Does Your B.S. Impact Your Success?

You bet it does! Creating your marketing mindset is critical, because it’s your mindset that determines the steps you take and the overall success of your marketing efforts.

I always recommend that before starting a project, marketers should check their B.S. (that’s “Belief System,” and not the other “b.s.”). Ask yourself whether your Belief System supports you or gets in your way?

Another aspect of your Belief System that you should always be aware of is your Self Talk. By Self Talk, I mean the nature of that little voice you constantly hear in the back of your head. Is it mostly optimistic and encouraging, or does it tend to be pessimistic and discouraging?

Together, your B.S. and your Self Talk can be two strong weapons you can use to overcome F.U.D. (that is, any sense of Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt you might harbor in your subconscious). Subtle but powerful, F.U.D. can keep you stuck-in-a-rut of inaction or “analysis paralysis.”

I’ve been a big believer in the power of your mindset for many years. In fact, my marketing mindset actually started for me at age 15, when I launched my first business. It was a painting company and you can probably imagine the challenges I faced, especially since I was earning minimum wage, living on my own in the “projects” where I paid $17 a month for government housing.

To this day I still remember my first customer lead—a prospect called asking for a quote to paint the interior of their home. I was so excited… whoo-hoo! There was only one little problem… I didn’t even own a paint brush!

So I went to the local paint store and asked for help from the manager. I said “if you help me, I’ll buy all my paint and supplies from you forever.” At first he was reluctant and didn’t take me seriously. I suppose I wasn’t the model businessman at age 15, with long hair and an army jacket. He went over to the shelf and opened a can of paint, dipped a new brush in it and started spackling me with paint.

“If you want to be a painter you have to look like one!” He gave me a clipboard, calculator, and instructions. I was set (or at least I thought I was).

I drove to the prospect’s house, walked up to the door, and just as I was about to knock that little voice in the back of my head said, “What are you doing? You don’t have the skills or experience… you aren’t old enough… smart enough…”

My Self Talk wasn’t helping much. But then another voice kicked in…

“What have you got to lose?” It said. “Go for it!”  So I did, and knocked on that door.
A man answered and we went through his house room by room, with him telling me what he wanted. My mind raced.

“Oh my god, what am I doing?” my Self Talk demanded, but I just kept writing his instructions down.  I told the man I’d have to go back to my office to prepare the quote and that I’d be back in 30 minutes (my office… right.)

I returned to the paint store and the manager actually helped me prepare the quote. Back to the prospect’s house I went. I walked up to the door again, and just as I was ready to knock that little voice said “just go home… forget about it!”

My F.U.D. was working overtime back then.

Something possessed my hand, and I knocked. The door opened and this time the man’s wife was home too. She took one look at me and stepped behind her husband. I handed him the quote and said “The total for the painting job is $1,025. I need 50% up front and 50% on completion.”

That was followed by the longest pause in my life. He looked at me, took a look at the quote, and said, “Do you have any experience?”

Being a street-smart kid, I replied “Here’s how it works. If you’re not 100% satisfied with the work performed, then you don’t pay!”

Then his wife said, “Honey, write the boy the check.” And he did!

I got to my car and sat there staring at this check for $525. That was more than I’d earned in a month… and I’d done it in about an hour.  I thought, “this is so cool! I’ve got to learn more about this marketing stuff and making money!”

By the end of the first year, I was making $35,000 with three crews with an average age 40 years old. This was in 1976 and that was a lot of money for a teenager!

The point of all this is that it’s not your circumstances, experience, market place, competition, or products that determine your overall marketing success… it’s your mindset! With the right Belief System, backed by optimistic and encouraging Self Talk, you too can overcome your F.U.D. and have the level of success you’ve always dreamed of… P.D.Q.