Are you comfortable with selling yourself? Can you confidently tell an audience what you do and why you do it?
Too many female entrepreneurs shy away from promoting themselves and their business because it feels too awkward. They repress their talent and keep themselves small. Is this you?
You started your business for a reason, and I’m going to assume it wasn’t to stand in the shadows and let others succeed around you. To grow and achieve, you need to step into the light and be proud of yourself and what you do.
How Can You Promote Yourself?
There are many ways you can promote yourself without being salesy or pushy.
Group Engagement – this is key when interacting online. By giving advice, top tips, and helpful content in relatable groups or forums, you begin to build trust within your community. People gravitate towards you because you have the answer to their problem, but without shouting BUY, BUY, BUY in every post. Instead, your authentic conversations have proved to your audience that you are an expert in your field.
Networking – when you are given opportunities to promote yourself, such as in a networking environment, it’s wise to work on your ‘pitch’ so it feels genuine. Rehearsing a generic sentence to say at every event will get you forgotten. However, if you gauge your audience and tweak your introduction to meet their needs, this will make a lasting impression.
For example, a VA could easily recite “I help business owners get organised” over and over, but it wouldn’t bring that particular person to mind should someone need a recommendation. Instead, the VA could say, “I’m here to make your life easier. Think of me as your personal VA ninja taking all the jobs you dislike off your plate – except your ironing; I don’t do that!” It’s got a bit of personality and humour and is more likely to be remembered. Don’t underestimate the power of your 60-second pitch.
Writing – this is an important tool when it comes to promotion. I’m not talking about PR here, although this avenue is exceptional for getting your business out there. Instead, I’m talking about the written content you share on your social platforms and the blog posts you write. Writing helpful and engaging content will attract the right audience, in the same way your engagement within the community boosts your profile.
Have you ever considered writing a guest post? Here at Woman Who, we encourage our Academy members to write and share a post within the Woman Who Achieves Community. You’ll see some fabulous examples on our website. A great opportunity just for Academy members. Blogging on someone else’s platform helps you find a new audience. You can talk about anything that would be relevant to the host’s audience. Let’s say our VA ninja is asked to write a guest post on a Beauticians blog. Where would they start?
The best way to sell yourself (without selling) as a guest blogger is to talk about what you do from their point of view. Our VA may talk about the benefits of creating an extra two hours a day (think of the additional beauty treatments you could have!) or show how working for yourself gives you the freedom to look after your personal needs more. Think outside the box when writing a guest post. Give valuable, helpful, or entertaining content, and their audience will become your audience.
Join the Academy – being part of a large membership or academy might not be part of your marketing strategy, but when I see the number of collaborations within the Woman Who Achieves Academy, I fully appreciate the promotional avenues this opens up for everyone.
If you’re interested in joining the growing community of businesswomen, you can join here or find out more here.
“Joining The Woman Who Achieves Academy has been, by far, the best business decision I made for a very long time! The Academy is home to a motivated group of business women, ready to support each other, who bring their particular skills and knowledge to the group to benefit the community. Sandra is everything you’d expect: a wonderful business role model for us all, and a genuinely caring and warm human being, who shares her knowledge and ideas for our betterment.
In short, The Woman Who Achieves Academy is a safe place for the exchange of knowledge, ideas, and even problems, and it also has a social aspect which is much needed right now, in the Autumn of 2020! I’d wholeheartedly recommend you join us!” Andrea de Gabriel, Portrait Photography
Speaking – I can’t talk about the Woman Who Achieves Academy without including a section on guest speaking. This is an excellent way to promote yourself and your business as it gets you directly in front of your potential audience. Speaking at events may feel overwhelming, but in the Academy, I work with the members to overcome any worries and embrace this positive opportunity. I also offer mentoring to help prepare you. People buy from people, and standing on a stage to chat about your journey is the perfect way to boost your profile.
It’s All About You
When was the last time you updated your About Me page? Does it reflect who you are today, or was it something you threw together upon launching your business? Far too many new businesses concentrate their energy on writing excellent sales or services pages, but the first page I visit on any website is the About. I’m looking for:
- Who is the person behind the brand?
- What motivates them?
- Why do they do what they do?
These are all the questions I ask myself as I search a website. I want to know the person behind the business in the hope that I can make an authentic connection.
If your About page reads like an out-of-date CV, then I suggest you spend some time refreshing the content. Tell your story, give the reader a glimpse of your personality, and talk about what matters the most to you and your business.
People need to KNOW, LIKE, TRUST before they buy, which is a simple step in building that relationship. Don’t overlook your website About page.
Become an Award-Winning Business
To promote yourself and your business, you need to take action steps to make it happen. Whether that’s with your online engagement or being a guest speaker. There is, however, another way to promote yourself – business awards.
Here at Woman Who, I do everything I can to support you as you take that first step on your business award journey.
Entering awards is a fantastic way of stepping into your personal and professional power.
“Since becoming a member of the Woman Who Achieves Academy, I’ve built some fabulous relationships and gained valuable business knowledge and skills through attending the weekly and monthly networking events.
I’ve got the opportunity to share my story in the Woman Who book and became a finalist in the Solopreneur Awards. None of this would’ve happened had I not made the decision to invest in my personal development.” Claire Cahill, Confidence and Leadership Coach at Accendo Coaching.
The Woman Who Achieves Awards and Solopreneur Awards recognise and celebrate the achievements of Women in Business. The awards encourage women to recognise, celebrate, and inspire others by becoming role models and take place every year, with almost 300 attendees enjoying an afternoon of inspiration, celebration, and entertainment.
The Woman Who Achieves Awards and Solopreneur Awards will open for entry from 1st June 2021 close on Sunday 25th July 2021. Why not nominate your business and begin the journey of bringing your business vision into reality.
SAVE THE DATE: The Woman Who Achieves Award and 5th Anniversary Conference is on Friday 1st October at Coombe Abbey Hotel.
Would you like more tips on how to get visible?