Its is common to accept that some form of self promotion is required during our careers as professionals or in our business.
The levels to which we go to for this self-promotion may vary, and the amount to which we will self-promote may be different; but in business we know that if we hide our expertise away then we reduce the possibility of our skills being recognised but employers and customers that need us.
There are many different ways of self-promotion and some of these will suit some people better than others. One strong method of shameless self promotion is education which can take many forms.
Articles
Writing articles to promote you or your organisation is a readily accepted way of boosting your profile within the audience you select. Readers who recognise your skill and expertise may well be in contact with you, sign up for a newsletter or engage with you on social media platforms.
Articles written for most websites will enable these types of reaction from readers and chance of causing a reaction will be increased if you ensure that a small biography paragraph, contact details and link to a web page can be included.
Speaking engagements
Whilst some people may wish to avoid these engagements, speaking in front of an audience is another effective way to bring your expertise to the attention of an audience. If you lack confidence your speaking skills can be learned and practised.
When speaking you may receive some contacts from people at the event, but more importantly it is important for you to have a memorable way for people to find you on a directory of their choice. An effective way to ensure that they can do this is to make sure you can be found on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Google+ and preferably also have a website with an easy to remember domain name and an email address.
Social Media
Short bursts of expertise, or sharing relevant information from others is another powerful way to be listened to as an expert in your field. Learning to share information on any of the main Social Media platforms is easy, and you will probably already be organising the data that you read online anyway using a tool such as Google Reader.
The advantage of sharing on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Google+ in this way is that there is a built-in method for people to engage with you in further conversation and this is what makes it so effective.
You may wish to ensure that you keep your subject matter focussed on these platforms, and lightly sprinkle the subject matter with some personal references. This keeps it all professional and relevant to your audience.
So is it really shameless at all ?
If you are confident in your subject then your acts of shameless self-promotion will come easier for sure and for more guidance on this check out Nathan Hangen’s article on CopyBlogger in which he writes:
The reason that self-promotion works and self-adulation doesn’t is because self-promotion is the art of spreading ideas, concepts, and a greater vision. Self-adulation is just the promotion of accomplishments, deeds that have already been done.When you promote ideas, you give people something to cheer for. You give people a cause to support. People, in many ways, are selfish. They promote the things that make them feel good. Your accomplishments aren’t likely to make them feel good, but your ideas do.
It may help you to see that people appreciate your ideas and they need them, and that by sharing you are helping them; and of course you help yourself at the same time.
Your knowledge and expertise has a value and to make sure that value is recognised then sharing confidently and helpfully will educate others and achieve your goal of shameless self promotion.
The Author Phil Richards is a Business Development Manager with PaperLess Software Europe. A former independent LinkedIn trainer he shamelessly self-promotes at www.philrichards.biz.
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