All the world’s a stage and each man in his time plays many parts… (to borrow loosely from Shakespeare). How’s your role-playing going? Are you like me as a business manager or entrepreneur busy working “on” your business and including sales, PR, event management, marketing and promotion into the part you play?
We all have several platforms or stages to choose from to ensure recognition for our personal or business brand. But these days we're bombarded with so much information from the moment we wake up – checking our iPhones, to the time we fall asleep at night – probably checking our iPhones again.
It's getting faster, busier and crazier. Or is that just me? We not only have our traditional forms of media such as TV, print and radio sending us messages; there's brochures, billboards, bus-backs and of course all the digital channels like the internet, blogs, vlogs and social media sites.
Messages about your product or service are delivered and received in hundreds of ways in fact. There's communication everywhere. So how do you break through all this noise? How can you stand out so that ultimately people buy your product or service?
Self-marketing is about incorporating and blending many roles associated with building and maintaining relationships. These roles can include public relations, social media management, media relations, marketing and advertising. As business owners you need to ensure you have a range of this activity covered as the successful integration and application of all these strategies will ensure not only profitable results for your business but an increase in exposure, recognition and brand reputation.
Here's a brief checklist of tactics you can incorporate.
Marketing – client sales calls and visits, new client development, database management, building referral networks, affiliate programs or alliance opportunities. This is an integral part of your business that needs to be addressed daily and one area most businesses do work at consistently. However, by incorporating some other communication strategies you can support and maximise your marketing efforts.
Communication – internal and external through e-News, articles, brochures, direct mail, postcards and other communication collateral. We need to communicate consistently with our existing clients to keep us “front of mind”. Yet by furthering our communication reach perhaps by submitting articles to trade or consumer magazines you will gain wider recognition for your business.
Advertising – advertisements in newspapers or on television, display advertising, radio, Facebook and Google ads. Advertising can be expensive particularly as a stand alone tool for creating awareness. However a small amount of advertising along with your other communication efforts will bring about maximum ROI.
Event Management – trade shows, open days, networking events, seminars, speaking opportunities, client office drinks or a business lunch.
Media Relations – sending out media releases, publicity editorial, interviews and photo opportunities, media launches and building media relationships.
Digital Media – website content, website promotion, eBooks, EDM, blogs, video, social media network updates and search engine optimisation. Like the rest of this checklist, this is a whole communication strategy on its own! Having an online presence is mandatory these days.
Promotions – competitions, sampling and free giveaways are a good way to create further awareness.
Want to know more about your communication strategy and "hook"? Download my free video series your NOOK, LOOK, HOOK 3 Steps to Create a Stand Out Personal Brand.
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Sue Currie is a speaker and the author of IMPRESSario, Present and Promote the Star Within You. She is recognised as a leading authority on personal branding to boost image, profile, brand and business. Through her professional development and profile building programs, workshops, consulting and keynote presentations, Sue helps businesses and entrepreneurs position and present an influential professional brand.
