Marketing one's self is an activity that most people tend to shy away from. There are the rare few who relish in every moment they spend “tooting their own horns”. However, these zealous and unique creatures are hard to find among the Homo Sapiens species. For most of us, the ability to tactfully promote one’s assets and strengths is not necessarily a natural trait. Yet, self-marketing can be learned and perfected like any other skill. And this activity is becoming more and more important as virtually every job market, workplace environment, and creative community is brimming with skilled and educated pools of talent. If you want to find a great professional opportunity, get a promotion, start a business, and even get into the best education programs, you have to learn how to communicate your own personal brand in a manner that is positive, effective, and leaves your intended audience with a clear sense of your strengths, accomplishments, and goals.
I know. You are probably uncomfortable with the term “self promotion”, as it often conjures up negative images of an obnoxious braggart who is completely oblivious of how undesirable he or she is to be around. However when self-promotion or self-marketing is done properly, people can truly see a positive difference in how they are perceived and treated by others. In fact, those who have perfected this art, reap the rewards of their efforts in the form of successful careers, businesses and creative endeavors.
While self-promotion is going to vary in its appearance based on who is practicing this art, there are some golden rules to abide by when attempting to skillfully market yourself to others.
Make sure that you have accurately assessed your skills, strengths, accomplishments and goals. Think of yourself as a product with a personal brand, and make sure that the “product” is authentic and can deliver what your marketing campaign says that it can. In other words, make sure that you are not just telling people what you think will make you sound good. Instead, tell people what you truly believe are your features, advantages and benefits!
Get some feedback from colleagues, friends, and bosses to develop a total picture of how you are truly perceived, and what others value about you. This will also help you figure out what is best to convey to others when you are promoting your “product”.
Have some key goals that you would like to accomplish when you are skillfully promoting yourself or your work. Identify what you hope to achieve when you start your one-man, or one-woman marketing effort. By doing so, you will be able to focus your efforts on marketing yourself to the most appropriate audience at the most opportune time.
Come up with a succinct and effective pitch relative to your skills and specific goals, and learn when and how to deliver it. For example you don’t want to drone on about your 10 best professional accomplishments at a networking mixer during an informal event. Nor do you want to be curt and vague when interacting with a potential employer during an informational interview. Practice striking a balance between being interesting and personable, and being assertive and credible.
Finally practice, practice, practice! The only way to master the art of self promotion is to actually get out there and do it.
You really have nothing to lose by giving yourself some credit.
by Keri Glover
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Friday, October 10, 2008
Are you linked in?
As marketing continues to evolve, it is necessary to evaluate the impact that social media has on organizations across the globe. The explosion of social networking sites like MySpace, Facebook, and LinkedIn have changed the way people interact with each other. Instead of calling friends individually and having a traditional conversation, anyone can set up an account and post a live news feed of what they are doing, thinking and feeling in a matter of seconds. Instantaneously, a social network participant can easily communicate with hundreds of people with the touch of a button!
Not only is this phenomenon amazing, it can also be quite useful to a marketer. Most organizations realize that they need to have an online presence that extends beyond a website. However, many still struggle to fully understand how to effectively use social media to promote their brand and their business.
So how exactly can businesses and non-profit organizations benefit from joining social networking sites? There are many ideas about why an organization should join the masses on Facebook and LinkedIn, and even more theories about what having a social networking site presence, can and cannot do for an organization.
However after doing some online research, I found five of the most popular reasons to join a social networking site, as well as some important expectation levels to keep in mind when signing your organization up to be LinkedIn with the world.
1. Learn more about a particular community of interest - Access the average social networking page and you can easily find out what people who share common interests think about everything from the political debates to the latest iPhone. It is the least expensive way to conduct informal research, which can be used as a starting point for identifying opportunities to engage target audiences in social participation with your brand.
2. Increase brand visibility and authority – Consumers are hopefully talking about your brand already. Therefore social media networking sites and blogs give your organization the opportunity to find out what consumers really like about your products and services, and what your organization could improve upon. It is better to be part of the conversation and contribute in a way that supports your brand, rather than sit on the sidelines and tune out.
3. Increase traffic to your site – The hyperlink can often be an organization’s best friend, leading to untold glory in the internet world. Social networking sites and blogs offer the opportunity to add links which can direct consumers exactly where you want them to go for more information about your brand and your business.
4. Create a buzz without paying for advertising – Now, I don’t think anyone recommends completely abandoning traditional methods of advertising just yet. However in certain circumstances, it may be preferable to use a social networking site to promote a local event, or to encourage participation in a consumer contest or sweepstakes. Remember, if your target audience for a particular promotion is small, you can easily reach them using alternative methods. Why spend money to meet your goals and objectives if you don’t have to?
5. Establish your presence as a progressive organization – There are many qualities that an organization must possess to achieve longevity and success. Among these qualities are leadership, innovation, and the ability to remain progressive. True growth only occurs when an organization recognizes and accepts change. It is crucial that businesses continue to stay informed about how the world is changing, and figure out how to ensure that their organization is able to change with the times accordingly. Also, it is important to note that consumers value this quality in organizations and will often regard a progressive business as an organization they can grow with.
Now that we have listed some great reasons to join a social networking site, it is equally important to offer some information about managing expectations. While Social Media marketing is growing and yielding some very promising results for many, organizations have to use sound business practices and understand three important facts.
1. Social networking sites cannot effectively replace traditional marketing tactics and strategies.
2. Facebook, MySpace, and LinkedIn are not going to reach every single member of your target audiences, nor are these sites the best venue for achieving every marketing goal.
3. Last but not least, organizations need dedicated staff members to manage their presence on these sites.
These sites can be a wonderful tool if they are used appropriately. However always remember to set clear goals, objectives, and expectations before becoming a member and building your friend or fan list.
Keri Glover
Not only is this phenomenon amazing, it can also be quite useful to a marketer. Most organizations realize that they need to have an online presence that extends beyond a website. However, many still struggle to fully understand how to effectively use social media to promote their brand and their business.
So how exactly can businesses and non-profit organizations benefit from joining social networking sites? There are many ideas about why an organization should join the masses on Facebook and LinkedIn, and even more theories about what having a social networking site presence, can and cannot do for an organization.
However after doing some online research, I found five of the most popular reasons to join a social networking site, as well as some important expectation levels to keep in mind when signing your organization up to be LinkedIn with the world.
1. Learn more about a particular community of interest - Access the average social networking page and you can easily find out what people who share common interests think about everything from the political debates to the latest iPhone. It is the least expensive way to conduct informal research, which can be used as a starting point for identifying opportunities to engage target audiences in social participation with your brand.
2. Increase brand visibility and authority – Consumers are hopefully talking about your brand already. Therefore social media networking sites and blogs give your organization the opportunity to find out what consumers really like about your products and services, and what your organization could improve upon. It is better to be part of the conversation and contribute in a way that supports your brand, rather than sit on the sidelines and tune out.
3. Increase traffic to your site – The hyperlink can often be an organization’s best friend, leading to untold glory in the internet world. Social networking sites and blogs offer the opportunity to add links which can direct consumers exactly where you want them to go for more information about your brand and your business.
4. Create a buzz without paying for advertising – Now, I don’t think anyone recommends completely abandoning traditional methods of advertising just yet. However in certain circumstances, it may be preferable to use a social networking site to promote a local event, or to encourage participation in a consumer contest or sweepstakes. Remember, if your target audience for a particular promotion is small, you can easily reach them using alternative methods. Why spend money to meet your goals and objectives if you don’t have to?
5. Establish your presence as a progressive organization – There are many qualities that an organization must possess to achieve longevity and success. Among these qualities are leadership, innovation, and the ability to remain progressive. True growth only occurs when an organization recognizes and accepts change. It is crucial that businesses continue to stay informed about how the world is changing, and figure out how to ensure that their organization is able to change with the times accordingly. Also, it is important to note that consumers value this quality in organizations and will often regard a progressive business as an organization they can grow with.
Now that we have listed some great reasons to join a social networking site, it is equally important to offer some information about managing expectations. While Social Media marketing is growing and yielding some very promising results for many, organizations have to use sound business practices and understand three important facts.
1. Social networking sites cannot effectively replace traditional marketing tactics and strategies.
2. Facebook, MySpace, and LinkedIn are not going to reach every single member of your target audiences, nor are these sites the best venue for achieving every marketing goal.
3. Last but not least, organizations need dedicated staff members to manage their presence on these sites.
These sites can be a wonderful tool if they are used appropriately. However always remember to set clear goals, objectives, and expectations before becoming a member and building your friend or fan list.
Keri Glover
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Are you ready for Green marketing?
Green marketing is the marketing of products that are presumed to be environmentally safe. Thus green marketing incorporates a broad range of activities, including product modification, changes to the production process, packaging changes, as well as modifying advertising. Yet defining green marketing is not a simple task where several meanings intersect and contradict each other; an example of this will be the existence of varying social, environmental and retail definitions attached to this term. Other similar terms used are Environmental Marketing and Ecological Marketing.
The term Green Marketing came into prominence in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The American Marketing Association (AMA) held the first workshop on "Ecological Marketing" in 1975. The proceedings of this workshop resulted in one of the first books on green marketing entitled "Ecological Marketing".
According to Jacquelyn Ottman, (author of Green Marketing: Opportunity for Innovation) from an organizational standpoint, environmental considerations should be integrated into all aspects of marketing — new product development and communications and all points in between. The holistic nature of green also suggests that besides suppliers and retailers new stakeholders be enlisted, including educators, members of the community, regulators, and NGOs. Environmental issues should be balanced with primary customer needs.
The past decade has shown that harnessing consumer power to effect positive environmental change is far easier said than done. The so-called "green consumer" movements in the U.S. and other countries have struggled to reach critical mass and to remain in the forefront of shoppers' minds. While public opinion polls taken since the late 1980s have shown consistently that a significant percentage of consumers in the U.S. and elsewhere profess a strong willingness to favor environmentally conscious products and companies, consumers' efforts to do so in real life have remained sketchy at best. One of green marketing's challenges is the lack of standards or public consensus about what constitutes "green," according to Joel Makower, a writer on green marketing. In essence, there is no definition of "how good is good enough" when it comes to a product or company making green marketing claims. This lack of consensus -- by consumers, marketers, activists, regulators, and influential people -- has slowed the growth of green products, says Makower, because companies are often reluctant to promote their green attributes, and consumers are often skeptical about claims.
Despite these challenges, green marketing has continued to gain adherents, particularly in light of growing global concern about climate change. This concern has led more companies to advertise their commitment to reduce their climate impacts, and the effect this is having on their products and services.
The term Green Marketing came into prominence in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The American Marketing Association (AMA) held the first workshop on "Ecological Marketing" in 1975. The proceedings of this workshop resulted in one of the first books on green marketing entitled "Ecological Marketing".
According to Jacquelyn Ottman, (author of Green Marketing: Opportunity for Innovation) from an organizational standpoint, environmental considerations should be integrated into all aspects of marketing — new product development and communications and all points in between. The holistic nature of green also suggests that besides suppliers and retailers new stakeholders be enlisted, including educators, members of the community, regulators, and NGOs. Environmental issues should be balanced with primary customer needs.
The past decade has shown that harnessing consumer power to effect positive environmental change is far easier said than done. The so-called "green consumer" movements in the U.S. and other countries have struggled to reach critical mass and to remain in the forefront of shoppers' minds. While public opinion polls taken since the late 1980s have shown consistently that a significant percentage of consumers in the U.S. and elsewhere profess a strong willingness to favor environmentally conscious products and companies, consumers' efforts to do so in real life have remained sketchy at best. One of green marketing's challenges is the lack of standards or public consensus about what constitutes "green," according to Joel Makower, a writer on green marketing. In essence, there is no definition of "how good is good enough" when it comes to a product or company making green marketing claims. This lack of consensus -- by consumers, marketers, activists, regulators, and influential people -- has slowed the growth of green products, says Makower, because companies are often reluctant to promote their green attributes, and consumers are often skeptical about claims.
Despite these challenges, green marketing has continued to gain adherents, particularly in light of growing global concern about climate change. This concern has led more companies to advertise their commitment to reduce their climate impacts, and the effect this is having on their products and services.
Lien Leonardi
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