Self-Promotion is Not Evil

By Bruce Lund, NEXTPERT
Topic: Career Development, Marketing, Networking, Personal Branding, Success Strategies, Reputation Management, Social Media, Entrepreneur, Gen Y, Millennial, Job Searching

 www.nextpert.net

Live Your Brand

Do you want to be successful in a New Era of Wisdom and Technology? Then you better be able to sell yourself.

People don’t buy into the dream until they buy into the dreamer.

Personal branding is a celebration of individuality, differentiation, and self-promotion to be your OWN person. You are a brand whether you realize it or not. You are being judged by both your offline and online presence. Are you projecting yourself properly? 

We are all salespeople

Statistics tell us we get 30 seconds to make a GOOD impression and it takes 21 positive interactions to overcome a BAD first impression.

Every person is selling themselves to the world every day and influencing others to like you, respect you, or believe in you. The easiest way to win people over is to be enthusiastic. 83 percent of people buy enthusiasm.

“You can’t sell the cookwear if you don’t buy the cookwear” – Zig Ziggler

Here are three easy principles that will help you sell yourself:

1. Smile: 93 percent of our communication is non-verbal. Just think about the people you are attracted to. They have a positive energy about them and for that people are naturally drawn to them. Put a smile on your face and love life. Each day is an opportunity to meet someone knew and to make an impact on their life. Transfer your energy to each person you meet and SMILE.
2. Be somebody: We are all in the process of becoming the person we want to be. As a young professional you’re not there yet but be confident in knowing that you are making strides to get there. Carry yourself with meaning and intention. Always be presentable. Look and act like you are somebody. Abraham Lincoln's mother told him on her death bed to, "Be somebody Abe".  
3. Have a go-to statement: In basketball all great stars have a "go-to" move they feel will get them success no matter what. They are confident in that move because they have done it for so long. To gain the necessary confidence in selling your dreams to another individual tell them WHY you do what you do and not what you do. There is more passion when you begin to tell somebody about yourself and why you do what you do. Your face will light up once you understand your calling in life and that positive energy is a natural attraction and influences those around you. Have a 2-3 sentence “go-to” statement of WHY you do what you do or why it is you WANT to do something in the future. Once you repeat this statement over and over you will be very confident in it and it will become your “go-to” statement and erase the nervousness of ANY meeting.

Confidence is the memory of success. If you practice these three qualities while self-promoting yourself each day then I guarantee you will look back in a short period of time and see a considerable difference in your approach to meeting new people. It’s important for people to know who you are, what you do, and why you matter. When beginning your career YOU have to be the person to articulate this to others. Self-promotion (if done properly) is a tremendous gift and should not be perceived as evil.

Bruce Lund is the Founder & CEO of NEXTPERT, a training and consulting firm offering insight and strategies to help recruit, train, and retain the BEST of the NEXT Generation leaders. Bruce is a Next Generation Expert completing his Ph.D. on the leadership of this unique group. Bruce has worked in and through many top organizations and teaches the whole self (Mind, Body, Heart, Spirit) approach in leading. He is seeking to become THE Leadership Expert Generation Y can count on for guidance to take them from where they are right now and teach them the distinctive habits of successful people to live an extraordinary life.