In Digital + Social
How to Promote Your Work If You Hate to Promote Your Work
Raise your hand if you hate self-promotion.
Me, too.
And yet, if you're looking to build your blog, grow your business, or launch your product, someone's got to tell the world about your fabulous offering. That someone, at least in the beginning, is you.
The good news is that self-promotion, when done well, does more than toot your horn. It delights your audience by giving them a glimpse into your world (which, for many, is even more interesting than the content you're creating). Well-executed self-promotion can also help your peers grow their own businesses. Wait, self-promotion can help other people? Maybe it's not so bad after all.
Give your fans a window on your world
No one, even your greatest fans, likes to feel "sold." But everyone loves to feel included in something special.
In his book Show Your Work, Austin Kleon demonstrates that sharing not only your finished work, but the process of creating the work, invites your audience into the experience, making it even more exciting.
Lucky for us, the Internet is made for this sort of sharing. Chances are this is what you were doing before you had business ideas in mind…and how you attracted an audience in the first place.
Artist and writer Lisa Congdon exemplifies "process" sharing. Her Instagram feed is full of paintings-in-progress, glimpses of her studio (and her beloved cats), and dispatches from her travels. She uses her blog to announce new classes, books, and art pieces for sale, but she also writes powerfully about life as a working artist and creative entrepreneur. I'm fascinated by her story and admire her work ethic, so her art is never far from my mind.
Help your colleagues while you help yourself
Do you find it easier to talk up the work of other people rather than trumpet your own work? Team up! There are many ways to channel the energy from your launch into supporting more than just your business, product, or blog. Here are just a few ideas:
Host a themed series. Last year, Allison Slater Tate and Lindsey Mead teamed up with six other writers to write a series of posts called This is Adolescence. The series (hosted, in turn, on each contributor's blog) introduced me to writers I now never miss.
Invite your friends to join the launch festivities. For her Design Mom book launch, Gabrielle Blair partnered with friends across the country to host a series of book tour parties. By teaming up, Gabby cranked up the tour's fun quotient and supported her hosts by "sharing the stage" at her event, both in person and via social media.
Collaborate on a social media project. Melissa Michaels organized a mammoth project to support the launch of her book, Love the Home You Have. She invited 33 other bloggers (and their readers) to participate in the #LoveYourHomeChallenge on their blogs and social media profiles. Talk about sharing the love! What a great way for a book launch to support an entire community.
Bottom line: keep on giving
You're excited about your work. If you weren't, you wouldn't be doing it. Don't be afraid to share that excitement with your audience. Let it energize your community and bring people together. You'll be doing your part to make the Internet — dare I say the world? — a more exciting and generous place. And we'll be rooting for you.
Photo by Corinne Kutz on Unsplash.
About Asha Dornfest
25 Apr 2015 at 11:04 am
I think being process oriented is a great approach! I think the best thing you can do is boost the signal for others and you'll find they do the same in return. Content is king at the end of the day but collaboration is somewhere in the top 10.