| You may be in business for yourself or as a | | | | contact I made at the conference was the |
| small company, but no matter what, especially | | | | senior editor of Fast Company. Then with some |
| if you just started this business, you need | | | | perseverance and some skills from a marketing |
| publicity! It's great that your spouse or | | | | company that I also "hired", eventually the |
| best friend believes in you. You may even | | | | article was printed.Not everyone has a huge |
| have total strangers tell you what a great | | | | "public relations" account to pull from, so |
| idea you have. Some may tell you they wish | | | | you must get creative. This can't be that |
| they had thought of it themselves or had the | | | | hard for you, after all you created your job |
| guts to try it. You know you can do your job | | | | didn't you? It's time you put your skills to |
| well, you know you could make money at this. | | | | work in marketing. Join new clubs and |
| But as hard as you work, you have little | | | | organizations. Volunteer for something |
| income to show for it. So how do you get the | | | | totally unrelated to your field of work. Go |
| word out? And at what price?First, no matter | | | | to church socials, neighborhood meetings, |
| what career you have chosen, be professional. | | | | your kid's school functions. Send news |
| Most likely you have educated yourself in | | | | releases, articles, coupons, to companies and |
| this field, put in long "precious" hours and | | | | media via email or fax. Put yourself in as |
| invested funds that you really can't afford | | | | many "free" website listings as possible. |
| to lose. You deserve respect from other | | | | Create your own free or low cost website. |
| professionals, but you must work at | | | | Give discounts to current clients that bring |
| maintaining your credibility. Therefore, as a | | | | you more work (incentive!). Use endorsements |
| dedicated worker, you should direct your | | | | from happy customers. Donate some form of |
| energy to always looking, acting and proving | | | | your work to a charity fundraiser |
| the part. You represent all persons that have | | | | (Professional Organizers may offer a "free" |
| the same job as you.Secondly, (this | | | | office organizing). Get business cards, |
| correlates directly to what I just said) any | | | | magnets, even your answering machine that all |
| form of publicity that you as an individual | | | | say your name, business, phone, and website - |
| may receive, will impact all people in your | | | | create a catchy logo or motto.The key is not |
| profession. If you can show that you can help | | | | to be shy. Believing in yourself and what you |
| someone better their life, whether through a | | | | do, is all it takes. Promote yourself by |
| product or service, people will look for that | | | | doing a great job. That will bring in |
| product and service again. If people in your | | | | business for you directly and enhance your |
| line of work get a bad reputation, how do you | | | | particular career's reputation as a whole. |
| think it will affect you even though you have | | | | Remember, you are a professional, it's time |
| a good one? On the other hand, you may find | | | | you show it off. You can spend as much or as |
| that people are drawn to you simply because | | | | little cash as you want on publicity. |
| they "heard" good things about the field you | | | | Obviously the big bucks can get you a big |
| are in.Great - that seems simple enough. But | | | | campaign, but if it costs your entire profit, |
| exactly how do we market ourselves - and more | | | | what have you gained? And I have no doubt |
| importantly what's it going to cost? Some | | | | that time, although it is "free", has a price |
| publicity will cost money; almost all will | | | | for you. You must decide if something that |
| require time and effort. How much you want to | | | | has potential to bring in business is really |
| put forth is totally up to you. Last summer I | | | | worth your time and effort. Often, the things |
| had an article in Fast Company Magazine. That | | | | we do or people we meet that we least imagine |
| article not only shed light on my particular | | | | would benefit our business, do. Keep an open |
| career (Professional Organizers) but it | | | | mind and a positive attitude. That's the |
| generated an appearance on CNN-FN Market Call | | | | answer to the question.© Barbara Hemphill |
| on a segment titled "Maverick of the | | | | is the author of Kiplinger's Taming the Paper |
| Morning". Getting publicity in the media | | | | Tiger at Work and Taming the Paper Tiger at |
| whether it is print, radio or TV can be quite | | | | Home and co-author of Love It or Lose It: |
| expensive. Many assumed this was "free" | | | | Living Clutter-Free Forever. The mission of |
| publicity, and although they are correct in | | | | Hemphill Productivity Institute is to help |
| the fact that I never paid for the article or | | | | individuals and organizations create and |
| the television special directly, it did cost | | | | sustain a productive environment so they can |
| me. I took the time to attend a conference in | | | | accomplish their work and enjoy their lives. |
| San Francisco, which was over two years ago | | | | We do this by organizing space, information, |
| now, at the cost of $2000. The networking | | | | and time. |