Self-marketing can help to emphasize one's own personality and strengths – even outside of one's own company. The degree between conscious self-marketing and an ego show is often narrow. So how much self-marketing is actually okay?
Did you have a poetry album as a kid? If so, there's a good chance someone wrote this saying: "Be like the violet in the moss, modest, humble, and pure. And not like the proud rose that always wants to be admired.”
If you ask me, that's a stupid saying, if you don't mind me. It represents a belief that is deeply rooted in many of us women. I experience this again and again in consultations with customers who tell me: "I would like to position myself better with my strengths, but I don't want to come across as a self-promoter."
Interestingly, I've never heard that phrase from a man before. There is a psychological phenomenon that takes this humility to the extreme and, unsurprisingly, affects far more women than men: Impostor Syndrome.
Self-Marketing and the Imposter Syndrome
In German it is called imposter syndrome. Those affected suffer from massive self-doubt. Even if they are successful at work, they cannot be happy about their achievements or proud of them and themselves. Her constant thought: luck or coincidence are responsible for her successful projects. And they are not entitled to any praise or recognition.
The problem with modesty: If you don't make your own successes visible, you will be overlooked – and ignored. And that leads to frustration over time. So you have to increase your visibility if you want to achieve something. Clattering is part of the craft – I like this saying much better than the one with the flowers.
I like to ask our customers at "Drei Brueder": "If you don't believe in yourself and report on your experiences and successes, why should others do it?" But how can you increase your own visibility and where is the best place to start? at?
A good first step is to present successes to colleagues and superiors. For example, by presenting your projects and services yourself. Women are considered to be more team-oriented than men, which is initially sympathetic. But that doesn't mean they have to stand behind their team!
To be or not to be?
To be or not to be? The presentation outside of one's own company also decides on this. Social media channels are well suited for further career and professional networking. Think about what interests and inspires you in other people. And orient yourself to it.
Take us into your world! Tell others what hurdles and difficulties you experience on your way. And also what solutions you have found. Be lively and authentic, and do without hackneyed phrases like “I am so proud to announce …”, as they appear in many boring LinkedIn posts.
Try it! What can happen? In the worst case, people unfollow your accounts. So what? Those who stay mean business with you. Write your stories precisely for these people. Then you have the chance to give others help and inspiration – and at the same time to achieve a positive public image yourself.
Self-marketing and press work
Press work is also a good way to make special projects, successes, unusual ideas or solutions visible – including the person behind them. Journalists are interested in real stories from real people. A few examples from my work:
In the middle of the pandemic, how do you manage to open your own restaurant in just three months, even though there are no craftsmen, goods don't arrive and food isn't delivered? This is what Germany's former youngest star chef Julia Komp talks about.
Miriam Mertens, computer scientist and HR-Tech founder, and her co-founder know what role empathy and emotional skills should play in companies whose teams primarily work remotely and why so-called "deep skills" are essential for successful corporate management in the future Peter Goeke from the Cologne ed-tech startup Deep Skill.
Do you have to cook at star level or be a tech expert. no way! Each has a story to tell. Everyone is exciting. You just have to tease it out of him or, in this case, her. That's what good press work is all about.
Conclusion: How much self-marketing is okay?
Two more examples: Farmer Franziska Dörr made it onto HR television by converting her parents' farm to organic. And Toulope Martin, who manages one of the world's largest Shell lubricant plants in the port of Hamburg, has also ventured into a men's magazine with this job in a man's domain – namely in Auto Bild.
If you tell your individual story and thus entertain other people, make them think, encourage them and share your experiences with them, then in my opinion you are far from an ego show or exaggerated self-portrayal. It is my job and my passion to accompany you professionally and to prepare you in the best possible way.
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And since "Practice what you preach" also applies to me, I will take you more with me here and on my Linkedin account in my everyday work and life. There I tell you more about projects, people and stories that inspire and move me. I hope you enjoy it and I look forward to your feedback.
Finally, what I would also be interested in on this topic: At what point do you perceive a post as strenuous self-portrayal and what exactly do you base that on? Please let me know your thoughts on my LinkedIn post on the subject. Thanks in advance for your time.
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