I Am Trying to Be Something I'm Really Not

[greggomatic76]

I'd like some other people's thoughts on something I have noticed and have thought about for quite some time now. As younger entrepreneurs I think we have the tenancy to try to appear more "legit" or "big" than we really are. We refer to ourselves with things like "President" and "CEO" for a website we run that has an Alexa rank of 5,000,000 and hasn't had a sale in weeks. I see that all the time on YE sites and it makes me wonder what board appointed them CEO. I am wondering if this is giving the wrong impression. Everyone I used tell about my businesses gets super excited about the fact that a student was doing it (the younger I was, the greater the enthusiasm) and I even saw orders from those people as a result. Not only that, but I think most of us don't really like to do business with big, faceless corporations...so are we making the right choice to try to sound "big"?

I think we could call this the "Lemonade Stand" effect. I see an adult on the side of the road selling Lemonade, i'm not gonna buy. I see a couple of cute kids out there jumping up and down with a big sign...I think my chances of dropping $.50 for watered down Kool-Ade go up dramatically. Adults like to see humble, ambitious kids.

I recently changed the signature on the email address I use to communicate with customers from "Owner, Company Name" to "Head _______ Guy" and saw the tone of the replies I got change immediately from "dealing with a corporation" to "dealing with a regular guy like me".

So, how do we find the balance between showing our true colors and who we really are (an inexperienced, yet ferociously ambitious youngster) and what we want our business to be (a trusted, established name with skills and experience behind it)? Or do we want to show a balance at all? Should we just show one side?

[Shadesz]

When you are working any job you represent that company. So you act accordingly.

If you are a technician you are "Technician, X company" not "X Company Technician Guy"

Or "Salesman, ZYX" not "ZYX Sales Guy"

Same thing with owner. Whether you have built tenure or not, act with what you represent... a company... if you are acting as a rep, title yourself that... if you are acting as the owner, title yourself that.

The company IS bigger than you. Do not feel bad that you are bigger than a normal person when you represent that company.

Just my .02

[RLorenzen]

It depends what business you're in and who your clients are. In my opinion, trying to sound like a "regular guy" is stupid. People don't want to do business with "regular guys", they want to do business with people that are successful and talented. Trying to convey yourself as small and average doesn't sound very successful, does it?

I've heard of people using smaller titles to make their companies look larger than they really are and that I can agree with, but taking a smaller title just to make yourself look smaller...well, that doesn't seem like it has much logic...it may make you look like you have low confidence or self-esteem. If you don't think enough of yourself to give credit where deserved and give yourself the big title then what could that say about how you do business? Just my thoughts on it.

[greggomatic76]

Great points Shadesz, just the feedback I was looking for. I'm not claiming I am right in an sense by the way, I'm usually wrong when I get excited about something

That is a great perspective, yeah, if a guy came up to me and said "I'm a AAA Plumbing Repair Guy", it would seem a bit odd and out of place...but could that be enough to break through the clutter and make your salesman standout from the rest and connect to the customers? The fact that they are able to get over their own titles and be normal people...i dunno.

I think you have a point that the company IS bigger than you. But people don't buy from companies...they buy from people. And if you ARE the company, I wonder if we may have an advantage.

Very interesting points though...I like your perspective.

[greggomatic76]

Good points RLorenzen...and agree. Do you think there is a way to sound like a regular guy and sound successful and talented at the same time? So people not only trust you as a person...but trust your abilities as well? I guess that is what I am trying to get at, would it be beneficial to find a balance?

[RLorenzen]

Good points RLorenzen...and agree. Do you think there is a way to sound like a regular guy and sound successful and talented at the same time? So people not only trust you as a person...but trust your abilities as well? I guess that is what I am trying to get at, would it be beneficial to find a balance?

I think you should have a certain amount of humility, but at the same time don't be afraid to have an ego and tell other people about your accomplishments and success. If you don't tell people about your achievements most likely they will never know.

[greggomatic76]

Hmmm, but if you have even a small measure of ego will telling them about your accomplishments do any good? (I guess with an ego thats all you really want to do anyways is let people know

[Shadesz]

So your question is how to remain professional/credible while giving a more personal touch? I think that is completely possible. However more achievable with some industries/niches than others.

First is the industry type. Lawyers need to shy away from informal terms. A business in a more casual industry (say a store in the mall) can use more casual/personal titles. What industry are you working in?

Second is your niche. Do you want to be a huge company that gives the same commodity every time. McDOnalds usually does that. (You do not buy mcDonalds because the personal touch, you buy it because you know what you will get.) OR do you want to be a more personal family style restaurant. If so you could get away with (and benefit from) a more personal feel, like casual titles.

Sounds like you have a market or are attracting customers that are looking for a formal/professional approach and you haven't found a way to pull off a more personal touch YET. Good questions to ask.

Is a personal touch appropriate (better word - doable) in your industry? To what degree? Which type of person do you want to attract? Do you need to change your lead generation materials to attract this type of person? Does your business consistently serve the same phsycographic model from lead generation, to sale, to service, to retention?

What industry/feel are you going for? Knowing that might help us help you better. Good luck!

Sorry if it was off base... but to me that seems like what you are really looking for.

[greggomatic76]

Shadesz, great questions...although, this topic isn't for me I found the balance in my main business years ago...now i'm just seeing what other people think about finding it in theirs and if people even think it is important at all. This topic keeps diverging to non-student business practices when we really are in a unique niche.

My main business is one (I hate to self-promo/plug my products) that is about having fun. My customers loved to tell me stories about using my product and how much fun they had. Well, here I was hoping people would tell me stories and I was hiding behind my facade of a title and not connecting with them. The moment I started to be another person like them that happened to be really good at creating the thing they enjoy, that's when we really started to connect and business took off.

I guess we're not going anywhere with this topic because people keep circling back to thinking this i a question about my business, so let me just lay out my belief on the firing range and let people have at it

In one sentence: I feel that many (if not all) student owned business could be much more successful if they weren't afraid of people finding out that they were students.

I won't back up the claim too much so I can just hear peoples opinions first.

[Shadesz]

Ahhhhhh I see and would agree.

To me, if someone knows that you are a student AND are building the business, they will instantly tag you as someone with ambition and zeal. Which is a good thing.

Of course you have to walk a fine line, knowing when to use the ambition mode, or when to use the experienced mode. People skills are key.

Anyone that knows me knows I am an open book. No hiding to "appear" professional from me. I just am. Bahahaha! Sorry.

Good question. How can a student leverage the fact that they are a student in a way that will give them business credibility?

Sorry if I hijacked... I am curious what other people think too.

[greggomatic76]

Hijack away my friend Its an interesting question...i hope people throw in their 2 cents...

[RLorenzen]

hmm...now I see. I don't really have a good answer though honestly, lol. I guess it's like this, if you're still a student and you run a business you can play your youth to your advantage. You're young, motivated, and have a lot of energy. You are also in touch with a younger generation that's ultimately going to lead the tech world so if you're in tech that's your major advantage there. I guess you want to play up the fact that you're young, very energetic and creative.

At the same time, act professional at all times and you will be treated as savvy professional.

I have a good example..or at least it seems like a good example right now. Look at the singer Taylor Swift. She loves to play up her youth in marketing her music and it's made her incredibly successful for her age. Now, most people that don't know her personally do not know that behind her youthful facade she is also an incredibly savvy music professional. She knows exactly what her demographic wants and she gives it to them. People who work with her behind the scenes do know this and she has credibility as a professional in the business because of it.

I may have went a little off topic here...

[TheBigIdea]

depends on the situation at hand.

[Dmoore323]

Well I think saying your the CEO or representing something bigger than it is relieves tension in the present or the now by creating confidence. It sort of embodies expecting more of yourself in the future in the sense. "All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence, then success is sure. " -Mark Twain

[greggomatic76]

Interesting point Dmoore323, and I dig the Twain quote. That is true, when we label ourselves as something with a shoes we don't fit into yet, it forces us to grow faster than we would have normally. I like that theory.