Guest Post: The Big Duh!

Self-promotion is part of any good marketing mix, but for some of us, it's the last thing we think about. This great story from Marketing Mentor client and frequent guest contributor, Jezra Kaye, illustrates why it's a good idea to always have a few bits of "you" stuff handy.

Thanks to a recommendation from Laura Allen (founder of the awesome 15secondpitch.com), I was recently interviewed for “A League of Our Own,” the excellent show about women and achievement on WRHU.

As always before an interview or panel appearance, I sent the show’s producer (a) my suggested introduction and (b) a list of possible questions and roughly how I would answer them. (You do this, too, right? It saves the interviewer a ton of leg work, and makes you look prepared, not pushy.)

The next day, producer Fran Spencer sent back her list of questions she planned to ask.  Many of my questions were on there, but so was this zinger: “Tell us about some successes you’ve had.”

Duh! I was all set to talk about how public speaking is different for men and women, how college women can learn to speak the language of success, etc. The only thing I wasn’t prepared to talk about was my achievements—which was actually the topic of the show!

I’ve learned my lesson, and will never again go out in public without some well-thought-out “brags” to share with one and all. We’re all proud of our successes, so why is it so difficult for us to talk to others about them?

Jezra Kaye is a presentation skills coach who helps good speakers become great and excellent speakers become extraordinary.  This Wednesday night, 10/15, she’ll be leading a workshop in NYC on Presentations that Persuade.

Comments

[xyxixochitl]

This is true. In my women in business group of my local chamber of commerce, I learned to have a "30 second advertisement" ready to give for myself at any time. I encourage everyone who meets with me for an estimate to memorize one for themselves.

Maybe I should always have samples of my work to give away to people at any given time, too. I definitely make sure I always have my business cards, which must always be a great example of my design abilities.