I feel like I just stumbled into a pirates treasure and am trying in all the jewels. I read this article and when I finished, I went right back to the top and read it again. I did that three times. The only thing that stopped me from a fourth read was that my coffee cup was empty.
As an introvert who has struggled for 30 years in business with self promotion, this is not only validating, but sacred advice. Much of this I already do. And the parts I don’t feel totally palatable, and could even be delicious as I try them.
Michael, first I want to say it was great meeting you and Teri and everyone on your impromptu zoom meetup the other day.
Now…this! ☺️ I feel like you peeked into my introvert brain and gave me such wonderful nuggets of how to do the thing I hate the most. Self promote. Especially on LinkedIn which I have a love hate relationship with. 😅 mostly hate if I’m being honest. 🫣
I actually wrote a post called “To Post or Not to Post” and why I struggle with it so much.
Soooo…thank you for this! Thank you for being so relatable, vulnerable and generous with your own experiences and how you moved through doing the hard stuff and make it so practical.
It helps ease my own anxiety over self promoting because I have to start doing a lot of it very soon as I begin that journey from a book I completed that I’ve been sitting on for a year just because of fear. (I think I just did one of your things) 😉So thank you thank you thank you!
This message means the world, Sherry. It was so great to meet you as well and learn a bit about life in the DR. Please drink an El Presidente for me and hope this is just the beginning of hanging out and getting to know you better.
And yes, LinkedIn is an odd place. I've linked up with a lot of old friends there and many of my clients are on the platform but I struggle to weed through it to find the goodness at times (been muting like a madman this past year and I have to admit my feed is better for it).
Hi Tom. Yes LinkedIn has been a slow uphill climb but I'm sticking it out..for now. As far as my book, it's a YA Fantasy Fiction Trilogy about a young introverted girl who discovers she comes from an ancient long-line of Seers. The title is “Harriet Honeybee and the Testament of Seers”.
I love how you've framed it—Talk about how much you hate self-promotion. This is a brilliant strategy I've successfully used many times. Talking about the things you dislike or aren't good at always works. It helps overcome the fear of imposter syndrome and allows you to stay authentic.
Framing this as necessary evil makes me want to read this more as I’m also struggling with it. Many people talk about their success but no one talks how to endure it during the journey!
This is a post I’ll save and refer back to as I work through my own issues with self-promotion. Appreciate your unique take and practical ideas. So different from most posts on this topic. Really enjoying Shy by Design too!
Isn't it great when you find out your heroes are just like you?
Thank you, Michael, for bleeding on the page like this. All of us who hate self-promotion feel better about ourselves!
But, as you say, "being scared, nervous, or downright terrified to share our work is actually a massive strength. It demonstrates we respect our audience and don’t want to waste a second of their time." Cheers to that! It does show our respect for readers and their time. And our high standards for our work.
Right there with you Zivah on promoting others until the cows come home and so glad you found this useful. Regarding the poetry and fiction, I not 100% sure but I tend to get my best ideas, inspiration, writing tips from places outside of my lane. I’m big into lyrics, screenplays, etc and pulling that into my “personal stories or thought leadership articles” helps (I think) to make them different. While others are focusing mainly over ideas, I’m pining over every work to get sentences to stick.
That’s interesting. I’m often inspired by subjects that aren’t in my natural field and they take me somewhere else entirely- which I think is positive.
Waving the white flag of surrender, I admit I’m also quite unskilled at self promotion. (Though I’m great at bragging on my daughter and her husband who are both incredible artists.) maybe I just need to find a me to brag on me!
Thanks for another peek behind the mask of your fabulous self Michael!
Haha. I'm so much better at bragging about people in my life as well. A big part of me thinks that not being great at self-promotion isn't a bad thing at all. Can you imagine if out in public (like real-world public, not online) we ran around thumping our chests all the time. People would throw watermelon's at us.
Wow, this was so helpful. As I read, I realized why some writing comes so naturally while self-promotion does not. Thank you for sharing these insights.
So pleased I’m not the only one who gets those, ‘late for meals’ glares. Almost OK when working, definitely not OK when watching footy. But guilt is kinda naughty-cool, occasionally.
This is the best article on self promotion I’ve read. Boy, can I relate! Thanks for the tips. I’ve bookmarked this to go back to to make sure I use them. 😊
Sharing the bruises and beauty you encountered while making your thing is definitely my flavor of choice. Such a great piece, especially for those of us who really struggle to peacock or even proactively move in a way that allows us to be seen.
I feel like I just stumbled into a pirates treasure and am trying in all the jewels. I read this article and when I finished, I went right back to the top and read it again. I did that three times. The only thing that stopped me from a fourth read was that my coffee cup was empty.
As an introvert who has struggled for 30 years in business with self promotion, this is not only validating, but sacred advice. Much of this I already do. And the parts I don’t feel totally palatable, and could even be delicious as I try them.
Thank you Michael. Thank You!
Thank you so much TeriLeigh;). Means the world and glad the advice felt do-able as that's the goal.
I love when I read and article and it immediately makes me want to go write. That happened with this one. And here is what came out of it. My own little version of writing about what happens when promotion falls flat. https://thecreatorretreat.substack.com/p/why-i-teach-even-when-no-one-shows
From a fellow introvert, I so resonate with this. I reread it as well. So good!😊
Michael, first I want to say it was great meeting you and Teri and everyone on your impromptu zoom meetup the other day.
Now…this! ☺️ I feel like you peeked into my introvert brain and gave me such wonderful nuggets of how to do the thing I hate the most. Self promote. Especially on LinkedIn which I have a love hate relationship with. 😅 mostly hate if I’m being honest. 🫣
I actually wrote a post called “To Post or Not to Post” and why I struggle with it so much.
Soooo…thank you for this! Thank you for being so relatable, vulnerable and generous with your own experiences and how you moved through doing the hard stuff and make it so practical.
It helps ease my own anxiety over self promoting because I have to start doing a lot of it very soon as I begin that journey from a book I completed that I’ve been sitting on for a year just because of fear. (I think I just did one of your things) 😉So thank you thank you thank you!
Makes me not feel so cringy🙏🏾
This message means the world, Sherry. It was so great to meet you as well and learn a bit about life in the DR. Please drink an El Presidente for me and hope this is just the beginning of hanging out and getting to know you better.
And yes, LinkedIn is an odd place. I've linked up with a lot of old friends there and many of my clients are on the platform but I struggle to weed through it to find the goodness at times (been muting like a madman this past year and I have to admit my feed is better for it).
Awe! You know about El Presidente the local beer here. 🍻 I swear its like drinking water for the Dominicans!😄
I agree wholeheartedly Sherry about the LinkedIn vibe, try as I might I just can't get the same vibe as I do here on Substack.
Not that I'm going to give up but just can't find the sweet spot over on LI.
Your book sounds interesting, what's it about?
Hi Tom. Yes LinkedIn has been a slow uphill climb but I'm sticking it out..for now. As far as my book, it's a YA Fantasy Fiction Trilogy about a young introverted girl who discovers she comes from an ancient long-line of Seers. The title is “Harriet Honeybee and the Testament of Seers”.
Such goodness in here. As Teri said, thank you. 🙏
As I’ve gotten to know you, this is especially you - “I blocked the world and pined over every word.”
Love that.
Thank you James. I think that's what makes writing so darn fun. We get time to think about how to best share the messages we want to see in the world.
I love how you've framed it—Talk about how much you hate self-promotion. This is a brilliant strategy I've successfully used many times. Talking about the things you dislike or aren't good at always works. It helps overcome the fear of imposter syndrome and allows you to stay authentic.
Love it Neera - yeah naming the enemy is a great way to draw attention to something you don't like.
This was full of great, useful ideas. Much appreciation as always.
Thank you Lala. Glad it resonated.
Framing this as necessary evil makes me want to read this more as I’m also struggling with it. Many people talk about their success but no one talks how to endure it during the journey!
Very true, Wyndo. Thanks for reading.
This is a post I’ll save and refer back to as I work through my own issues with self-promotion. Appreciate your unique take and practical ideas. So different from most posts on this topic. Really enjoying Shy by Design too!
Isn't it great when you find out your heroes are just like you?
Thank you, Michael, for bleeding on the page like this. All of us who hate self-promotion feel better about ourselves!
But, as you say, "being scared, nervous, or downright terrified to share our work is actually a massive strength. It demonstrates we respect our audience and don’t want to waste a second of their time." Cheers to that! It does show our respect for readers and their time. And our high standards for our work.
I appreciate these tips and will reread this..
I’m terrible at self-promotion and yet I can promote others until the cows come home. This article was really helpful.
I write poetry and fiction and was wondering if your articles on writing will translate into something that could be useful for my kind of writing?
Right there with you Zivah on promoting others until the cows come home and so glad you found this useful. Regarding the poetry and fiction, I not 100% sure but I tend to get my best ideas, inspiration, writing tips from places outside of my lane. I’m big into lyrics, screenplays, etc and pulling that into my “personal stories or thought leadership articles” helps (I think) to make them different. While others are focusing mainly over ideas, I’m pining over every work to get sentences to stick.
That’s interesting. I’m often inspired by subjects that aren’t in my natural field and they take me somewhere else entirely- which I think is positive.
Waving the white flag of surrender, I admit I’m also quite unskilled at self promotion. (Though I’m great at bragging on my daughter and her husband who are both incredible artists.) maybe I just need to find a me to brag on me!
Thanks for another peek behind the mask of your fabulous self Michael!
Haha. I'm so much better at bragging about people in my life as well. A big part of me thinks that not being great at self-promotion isn't a bad thing at all. Can you imagine if out in public (like real-world public, not online) we ran around thumping our chests all the time. People would throw watermelon's at us.
Ha ha ha. Throwing watermelons😜😂
Wow, this was so helpful. As I read, I realized why some writing comes so naturally while self-promotion does not. Thank you for sharing these insights.
I really appreciate you taking the time Jessica. Happy it resonated and glad to meet another "unnatural at self-promotion";).
You're welcome! Happy to meet you too 😊
Yeah, so basically just be a witness and relate what you've actually done and have been a part of. People like your real stories.
Yes, I have come to find out, especially my children… but not so much my parents 😊
So pleased I’m not the only one who gets those, ‘late for meals’ glares. Almost OK when working, definitely not OK when watching footy. But guilt is kinda naughty-cool, occasionally.
This is the best article on self promotion I’ve read. Boy, can I relate! Thanks for the tips. I’ve bookmarked this to go back to to make sure I use them. 😊
"Some lunatics even look forward to it."
What a great example of making the problem the solution!
Sharing the bruises and beauty you encountered while making your thing is definitely my flavor of choice. Such a great piece, especially for those of us who really struggle to peacock or even proactively move in a way that allows us to be seen.