Perhaps you're one of those people who gets personal satisfaction
out of a job well done. Maybe you sincerely believe that if you work hard and
produce a quality product, the rewards and recognition will come. Unfortunately, things don't work that way.
Talent and brilliance alone won't get you to the top. You need to
launch a personal marketing campaign for yourself. The goal is to
"wow" them.
We women aren't good at tooting our own horns because we're taught
that good girls don't brag. While boys grow up vying for the limelight and
learning to one-up each other, girls are taught to share the glory. We aren't
supposed to be the center of attention. Therefore, in business, we sadly watch
as we're passed by time and time again for promotions, high-visibility
assignments, committee chairs and so on because we don't draw attention to our
accomplishments.
"One woman I used to work with was always tooting her own
horn, and I didn't like it. Then, one day I realized that I was impressed with
her track record. Subsequently, I realized you really have to do your own PR
work. For a lot of women, including myself, that's hard. But you really have to
do that if you want people to understand what your contributions are,"
says Juanita Weaver, a creativity consultant based in Washington, D.C.
"Nobody
knows you better than you. There's nothing wrong with letting your
manager or others know about your successes. But as women, not only do we fail
to draw attention to our accomplishments, but we tend to downplay them,"
says Sharon Hadary, executive director of the National Foundation for Women
Business Owners, based in Washington, D.C.
Self-promotion can be accomplished in an artful and tasteful
manner. You don't want to appear too opportunistic, nor do you want to become a
legend in your own mind. The
best advice is to watch and learn from others.
Let the Right People Know
Does you boss's boss know what a great job you're doing? Does your
sales contact keep his or her supervisors apprised of your company's
performance record? Will anyone be aware of your accomplishments if your supervisor
or company contact leaves or gets promoted? If you can't answer yes confidently
to these questions, then you aren't doing a good job of marketing yourself. You need an action plan.
"What I try to do personally is document what I do, and let
people know about it. You have to recognize that it's okay to say you're good
at something, and by documenting things you've done, you can show them on
paper," says Catherine Garda Newton, a former IBM executive. "I also regularly update my resume
because it forces me to look back at what I've done and keep it firmly in my
mind. I also can evaluate better whether I'm moving toward where I want to
go."
Seek Ways to Tell Your Story
If your company has staff meetings, always be prepared to
highlight your results. Utilize internal memos and weekly or monthly progress
reports as methods of keeping associates informed of your accomplishments. Use opportunities to
remind your customers of your performance record. Rather than bragging, you'll
appear competent and professional for keeping everyone informed.
Be Generous with Your
Praise
Make certain your business associates, employees or team members
receive recognition for a job well done. When you're quick to sincerely praise
the good work of others and allow them to bask in the limelight, they'll
readily do the same for you. You won't have to say a thing about yourself
because your associates will enthusiastically carry your banner.
Use External Sources
Enhance your credibility and stature by writing an article for a
trade journal or business publication. Establish yourself as a resource with
the media -- someone they can call when they need an authority to quote. Send
out news releases announcing your business successes. Share published articles
with business associates and customers. Of course, always make certain you have
permission to copy printed materials so you don't infringe on a publication's
copyright.
Write a Dazzling Bio
Create a personal bio that
will wow readers. If you aren't a good writer, hire someone who can do it for
you. Even though I've been a marketing professional for more than 20 years, I
hire marketing professionals to write for me. These professionals have the
objectivity to make me sound great. If you choose to do it yourself, make
certain that you highlight your achievements and experience as well as any
awards or special recognition you may have received. The goal is to look like the superstar you are.
There's a delicate balance when it comes to self-promotion, and
you don't want to be guilty of overkill. But when used appropriately, a personal marketing campaign
can create magic for you and help you get where you want to go.
Marketing yourself is like marketing your business -- if no one knows about
your product, who will buy it?
