“You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want.” Zig Ziglar
I’ve said many times, good marketing is never about YOU, it’s about what you do for THEM, your target audience.
So, does that mean you shouldn’t promote yourself in your business? Not at all!
It’s how you promote that makes the difference. Always approach self-promotion with these two questions in mind:
Am I thinking about what’s most important to my target audience?
Am I helping them win whatever it is that’s important to them?
You always want to promote how your business solves your market’s pain points. And, how you are uniquely positioned to help your audience get what they want.
Using Self-Promotion the Effective Way: The Magic Combo
Here's a great example of effective self-promotion. I know a woman who was in a terrible car accident. She was in pain all the time, taking lots of meds but with no relief.
What turned her health around was chiropractic care. Because of that experience, she became a chiropractor. Now she shares that story with her patients and in her marketing.
She understands how her patients feel because she’s been in their shoes. When talking with a potential new client who feels they will always live in constant pain, she shares her story, and she shares her expertise.
That's critical. People need to know you understand them, but they also need for you to give them a vision of what their lives can become. Her story combined with her high level of expertise reassures a prospect she's in good hands.
For people who feel they’ll always be in pain, this genuine approach provides hope and reasonable assurance.
The magic combo: Empathy (Connection) + Authority = Sales
What If You Don't Have a Dramatic Self-Promotion Story?
Your story doesn't have to be dramatic. It just has to be relatable! Whether you are selling refrigerators, shoes, or executive coaching, talk about yourself as it relates to your business. You can see 12 examples with my work here.
Bottom line. Avoid talking about how many pets you have. What you ate for breakfast. The latest book you read.
Those things have a place, just not when you’re first trying to build a connection with your prospect.
People aren’t coming to you to hear about your hobbies. They want to know how you can help them. Show you understand the problem they want solved and why you understand. Then show them how you can help them achieve what they want.
Empathy and authority make you a trusted advisor, and that’s how you make the sale.
Are you a small business or creative struggling to level up your marketing? Are you trying to figure out which marketing tools are the most effective for you? I can help and would love to talk with you! Set up a complimentary consult with me today.