Embrace it: You’re the Product

When you work for someone and you promote anything (products, services), and even you have strong professional ethics, it’s relatively easy to distance yourself. It’s not personal. But when you’re promoting yourself, it’s a whole other story. You’re the product, in a way. 

And if people don’t buy, like or even criticise the product, it does  sometimes feel like they’re rejecting your whole being. Of course, it’s not like that, but this fear often keeps great professionals from putting themselves out there. 

I’ve been there. I was a freelance consultant and a small business owner. I know how it feels.

Still, in order for you business to flourish, you kind of have to put yourself out there. So, how do we manage that so it’s not freaking painful, uh?

Tips # 1: Be Authentic

Authenticity stems from being vulnerable and showing your true self. Openly share your journey, your wins and challenges with your audience. Remember: people buy stories, not products. You want to look human. Because that’s who you are. And that’s what allows people to connect with you, because your work and thoughts resonates with them.

No offense, I’m pretty sure you’re all good at what you do. Awesome, even. But there are a shitload of good to awesome people out there, in your exact field of expertise. But there’s only one you. Your uniqueness is what defines you. And by showing that, that’s how you gonna find your people. And please don’t say “but I don’t know what story to tell”. Sure you do. One sentence will do. Just be authentic.

You can talk to your friends, right? Well, imagine you’re sharing this content with one of your best friends.

Tips #2: Know Your Niche And Audience

The better you know who you’re targeting, the more efficient you are. Sit down and write down who’s your ideal client. What do they do, like, buy? How old are they? Where do they live? And so on. The clearer is your vision of your ideal client, the more you can tailor your message.

Plus, if you focus on the people who are genuinely interested in your work, you’ll be more likely to receive positive feedback. Works pretty well against fear of rejection!

It will also allow you to focus on some platforms – no, you don’t have to be everywhere. If Tik Tok, Linkedin, Twitter, sorry, X, make no sense to you just don’t be there. It’s a lot of time and energy, choose your battles wisely.

Tips #3: Build A Strong Community

Social media is not a number’s game. I repeat: social media is NOT a number’s game. Better have 100 or 1000 very engaged followers than 10 000 who barely interact or see your content.

How do you achieve that? Invite people to drop comments. Reply to every single one of them. You don’t have to write a freaking paragraph. Just drop a like, a thank you. Oh and also, it might sound super duper obvious, but rely on your clients. Word of mouth, sure, that works, but why keeping things small? Systematically ask for a review, a testimonial.

Some are very enthusiastic? Ask them to spread the love. Make them your brand ambassadors. And share the reviews on your social media. It doesn’t feel like bragging when it’s someone else’s word.

Tips #4: Let Go Of Perfectionism

Nah, really. This thing is a total vibe killer. Tell yourself 10 times a day “Better done than perfect”. Put yourself out there. Showcase your passion, it’s contagious. Share your enthusiasm, your expertise. That’s what matters.

When people see you’re passionate about your work, they’ll be more drawn to supporting you. And let me tell you something: they won’t even notice the small thingies that paralyses you when you think about them. You’re not going for the caption of the year title. You’re not trying to win the perfect reel award.

Just put your stuff out there. See everything you do as an MVP (minimum viable product) that allows you to learn and improve. See next tip about that.

Tip#5: Seek Any Kind Of Feedback, And Learn From It

Instead of fearing rejection, view feedback as an opportunity for growth and improvement. Actively seek feedback from your audience, clients, or peers, and use constructive criticism to refine your skills and offerings. This iterative process will help you build confidence and refine your self-promotion strategies over time.

And you know what? Haters gonna hate. If you triggered them, you must be doing something interesting. Don’t engage too much, but also feel free to agree to disagree at some point. If they don’t like you, they’re not your target audience, so better send them off.