Sure, it sounds self-absorbed. It might make you feel a little strange. But if you can’t sell yourself, you can’t stay self-employed.
The art of self promotion is an essential self employment skill. You have to be able to self-promote to stay self employed – it’s just that simple.
Whether you know it or not, you’re already selling yourself every day. When you meet someone knew, when you put your work out there for others to see, when you write a query letter, you’re creating a certain image of yourself. The trick is to learn how to present the best possible image for self employment.
What do you know about marketing? This can be a somewhat frightening word that only means “selling.” Marketing comes in many forms, but self-promotion is going to be your main focus, whether you’re just starting out in self employment, or looking for ways to stay ahead of the pack.
For the most part, your self employed career is going to happen online. You should be using the Internet to find new work and gigs, to promote yourself, and to reach out to potential employers and customers. Make sure the cover letters you send out are strong, highlighting your abilities and skills. It’s also important to have a web site or online portfolio that showcases your talent. If you’ve thought about self employment at all, you probably already know these things.
But, don’t underestimate the power of the follow-up. It’s always a good idea to write back, write again, follow up. Be sure to keep your tone cool and professional in every email you send in the line of work, and always include your contact information and a brief explanation of why you’re writing the mail in the first place. For example, “I’m writing today to follow-up on the project I applied to on August 1.” Show that you’re interested, and continue to sell yourself by showing this interest and your own motivation. Showing that you’re willing to keep trying can be some of the best self promotion of all.
