10 Tips on How to Sell Yourself

 

The concept of ‘selling’ yourself can make many of us feel quite uncomfortable, even those who are very confident, as it doesn’t necessarily come naturally. We don’t like to think of ourselves as too ‘self-promoting’, we’re afraid we may come across as arrogant, maybe a little selfish or even narcissistic.

 

HOWEVER, not only is self-promotion nothing to be ashamed of, but we all, at some point in our lives, will need to do it for the sake of our careers, whether it’s to find a new job or successfully change career, or whether it’s to secure that promotion we’ve been wanting or that pay rise.

 

Here are some tips to help you gain more confidence and become more comfortable in selling-yourself, you never know where it might lead you and it could turn out quite life-changing:

 

1. Listen Carefully

 

It’s a misconception that self-selling is really just talking about yourself a lot. Nothing could be further from the truth. Selling and marketing is all about making something look attractive to the target customer and few things are less attractive than someone who is constantly all about ‘me, me, me’ and who doesn’t stop to listen to what anyone else has to say. What is attractive and interested though is doing this instead:

 

• Ask questions and find out as much as you can about the person you’re talking with - ask about the industry they work in, about what’s going on in their company, why do they like it there, what’s good about working there and so on.

 

• Listen and learn in order to find your way of getting to know them and really connecting.

 

 

2. Be Consistent

 

Practice consistency in your words and your actions. It's much easier to sell something that's a strong, consistent brand. That's why even the biggest companies are always brand-conscious, they are the most recognizable and therefore the most attractive to buyers. To ‘brand yourself’, think like a Nike or an Apple:

 

• Be consistent in everything you say and do in your professional circle. If you’re posting on LinkedIn, make sure your approach, your language and your style is stable.

 

• Stick to your principles, the best brands do. It’s much easier to be consistent if you stand up for your beliefs and don’t chop and change according to what you think different people want to hear.

 

3. Develop Your Product

 

Just as a company shapes and designs new products to present to market, you must too. What’s your product? It’s you! This may feel a little odd, but it needn’t do, it simply starts with getting to know yourself better. Just like a good salesperson will know their product inside out, so must you:

 

• Dig a bit deeper and get to the bottom of who you are and what you have to offer.

 

• Think through all of your achievements.

 

• Write down your key strengths, your career highlights and your areas of expertise.

 

• Find your niche. Once you’ve created a list of your strengths, pick out one or two that are your strongest, and think through the why, this will help you to really focus on what makes them a strength for you.

 

 

4. Know Your Value

 

Anyone who ever sells anything knows the price of it, knows its value. Get to know what your market value really is by getting a sense of the going rate for the role that you do:

 

• Look at other roles and job advertisements in your sector, or across sectors but for your particular type of role.

 

• See what the average salary is and get a sense of where you fit into the scale.

 

• Think about where you currently are and where you would like to be.

 

• Ask your network what they think if you need an external opinion.

 

 

5. Get Training

 

You’re going to increase your own value if you have more skills and training to offer. There’s nothing more frustrating than buying a battery-operated product, then having to buy the batteries separately! If the batteries are already included, then the product already feels of more value. An employer looking at your CV will recognise the value you bring and the effort that you’ve put in to yourself:

 

• Take a course to expand your skills. There are huge amounts of on-line courses out there that are either free or don’t cost the earth.

 

• Invest in yourself, this doesn’t necessarily have to mean money, it could just be time too: time to read, time to study, time to network

 

• What about doing some voluntary work in exchange for training?

 

• Work shadowing is an excellent way of experiencing different skills and learning on the job.

 

 

6. Do Some Market Research

 

Research the organisation or industry you want to work in or the business area within your company you want to move to.

 

If you’re looking for a new role then gather insights from companies you’re interested in:

 

• Look at their websites.

 

• Find articles about them in the press and on-line.

 

• Connect with employees on LinkedIn and ask around your personal network to see if anyone has any information on the company.

 

If you’re seeking a promotion or a transfer in your current company:

 

• Research the position you want to be promoted to or the department you want to move to.

 

• Speak with people who are already in similar positions or within that department.

 

• Join networking groups within your Company. If there aren’t any consider setting one up.

 

 

7. Create an Elevator Pitch

 

This is a short, snappy statement about who you are and what you can bring to an organisation. Useful for networking events, introductions, leaving a voicemail perhaps, giving a speech in front of people you don’t know, you may even use it when you find yourself in a lift with your CEO! It only needs to be 30-60 seconds, maximum! Memorise it so it trips off the tongue. Make sure that you include the following as you want to make it memorable:

 

• The most important things about you, from the point of view of your academic/career record and current job status or description. Focus on the problems that you solve and how you help people.

 

• Add information or a statistic that shows the value in what you do.

 

• Identify what makes you unique: what’s your USP (unique selling proposition).

 

• Engage your audience with an open-ended question to involve them in a conversation.

 

 

8. Leave a Good Paper Trail

 

Being able to sell yourself on paper is hugely important, your CV and your LinkedIn profile are often the main vehicle for showcasing your talents. These are the tools that invite people towards wanting to connect with you and meet with you.

 

• Keep your focus on who you are creating a CV and a profile for.

 

• Who do you want to be reading these and what is it that you want them to be thinking and knowing about you?

 

• This isn’t about telling your whole life story; it’s about giving them just enough to be interested. Remember - less is more!

 

 

9. Stay Focused at Work

 

Everyone loves a good quality product so perform quality control on yourself by making sure your standards don’t slip in your current job. It’s hard when you’ve made the decision to leave a role, you just want to focus entirely on finding that new position, but don’t neglect your work duties as it helps keep your confidence levels high and keeps you convinced of your own value!

 

• Be the best you can be in your role and your workplace.

 

• Be professional at all times, regardless of whether or not anyone is watching.

 

• Keep up your good work ethic and professional work standards, you yourself will be convinced of your own value!

 

 

10. Get Out There

 

It’s all about networking!! You want to meet the right people and get yourself known. The best place to do that right now is LinkedIn!

 

• Be active on LinkedIn: connect, engage and create your own content. The site loves you to share.

 

• Explore the special interest groups on LinkedIn. There is a group for almost anything on there and people are specifically there to network and to do things that will further their careers, so take full advantage of this.

 

• Help others when and where you can. You might know someone or something that could be a lifeline to someone else!