This past week, I’ve had to face the fact that — if I don’t begin to self-market myself more aggressively — my at-home business will never grow. Which is why I focused on self-marketing all week long, with:
- How To Market Yourself: Strengthening Your Web Presence
- Product Placement: The Resume T-Shirt
- How To Market Yourself: Getting Out More, and
- Product Placement: Business Cards
Still, even when we know all there is to know about the logistics of self-marketing, we can still have difficulty implementing the necessary steps. Much of this is due to fear.
The thing that terrifies me the most?
Cold calling.
I’m also terrified of approaching strangers at networking events…being seen as a self-involved spammer…putting forth effort and seeing no results…
Weigh in on your fears in the comments, and perhaps we can next figure out how best to conquer them.
I’m with you on the fear of self-marketing and putting myself out there. I think a good way to get over it is having a 10-second self-pitch that you’ve written out and rehearsed (for the shy, stumbling-over-words among us). That way, when you’re asked what you do, you’re not left stuttering about how you “write, about stuff. You know, this and that.”
I think you’re right.
I think a huge problem is having a solid freelance identity, and then feeling confident about it. It might help to develop that 10-second self-pitch if only to solidify where your focus is.