I have been reading a fair amount of Seth Godin's writings lately*, so naturally I have been thinking a lot about how things have changed with in the age of the Internet. One of the things that has changed, or evolved, is the common criticism that marketers used to face is that they were lousy about marketing themselves.
I think that there are many reasons for this. Primarily though, most of us are by nature shy about tooting our own horn. As marketers, we are used to putting the brand, the company, the client, and/or the CEO out front, as we stand behind them and whisper in their ear. Stepping out into the spotlight seemed inappropriate somehow.
Things have changed a bit now in this wired world of the internet with its many variations and iterations. Now it is easier than ever for us to "market ourselves" by showcasing our work. No longer does self-promotion need to be about passnig out variations of your resume. Now, via blogs or websites you can showcase the work you have done and make sure those who are interested know it was you who created it. Now, via networking sites such as LinkedIn, you can update your contacts on your achievements without having to worry about shoving a vitae in their faces. You can even have your contacts pubicly recommend you.
Make no mistake, self promotion is still extremely important. Good self promotion also still takes effort and attention. Its just that the focus can now be more on the work you do, which is something I think many of us feel more comfortable with!
* If you consider yourself a marketer and are not reading Seth Godin these days, you should probably reconsider!
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