George Kao argues you shouldn't have to sell if you go where you're respected. Build credibility through consistent content and authentic networking so prospects already seek you out, turning sales pitches into brief clarifications instead.
One of the best pieces of career advice I ever heard was from a successful green business entrepreneur named Paul Hawken. He was talking to a group of job seekers. He said, go where you are respected. And I think that's true in business as well. If you ever find yourself in a conversation or in a relationship with a prospective client where you feel like you have to convince them about how good your business is, how worthwhile it is to work with you, I don't think that's the right dynamic. I don't think that's the optimal dynamic, and I think you can do better than that. Instead, build credibility through your content. Which is why I talk a lot about creating consistent content and do enough networking where you discover finally, oh, what type of person already is looking for my type of service, already respects the kind of thing that I do. And then through your content, maybe they look at your website, they see some of your videos or read some of your articles, they come to respect you, and by the time you're in a conversation with them about your services, you're no longer trying to convince them they're already mostly sold and they just need you to. They just need to experience you live in person in a conversation just for a little bit, or they need to ask you some questions to clarify a few things. So don't ever. I mean, this is true also in your copywriting for your marketing. Rather than trying to convince and persuade, instead uplift, educate, explain, clarify, connect. And that's true whether it's writing or whether in conversations. So that's the little message I have for you today when it comes to marketing and sales. Do everything you can to not have to convince or persuade, but instead create content, do authentic networking so that you know whom you should be talking with and so that by the time you talk with them, you're simply educating, uplifting, inspiring, helping and connecting. I hope this is helpful. Until the next video, I'm George Kao. Always open to your questions and your comments, and I wish you an enjoyable journey of building your authentic business.
