Marketing: Everyone Does It!

Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, LinkedIn ... you name it, social media is pervasive. What's it all about? MARKETING! Even if people use these tools simply to stay in touch with friends and relatives and to share pictures and videos, it is still a form of marketing and networking.

There is no way around it. If the word MARKETING makes you cringe and all you can envision is some eccentric guy off in the corner all giddy about the latest glossy brochure he just developed that will make the PERFECT direct-marketing mail piece ever designed since marketing was ever conceived, then you don't understand what marketing is all about. Simply put, it's about building and maintaining relationships.

Granted, these relationships differ (business, friendship, peers, family, etc.) but the main purpose is still the same - positioning yourself in another person's mind so that when the appropriate time comes, that other person will think about you.

So, for example, what if you knew only one person who knows that you are excited about boating? And say that a boating event (boat racing, boat shows, etc.) was going to be coming to your area and that person reads or hears about it. OK, you'd want that person to contact you and let you know about it - right? That's just one person, though.

Now what if 100 people know you're excited about boating? Isn't the likelihood that more than just one person will let you know about the event? Well, the more contact you maintain with those 100 people and the more often your passion for boating is mentioned, the more likely they are to let you know when related events pop up. Got it?

Of course, you don't want to monopolize every conversation with boating, boating, boating! Keep it up and you'll capsize the conversation at least and sink your relationships at worst. Make sure you share a genuine interest in other people and their passions and do the same for them as you would have them do for you - pass along relevant information that might spark their interest. Simple!

Now, I say all that to share with my readership that I am not just marketing to build a list of prospective tenants for my properties (although that is always nice!) or to build a list of hot real estate deals (who wouldn't want such a list?), or to attract an unlimited source of private money investors (who doesn't have this list?), but I'm now also marketing myself for hire. Due to downsizing, I was let go from my sales position with my former employer after six years of service. Yes, I was one of 24 people let go without notice - escorted out of the building without even a handshake or a "thank you for your service"!

So, if you'd like to talk with me about my particular situation, please give me a call! I'd really like to hear from you. Or, you can check my profile out on LinkedIn.

Anyway, I'm on a campaign to reinvent myself and seek out new challenges that will make use of my sales and marketing experience, my technical background in engineering, and yes, especially my management and negotiation skills developed over the years as a real estate investor and property manager (landlord).