Over the past year, my 16-year-old daughter has had to learn how to market herself. She plays fast-pitch softball and she's trying to earn a college scholarship. And what we've both realized is that just being a good ball player is not enough. You have to market yourself to the colleges to get their attention, so they'll come see you play.
As I have watched her grow over the past year, the one thing I've noticed most is that she's gotten over her natural inclination to be shy. You see, she was never one to toot her own horn. But this experience with softball (and having a mom who is a marketer!) has taught her that shy people don't get noticed. You have to put yourself out there. You have to share your achievements with people. You have to send letters. You have to send emails. You have to make phone calls. You have to talk to people you don't know.
The same goes for creating a successful business. You can't expect to just sit quietly by and hope the world takes notice of you. You have to get out there and toot your own horn. You have to tell lots of people what you're doing. That's what marketing is all about. So if you find yourself being a bit shy about marketing yourself, I encourage you to do whatever it takes to overcome this challenge. Start putting yourself and your business out there. It may be uncomfortable at first, but it gets easier with every step. And the more you do it, the better marketer you'll become. And, as my daughter will attest, it's the only way to get what you really want! So are you a shy marketer? If so, post a comment on this blog. Tell us why marketing is hard for you ... why you've been shy about putting yourself out there. And consider it your first step in overcoming your shyness!
Marketing Tips Podcast: Overcoming Your Marketing Shyness
Click Here to Download MP3/Audio
(length 4:48 minutes)
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