American Heritage Dictionary says weird is ‘strikingly odd or unusual character; strange’.
Being an entrepreneur is pretty odd and unusual. Only a very small percentage of Americans are entrepreneurs – 11.3%. If you’re not in that 90%, you’re unusual. Ergo, weird.
Within the small entrepreneurial subculture, you’re doing “one of those things” versus a traditional business of your own, like a restaurant or an Internet company. That makes you double weird.
So why not go after weird people like yourself? People who think different, do different and talk different?
Given 300 million Americans, one percent is three million weirdos. That’s a good market, think?
Challenge: how will you ask for them so they hear your call? No you’re not crusading among the 95% regular people you know. You are calling weirdos – specifically your kind of weirdo. How do you do that?
I can’t wait to see what everyone else has to say on this one. I already have been quite proud to proclaim that I am not your average person. I would love to learn more how to find other people who think like I do and how to attract them into my sphere of influence. I have connected with many of them over the past year….but looking to expand.
“Do you think outside the box?” might be a good beginning…
Hi Sheri — “Do you think outside the box?”
Whose box are you referring to?
Readers: clarification, I didn’t mean to suggest ad copy like “calling all weirdos” since that’s not focused enough.
In my ad copy and discussion, I have a couple of specific ‘weirdo’ calls. Weirdo defined as a different sort of person from the great majority.
Can you see what they are?
That sure is a good question Kim! So even further clarification definitely would be needed as you pointed out. I can’t wait to see what everyone else has to add to this 🙂
Kim this is harder than I first thought.
All I have right now is the name of my website.
HealthyPetNut.com
I print t-shirts and bumper stickers with http://www.healthypetnut.com and a line about healthy pet food.
The average pet owner won’t give it any thought. The over the top pet lovers, like me, will be curious enough to ask questions and check it out.
I know this isn’t much, like I said this is hard. I’ll keep thinking and hopefully submit more. If not at least I know this is where I need to focus until it comes to me.
Robin
I haven’t given thought yet as to what to say to attract other ‘odd balls’ like myself, however, I did want to make a comment re: this subject because it’s near and dear to me.
In my early ‘green’ MLM days, I did NOT know I marched to a different drum. Not knowing this proved to be VERY frustrating because I could not, for the life of me, understand why everyone did not see what I saw. I expected they would and my upline fostered that believe even more by telling me everyone would jump on board.
When that did not happen, I wondered what was wrong with ME and what I was doing wrong.
Aftr years of this continuing to happen, no matter the company or product, I realized I was not doing anything wrong, I WAS just
different, marching to a different drum and that I had to seek others who likewise marched to a different drum.
What a HUGE relief that was for me to have discovered that about myself. It totally explained WHY people did not see what I saw etc.
It was at that point I no longer took a ‘no’ personally because I realized what was going on. This business became fun, finally because the ‘stress’ of turning ‘normies’ into ‘oddballs’ was gone. Simply find other odd balls 🙂
Kim, I think this is a MAJOR point to bring up and point out, esp. early in people’s MLM career so that they do not spend the years I spent wondering what was wrong.
Thank you for bringing this up. It will serve many people.
Blessings,
Cathy Wendte
Forgot to add that I heard (not sure if it’s true or not) that Bill Gates would NOT listen to any ideas from his creative staff unless/until it had been laughed at 3 times. Then it was good enough for him to hear! 🙂
I’d say we odd balls are in great company! Think?
oh and…off the top of my head, what comes to my mind re: an ad:
Do you march to a different drum? Are you mentally unemployable like me? Do you find that many people laugh at your ideas? Yes? You’re someone I might be seeking to partner up with in buisness. Call XXXX
Dear square peg… tired of trying to fit in a round hole?
(Hmmm… I was going to say I have a square hole opportunity but in the interest of not receiving a triple x rating I’m rethinking the whole hole analogy!) 🙂
But anyway, I have gone through life, and even 5 years of network marketing, feeling like I just didn’t fit. I’m very happy to have found the weirdest of the weird.
Edie Elting
Nussentials
Good ones, Cathy and Edie. And of course Robin has the Nut down pet, I mean, pat. 🙂 Since I don’t, sigh, I may have to narrow my search to:
Seeking healthnut wanna-be. Like me. Do you yearn for a turn to earn while you learn, too?
Scary, I know…
Dianne
Interesting and very true.
I’d like to be apart of that percentage increase. Its so small that I see the same weidos everywhere I go, lol.
Sheri, Kim – Greetings. And hello to the other commentators as well.
Wow,
all my years in this MLM business (nutrition and other healthy stuff)I have been thinking “I wish I could find more people like me”, ie passionate about their health and others too and willing to perservere when friends, family and strangers have said “no”. But I guess I really didn’t know just how “different” I am. So all I have to say is “Vive la difference”
Bobbie
Okay Kim I gave it a try. I tried to follow your examples and show how I’m weird. It’s still not easy and I still don’t have it down.
Was your favorite job working with animals but you couldn’t make a living doing it? Me too. I’m looking for a key person to help me introduce and market a line of healthy pet food to pet professionals and pet lovers. Must have $150-$200/mo for advertising the product and business using different venues for up to 6 months. Requires commitment of 6 months -10 hours minimum a week. This is a home based business, yours. If you’re passionate about pets, ready to make a difference in their health and are up to a challenge email me at robin@healthypetnut.com
Expanding on my own personal weirdness… (BTW, I’m not a junk-food junkie or anything — just can’t join the ranks of “I’ve always been a healthnut”, sigh.)
Do you truly care about nutrition even though yours isn’t optimal right now? Would you like to dramatically but easily improve your diet to prevent disease? Would you like to help others do that too? What if this home business cost $100-150 a month (including your own product) — still okay? Email Dianne at cartermags@aol.com – maybe we can be partners in simply creating better health…simply.
Dianne
It has been fun reading all the comments. Can’t say I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about it but, how about:
“Do you only shop against the walls of the grocery store. Are you contstantly in search of organic. Do you believe that although we eat good, what we eat may not be good. Do you believe that vitamin supplements are a necessity in today’s world? We may be birds of a feather. What if I could show you a way to be healthy and make some good money at the same time. Would you be interested? Email me at venettagr@yahoo.com and let’s see if we’re a good fit.
Cathy … I loved your “marches to the tune of a different drummer.” In most of Kim classes, though, she says to read your ad as if you’re the person on the other end. You know what you’re saying, and most everybody in NMC knows what your’re saying. Reading it from the other side, though, I can’t help but think you might get some calls from the people from the local ‘funny farm’ in your area.;o)
Venetta
http://www.venetta.myflpbiz.com
11.3% may seem like a small percentage, but it’s much higher than I would have guessed. Somewhere, I saw a number close to one percent. I guess there are entrepreneurs, and then there are entrepreneurs.
I have a recruiting website in which I use copy that attempts to do the same thing Kim did so well in her ad. I describe the service we market and why it’s a good home business, then I add this:
All of that said, this business is more than likely not for you. The truth is, most people looking for a business opportunity shouldn’t be. They are looking for easy. Easy and business just don’t go together. So if you are not willing or able to set aside at least 10 hours a week to work your business diligently and consistently with my help and support and that of a great team, I urge you to stop right here. I just don’t have an Easy Button for you.
Too long for an ad, but it works in a web site.
Love it, Bryant, especially the Easy Button — perfect!
Dianne