When You are the Company: Self-Promotion for Entrepreneurs

by | Oct 1, 2008 | Entrepreneurs, Sales techniques, Self Promotion, Women in Business | 2 comments

It’s
one thing to sell a product or service for another company, but when
it’s YOUR product or service, it is downright scary. In this case, we
are especially vulnerable and uneasy putting ourselves in the spotlight
because the potential rejection is personal.

The best tip I can give about self-promotion is
to keep it personal. Don’t be afraid to give some personal information.
Connect with the reasons you love what you do. The more you tap into
the passion you have for your business, the easier it will be for you
to promote yourself.

Here are some tips to promote yourself effectively.

  1. Craft a personal, sincere, believable message about yourself and your business and be ready to talk about yourself 24/7.
  2. Include your background in the message to build credibility.
  3. Speak to your accomplishments.
  4. Talk about why you started  your business? What is your passion?
  5. Refer to what differentiates you from your competition.
  6. Do NOT rely on your website or brochure to do all the promotion. Keep it very personal.
  7. If you find the message doesn’t stick with your target audience, go back to Step #1.

2 Comments

  1. Evelyn Lim
    Evelyn Lim on October 1, 2008 at 8:33 pm

    I like the first tip on crafting a personal message about myself that is sincere. But wouldn’t being ready to talk about myself 24/7 come across as too self centered?

    My girlfriend who started her own business, would go on and on about herself and various parts of her business every time we meet. She was very enthusiastic and I was happy for her. But it went into overkill. After a while, I found it hard to listen to the conversations; I was just tuning out.

    Reply
  2. Bonnie Marcus
    Bonnie Marcus on October 2, 2008 at 11:43 am

    Evelyn

    Thank you so much for the comment and taking the time to read the blog.

    I agree with you that someone who constantly talks about themselves can be tedious.

    What I meant in the blog was that you should be PREPARED to speak about yourself when the opportunity arises so you aren’t caught off guard. I agree that you should not constantly talk just about yourself. Always keep it conversational and relevant to your audience. As in any relationship, it should not be one-sided but a dialogue.

    Reply

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