Effective But Subtle Ways to Self-Promote

Successful business revolves around winning the trust of a prospective customer and, once that trust has been won, keeping it. But even though word of mouth is probably the most powerful marketing and sales tool for any business, it is often an elusive prize.

Extensive surveys consistently show that "earned" media may be valued more highly by the general public and potential customers than paid media (display ads, sponsorships) or owned media (websites, traditional advertising). Earned media is essentially free media exposure. Originally it meant getting your brand into free media rather than paying for it through advertising, but lately it has evolved into the "word of mouth" being created through social media. Earned media results in a message that is perceived as credible and authentic. Of course, it may be the result of well-coordinated paid or owned media efforts, along with a variety of subtle promotional and publicity activities.

As a financial advisor, it is essential for the success of your practice to start building subtle ways to self-promote you and your firm. In business, especially at the local level, this "positive opinion via osmosis" strategy is especially important because people like to know who they are dealing with.

Here are eight subtle ways to help you self-promote.

Writing

Despite the ongoing decline of print media, the opportunities for self-promotion through writing have never been higher. The online world has an insatiable appetite for new literary material. Whether you write copy for your own website or social media outlet (see below) or pen articles for major media outlets, getting your name published and associated with an expert opinion can be extremely valuable.

Social Media

This is the mainstay, informal communication medium of the 21st century and includes everything from blogging to Facebook to Twitter. Word of mouth has never had such global reach. One good customer experience can be magnified one hundred times over via social media.

Public Speaking

Speaking in front of a targeted demographic can pay dividends and conveys an air of expertise to your potential customer base. Public speaking can include everything from presenting a public seminar, to offering a guest lecture, to speaking at another professional's event, to teaching a class at a local college or for a private organization.

Professional Organizations

Every profession has a professional organization representing its membership. Joining such an organization allows for networking with peers and possible future sponsors. Again, be pro-active in your involvement by attending organizational functions and social events.

Community Participation

If your primary customer base comes from the local community, then it is important to become involved in that community. Self-promotion is intended to first promote your name and then to associate your name with industry excellence. As a result, it is important to be seen as an active participant in the local community. People like to do business with people who are involved in community activities.

Hosting an Event

Whether targeted for a professional organization or the local community, hosting an event is a great way to be highly visible. Meanwhile, it enables you to be discreetly selective when it comes to the invitation list, especially for a private event. Make sure all the people you want to connect with are invited. Also make sure the event is something interesting that your target invitation list will want to attend. Consider leveraging the names of already accepted attendees to entice more people.

Help a Charitable Cause

This is the mainstay of Hollywood networking! Helping a charity projects a caring and sensitive persona, one that must, by association, be trustworthy in business! And it does significant good at the same time — a win-win situation!

Networking

If you are a business professional, networking is part of your job description. Selective networking can go a long way because people like to know who they are doing business with and giving their money to. This could be an effective way to receive a recommendation or introduction to a potential client from someone you've met socially or through a professional organization. Sharing information and opinions with like-minded people, and collaborating with other experts, also opens up the potential for referrals and a higher profile, because you can ultimately coat-tale on someone else to increase your own visibility.

Conclusion

The key to self-promotion is not to appear as though you are promoting yourself! "Subtle and discreet" is the name of the game whenever possible. Promoting a business is vital to success, but any promotion should be done in a way that keeps the actual act of promoting in the background.