As women, we often shun self-promotion. We're taught to value being humble,
supportive and polite. We all know people who shamelessly self-promote and
invoke widespread eye rolling. We fear that, so we stay safely in the shadows
and wait for the attention to come to us.
But here's the problem with that logic: Your competitors are delighted to
take the public spotlight that you shun. So while you're waiting to get noticed
for your company’s good work, you're creating an opportunity for someone else.
I've spent most of my career working in PR and the last 10 years running my
own firm. I believe in the power of positive promotion because I've seen it
transform companies. I've also cleaned up after PR programs that didn't do so
well. The trick is to promote yourself gracefully. The best self-promotion will
appear to have happened without you. Here are the secrets:
Educate. Don't plug.
You've met people who plug their business before you finish shaking their hand.
But smart promoters know that it's far better to educate about a relevant topic
instead. This works just as well for cocktail parties as it does for media
interviews. Develop interesting pieces of advice or anecdotes you can use when
you meet people. If you have smart things to say, people will take the
initiative to ask for your card or visit your site for more information.
Pick and choose your venues.
Bad self-promotion leads to the groan of "she's everywhere." You'll get the same
response--with a much different tone--if promotion is done well. The difference
is in the venues. Pick places to advertise, contribute articles, do interviews
and speak that are highly relevant to your customer base or industry. If your
mother isn't buying your products, forget about impressing her with your picture
in the local newspaper.
Use the illusion of third parties to promote for you.
Here's a dirty little secret: Nearly every award, media story or speaking
engagement has some element of PR to it. However, the appearance is that someone
thought so highly of you, they spontaneously recognized you for your work.
That's why using third parties is ideal--it creates promotion that appears to
come from others. If you're more comfortable with promotion that comes from a
third party, spend your time identifying and pursuing awards and speaking and
media opportunities to turn promotion into accolades.
Be an excellent spokesperson.
As your own corporate representative, your image directly reflects on your
business. If you're polished, interesting, energetic and knowledgeable, those
same traits will be attributed to your company. Luckily, this is something that
can be 100 percent learned. Ask trusted advisors who've seen you in action for
an unbiased assessment of your skills as a spokesperson. Where there are
deficits, get help.
Unless it's required, leave your photo out of it.
Nothing causes more groaning than seeing someone's picture plastered everywhere.
It's fine to use it where it's standard practice--such as on a column you write
or on your bio; otherwise, leave it out. This means not putting it on your home
page, advertisements or direct mailings. You may think it helps people get to
know your company or that being attractive is good for your business, but trust
me, it looks amateurish. Remember, Steve Jobs sold a lot of iPods without
putting his face on the ads.
Work on your company's total image.
Every image that a customer encounters creates an impression, from meeting you
to speaking to your receptionist to navigating your website. Do an audit and
make sure everything sends the right message. If one part of your company's
image still needs major work, fix it before you start the promotional effort.
It's said a lot because it's true: You only get one chance to make a first
impression.
I've found that the best self-promoters are confident. People sense that and
follow their lead. They believe what they're doing is right for their business
and work on it as they would any other part of their job. Women entrepreneurs
need to get out from behind their businesses and take the spotlight. If they
don't, someone else will.