Self Promotion Made Easy
When people asked me why I quit teaching grade school, one of the reasons I offer is that I found myself at parties answering the famous question, What do you do? like this.
I’m a teacher, but not like any teacher you ever met.
What do you do is an opportunity to sell yourself.
I knew enough to know that I was losing the passion for my job. What I didn’t know then was that I had stumbled onto a key part of self-promotion –understanding what people will think of what I’m about to say.
When someone asks What do you do for a living? How do you answer?
If you say the name of your job, butcher, baker, dancer, writer, web developer . . ., you offer them the chance to attach to you all of the preconceived notions they have about folks with that job. You’re walkng right into their box.
Bob Weiss knows. If your answer is: “I’m a lawyer,” you’ve missed a marketing opportunity.
Bob knows that by saying you’re a lawyer, you’ve turned the conversation to the topic of lawyers and away from what you do. No possible clients will be happening. Instead you’re probably going to be hearing what people think about lawyers for the next while. You’ll be up against proving what you’re not or maybe proving what you’re as good as.
Either way,to name a job is to invite comparison.
Of course, I’m no longer a teacher. I’m an entrepreneur. My job depends on the people knowing what I do and that I do it well. So I’ve learned to answer that question with a little finesse.
When folks ask what I do I say I help individuals and small businesses find their vision, focus their business, and layout a strategy that allows them to do what they love and make money meeting their customers’ unexpressed needs and desires better than their competition does.
Yes, I have a shorter version too, but you see where I’m going. I don’t start by saying I’m the Perfect Virtual Manager. I know that would only get me blank stares.
So think for awhile and then tell me . . . what do you do for a living? If you would like to write in the comment box under a code name, please feel free to do so. If you have trouble getting it the way you want, let’s find the right words together. All of us can probably get you to a lovely description of what drives your passion for the reason you work everyday.
When you can answer the question, it won’t feel like self-promotion. It will be you talking about what you do every day.
–ME “Liz” Strauss
If you’d like to help with your brand or business,check out the Perfect Virtual Manager on the Work with Liz!! page in the sidebar.
hmmm, very interesting. how about when people don’t ask you what you do (because there are 3 kids in tow and they assume you do nothing except wipe their butts all day)? π
I often find myself in situations where I would like to tell someone what I do, but it’s only worked out for me once… other times people just don’t take me seriously.
I say this “do you need a website?” I think it’s lame too, but I haven’t come up with anything better yet. thoughts?
Hi Shaz!
Welcome!
Great question . . . I think you’re right. You’re going to wait an awfully long time for folks to ask you the question. So you’ll have to do what the coders call a “workaround.”
Get curious. Don’t ask whether they need a website . . . ask them what THEY do. Find out what their problems are. Listen actively, especially for their points of pain. See whether you can tease out the things that you have solutions for.
So do you find that fewer and fewer people are answering your direct mail? My clients have been having success adding an online presence to their marketing plan. . .
Do you think something like that might work? π
oooh, that does sound pretty good. thanks! I will have to try something like that and let you know if it works. really great blog! π
Hey Shaz!
Yea! All you need to do is get comfortable with what you do . . . Good Luck!
I’m delighted you think it might help. π
Do let me know if it works. I’ll be here. π
I usually say something like, I’m an innkeeper or bed and breakfast owner … a childhood dream come true. We even have horse accommodations. That gets the conversation going.
When we also tell people about our computer biz, and how Dan does alot of biz-biz e-commerce sites and in the home building industry, they usually ask us to build a website π
I do try to listen to what people are looking for in a vacation spot rather than a canned marketing diatribe, and of course, a work in progress.
What say you o fearless expert ?:)
GP in Montana
Okay, I’ll go. I told a friend the other day, “My strength is in marketing, building relationships and conceptualizing the big picture while bringing together all the pieces.” He got it, but I’m still trying to better understand it myself – and get more people to pay me to make a living doing it! π
Seems like trying to be too descriptive sometimes leads people to try and reinterpret what you’re saying into 1 or 2 words like consultant or marketer, anyway?
Excellent post Liz.
“…I run the coolest blog network on the web!” how’s that? And yes, you are the Perfect Virtual Manager π
actually that’s so simple yet so effective. huh, i never thought of that before. so how’s this (i am a home stager that stages homes for sale)
“I help home sellers to market and show their homes better so they can move onto their next chapters of lives now that their homes are sold faster and for more money because I staged their home beautifully.”
Is that too verbose?
cheers,
cindy
Hi GP.
“o fearless expert”
I’m laughing at that depiction of me. Sorry you had to wait. Early bedtime after a long day.
I think you’re fine until you run into someone who had a horrible time with some cranky old b&b owner who would rather tell you about that than listen to your childhood dream — but then that person probably wouldn’t listen to anything you had to say. π
I do wonder what if you started talking about the b&b by saying “I live my childhood dream and get to give other folks the time of their lives by letting them come visit.” Bet that would get folks attention. π
Hi Francie,
Sorry this took long . . . early bedtime last night after a day at the dentist. . .
Sounds like you might be a little too big picture in your description. Folks want buy what they can “see.” So if we can “draw them a picture, fill in the details a bit,” they get interested. A few “metaphorically concrete” words might help. Also getting the clients into your description might help thes see how you fit in their lives. Something like this might work.
I help marketing folks to see the big picture when they conceptualize a launch or a new plan. Then, as we move forward, I watch over the relationships and details that support the plan so that my clients don’t have to worry that the plan will succeed.
Hi Jon!
That works! It’s certainly true!
When you want to switch it out for variety, you could also say,
I get to help writers all over the world introduce people to the places where they live.
Hi Cindy!
Welcome, and nice to meet you!
I think you’re getting there! You might call them people instead of home sellers. . . it sounds friendlier. π
ΓΒ’Γ’Βˆ ΒI help people get their homes ready to sell and show their homes in the best light so the people can move onto their next chapters of lives. Their homes sell faster and for more money because I staged their homes beautifully.ΓΒ’Γ’ΒΒ¬ΓΒ
Gosh that sounds like a job someone would to have!!!
Liz, arrrggghhh:
I coach writers and entrepreneurs to design their lives and bring structure to their dreams.
I coach writers and entrepreneurs to find an answer to this question: What steps do I need to take to finally say, “I love my life”?
I coach writers and entrepreneurs to bring their dreams from post it notes to bank notes.
But see, the blog is not quite reflecting those ideas yet. I need to work with YOU again. Soon.
Hi Lisa,
Oh, it always easier to see such things objectively in others. π
Come down . . . I’m always here!
I bet you’re doing more than you think you are . π
Synchronicity! I was thinking about this very situation earlier today!
I like your blog π (here via mybloglog.com)
Hi Jenny!
Welcome!
It’s an important thing to be thinking about. It’s been on my mind a lot lately too. π
I just love blogger synchronicity!
Ah fearless expert that’s great… I guess that’s why they pay you the big bucks. Seriously thanx. most excellent food for thought.. oops, innkeeper in me coming out
Methinks that gem’s worth a comped room at the inn.
GP in Montana with left arm in sling – badly bruised from this morning’s run and very un-impromptu fall on ice.. π
Hi GP,
If they pay me the big bucks, it’s funny money! I can’t wait to come out to see you! That would be so very cool!
Sorry to hear about your fall. ouch! π
Hi Liz!
Thanks for taking the time to discuss your intuitive insight within the blogging, and self-marketing realm. You truly are a personal professional.
It was a pleasure speaking with you today!
Take care,
Nick Del Carlo, M.S.M.O.B.
President
Organization Development Management (ODM)
(708) 296-8838
http://www.ODManagement.com
Hi Nick!
It was my pleasure. I truly enjoyed our conversation. It’s always fun to meet another Chicagoan, especially one who is into organizational development and behavior. π
i realize you wrote this almost a year ago, however it’s helping me today:)
i typically say i have my own bag company. then people ask me what kind of bags and where they can be found.
i think a better answer might be, ‘i design satchels and messenger bags with fake street signs.’ that might provoke better questions about how we do it and where to find us, b/c it answers the what kind of bags question.
Hi Erin!
I’m delighted when something I wrote a while ago still has value. π
it is a long time since you posted this, but it’s something I’ve been thinking about, good suggestions and I’m enjoying rading the comments too.
for me, maybe
I get to introduce people to the best music they’ve never heard
I help musicians connect with their audiences
but both make me sound a bit like a publicist — I’m not, I’m a writer/photographer working mainly in folk and roots music
Hi Kerry,
Being helpful and centered on the other person is still the best form of promotion. Sounds like you ROCK at doing just that. π
Hi there,
As I’ve been unable to get “a real job” I have recently started with an MLM company in the health industry. I’ve been trying to figure out how to answer this exact same questions. I like “vitality consultant” (I feel so much better taking the products) but is this to corny, or does it create interest. I don’t know I haven’t worked in so long that my brain feels like its shut down.
Hi Emma,
Be careful of the MLM operations. In the end they can be a lot of work getting folks to do work. Sounds like you have a wonderful attitude about what you’re doing. As soon as you make progress, let folks know how well you’re doing and claim your rewards!