“In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes.”
-Andy Warhol (or not)
People often ask me what the hardest part of leaving the corporate world and starting my own business was. It was learning to promote myself, which may come as a surprise. Granted, I should have been doing that in the corporate world, but that’s always been an area of weakness for me.
In the past, the old adage was to keep your head down and work hard. Today, that will get you nowhere. You need to work hard and let others know what you’re doing, in a positive way. How can you do that?
4 Ways To Earn Your ’15 Minutes’ In Business With Style & Grace
- Use social media to build your brand. Take advantage of social platforms’ tools, such as adding projects on LinkedIn and showcasing happy customers and successful projects on Facebook and Instagram. (Use platforms that your customers are on so you can tag them in relevant posts.) Prospects want to see and hear about work that you’ve done and happy customers are your best brand ambassadors.
Photos with faces get 38% more likes and 32% more comments on Instagram.*
- Give credit where credit is due. If you collaborate on a project, give credit to others who contributed. When adding projects on LinkedIn, you can tag multiple people as contributors. Colleagues, customers and business partners will appreciate the recognition.
- Be grateful. Remember to thank and recognize people who help you along the way. Whether someone acted as a sounding board, contributed to your business plan or came through in the clutch during a last minute project, let them know how much they are appreciated. Small gestures and kind words can go a long way.
Related: Stop Saying Thank You on Social Media & Say Something Meaningful!
- Let others tell your story. When you follow the first three suggestions, people will be happy to spread the word about your work. Most human beings enjoy helping others, especially when they view others as deserving. Make sure you’re deserving and continue the cycle by thanking those who take the time to promote your brand (and reciprocating when you can). You never know when a casual mention will turn into your big break.
Related: How to Self-Promote Without Being a Jerk (on my reading list!)
On the topic of humble self-promotion, I’m excited that the CCC portfolio page is live! Feel free to browse some of our work, and let us know if you would like to discuss a project. (Perhaps how to build your brand on social media?) 🙂
*Source: Georgia Institute of Technology & Yahoo Labs
Your reluctant self-promoter (and introverted business owner),
Jaime
Let’s chat (on self-promotion, building a brand or otherwise):
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