Sell yourself! It's the prime directive of being successfully self-employed...but understanding the art of self-promotion isn't as easy as it sounds.

Self-promotion and marketing are crucial to self employed success. Self employment isn’t as fun or easy as it sounds. Self employed professionals have to work alone, find their own jobs and stay disciplined to get the work done. Self employed resumes have to be continually updated and maintained, and it’s necessary to act as both boss and employee at all times.

Being Self Employed Means Marketing

That’s already a lot to handle, but being self employed means marketing, too. To make self employment work, it’s necessary to know the art of self-promotion. The magic words in staying self employed are “sell yourself” – because that’s exactly what it takes to find, and maintain, success.

Understanding the basics of marketing can help self-employed professionals learn the art of self-promotion, which is a task that never stops. It’s necessary to convince potential clients and customers, and knowing the basics of marketing make that task a whole lot easier.

Self-Marketing Basics

Where does self-promotion begin? With the cover letters that gets sent out to employers and clients. When replying to a job ad or trying to land a gig, be sure to self-promote from beginning to end. Every self-employed professional should explain why they’re right for the job in this initial letter, but remember to keep it simple and short (no longer than one standard page). There’s a ton of competition out there, so self-promote to stand out from the pack.

The Art of Self-Promotion

Every self employed professional has to be their own best friend and biggest fan. Self-belief is the most essential aspect of self-promotion, because if a self-employed professional can’t believe in themselves…who can? Know how to showcase skills and work on a Web page, even developing a portfolio that will highlight accomplishments to catch the eyes of potential employers and customers.

Have a Web site that touts personal ability and accomplishments, and also shows off work. Make sure there are lots and lots of links, and be sure to highlight past projects. Only the best projects will do – remember, it’s about self-promotion, so let the best shine. Learn the basics of Web site marketing, and include a link to the site in cover letters and applications that get sent out.

Self employment just doesn’t work without self-promotion, because there are so many people out there vying for the same gigs, the same work, the same clients. Every self employed professional has to learn the art of self-promotion just to be able to compete.