If you’re the kind of entrepreneur/creative that loathes self-promotion… is it because:
1 …it makes you feel like you’re pushing something on someone?
New thought: Passion is a force—an essential force for your version of success. If you’re not passionate about your service or your product, maybe you shouldn’t be selling it in the first place. Worth considering.
But let’s assume you’re offering the world something that you WHOLEHEARTEDLY believe in—you’re anchored in purpose and meaning. Then let’s proceed…
Don’t burn energy trying to assume how people will perceive you.
What some people will read as enthusiasm and stamina, others may interpret as pushiness. It’s your job to show up as you, passion and all, and let the right customers make up their mind about you.
2 …you’re shy?
You have three choices here:
a) Pray that your good intentions + originality of your offering will attract prosperity. This tactic—on its own—never really works.
b) You could decide to just get over it—very possible. Nothing like the motivation to make rent, or achieve your dreams to help you overcome shyness. It happens all the time.
c) Let someone else do the selling for you—a writer, a rep, an agent, a virtual assistant.
3 …it’s not a “strength” of yours?
See #2.
4. Or… you’re afraid that people will think less of you? That you’ll be less of an artist, or a social change agent if you’re hustling your wares?
Well… thing is… so much of what you do translates into promotion. You are always radiating. From that personalized note that you tuck into your product shipment, to what you say at a party when someone asks what you do, to how you pitch the client to get the big account.
Here’s a formula to consider for your hustle:
RADIATE your passion + STATE THE FACTS of what that passion generates (the results it brings for you and your customers) = HAPPIER SELF PROMOTION
Cheering on your shine and your results,
PS: Creatives & Career lovers! I’ve got an e-list called Hey! FireStarterPeople! I mail 1x a month to fan your entrepreneurial flames. Simple. Hopefully useful. Try it out HERE.
Danielle LaPorte is an invited member of Oprah’s SuperSoul 100, a group who, in Oprah Winfrey’s words, “is uniquely connecting the world together with a spiritual energy that matters.” She is author of White Hot Truth: Clarity for keeping it real on your spiritual path—from one seeker to another. The Fire Starter Sessions, and The Desire Map: A Guide To Creating Goals With Soul—the book that has been translated into 8 languages, evolved into a yearly day planner system, a top 10 iTunes app, and an international workshop program with licensed facilitators in 15 countries.
Named one of the “Top 100 Websites for Women” by Forbes, millions of visitors go to DanielleLaPorte.com every month for her daily #Truthbombs and what’s been called “the best place online for kickass spirituality.” A speaker, a poet, a painter, and a former business strategist and Washington-DC think tank exec, Entrepreneur Magazine calls Danielle, “equal parts poet and entrepreneurial badass…edgy, contrarian…loving and inspired.” Her charities of choice are Eve Ensler’s VDay: a global movement to end violence against women and girls, and charity: water, setting out to bring safe drinking water to everyone in the world. She lives in Vancouver, BC with her favourite philosopher, her son. You can find her @daniellelaporte and just about everywhere on social media.
