I spoke to the student chapter of the American Marketing Association at NC State several weeks ago. I spent a fair amount of time deciding what nuggets of wisdom I should attempt to impart. As the owner of a small marketing and advertising agency, I’m often approached by recent college graduates seeking jobs. I’m amazed at how few have learned (or been taught) the basics of selling yourself.

I put together a list of things that ANY person can use to improve their chances of success. Most are common sense, and they apply to all aspects of life, not just work. A reasonable number of these I learned the hard way, so if one of the ideas saves you from bonking your head on the wall, it will be worth it. Most of you probably already know, but it’s easy to forget the basics. So here is my short list of things that can help you succeed:

1) Marketing is sales. It doesn’t matter what your title is, if you expect to get anywhere in this world you are going to have to sell. You have to sell yourself to the interviewer, you have to sell your ideas to your boss, you have to sell your ideas to your peers, you have to sell your ideas to the client, you have to sell your significant other on seeing the movie you want rather than the movie they want. Don’t be afraid of sales, because it’s a normal part of business and life.

2) Don’t underestimate personal contact. I get 3 to 5 email inquiries from job seekers every month. I don’t have time to answer them, so they get ignored. Last year one (yes, that’s the number 1) person CALLED me. I spent 20 minutes talking to her, offering my insight and guidance. People still like the personal touch, and it makes a real difference.

3) Prepare. Don’t walk into a meeting and wing it. People will figure out quickly that you’re blowing a lot of warm air. Prepare what you want to accomplish; prepare what you want to say; prepare to achieve the outcome you seek. This is so basic that it’s easy to forget. And I have. I’ve got the bruises on my head to prove it.

4) Treat everybody with equal respect. Opportunity presents itself every day, but it might not look like you thought it would. Lack of respect for someone because they aren’t like you can have strong consequences. When you interview at my office you’ll wait for about ten minutes in the front lobby. You may not realize it, but the interview has already begun. You’re talking to my assistant, and how you treat and interact with her will tell me about your character.

5) Figure out what you want. Then find somebody who has it and learn from them. Don’t be afraid to ask others for assistance and input. Put your ego aside and listen to those who are where you want to be. This is another one where I have some bruises on my thick skull.

6) Don’t be afraid to fail. Every successful person I’ve ever met has failed. Most have failed multiple times. The reason they are successful is because they are willing to take a chance. When they fail, they learn from the experience. And then they try again. If your primary objective is to avoid failure, you’ll find that success avoids you.

I was impressed when I spoke to the students at State because they listened and seemed to appreciate these ideas. To me these thoughts are just old fashioned common sense. I believe a little more common sense in everyday life might benefit all of us.