Be your own brand ambassador

“If you can’t sell yourself, you cannot sell your product, service, company, book or idea.” Those are the words that literally leapt off the opening page when I was delving into Jeannette Seibly’s book ‘It’s Time to Brag! And, how true those words are! As an author and a business coach, Jeannette says people remember that opening line, it sticks in people’s heads - because it’s a basic principle in business. So why is it then that so many women entrepreneurs find it so hard to sell themselves, to appreciate that they are the most powerful brand ambassadors they have for their businesses? Is it because they see self-promotion as bragging (as in Jeanette’s book title), and that doesn’t sit comfortably with them? That is certainly a sentiment I hear often when talking to women entrepreneurs, often accompanied by a comparison to their male counterparts who would never have a problem with selling themselves as part of their business pitches. For me, I think it’s all about balance. As women entrepreneur founders, we need to appreciate our personal brand power and see it as an asset for the business and its future growth. Instead of seeing self promotion as bragging, perhaps we need to view it as simply being our own best salespeople, building confidence in our brands by being visible to our customers, and ensuring our business ethos and messages resonate with those who matter to us.

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! — Melanie