Happy holidays to everyone. I can’t tell you how many folks I’ve talked to over the past few weeks who said, “Boy, am I glad this year is over!” More than ever, people are wanting to move forward, take stock of themselves, and look to the future. It’s a a terrific time to “stock your shelves” with an inventory of your unique skills.

Almost every day of your business life, you are in a position to sell your experience and talents. You are constantly being sized up by people wondering what you can do for them. Decisions are always being made about your ability to help get a job done or solve a problem.

The more polished you are in your ability to communicate or demonstrate your talents and skills, the more opportunities are likely to come your way. So, in order to be prepared to sell, you need to stock your shelves and know your inventory.

For example:

• What makes you different?
• What unique skills do you have, naturally or learned?
• What kind of problems do you solve?
• What’s your special, personal brand?
• Why should people buy you or your products and services?
• What’s the net worth of your skills to a prospective client?

Here’s your skills inventory challenge:

1. Write down — in simple language that a high school student could understand — exactly what unique skills you possess and the problems you can solve. Make sure you have at least 10 items on your list.
2. Give them the “so what” test. Read aloud each one of your unique abilities to a friend, colleague, or family member, and ask them to say, “So what?” Then you must answer in a way that convinces them why that skillset or ability is unique. If they still don’t understand, make sure they keep asking, “So what?” until they do. This may feel uncomfortable at first, but the payoff can be invaluable.

This simple exercise will help you improve your ability to sell yourself in any situation. Please take the time out to do this soon. Don’t wait until you discover your skills inventory is out of stock.

Nobody likes going to a store with empty shelves.