If you struggle with self-promotion, read this...
Would you like to be a better version of you for your audince?
This Halloween-y installment of One-Person Business Success is free for everyone. I send this email twice every week. If you would also like to receive it, join a community of ambitious solopreneurs today.
You’re not that great.
We all have a voice inside of us who keeps telling us that.
Some people’s voice is louder. Like Matthew Perry’s.
How many of you are still mourning the loss of a friend? I know I am.
But whether we’re addicts or just dreamers who procrastinate, it’s difficult to see yourself as someone good enough to succeed.
I mean really succeed.
And while I keep saying belief is not a prerequisite for success, if you do believe, you’ll be more likely to:
Behave as if you’re already successful, which will inspire you to create better things
Brush off “failures”
Take risks
Do more
Do it longer
So how do you believe?
Secret to Success: Create a Character
Who says your professional you is you? It never really is, but when you work a 9-5, it’s a given that you should pick up the company’s culture and behave a certain way. It’s a given that you should “defend” the company to competitors, investors, or clients.
When I first became a solopreneur, I felt exposed. Was I supposed to just be me? What was so great about that?
I didn’t have any experience or amazing results to boast. It was just plain old me. The same girl from the office, now with no one to tell her what to do and how to behave.
It took me too long to figure this out:
If you want to be you, but a better version of you—just create a professional character.
How to create your alter-ego?
Your professional character is still you, it’s just a more marketable version of you. It’s what they would do to you if you were in America’s Next Top Model.
But how do you do it yourself? Here are a few tricks.
Make a list of the best things about you. The achievements you’re proud of. The great things people tell you. Your successes, certificates, degrees, awards—everything. Use these factors to provide credibility when you create content online.
Make a list of 3-10 stories from your life that fit well within the message of your brand. Choose one which should be your core story.
Change your behavior to how it would be if you were already the next big thing in your industry. I suggest you journal through this. What would you be doing? What would you be prioritizing? Would you let yourself post something you didn’t edit or skip on sending a newsletter?
Et voila. Now you have a character that’s still you, but the you your audience wants to see.
Why this is important.
If you differentiate yourself from yourself, you’ll make it easier to promote yourself and sell.
Remember, it’s not you selling. It’s your professional alter-ego, and it knows what you’re selling is awesome.
Is there a proof that this works?
Funny you should ask. Ayodeji Awosika just wrote an article about the importance of creating your solopreneur character.
Here are the questions he’d like you to ask yourself:
What would you be like if you stopped giving a fuck?
How would you carry yourself? What would you do on a daily basis? Where would you work?
What kind of friends would you have? Who would you date? What kind of people would you avoid altogether?
What dreams would you pursue? How would you spend your time?
Hristo Stoichkov, one of the greatest soccer players of all time, shares in his autobiography that he “has a special work mask.” He always looked angry, even if he wasn’t. It protected him from the media and from problems with other players.
I hope you take this knowledge, put on your not-only-Halloween costume, and take over the world.
Peek behind the curtain.
If you’re new here, this section is where I share a few snippets about my day-to-day as a full-time writer/solopreneur.
Recent success& failure:
I got nothing these past few days. I can come up with a few minor things, but I didn’t feel them as particularly important failures or successes.
It’s important to share that some days will be like that. Nothing special. Just same old work.
In fact, most days will be like that. And it’s fine. What’s most important during those days is that you keep going, no matter what.
A new thing I’m trying:
I’m definitely pitching to at least 2 podcasts this week, offering myself as a speaker. I’ll tell you more about where I find contacts of cool podcasters, and how I pitch them in the next week’s newsletter.
Thank you for reading, characters!
See you soon,
Maya