Marketing Me
The hardest part of marketing is pushing myself out on to the world. I am naturally shy and happy to hide behind numbers all day. Problem is when you are self-employed, you have to find someone else’s numbers to hide behind. If you limit yourself to your own numbers, your grocery shopping shall be limited to peanut butter crackers.
I now have to consider marketing to be a part of everything I do. Finding prospects. Introducing them to my services. Convincing the client that I can improve their business. Making these folks aware that I have helped them as promised and hopefully more. I must constantly find new ways to help them. And get them to share me with others. Everyone I meet could be my next hot lead. I can ill afford to be caught off guard or act a fool in public.
Awareness is the key to my future. I must make others aware of my offerings. I need to know how I am doing this as well as where and when. I must continually maintain this effort. Marketing is a constant and can fail in the instant you slacken from the task. I must believe in the importance of marketing me, therefore I must believe in me. Beliefs become behavior and I must behave well.
Now I should reflect upon my hospitality background. The professors taught service is paramount. Service means the guest is satisfied. Well now I deal with clients and they too must be satisfied. Every effort must be geared toward their satisfaction. Anything less is failure. I must know the client’s needs, anticipate them, and fulfill them. No matter how tired I may become in these pursuits I must find the energy to carry on and persevere.
Ultimately, the toughest client is me. I too must be satisfied. There is no room for failure. Losing the marketing war is not even a consideration.
My goal is not to be rich or live a Fatt Hao life. The goal is to satisfy each and every client and know I have done the best I can do when I lay my head down to sleep each night.
Changing subjects. Shifting gears.
A little proud of my daughter. She has become a volunteer at the Lighthouse of the Blind in Houston. Last night she went to the orientation and is preparing to help with an Outreach camp this summer. This camp helps High School graduates make the transition from school to University or the job market. Girl can still make me proud between bouts of scaring the hell out of me. 
May 1st, 2008 at 6:51 pm
Tell me about it..!! 8 yrs in business.. !! and still not getting the kinda crowd we want at our store.. !
May 1st, 2008 at 8:34 pm
ur daughter’s an angel! =)
the first step to success is realizing your needs and how to get there, now that u have..u’re on ur way!
actually i duno anything about marketing/business..but i learned from ur entry!
May 1st, 2008 at 9:39 pm
Marketing is mostly about pulling the wool over, or so most successful marketeers claim!
Hey, SA! Long time no seeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!
May 1st, 2008 at 11:01 pm
breaking the ice is not easy, but once u are used to it, then it become a piece of cake
Jerry, i did it and I am sure u can do it too….congrats to yur girl also!
May 1st, 2008 at 11:27 pm
your girl is growing up fast. she’ll be married off soon. lol. yes, i scared you a little more. :p
marketing? i am just a lazy oof. have been sitting on me bums for years, they’re now glued to my seat.
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:42 am
Gotta kow tow to the customers, too.
May 2nd, 2008 at 9:35 am
Celebrating your daughter’s achievements. Soon, we will be celebrating yours. Press on SA.
May 3rd, 2008 at 5:08 am
hehe i can understand…i m naturally a shy person too…
i think i would be facing the same probs as u if i had to ‘market’ myself one day…
but anyhowww…i think all of this would make you a better man in the long run no?no more being shyyy…then u can think of all the things to talk about if and when we meet!..LOL
have a nice weekend!
May 4th, 2008 at 10:07 am
Good to see that your life has been moving along at express speed! And that you have not forsaken your blogger frens!
Looking forward to scrabulous-ing with you again!
May 5th, 2008 at 2:48 am
SA!!!
Long time no seee!
Glad to have you back!
Thanks for your birthday wishes.
I feel sorry for my parents now that I have my own kid. hehe….. I’m proud of my son too but at times he really frustrates me. I have only to let him fall and pick himself up. No point keeping him under my protection.
May 5th, 2008 at 5:46 am
Hi SA!
I was so surprised to see a post appear in my RSS Reader from you 
Glad things are going well for you even if we don’t see much of you around 
May 6th, 2008 at 12:37 am
good luck buddy!
May 6th, 2008 at 11:33 am
Guess you’re also rediscovering yourself thru your new business… need extra confidence… remind yourself tat you can do it!
May 9th, 2008 at 12:13 am
Marketing is not my cuppa tea. But going to the market is my part time job. You are shy? Oh, pe.lea.se!
May 9th, 2008 at 3:58 am
Marketing is a skill in itself. However, some are born with it.
Proud of your lil princess too.
May 14th, 2008 at 6:39 am
SA!!! marketing now?!!
you can do this and so much more things!! Just keep on telling yourself ( i can do it! i can do it!! it helps!! ) 
So glad your girl is doing things, i would feel proud of her too.
Orientations are pretty popular back in the USA , right?! well, i have never heard before i went into Ritz Carlton hehe.
Hoping everything is more than well for you mi amigo! As for me, all in order.
Take care!!
PS: i know, long time no see!!! i want to blog again as often as before (or at least i will try) i miss contact with all of you pple and i have missed ya!!
HUGGGGSSSSS!!!!
May 23rd, 2008 at 6:10 am
Hi there, SA! Good to hear from you again!
Yep, gotta make them see the benefits of outsourcing their services to you, payback period, ROIs, less head count etc.
Knowing your customers’ nature of business would help tremendously in order to plan your strategized approach.
“Wealth, like happiness, is never attained when sought after directly. It comes as a by-product of providing a useful service.”
-Henry Ford
May 23rd, 2008 at 10:09 am
hey welcome back!! Miss having you around!!! I just came back from hols too!!!!! you sound seriusly so busy….don’t stress so much and just enjoy the journey!!! Cheers!!!
May 24th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
you is the okay, SA? long time no see. how’s the going?
May 25th, 2008 at 7:19 am
holy moly you are a busy bee, agree with Cara, you can do it and your daughter is a reflection of you….chin up….forward sail.
big hugs.
May 25th, 2008 at 5:03 pm
Hey bro! Wassup! Whats going on with ya? Marketing yourself, your daughter on her way to college? What’s next? Grandkids? Life is always interesting and never ending learning!
May 28th, 2008 at 9:15 pm
Hello again!
I’m back blogging, and after a long break it’s nice. Seems like I’m not the only one who’s had a break?!
Good to see you’re well and things are still challenging for you in life - wouldn’t want to have it all figured out too early would we?
Jake
May 29th, 2008 at 11:40 pm
Who is living a Fatt Hoa life eh?
Anyway, all the best for your business!
June 14th, 2008 at 4:42 am
no wonder i dont see u around much!
indeed i miss u around but you come first so all the best in your marketing plan. u just keep on at it!!! xoxoxo