Don’t BRAG!

That’s how we all grew up – our parents, teachers, friends, all told us not to BRAG.  It’s unlady-like, annoying, self-centered and an egotistical way to be.

And although true, as business owners (thought leaders and speakers especially) we must become comfortable with communicating our expertise.

Our businesses, and our livelihood, depend on mastering the art of self-promotion without alienation of the listeners.

Today we’re going to explore the key components to finding a balance and show you how to effectively promote yourself without bragging!

Self-Promotion

Self-promotion can be uncomfortable – especially when you first start.

We often don’t know what to say or how to say it in a way that’s not off-putting or sound like ME ME ME – it’s all about ME! 

Our intention is to simply set ourselves apart as an expert or a thought leader but often through poor communication skills or lack of planning it might sound a bit self-serving and annoying.

Let’s turn that around and craft a few snippets to help you self-promote in a comfortable, natural, and compelling way.

Step 1 - Make a List

Grab a blank sheet of paper and just throw caution to the wind –

Without filtering what comes to mind or judging yourself, write down what makes you unique, what makes you interesting, stories of your accomplishments, your strengths, your skills.  List your hobbies, interests, trainings, certifications, education, maybe obstacles you’ve overcome.  Then list at least 10 words that describe you.  What you like/love about yourself.  What others say about you. 

In order to help you out with this whole process, we’ve also got a great resource for you – we created a downloadable workbook, so just use the link below, download it and print it out. 

Step 2 - Get Feedback

Once you’ve got your list – get some feedback from a few friends, colleagues, and associates.  Ask them to be honest in helping you weed out the egotistical rhetoric from the authentic and relevant information. 

You may be surprised – what you thought was a strength may be a weakness in other eyes!  Or, they may even offer a strength of yours that you hadn’t captured!

Step 3 - Make Snippets

Take a few of these interesting facts and weave them into a few short, memorable snippets, stories and quick messages about you, your accomplishments and strengths. 

For instance, "I love being a business coach because I get to use my gifts of encouragement and innovative thinking to propel my clients forward."

Or

"Being a seasoned and successful speaker affords me the privilege of mentoring other speakers to hone their craft."

Then take a second look at those statements and ask yourself how this information is beneficial to your audience?  How do your accomplishments connect to the products/services that you offer?

Step 4 - Speak It

Being able to articulate what sets you apart from the competition, what makes you credible, and why the listener should place their confidence in you is the ultimate goal of any self-promotion strategy. 

With great communication skills you’ll be able to provide meaningful and valuable information about yourself to the listener seamlessly in conversations. 

You’ll be able to convey your strong points and your strengths, pique their interest and instill confidence that you can provide exactly what you say AND be on-point with what they need.

As a business owner/thought leader/expert/speaker it’s up to YOU to show the world what you’re all about. 

To share with them in a genuine way the knowledge, expertise and experience you bring to the table.  Ultimately, it’s YOU who must gain their respect and be recognized for who you are and what you have to offer. 

It’s not your credentials – those can be written on a piece of paper – but rather how you are able to communicate the value you have to offer along with the aspects that set you apart.

Be sure to not get caught in a monologue death spiral where you list all the things you do, have ever done, and how amazing you are!  ME ME ME! 

Instead, find ways to weave your accomplishments and snippets throughout your discussion or speech and capture the respect and relevance you’re looking for.

Step 5 - Write It

Your BIO on the About Me page of your website and social media platforms are vital to your overall image.  These often become a laundry list that no-one is engaged in. 

In today’s high-tech world you must have an intriguing, interesting and engaging write up about yourself.  Think of writing it in a more conversational tone.  A well written self-promotion will set you above the rest and leave a lasting, memorable impression on the reader.

Whether it is a written Bio, marketing materials, or you are in a conversation don’t ever try to PROVE yourself by reciting facts or overwhelming them with your vast knowledge and experience. 

This could very well back-fire and have you looking insecure, unsure and even superficial or fake to the audience.

Good self-promotion should reveal your authentic self, have relevant substance for the listener/reader, be full of genuine pride and enthusiasm, and be presented in a way that shows your confidence and excitement to be able to use your knowledge and experience to help them achieve the outcomes they desire.