel great about your idea and work. A complete book can be written on passion. Passion needs to be understood.
2. Know more – Before you create passion, do not forget to acquire vision. Knowledge is precious to do anything. You must be critical to know about the technology, future and people. Your passion must follow then.
3. Have financial security – As doing business is tricky and no body is sure that how much time it is going to take, one must ensure that financially you are sound for at least 5-6 years. Normally any business endeavour may take around 3-4 years depending upon the greatness of the idea. Good business must take good time.
4. Do not copy – If at all you are trying to do something great, look for something different. Even if it pains, try to think for something different. Only new venture, new ideas and new business have the potential to grow big in 21st century.
5. Look for clients – Client is the most important aspect of business strategy. You can recruit employees, you can build infrastructure but you cannot make or search client in a day. So focus extensively to find the assignments.
6. Network do not work – In India, if you are growing from middle class or upper middle class family, exiting network do not work for your growth and success which you aspire for. These networks might work for maintaining your status but not beyond. The opportunity and resources, which are available, otherwise defeat the charm of existing network. It is time to look beyond.
7. Never rely on others – India is a typical country. At this juncture when many people are putting sincere efforts to earn money through good delivery and processes, while many like are just cheating people of their money. Always be aware!
8. Understand your high – Today invariably we underestimate our potential for successes. Because of this underestimation we are forced to live a frustrated life at the senior age. We must evaluate our potential correctly so that we can do things for which we are made for. I feel pity to find high calibre people doing trivial jobs. So be cautious.
9. Wait and watch – Getting good assignments and great jobs are not easy. Many a time, we are frustrated enough to accept the trivial task to kill time which is poisonous. But be judicious to accept assignments.
The process of creating your mark is tough and lengthy. You must be firmly travelling on the rocky path with confidence.
Technology is not only for technologist anymore. Technology is a universal tool has to be harnessed and enslaved by all aspiring people.
Move alone, move intelligently and move technically!!
