Tips From Influencers

Today we’ll talk about shameless self-promotion. That’s right, I said it…shameless! After all, we are learning from Kim Kardashian here.

It comes in many forms and you can use different tactics to get your name out there. Look at politicians! Talk about self-promotion, and in some not so discreet ways, at that. But, seriously, consider some of the major superstars we all know; Madonna, Donald Trump, Howard Stern and Bill Clinton, just to name a few.

Self-Promotion

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. On the other hand, if you self-promote without really knowing what you’re talking about, you’re going to lose business.

3 Traits of Self Promoters

Natural self-promoters are the former and I want to tell you about the three major traits they possess and use to build credibility for themselves and their businesses:

Position

You need to position yourself around people who can make a difference in your life. Wake up every morning and ask yourself “Who can I meet 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.

Also consider:  Who can help me meet my goals?

Is it a prospective customer/client? A colleague with contacts? An association in a particular trade with key members who may become prospects?

Don’t settle into interacting with the people who are the easiest to access. Reach outside your comfort zone and there you will find a wealth of new connections that will bring you great success.

Style

No, this doesn’t mean you need a Hugo Boss suit to bring in more business (though, let’s be honest, depending on your industry, it might not hurt). What this really means is how you are 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. How can you present yourself in a more memorable way? There are lots of little subtle changes you can make. Reassess your:

  • Business cards
  • Company image
  • Your picture on offline and online media
  • Your message and its wording

Maybe even, your hairstyle (of course, now we’re back to the expensive suit, but it really works!). 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 “million dollar” message (30-sec elevator speech).

Repetition

You can’t say it once and leave it at that. Successful self-promoters say it as many times as they need until they get a response. Would you remember a commercial for Coca-Cola if you only saw it once? No! You see it over and over and eventually you head out to the store.

You, also, have to make multiple impressions on those you are networking with in order to build brand awareness. Repetition is in direct connection with positioning. Once you find people to network with, reach out and find hundreds more who can help in your success as well.

So, love them or hate them, celebrities have self-promotion down pat.  What can you do this week to improve your visibility and memorability?

If you’re interested in learning more from Coachfirm, contact us for your complimentary business consultation today!