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Unless you're using every advantage of Personal Marketing , you're not achieving all of the potential success that is sitting there waiting for you to grab. Personal Marketing means that you're providing the right impression of your small business, right down to the smallest detail. If you want to be more successful in all your various endeavors- and especially in the case of a small business- you need to know the six "P's" of personal marketing. These are a set of concepts developed by business and entrepreneurship experts that give you the key to unlocking your potential.

PERSONA

Who are you? What is your small business all about? What kind of customer service do you provide? What are your business values? What are you proud of ? What makes you different from the competition ? These are questions potential customers and clients must answer for themselves in a short period of time. How they answer them depends not just on what you say or what kind of persona you have managed to convey to them. Your policies, atmosphere, customer service, integrity, and overall quality are all factors that you can usually control. Your business "personality" has to shine through , so don't waste time wondering if they'll like you. Simply be yourself and they will.

POSITIONING

Everyone knows you have to be at the right place at the right time and know the right people-right? While this is true to some extent, more important to realize is that you can put your business in the right place when the time is right and get to know all the right people. Positioning is how you do it- and this simply means you want to make sure you're always in the best position possible.

PACKAGING

Just like you make decisions about the products you buy based on their packaging, so do prospective customers and clients. They make a decision about your business as a whole by the atmosphere you put forward, the quality the packaging of your specific products implies, and the additional support, guarantees , and other peripheries that you offer. When it comes to personal marketing, packaging is a behind-the-scenes kind of preparation that's only really obvious if you don't do it, or if you don't do it right. If you've ever wondered how someone gets to be "the whole package" it's because they put the time and forethought into all the little things that many others overlook. Just a little attention to your own packaging can help you market yourself much more effectively.

PRESENTATION

Just as important as making sure you're "the whole package" is paying close attention to every aspect of your presentation. Again, this is a lot of little things that can add up to a big impression-and you always want to make a good one. It's an unfortunate reality in today's world that appearances do matter, and they play a large role in how prospective and current customers see you. Those who market themselves effectively know that how you present yourself is of the utmost importance, and it goes beyond just having a fancy exterior. Providing quality service, standing behind your products and services, presenting effective follow-up, and maintaining an overall professional and polite impression are all crucial elements of your presentation.

PROMOTION

Perhaps the most important element of personal marketing is promotion- shameless self-promotion. You know your business, including its strengths, what makes it stand above the rest, what makes it a good "deal" and what qualities you possess: it's absolutely crucial you convey this to potential customers.

PASSION

Last but certainly not least in the concepts that make up personal marketing is passion-for what you're doing, for who you are, and where you're going. Customers are looking to know you-so don't waste time trying to be something you're not. Instead, let your passion- your enthusiasm and energy for the job you're doing and the things you love-shine through and you're sure to meet with the kind of success you've always dreamed of.

Remember, the key to effective personal marketing is confidence. Don't be afraid to let others know what makes you great, and why you're the best choice there is.

©2005 Robert Moment