Five Ways to Tell the World, “I’m Amazing!” – Without Being a Jerk

Posted on April 27th, 2010 by Keith Ferrazzi

You know you’re doing a great job. I know you’re doing a great job. But what are you doing to make sure everyone else knows you're doing a great job.

Tony Hsieh’s Zappos is an Inc 500 alum

Tony Hsieh’s Zappos is an Inc 500 alum

Sometimes we get stuck thinking, “I’m working hard, being productive, everything else should fall into place.”

Whether you’re an employee at a large corporation, or the owner of a business, you need to market yourself. You need to find positive brags – ways to tell the world “I’m freaking AMAZING” without them thinking you’re a self-congratulatory jerk.

Here’s five suggestions – not all of them will apply to everyone, but I bet one applies to you.

1. Compete for a booster shot of credibility and prestige by applying for a spot on Inc. magazine’s Inc. 500|5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in America (for privately held companies with more than $2 million in revenue). The deadline is FRIDAY, April 30.

2. Find a wing man: Got a friend at work? Make an explicit agreement to shill for each other. Of course you’ll be honest, never inflated, in the praise you convey. But the idea is that you both make a conscious effort to find organic moments to speak positively about the other in front of influencers.

3. Start a Facebook page for your small business or firm. Yes, really! You’d be surprised how willing your friends will be to become fans – it’s an easy way to support you. Just make sure not to abuse the privilege by pushing out info constantly. Use it to communicate big wins, not incremental updates.

4. Here’s another one for people who are employees: Create an internal monthly email update of all the great work you’re doing. Make it interesting by blending it with other company news, news of local events, or links to interesting articles about your industry. Send it to everyone, or to the subset that you think matters, or even just to your boss as a weekly “status update.”

5. Have you ever hit a home run with a client, but felt like you waited too long to ask for a testimonial? Write them and ask! There’s no statute of limitations on this one folks. If they can’t remember the details, just bring them up to speed and offer to write it for them!

How do you toot your own horn?

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8 Responses so far | Have Your Say!

  1. When I was still in the corporate world, I never missed an opportunity to introduce clients to my bosses. It was a great way for me to show off the quality of clients I was bringing in and the clients invariably told my boss what a great job I was doing.

    Now that I'm in on my own, I always ask for referrals and I never refuse a client's hospitality (I spend time in people's homes as a result of my business.) An example: A while back, a client offered me a beer and I accepted. As I stood there having a drink with him, his other guests joined the conversation. It became a great opportunity to shake hands and hand out business cards. Instant Credibility, Baby!

  2. A great way to share and communicate personal victories is to offer some advice or resources that may benefit others. For example:

    At V-Formation Productions (www.vformation.tv), we recently launched a DVD release the first biographical documentary film on Margaret Atwood. Currently available to libraries and educational institutions, this film is a must see for aspiring writers, environmentalists and literary fanatics. Ask your library to order a copy from the link below.

    Clips from the documentary film on Margaret Atwood are available at: http://www.bit.ly/djmS5z

  3. Writing a book gives similar opportunities.

    If you have a blog, occasional posts praising and plugging others you know in the field can enhance relationships and often leads to reciprocation, though I almost never ask for that. I think, though, that I shouldn't be so shy about asking for a little help. Great thoughts!

  4. Penelope Singer says:
    April 27, 2010 at 8:39 am
    Reply

    Similar to Joel's tip, sending links to relevant articles and resources along with a very short summary to an email list or listserv helps. Just by sharing something (as long as what you're sharing is useful and relevant) you build your reputation. And don't forget to do this inside your company; if your company has an email list for employees, use it (but don't abuse it).

  5. When I meet people I want to collaborate with, I ask for their permission in emailing them career updates once a month or every 2 months. It's a way for me to stay on their radar AND communicate accomplishments I'm proud of.

  6. I like keeping a personal touch on my good news -- in mass emails and when talking to friends and colleagues, I always voice my accomplishments and wins with lots of excitement, and with the tone that I'm very fortunate. Nothing turns me off more than the opposite -- someone talking about new projects with boredom or nonchalance. Just won a million-dollar contract? Share the news with a "Wow, isn't this great?," not a "oh, no biggie."

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