by Josita Dalli, Client PR Partner | Brand Culture
Do you ever feel uneasy when you need to think of ideas on how you can promote yourself or your brand/business? It can feel inauthentic when you say ‘here I am, buy this from me’. But things can be totally different.
Whether you feel uncomfortable promoting yourself or not, there are several ways on how to do so effectively. It’s not only the product or self-promotion that creates a connection with clients and your audience, but other instances such as referrals, feedback and story-telling can do the job nicely!
How should you promote yourself?
The first and crucial point in promotions is to be of service to your clients and/or prospects. In fact, being of service to an array of people can have a great return on investment. Because you don’t just work with your potential customers – you also potentially work with their family and friends. And word of mouth can be your best promotional tool.
It’s the connections made with people and the people that you service or help that will make them refer you to others. Nothing works better than referrals and people only refer helpful ones. Ask yourself – how can I be of service today? Give consultations based on your experience, offer reassurance and one-to-one communication that gives important added value to your client. As they say, the more you give, the more you’ll receive.
Asking for feedback is another important element in promotion. Coming up with a campaign and not analysing the Return on Investment is a waste of time. By gauging interest, people will then look into your mediums and show interest in the company/brand. A common way to gauge interest is to send a newsletter and ask people to subscribe for further information. Be open, ask for feedback. The more people see you and what you are up to, the bigger your promotion and presence.
Share stories! People are curious and everyone loves a good story. One that inspires or educates in some way is ideal. For example, following a website relaunch or an event launch, share the things learned – showcase the main things you did differently and the fears associated with such; and how you managed to overcome them it. Share stories generously, not expecting anything in return and the end results might surprise you.
Growing yourself or your business will come step by step. Back up from the idea of promoting yourself and rather put yourself out there in the most genuine way possible. You won’t be able to grow if you stand on the side lines, reading through newspapers and news portals, being scared to promote yourself. In fact remove the word ‘promote’ from your vocabulary and rather use ‘be of service to others’, ‘share stories’ and ‘ask for feedback’. And do it often.
Get in touch with us today if you would like to master the skill of promotion without promotion.
