Self promote but not in the annoying way!

I am sitting with my mom in the hospital waiting room (dad in back surgery – all turns out well), utilizing the “free time” to work and catch up when she asks, very meekly, “When you get to a stopping point, can you show me what you are working on?”  She goes on to say that I forget that I am her daughter and that she is proud of what I do and she would like a glimpse into my working world. Wow! Impactful reminder to me that we as women don’t toot our horn and advertise what great things we are accomplishing in our lives but first take a look on how promoting with marketing works.

We constantly keep our head down and do the work in front of us, while forgetting to include the support circles in our daily lives. So how can we promote ourselves, but not in an annoying, nasty way?

Here are some tips for self promotion, but not be an egomaniac:

1. When someone asks what you have been working on, actually tell them. Mention a success – even if it seems small. Examples might include: I just wrote my 25th blog, or booked a new prospect appointment or completed the latest RFP, etc.  If it is a team project, use the “we” for the overall success and break it down into who accomplished which tasks. Don’t just brush over the details.

2.  Push a big idea or philosophy instead of just an actual project accomplishment. Something like:  We are really starting to promote living an excellent life in all of our materials. What do you think? That displays your innovative thinking without the braggart tone.

3. Use social media effectively, but not overwhelmingly.  Don’t be a bragging mom (no pics of college acceptance letters or SAT scores, please!)  However, a quick post such as landed a new client or wrapped up a project is quite appropriate and encourages kudos from supporters.

4. Work hard and your diligence will pay off. Keep your own list of accomplishments to validate your efforts and keep you motivated. Nothing promotes like a job well done – makes the company look good and you as well.

Historically, our society has encouraged women to be the support behind achieving men (Mad Men, anyone?) As women have moved into the professional ranks, we are slowly changing this paradigm, but we must be the ones to advertise the shift. Men have no problem self promoting and networking, so we must adapt a few of their tricks and make them our own. After all, if you don’t toot your own horn, who will? 

Now is the time to talk about your results. Corporate attention calls for showing how you brought benefits and moved the company forward in some fashion.

As a woman, you may feel like you are boasting or being self-serving. This is not the case. In a virtual world, standing out with your best qualities is what it takes to gain attention.

Picking the Platforms to Promote Yourself
You know that you have qualities that deserve attention, whether you are an employee or an entrepreneur.

There are different ways you can promote yourself in a virtual world depending on your position.

Using a company newsletter can aid in self-promotion can result in corporate attention
Starting a blog to highlight your expertise can position you as an expert
Be mindful of the social media platforms you use as they require different strategies for promotion
LinkedIn is an excellent platform for networking from both a corporate and entrepreneur perspective, also for your company an outsourcing the payroll is the best finances for your business.
Depending on your audience and goals, you can also tap into Facebook, Instagram and TikTok
Be Sure to Add Value
While your goal is to gain corporate attention and self-promote, you don’t want to forget about the importance of value.

Offering value to others means that you:

Strive the solve problems
Answer questions
Make the lives of others feel easier
Offer expert advice and perspective
Help others achieve goals
Don’t Miss This Important Step
As you decide on the best platform for self-promotion, you cannot forget consistency as part of your strategy.

Why? Because in a digital world, there is a lot of noise. Think of it like this:

There are 7.5 million blogs published each day
350 million photos are uploaded to Facebook each day
500 hours of YouTube videos are uploaded every day
Being consistent in your content will help with self-promotion, as promoting yourself successfully takes time.

Get Help Promoting Yourself in a Digital World
Are you struggling with self-promotion in a digital landscape? Allow me to take the lead.

If you are a woman leader who is needing support in positioning for promotion, I’m here to help.

PS – I did share my work with my mom and she was very proud!

Our philosophy is to be excellent in both career and life.  addONE Marketing Solutions delivers experienced, marketing staffing solutions to fit any size project or budget.  Filling marketing staffing gaps or providing outsourced marketing departments makes us “the smartest addition you will ever make.” Atlanta-based and woman owned since 1998. Visit add1marketing.com for more information