I recently received some feedback that I promote myself too much and that I should “tone it down.” I didn’t reply, but still wanted to thank the giver of that feedback. Why? Because if I’m promoting too much it means I’m doing something right and I’m getting out there. Also, I know that I give valuable content through my blogs and newsletters, I offer awesome programs for free at local libraries and I do two monthly “give-back” programs to the community in the form of a live author book club and an open mic. Also, that feedback giver is not paying my mortgage, my gas, my inventory costs, or my Food Lion bill. This is how I make a living and I need to let my potential clients and students know what I offer and how I can help them succeed.
If you want to be a successful artist in any capacity: recording, literary or visual, you have to promote yourself or no one will know who you are. You promote to develop a following and fans. If not, no one will attend your showings or gigs; they won’t buy your books. The same goes for a blog: if you spend all of your time writing a blog and then don’t get others to follow you by promoting it, you’ve lost a lot of time and energy. Let’s look at John Denver’s self-promotional success.
I grew up with John Denver’s music and later learned how much he had to self-promote to get his recording contract with RCA extended. He had a hit song recorded by Peter, Paul and Mary, “Leaving on a Jet Plane,” to get his foot in the door, but after that he had to pass out fliers and play for free to get gigs and radio spots in town after town. Eventually his hard work and amazing talent won out and he became one of the most popular and ubiquitous artists of the 1970s.
By developing a solid fan base, some of whom followed Denver throughout his career, he sold out shows and became a best-selling recording artist. As a full time writer/editor/poet/speaker/teacher/entrepreneur I make my living by letting others know what I do via social media and my twice-monthly newsletters.
I do feel comfortable talking about myself and my business in a healthy way. By that I mean I have a quality bio prepared, along with a professional headshot should anyone ask for it. I also make sure I always have business cards on me, and can give a two-second talk about what I do when prompted. Here goes: “I love helping authors develop their voice.”
This feedback mentioned above did remind me about what my family thought of my self-promoting nature when I was a kid. Coming from their generation (pre-Baby Boomers, both born in the late 1930s), my parents didn’t think it was proper to brag about yourself; you should let others do it for you, except my mother didn’t like it when her friends and our neighbors told her she had a really great daughter, especially when they told this to me with me standing there. She was afraid I’d get a “swelled head” and often noted that I was just “average,” although I felt anything but. I knew I had academic weaknesses in math, but I was strong in English and history, I had an awesome memory and I loved music, writing and performing.
This tack actually made me a praise-hound and needy for attention (or perhaps I was always needy for attention?) and did make me comfortable promoting and taking risks later in life. I can only imagine what my mom would have gone through had I grown up with Facebook and YouTube!
But to my mother’s point: should you only let others talk about you? Yes and no—I feel you can guide what others say about you, although ultimately you have to be in charge of your business and not give up control. It’s necessary to be clear with your intentions and my intentions are to use my writing gifts to help others succeed. I have found that having friends who are influencers talk about you is also a strong way to promote your brand. I always make it easy for these friends by giving them the exact links and write-ups I want them to promote. And I also make sure that I spend time promoting their work as well.
Yes, it’s probably too much self-promotion if you are sending too out many Tweets that say, “Buy my book!” I also see folks heading into too much self-promotion when they don’t give back in social media. Do you congratulate your friends on Facebook when they garner a publication or an award? Do you comment on their links? Do you ask them meaningful questions and/or add value to their blog? Do you take photos of them at events and tag them? It’s also important is to create an online newsletter that’s not all self-promotion. Instead list tips, contests, recipes, “pet of the month,” cool facts and be liberal with cross-posting your colleagues’ events and workshops.
So, friends, keep self-promoting and growing your business!
Your Turn: How do you self-promote and what challenges have you faced with marketing yourself and your talents?
✊? Write-On! ✊?
Thank you, Eve! Have a super week:) A
Here in the Real World (population unknown), starving artists have to work hard to attract an audience. Musicians, actors, and, yes, writers, are scrambling for eyes and ears. Sometimes you have to offer freebies so the world will notice you.
You can’t just create your art and imagine its inner goodness will attract people. At least, not here in the Real World.
You keep on self-promoting. You have some famous company. Check out how a janitor in a helicopter got a famous musician to listen to his songs: http://music.cbc.ca/#!/Deep-Roots/blogs/2012/2/Johnny-Cash-Kris-Kristofferson-and-the-helicopter-that-changed-everything
I don’t know who that person was, but shame on him/her! Maybe in the 1900s you could write something and expect a publisher to do everything else for you, but those days are dead and gone and I’m not sure they ever really happened. Of course you have to promote yourself, and in this ADD world you have to do it constantly or people forget. Plus, you, Alice do a magnificent job of promoting others as well and helping them succeed. I’ve been thinking I should be more like you!
Some people have a hard time with self promotion – maybe they are shy or feel like putting themselves out there is somehow egotistical or prideful, But to be successful as an artist you have to do it! Take that comment as a compliment.
Alice, I envy your ability to self-promote. You’re the master. Keep it up, and continued success!
Self-promotion is the name of the game. I could relate to your article. I work hard to promote myself as a writer and poet and it has started to pay off for me. Sometimes it can sound like you have a “swelled head” when you do this, but with so much competition out there it has to be done or you slide into obscurity.
So keep on promoting. 🙂 I think you are doing the right thing.
Alice, Continue to let your light shine!
Not every poet has a business. Until they publish a book and then if that is still their only business they need to promote it – no one else will. You have a business with a much larger scope than the books you’ve published, and you promote it beautifully! The “level” of self-promotion is right for the varied enterprise you have created.
You make a great point about how we should work together in promoting each other, or even in how we use Facebook just to express ourselves on any issues. I try to participate in the posts of people who participate in mine. Someone who gets a lot of likes and comments and never comments on his friends’ posts is not keeping up his end!
It’s a criticism that concerns you – I’m the same way in that I take every little criticism seriously. Don’t worry – you’re fine!
Alice, whoever said that has no freaking clue what they are talking about. Sounds like jealousy to me. Keep on Rocking my sister!!!!!!!!
I have nothing but admiration for what you do and how well you do it.
This made me grin, giggle, then guffaw:
“I can only imagine what my mom would have gone through had I grown up with Facebook and YouTube!”
The hazy lines separating sharing, promotion, and becoming overbearing would be located in different places for different people. From my position as the recipient, you send great messages, fill communications needs, and light brilliant pathways. This post is an example. You didn’t have to share these thoughts, but I’m happy you did so.
Now, why do I have Colorado and West Virginia songs swimming in my head? “Take Me Home …” to a “Rocky Mountain High” … or something of that ilk!
Alice, thank you for your writing and promoting energy, that you share so generously with all of us! You totally live and embody your 2-second elevator pitch:”I help writers find their voices.” Keep up the good work, for all of us! 😉
Thank you so much, Christine:)
I think it is important to be strategic about promotion. Not overwhelm people. Love your newsletter.
Thank you so much, Sam!
These days we are our own “third party” endorsement. What used to be “bragging” now it is just smart business selling
and promoting your work, which is a gift. And boy are you gifted, Alice.
Shame is a lot of artists stay dark wondering if the world might like the gift they have. With no idea how to market, we never see their projects. So the combo of creativity with marketing is a rare trait.
Most publishers are, by the way, interested in authors who like to talk to a lot of people and who are not shy.
Times change. Be sure your potential groupies know what creative amazing thing you are up to because, well
the hearts you’ve touched want to know. The ones who don’t, don’t have to read it. BUT maybe, just maybe you’ll make a difference with your art with that one person who looked over your email two times but opened it on the third post.
You can NEVER promote yourself too much in these days of too much. A little mass media article always helps as well.
You go girl.
Well said, Lynda! Thank you:) In the 11 years I’ve been blogging this post generated the most comments ever! Thank you all so much!
I hear one good way to boost your work is to reciprocate writers who comment on your site. (cough, cough)
Okay, Mike, I get the hint:)
You hit the nail on the head! Keep truck’n and your dreams will come true! Good Luck and thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much, Pat!
Fantastic post! More people need to read this. Do you agree with the advice that what people say when criticizing you, speaks more about them than it has to do with you?
Thank you so much, Sylvia! I used to think that I deserved the criticism, no matter what–now I take a much more rational view and see if the criticism is coming from a kind source who wants to help me or someone who wants to BE me. I got criticized this spring for basically being me/showing up/being active on FB and I knew that it was the other person’s issues, not me–but it took me a long while to get to this spot!