One for the freelancers;  a great blog post by Nathan Hangen about shameless self-promotion. The most memorable bit of advice I’ve taken away is:

“The reason that self-promotion works and self-adulation doesn’t is because self-promotion is the art of spreading ideas, concepts, and a greater vision. Self-adulation is just the promotion of accomplishments, deeds that have already been done.

When you promote ideas, you give people something to cheer for. You give people a cause to support. People, in many ways, are selfish. They promote the things that make them feel good. Your accomplishments aren’t likely to make them feel good, but your ideas do.

Your ideas might inspire hope, thought, or action . . . but as a general rule, good ideas inspire something.”

I also liked his comparison of Mohammed Ali and Mike Tyson; both phenomenal boxers, yet greater disparity in self-promotion, artistic vision. Who’s the most memorable….?

So, this year my aim is to be more Mohammed Ali-esque in self-promotion, my business will benefit from the marketing department being either sacked or given loads of encouragement. I think I’ll do a bit of both, sack the self-adulating half and pep talk the shy part.

“He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.” Mohammed Ali.

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