179: 17 Ways to Market Yourself [Podcast]

Company of One with Dale Callahan

17 Ways to Market Yourself. Yes, I said market yourself. As we move through the four roles of your Company of One model (See Episode 174: Grow Your Own Company of One) we are now focused on your CMO or your Chief Marketing Officer. You might notice some overlap - which is normal. The last few episodes dealt with how to become better at operations - or your COO role. As you might expect - operations and market overlap in many places. But the key focus areas are different: The COO is focused on delivering value to the customer. The CMO is focused on communicating value to the customer - how it can or how it was delivered. So today we will focus on the 17 Ways to Market Yourself - a quick and powerful list to help you get amazing results. 17 Ways to Market Yourself 1. Define your expertise. Who do you help, how, and what benefit do they get from your help? For example, ”I help technology professionals connect their tech experience to their personal brand and company so they can maximize their income and growth while maintaining or growing their personal brand.” 2. Update your LinkedIn for the desired action. When someone visits your LinkedIn profile, what do you want them to do? For help, review profiles of authorities in your field. 3. Define your customers and what they value. Meet with them periodically to get feedback. Ask them "How am I doing?” and “What is your biggest struggle?” 4. Communicate frequently (at least every 30 days) to your customers. What do they value? Provide them feedback. Here is what has happened. Use bullet points so it can be scanned easily. 5. Dress for success. Look in the mirror, then look at the leaders in your company and in your field. What is different? What do you need to fix? Be open to ask others for help. The key is that you are communicating through your dress. What are you communicating? 6. Straighten up. Check your posture. Your posture impacts how others see you, how you sound, and how you feel. SMALL changes can create a big impact. Get help if needed. 7. Watch your language. Foul language is not accepted in any field. Sure - there are a FEW exceptions – but do not count on you being one of them. No one wants to hear negativity. It will block opportunities. No one will ever hire a person just because they speak in expletives, but plenty will not hire the one that does. This is also true for ANY negative language. 8. Keep it short. Learn to answer succinctly. When asked a question, do not ramble. A good approach is “Here are 3 ways to look at this …” And of course, be ready for questions that come often or you know are coming. 9. Smile. Communicates tons. Fake it if you have to. A smile communicates confidence. Confidence communicates power. 10. Keep your cool. Breath deep, smile, relax, even if you have to fake it at stressful times. Losing your cool can be a powerful tool if used correctly, but it more often communicates weakness. 11. Network. Who are the key influencers in your field? Make a list of the top 10-30 people and reach out to them in some way every 90 days. a. Let them know you saw their ad or heard others talking about them in a great way. Everyone loves good feedback. b. Share information about their interests. c. Introduce them to someone - a referral. d. Ask them an easy question. e. Send them a gift. f. Send a thank-you note. 12. Go above and beyond in your service. Going the extra mile always gets you noticed. When asked “How?” show them. When asked "Why?" take the time to explain. Give them more than they asked for in a way that is meaningful to them. For example, when asked how to do something on a computer, provide a short video showing them HOW. Take a photo. Write up a short report with details when asked a question. Make it EASIER for them to use - instead of the excel report - summarize key points in the email. 13. Find your people and how to hang out with them. How do you know your people?