This is the third and last installment of So Do You Talk to Strangers?… Conquering the fear of promotion, of promoting yourself.
Who told you “don’t talk to strangers?” Who told you “not to blow your own horn?” Your parents? Your teachers?
Where you taught, “that people who do that promotion thing are crass, rude, crude, and they probably have something that they’re trying to hide in that product they are promoting?”
Did they tell you that self-promotion reeked of old time snake oil salesman and con artists?
There are all kinds of spin that has been spun on this topic of PR, branding, marketing, public relations, getting on talk shows, all leading in a straight path to the fear of promotion.
And on top of this, were you told you weren’t smart enough to have a business and not clever enough to be able to promote it? Or, “Who wants to talk to you? Who wants to buy what you have to sell? Who said you should be successful before your brother or your father? You on Talk Shows? You in Print? Don’t waste your money on media coaching, no one cares what you have to say?
I was told, “Do not to tell anybody how bright you are because no man will want to marry you and you’ll end up an old maid.” I carried that with me for a very long time.
Early in my career I stopped taking media coaching because of not being able to overcome my fears.
What have you carried with you for a long time that keeps you from promoting youself?
Remember what Cher said in Moonstruck…. Snap out of it!
Here’s an exercise I created to help with the visualization and an affirmation you can use that will help you “snap out” of the fear of promotion.
I would like everybody to please turn to your right shoulder and say, “Hi Ma,” or your favorite name for that family member. Turn to your left shoulder and say, “Hi Dad,” or your favorite name for him.
I want you to look above and I want you to say, “Hi ya’ll.” This is for all of the your teachers, clergy, all the neighbors, nannies, babysitters, all of the relatives, and anyone I haven’t mentioned who has brought you this far.
Then, when you’ve addressed everyone including your animals that kept you company when you were not feeling up to par, I unless they are supporting you 1,822 % in your PR, branding, marketing, public relations and fear of promotion efforts, I want you to ask them to please ask them to get off your shoulder, out of your pockets, away from your computer, out of your closet and drawers and tell to go make popcorn, go shopping, pay bills, watch TV, go to a movie, and most of all…, never say any of those derogative things to you about your ability to succeed again!
Here’s to your many successes.
Promote & Prosper!
Raleigh Pinskey
One way you can insure effective participation with the media and erase the fear of promotion is to have the tools that will help you promote yourself. 101 Ways to Promote Yourself, available at http://www.promoteyourself.com/store/index.html
