Today we’ll talk about shameless self-promotion. That’s right, I said it! Shameless! And after all, there’s nothing wrong with it.
In a noisy world, self-promotion is almost a must! Self-promotion comes in many forms and you can use different tactics to get your name out there. You just want to do it in a way that reflects well upon you..you want to be discreet.
The truth of the matter is we all self promote. Did you raise your hand in class to show the teacher you knew the answer? Of course! That’s self-promotion. This is the kind of self-promotion we are talking about. With dignity, class and the knowledge to back it up. If you self-promote, and can’t really prove that you know what you’re talking about, you’re going to lose business.
I want to tell you about the three major strategies all really good self-promoters have and use to build themselves and their businesses.
- The first is position. You need to position yourself around people who can make a difference in your life. You need to do this frequently. You need to wake up every morning and ask yourself “Who can I meet or speak with today who will make a difference in my success?” In fact, go a step further, write it in big, bold letters and tape it on your bathroom mirror, steering wheel, or computer screen.
Also consider:
Who can help me meet my goals? Is it a prospective customer/client? A colleague with contacts? An organization with key members who may become prospects?
Don’t settle into interacting with the people who are the easiest to access. You need to reach outside your comfort zone and there you will find a wealth of new connections that will bring you great success.
- Now, let’s talk about Style. No, this doesn’t mean you need an Armani or Donna Karen suit to bring in more business (though, let’s be honest-it wouldn’t hurt) What this really means is how are you different from your competitors and others in your industry. What makes you memorable with customers? If you are meeting a lot of people and they don’t remember you once you leave the room, you have a serious problem! When you meet people, you need to take advantage of the opportunity and present yourself in a more memorable way.
There are lots of little subtle changes you can make. Reassess your:
- Business cards
- Company message
- Your personal “story”
- Your LinkedIn Profile
- Your picture
- Your give-a-way
You get the idea. There are lots of little ways you can work on making your image and business more successful. Also, consider how you sound on the phone and how you greet people at meetings or other events. Think about your 30-sec elevator speech.
- The third strategy is repetition, and quite frankly, this may be the most important. You can’t say it once and leave it at that. Successful self-promoters say it as many times as they need to until they get a response. Just think about how consumer products companies market their products. Would you remember a commercial for Coca-Cola if you only saw it once, no! You see it over and over and eventually when you’re at the store, you pick up a case. When it comes to YOU as a brand, your product is YOU.
Repetition is the mother of success! You, have to make multiple impressions on people in order to build brand awareness.
This week, do an assessment of your personal brand and up your game!
As always. have a great week.
Henry