Marketing Yourself

Your business isn’t the only thing that needs to be promoted. You, the business owner, need to market yourself so that people know who you are, and by proxy, know your business. Tell Your Story As an entrepreneur, you likely have an interesting story about how you got into business. Play this up to the media. Here are some great story ideas that might apply to you:

• Pulled yourself up by your bootstraps from a life of poverty
• Overcame discrimination to become a minority business owner
• Gave up a secure job to follow your passion
• Woke up one night with a genius idea
• After working in one field for decades, you decided to do something the polar opposite

The media loves a good tale, and if you have one, you can generate a buzz around yourself. Get Intimate Not only should you market yourself to the media, but also to your clients. Don’t be just the name on the label or box. Let your clients know that you are a person, an individual, who can relate to them. That goes a long way to great customer relations. You don’t have to go door to door and introduce yourself. Consider sending out a monthly newsletter that contains personal anecdotes about your experiences with the company. Don’t make it about sales, make it about building relationships. Include your signature at the bottom. Be Available Even if you’re busy, make time for your customers. Give out your cell phone number or personal email address so customers know you’re sincere about being there for them. You’ll surprise people, but they’ll stay loyal to you and your company.