You know what you do. Who else does?

Last week I shared in this newsletter a process for telling your story of what you can do and who you can help. But there is often a new problem that begins to emerge even once you have clarity on what you can do and who you can help.

Self promotion is a concept that many people struggle with.

The fact is, if you can’t promote yourself than how can you expect others to do it for you. If you think about it, that doesn’t even make sense. You have to promote yourself to others in order for them to be aware to promote you.

If you feel apprehensive about this, here’s the good news - promoting yourself doesn’t have to mean selling your service like a used car salesman. In reality, effective self-promotion is much more nuanced and elegant than it is loud or boisterous.

It’s about sharing your work, your unique perspective, and your problem-solving skills.

Self-promotion is about introducing the world to your way of thinking. And there is nothing that can be criticized about that.

When I was coming up through the ranks at KPMG, I was hesitant to put myself out there. I had done great work for my clients and I figured that work should speak for itself. But guess what?

It didn’t.

Nobody knew me or my story. I found it especially difficult as I started to aspire to grow and expand.

My network was busy living their own lives. And I realized pretty fast that I’d start putting myself out there. I needed to make some noise and keep showing up.

When I decided to use the Linkedin to start to share my thinking, people started paying attention and asking me questions. Some of that attention and the questions were uncomfortable. They finally started to learn about me and what I was doing. And when people pay attention, you have a chance to build rapport and express yourself.

Here’s the reality: people can’t listen to you, follow you, or collaborate with you if they don’t even know you exist. And with so much noise in the world, bystanders fall by the wayside.

You can’t afford to be a bystander if you hope to make a name for yourself.

You have to be proactive about showcasing what you’ve done, what you’re doing, and telling people why it matters. This is your most important job – an obligation to yourself.

So what does effective self-promotion look like?

Share behind-the-scenes of your work process

Don’t be one of those people that says, I’ll share it when it’s finished. Share your messy sketches, discarded first drafts, and the late night white-boarding sessions. The messiness shows people how you think through things, and how you problem solve.

Imagine you’re at a dinner party and everyone is fascinated by what you’re working on. What could you show them? Take them on the ride!

This makes you (and your work) way more relatable and interesting.

Take a strong stance on controversial topics

Don’t be afraid to ruffle some feathers. If you’re always Mr. or Mrs. Safe Opinion, why should anyone pay attention to you? People are drawn to people with conviction.

That doesn’t mean starting to post your political or other controversial opinions.

Consider this — my most popular content has focused on my opinions around collaboration between payers and providers.

I take the polar opposite approach of the typical discourse from people who work at providers and payers about the opp. My opinions often spark some heated debate and the hate mail rolls in. But I also attract a devoted following of people who are aligned with my way of thinking.

Everyone is not going to like you. Stop aiming for that.

Create content that educates, authentically

We don’t need any generic content from your employer. Infuse your personality into your content.

Don’t lecture your audience. They don’t want to feel like they are in school, having to sit still while they listen to the professor.

Write like you talk. Be the best you, not some version of another person.

My most popular content are ones where I talk to my audience like we’re having a beer at a party. Even if I’m sharing ‘how to’ or advice, I still want to make everything feel like a conversation, not a speech.

This is hard and takes some practice. You have to resist that little filter that’s in your head telling you to speak in another voice.