Self-Promotion Made Easy – Nutrition Entrepreneurs DPG

As a second career dietitian whose first career was in public relations, you’d think I’d find self-promotion easy. It’s not. It’s one thing to be an unbiased third party, it’s another thing when the business is YOU and you’re emotionally tied to it.

That said, once you’re used to it, self-promotion can actually be fun. Keep these following tips in mind:

1. Know your audience. Where does your audience seek services such as yours? What do they read? What is their collective personality or sense of humor? I recommend using humor sparingly unless you really know your audience (and they know you).

2. Don’t apologize. It bothers me when I see (often women) post things like, “Sorry for the self-promotion, but here’s a link to an article that quotes me about XYZ.” That’s the written equivalent of a child shuffling her shoes and not looking up to show pride in her perfect report card. Better to say, “I was so excited to be interviewed for this article on XYZ! Read what I have to say about it here: [link to article].”

3. Enlist a friend or former clients. As the saying goes, “advertising is what you say about yourself; PR is what your mom says about you.” If you have something exciting to share, such as appearing on a television program, see if your colleagues will send it out to their networks. Client testimonials and LinkedIn recommendations also work wonders.

The most important tip is to be genuine and true to yourself and your business. Be proud of the work that you do, and don’t be afraid to show and share it! Indeed, your excitement and energy will carry through even written communications. If you’re not inspired by your business, then who will be?

Elana Natker, MS, RD, Director of Awards and Networking

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