The 9 Biggest Lessons I've Learned About Promoting Yourself & Your Work...
and why you can't afford not to.
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Just publish it…
Seems like a simple request we should all be doing with our work, our products, our services, our art… or anything else we took time into creating.
You want more people to see your work… promote it.
You want more sales for your work… promote it.
You want more invitations to new opportunities… promote it.
You want more impact on the world… promote it.
Yet…
so many people struggle to do this.
Why?
I actually think there are a lot of reasons… in part because we’re nervous we don’t have it all figured out (or at least all the details of what we’re offering).
In part because it’s human nature to worry about what others think until you eventually realize no one is thinking about you the way you’re thinking about you.
In part because we’ve seen others promote simpler, less advanced (or even less developed work) for more money… and potentially not live up to what their products or services say they’ll do…
and we don’t want to sound like them or be viewed in the same category… lol, fair enough.
And in part because we deal with imposter syndrome, criticism, rejection, perfectionism and hundreds of other narratives in our mind.
I remember years ago, a close friend of mine asked me why I wasn’t teaching my global audience about my background in writing, audience development, marketing, publishing, branding… you name it.
Side Note — I come from a very extensive background in the Internet and consulted with amazing brands over the years like Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy — but I never really wanted to be positioned as this “digital” guy.
I guess in my heart I felt there was (and is) so much more to my story and what I’ll create.
So, I told him that I didn’t want to sound like all of the “marketing gurus” out there and be categorized as some “online marketing guy” with just another course — I’m sure MANY of you can relate to this.
I’m more than one thing and I was worried that I would be “typecasted” into marketing... especially with the usual suspects you see online.
He understood me well, but he also posed a different question to me.
“Don’t you think you have a responsibility to show the market a different option? Isn’t it your responsibility to share your work in order to help people?”
And there it is…
No matter what we create… physical or digital goods and services… we have a responsibility to love what we create, share why we’re doing it, show how we’re doing it and promote it every single day.
I remember watching an independent musician talk online about why people fall short on their exposure, sales and visibility with their work…
Let me explain what he said in this quick audio clip here
In short… love yourself enough to promote the work you do… then promote it some more. When we hold back from sharing our work, the world can’t receive from us, nor support us right back.
Don’t get in your head that it’s not good enough. People would rather see you build from scratch than show how perfect the end result is 10 years from now.
Here are the 9 Biggest Lessons I’ve Learned About Promoting Your Work
#1 — Never stop
Consistency with your work is the only way the world will hear about you… and continuously promoting your work is how they’ll know where you’ve been.
Remember, there will always be someone who needs exactly what you published in that moment.
#2 — Your old work can be new work
Your work may have changed, but but a newer audience might find your older work just as appealing.
What’s old is only old to you… but new to new people. Keep sharing your older work.
And… no matter how “known” someone’s work becomes, people always want the first edition.
If someone offered you Picasso’s first draft, you wouldn’t even hesitate to take it.
#3 — New people are always finding you
As new people find you, be sure they can see the trail you’ve blazed.
Show them where you’ve been…
People who just became familiar to you want to know more about you AND where you’ve been.
Promoting yourself isn’t just about what’s new in your world, but sharing how you got there and what you’ve been through.
#4 — Not everyone sees it.
Remember… not everyone sees your work at the launch of it… I wish they did, but they don’t… they could be busy, or it was the platforms’ algorithm, or it was the time of the day, or they’ve got there own life going on…
don’t take it personal… keep promoting it anyways.
You’ll be serving two audiences at the same time… new admirers and faithful followers.
#5 — Promoting is better than selling
Your work should speak for itself, but the world needs to know it’s available.
You don’t need to push sales, you need to push value and art… value sells itself.
People know value enough to purchase it.
#6 — You’re worth it
If you’re stuck in the “lack of promoting yourself” phase, I want you to consider this.
While you put up more of your work online, whether you think it’s good enough or not, the big Internet platforms are are making money from your content.
So, if “they” can make money from your content, I want you to consider that you can earn money for your work/art.. you’re worth it.
#7 — It’s not annoying but generous
Remember, your work may be exactly what people need at that exact moment… whether it was to support their journey, answer their prayer, solve their problem or add to their collection…
you were right on time for them.
And in turn, they continue to support you back.
#8 — Imperfect is better than unseen
I’ve talked about this online countless times…
“Perfectionism,” “the right time” & “it’s never finished” are all holding you back.
It will always be evolving… publish it anyways.
It will always be expanding… publish it anyways.
It will have many seasons & focuses… publish it anyways.
Then… promote it… over and over and over again.
Imperfect is better than unseen because impact happens the moment you launch.
#9 — The “gatekeepers” are gone
This might be my favorite one because it’s part of the foundation of the concept of “the niche is you.”
As Naval said…
“The Internet enables 8 billion monopolies.”
In other words, each person no longer needs permission from the market, the industry, the credentialed, the titled or society in general.
The Internet allows you to create, publish and build community and a following to your work, art, products and services… and you don’t have to play old business paradigm games.
Ironically, the gatekeepers may not know it yet, but we do not need their approval (their “co-sign”) of our work.
Don’t be afraid to make the table yourself instead of begging for a seat at someone else’s…
You don’t need anyone’s permission when it comes to publishing, promoting and earning from your work.
Remember, Promotion is Being Generous With Your Work
I used to not promote my work as much… I simply loved doing the work and it was never about popularity… that’s probably why I struggled with promoting it.
However, as I began to grow in my craft and feel more called to share a message, I realized the importance promoting ourselves really has on our mission.
No one is coming to save us… you must love on yourself first and be proud of you work no matter where you are in your journey… and allow others in to your world so they can be a part of it and support you.
God gave you incredible gifts… they’re not only your responsibility, but your birthright.
It would be generous of you to share with the world…
and it would be honorable of you to receive from the world in which you share.
If you want abundance, share and receive.
I will say this… the deeper I go into the mastery of my work, the more I want to share it. Maybe that’s why the journey is more important than the outcome…
Don’t be timid with your work… be honest, respectful and transparent… promote it.
Have a great week!
Matt
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