“Right now I have enough business.”

“I don’t have time to concentrate on this.”

“Why does anyone want to know what I think?”

Not my thoughts, theirs.

Last week I had to put my sales hat on and try to convince prospective clients, whom I might add, approached me, to accept my proposal and get started.

(Yes, in my world similar comments and observations aggregate in odd ways, as this post seems to expand on what I said here this past Tuesday.)

Let’s unpack the above quotes:

“Right now I have enough business” means I am myopic, not accepting the fact that something, expected or totally out of the blue, could happen to blow your market apart (in a bad way) and close down future business opportunities. Like a virus pandemic. Like a market downturn. Like a recession. I say, don’t get caught short and have to swim frantically to get back to shore. Always market yourself, good times and bad, because in troubled times you want to be remembered for the smart ideas your projected on LinkedIn and considered for business though your competitors are dog paddling..

“I don’t have time to concentrate on this” indicates you expect others to spend their time appreciating your attributes, but you don’t want to spend the energy and time to help them interpret your skills and experience the way you want to be noticed. Which is likely not the way they see you–dull, dated, drab, diluted. Stay busy and relevant, working your profile and posts, always tweaking your POV, so you are not stuck having to perform the arduous and time-consuming task of renovating the whole persona you show on LinkedIn.

And finally, the “Why does anyone want to know what I think?” mindset which worries me more than disturbs me. Why do you feel no one cares about your perspective? Probably because your posts and profile are so pedestrian as to be ignorable. Readers come to be impressed, not disappointed with little of value. If you do not portray yourself as worthy of being paid attention, forget about being paid for your services. The acid test is to ask yourself, would you buy from you, as shown on LinkedIn? No? Hmmm, that means it’s time to consider an overhaul of your self-image and self-expression.

Stop maligning yourself. Lose the negative thoughts that translate to a perception and image of you as not the right person. Market your brand: daily, in all you do, in all places you appear, in each touch others have with you. Especially LinkedIn.

Open your eyes wide. Stretch yourself and challenge the professional world with the unique “amazinger-ness” you offer the world.