I’m not one to shy away from self – promotion as I find that it works well- especially professionally – as long as it’s done with style and discreetness. Yet every single day I see examples of self promotion that is done in a vulgar, in-your-face, intrusive manner. Naturally what counts as legitimate advertising in one quarter counts as vulgar shouting in another.
However – especially in communications and PR online – we operate in a global environment with new rules. It is not about you anymore. With a danger of sounding like Obama – it’s about the change you can make happen via ideas, community and other people.
It’s not about the “I”
All bloggers – myself included – overuse it. I agree with being a brand and standing by it but we are not here to listen to intimately personal ideas and don’t want your definitive and final decisions on products and services. Obama is not just Obama – he is the expression of voices which could not be heard in the past. Speak up for them, not for yourself.
Find the good ideas and then promote them
Don’t write about how you use them. Write about how other people can use them and what sort of things they can create. Help people around you find the right tool at the right time.
We heard you the first time
Stop the noise pollution. We heard you the first time when you sent out a tweet or a message on Friendfeed about your new blog post. Don’t resend it every two days (or, worse, twice a day). The technique will probably give you some hits for a few days and then people will never bother with you ever again. In other words, don’t cry ‘wolf’.
Ask a question and don’t tell us why you are wonderful by way of an answer
This is my pet hate in LinkedIn. People ask a question and apart from also answering it (which is fine) they also promote their blog, product, pitch and then NEVER COME BACK to actually engage in the conversation. Ask a question to actually start a discussion. If you’re not interested in our answers and our debate then stop participating and don’t ask questions.
Find an idea that is bigger than you
In other words, find a vision, a dream – anything that will take you away from the confines of Return on Investment, Revenue and Sales. Think about the next big thing, think about revolution, think about making things better for real people and not corporate entities. Promote the idea – if it’s good enough your name will shine in good time.
Promote the person sitting next to you
Fine, we know you think you rock but we don’t trust your judgement, you’re too close to the subject matter. So promote someone else instead. Tell us why their work, their character, they dreams ROCK your world. What do they do that you have learned from? What can we learn?
Finally,
Global audiences equal global differences
I overheard two American acquaintances the other day, discussing the fact that we could not arrange a meeting on the 4th of January because people in Europe actually take time off for the holidays. They do. They also have different standards and cultural norms. What is ‘elementary’ for you (and the social media scene is filled with ‘know-it-alls’ who know the ONE and only TRUE way) needs to be explained in cultural terms to someone else. Find a common ground and stop trying to force your way of doing things down everyone’s throat.
As you’ve guessed I’m having a foul mood week… Hopefully the Christmas holidays will cure it.
Read on:
Is ‘no self-promotion’ the great unwritten rule of social media? from The Viral Garden
Sharing, Self Promotion Always a Two-Way Street by Mike Fruchter on LouisGray
5 Lessons About Self-Promotion In Social Media on davefleet
The. Biggest. Douche. In. Social. Media. (friendfeed discussion initiated by) Wayne Sutton
Updated Read on:
Shup The Hell Up You Self-Promoting Turd by Chris Brogan
Thanks very much for your clear and straight forward thoughts on greedy communication. There's tons of it out there. And sure as you confess I am part of it too.
What's in it for me? Nobody cares.
I received a newsletter quite some time ago about face to face networking. You know, these occasions where people run around elevator pitching and distributing business cards, big slogans on their foreheads saying "hire me". That newsletter said: whenever you approach a networking event cultivate an attitude of helping others.
It's absolutely amazing what can happen once you let go of your proper neediness and start to serve others: introducing people, helping to make connections, sharing knowledge, listening. The return of invest is immediate because it's pure fun. From there all you need to do is being open to all the magic future benefits.
Success is the straight consequence of being generous.
This is an excellent post Sofia. Many people adopt the 'me me me' attitude when faced with all of these wonderful tools to get their message out. We need more educational posts like this to refocus us all on how best to engage with others.
I think Martin's comment is also spot on. 'Paying it forward' and 'Givers Gain' are in danger of becoming cliches, which would be a shame as they are the rules by which we should all live our lives.
I'm now going back to read my own blog posts with your thoughts in mind. Gulp!
Hey Martin. I like the idea in the newsletter you mentioned and it's exactly the kind of thing that would work. We like to think that we need to 'brand' ourselves but we forget that the best brands are built on what they can do for you and what they can inspire in you. Not who their main speaker is.
'Gulp!' I really laughed reading this, you made my morning. I think it's fine to talk about you and your achievements, we are all bloggers and by definition we talk about our own thing. When I had a personal blog I used to write about my day or my latest essay. But writing "i am great" is different than writing "i did this and maybe the post can help you when you have to do something similar".
All very well but in the media you need to be "in your face".
Oh I don't know. It depends on what sort of media you mean ( I suspect old media and those have different rules) and it also depends on how you are 'in your face'. Maybe it's just me but vulgarity will turn me away from a message every single time.
Spot on advice. Use my services now to learn how to do it better.
New, low low prices and a free set of steak knives if you respond in the next 30 seconds.
Sofia
Yes, it's all about finding that balance.
Doug
lol
Sofia,
I can't disagree with this article, when at the same time I can't agree.
This is a list of what you want people to do, but you miss the point why people should do that. Social media, it's not about what I have to do, but what I want to do.
It is about "I", it's about how I use a service or a product, it's about what I do, what my work is, bottom of line, I think especially blogs are just for self promoting.
Now what you suggest, it's again about promoting, but not so upfront. I'll write something about you, then I will get your attention, you will write something about me and so on.
I remember a lot of your twitts early this year to be "self-promoted" , and it was a good thing, I could see faster an interesting blog-post from you rather than wait when I have the time to go through my G-reader.
So, just to make it clear, there are enough limitations in our lives to add a new one with do & dont's.
Hey dealsend. Well I see nothing wrong with what you are saying.
You know I am prone to exageration – so I'm not really saying stop promoting yourself generally. What I would really like to see is self promotion that actually helps others as well.
Updating about a blog post is fine. But retweeting the same thing for 5 days in a row is a bit much.
(sorry for the delay in replying, I was on holiday. Happy New Year by the way)
I think that all self-promotion helps publicity. So does bad publicity. Now, the question is… do you want to be known through bad publicity?
Maybe have a look at the "sent messages" folder and evaluate why some of those messages were never answered. Self publicity is a slow learning excercise but one worth doing. Quality comes with time
[...] Η Σοφία το περιγράφει σε ένα ποστ της:”Βρες μια ιδέα μεγαλύτερη από εσένα. Με άλλα λόγια, βρες ένα όραμα, ένα όνειρο…Σκέψου το επόμενο μεγάλο πράγμα, την επανάσταση, σκέψου να κάνεις τα πράγματα καλύτερα για πραγματικούς ανθρώπους…Προώθησε την ιδέα.” Οι ομιλίες στο TED αποτελούν παραδείγματα για το πως ιδέες μπορούν να προκαλέσουν συζήτηση και να γίνουν κίνητρο για άλλους, δεν είναι πάντα απαραίτητo να μιλάμε το πόσο συναρπαστικοί είμαστε και ποσό φοβερή είναι η εταιρία μας. Αντίθετα μια ιδέα μπορεί να επιφέρει δράσεις και αντιδράσεις, διάλογο. [...]
[...] I could probably write thousands of words on this one and it is my top wish for Dora’s content. All I’m reading now is Dora Dora Dora. Where she went, what she said, who she saw. Huge mistake on social media. I want to read about what Dora finds interesting, which blogs she reads, which newspaper articles made sense. (I know, I know I’ve said it all before). [...]
[...] I chatted about promoting other people’s work and creating a network instead of simply broadcasting. Gave them the basics of my view basically It’s not about the “I” Find the good ideas and then promote them We heard you the first time Ask a question and don’t tell us why you are wonderful by way of an answer Find an idea that is bigger than you Promote the person sitting next to you Global audiences equal global differences (from an older post) [...]
Hey Martin. I like the idea in the newsletter you mentioned and it's exactly the kind of thing that would work. We like to think that we need to 'brand' ourselves but we forget that the best brands are built on what they can do for you and what they can inspire in you. Not who their main speaker is.
Are you listening Burl Barer? You could learn a thing from Sofia.