You can be excellent at what you do and still leave people guessing about why they should work with you. Remember, closed mouths don't get fed...
I've spent a lot of time this year thinking about how I talk about my work.
The people I've worked with know what I'm capable of. They've seen how I think, how I solve problems and what I bring to the table.
But the people who haven't worked with me? They only know what I've given them to go on.
And while I've spent years building relationships and a reputation offline, I realised I hadn't done nearly as much to communicate that value online.
It's easy to get so caught up in doing the work, looking after clients and making things happen that you forget to tell people about it.
So this year, I've started investing in things I can use again and again.
Content, photography and other assets that help tell my story, demonstrate my work and make it easier for people to understand what I do.
Because I can't expect people to join the dots if I haven't given them anything to work with.
Do excellent work. Then take responsibility for how it is understood
Emma Grede recently sparked a debate about personal branding, arguing that it should grow out of doing excellent work.
But it was author and brand adviser Aliza Licht's response that stuck with me: "Do excellent work. Then take responsibility for how it is understood."
Because doing great work is one thing. Making sure people know about it is another.
And if, like me, you could use a little help with the second part, here are five trusted resources from our Directory worth knowing.
Turn what you know into something worth sharing
You've got years of knowledge, experience and client wins behind you. But how much of that is visible to someone who's never worked with you?
Epiphany Content help B2B businesses turn their expertise into compelling content and video that gives potential customers a reason to pay attention.
Because if you want to go from being the "best kept secret" to sustainably in demand, your best insights can't stay behind closed doors.
Inspiration Space
Make it clear why someone should choose you
You know what makes your business different. But can you put it into words that resonate with the people you want to reach?
Clare Yarwood-White combines brand strategy and copywriting to help creative businesses get clear on their message and find a voice that sounds like them.
Because the right words can make all the difference between being overlooked and being remembered.
Inspiration Space
Put a face to the name
People connect with people. And having photographs that feel like you can make it easier to show up with confidence, whether that's on your website, LinkedIn or the next speaking opportunity.
Eddie Judd creates natural portraits and image libraries for founders and small teams, while Vicki Knights offers thoughtfully planned personal-brand shoots with guidance to help you feel comfortable in front of the camera.
Because you deserve photographs you're happy to put out into the world.
Inspiration Space
Inspiration Space
Hype yourself
Ever finish something you're proud of, think "I should share that," and then talk yourself out of it?
Sometimes we need a little encouragement to get out of our own way.
Lucy Werner's The Hype is a newsletter community packed with practical ideas, prompts and resources to help self-employed people get more comfortable promoting themselves through PR, content, speaking and partnerships.
Because if you're not talking about the good work you're doing, how will anyone else know about it?
Inspiration Space
The work you do matters. But so does making sure people know about it.
So give them something to see, something to remember and something to talk about.
I'd love to know: what's one thing you've done recently to make your work more visible? Share it in the comments.
You might just inspire someone else to do the same 😉.
