Do you see marketing yourself as boasting? Do you get annoyed at people who promote themselves? Do you feel uncomfortable talking about yourself? Do you tell yourself that you’re too modest / shy / introverted / humble to tell people about your work? If you answered yes to any of the above questions – congratulations, your less competent colleague is about to get your promotion.
Everyone is low on time. Your bosses manage multiple people and projects and have their own career agendas. No one has the time to unearth your greatness and unless you speak about your own achievements, chances are they’ll go unnoticed. If you feel unappreciated at work, it probably means that you haven’t communicated your successes to others.
Companies like Hindustan Unilever, P&G, Cadbury’s etc spend millions on their advertising. If they didn’t, their sales would drop drastically. No one would know what products or services they have. If you don’t advertise yourself well, you might think you’re doing great work but you’ll feel resentful when people don’t take notice. They’re not to blame though, they just don’t have enough data on you.
Not marketing yourself is a disservice, not just to yourself but also to the others. Great marketing is not saying I am better, it’s saying this is how I can help you. Imagine John, a father of three, fighting cancer and desperately looking for a cure. And imagine there’s a lab in Norway that has just invented a cure but hasn’t marketed it because their belief is that a good product should market itself. They might have invented a life saving drug but they have been quite lazy and selfish by not marketing it.
So go out there and market yourself shamelessly, albeit skillfully. Great marketing is not boasting or being arrogant. It’s actually a loving and selfless act. It’s making a mark and impacting the world to a greater extent.