September Extra Post

This month, I came across a podcast about business that was pretty interesting. It's a This American Life podcast called "It's Not the Product, It's the Person." I thought it fit perfectly with my senior project, because it's all about how selling yourself and your business is one of the most important parts of having a business - even more so than the actual product you are selling.

I've always known that marketing is a huge part of business, but before I started this whole project, I had no idea how important it was to be a people person. Whether you're just starting a small business, or you've owned one for years, a necessary skill to have is to be able to use your personality to grab potential customer's interest and pull their attention in. Perhaps you don't have to be good with people, but it seems like the more likable you are, the more successful your business will be.

For example, in this podcast, they open on a story about a little girl, Asia Newson, who has her own business. She walks down the street, approaches people, and pitches her whole idea on a daily basis. You would think this business tactic would be nothing special; plenty of kids go around trying to sell their various baked goods and creations. However, this girl has created a whole brand for herself. Asia uses her enthusiasm and friendliness to get people's attention and in turn, has a lot of success selling her products.

Asia Newson, 10-year old entrepreneur

On my own, I've been researching mostly about online marketing and using the Internet to get your business out there. But in this podcast, they focus more on the little things that make selling your business in person effective. It was helpful to hear the stories of various businesspeople and how they've gotten their businesses out there. It's all about interacting with others to communicate a whole business brand and message.