By Linda Kelsey
Last updated at 8:15 PM on 27th November 2011
Before the publication of her debut novel, Natasha Solomons would wander in and out of bookshops despairing over how her publication would ever get noticed in a sea of other titles.
‘As a new writer,’ she says, ‘I understood that self-promotion was essential. There are so many books out there — why on earth would a reader pick up mine if they’d never heard of me?’
So the 31-year-old hatched a plot as crafty as that in any novel to get noticed, by trying to beat the world record for the largest number of publicity events — interviews, book readings, signings and such like — for a single book.
Stand out from the crowd: Don't be afraid to promote yourself if you want to be successful
It was enough to get a buzz going. She was invited to speak on Radio 4’s flagship arts programme Front Row before the book had even come out.
And the publicity worked. Since it came out last year, her novel Mr Rosenblum’s List or Friendly Guidance for the Aspiring Englishman has been translated into ten languages and reached the number one spot in Australia.
Natasha understood that self-promotion was the key to success. But why do many women shy away from this? Could it be our traditional British reserve, or the sense that’s it’s inherently unfeminine to champion yourself that is holding us back?
Not only are women bad at self-promotion, sometimes we even do the opposite.
Peninah Thomson, chief executive of the Mentoring Foundation which aims to get more women round the boardroom table, says: ‘Women are more likely to tell you three good reasons why they’re not ready for promotion, whereas a man will give you ten good reasons why you should promote him, even if they are of equal ability.
Publicity machine: Author Natasha Solomons went into overdrive to promote her novel
‘Some women thrive when they are reminded how good they are, due to the fact women are more self-critical. But they should understand that self-promotion is not about puffing yourself up, but stating the truth about your achievements with poise and confidence.
‘Women also need to assume authority rather than waiting to be given it.’
Findings by the international research group Catalyst has found that self-promotion is the single most effective key to women’s success, not just in business but romance and friendship, too.
Those who did the most to make their achievements known advanced further, were more satisfied with their careers and got better pay rises than those who didn’t.
As word-of-mouth about Natasha’s book spread, sales increased — proof that in today’s world, whether you like it or not, smart self-marketing is critical to success.
Kate Grussing, managing director of Sapphire Partners which helps companies hire and promote senior women, says: ‘There are times when modesty is appropriate — giving credit to your team for example — and times when it isn’t.
‘There are very few examples of senior executives who are soft-spoken introverts.’
So what can women do to boost their self-confidence — and consequently their willingness to self-promote — in the workplace?
HIGH STEAKS
Lady Gaga once wore a dress made entirely out of meat in a PR stunt that made world news
First and foremost, says Kate, is taking the time and having the patience to ‘get sufficient road under your tyres’. In other words, the route up the ladder demands resilience and hard work, not just telling yourself you’re a star.
Along the way you need to invest in yourself, Kate believes, by getting further qualifications. And then there are things such as public speaking, essential today whether you are fundraising for a local charity or presenting to your team. Another tool is networking.
Adds Kate: ‘Seek out roles in which you might fail. Go for jobs without waiting to be tapped on the shoulder. Take risks.’
One woman who epitomises what self-promotion combined with what pure graft can achieve is Michelle Mone, the entrepreneur who has built her Ultimo lingerie brand into an international success and was recently voted Britain’s most powerful woman by Glamour Magazine.
Last year, after losing 6st in just three years, and in a brilliant piece of self-promotion that boosted her brand, the mother-of-three stripped off, aged 39, to become Ultimo’s own underwear model.
Glamorous as she is, following in the footsteps of Ultimo models Kelly Brook and Penny Lancaster, might have been a risk too far for the average businesswoman.
‘I’d worked hard at getting fit,’ says Michelle, ‘and it was the first time in years I felt confident about my body, so in part I was doing it for me.
‘But I also saw this as a way of connecting with real women and making them feel part of the brand.’
As Ultimo sales continue to rise it’s clear Michelle’s stunt paid off.
But it’s not just your career that can benefit from self-promotion. Being proactive and putting yourself out there can give your social and love life a boost, too.
Ultimate success: Founder of Ultimo lingerie, Michelle Mone, has been awarded an OBE and boosted her company further when she posed in the underwear
Just as many women struggle to shout about their achievements at work for fear of looking arrogant, similarly it can be hard to make new friendships as women don’t like to be seen to talk about how warm and supportive they are. After all, no one likes a show-off.
Adele McLay, 47, left behind her high-powered career as a financial consultant in New Zealand when she moved to London with her husband and daughter five years ago.
‘It was difficult leaving my job, friends and family to come to a place where I didn’t know anyone, with a young child to look after,’ she explains.
‘I knew I had to re-establish myself, so I made an effort to meet people and get involved with the local community.
‘First I volunteered as a guided reading helper at my daughter Gemma’s school and helped with its fundraising activities so that I got to know some of the other parents.
‘Then I became a “friend” of the local concert halls, supporting their events and helping to organise charity evenings.
When our neighbours set up a supper club, we hosted events at our flat and met all sorts of people from all over the area.’
Five years on, her enthusiasm has paid off. ‘Now I have a good network of friends and business acquaintances,’ she says.
Volunteer rather than waiting to be asked.Take a risk — such as working abroad for six months.Strike a balance between confidence and over-confidence.Be visible rather than reticent.Request a pay increase rather than assume one.Focus on your successes rather than your failures.Network, network, network.Seek out a mentor, someone who will champion you. People love to give advice.Dress for the job you want. Buy a new suit if you are going for a more senior role.
In fact, Adele became so good at making friends, she now makes a living out of it — as the director of a networking organisation for businesses in the South-east of England for Business Network International.
‘If I hadn’t been forced to promote myself and have the self-belief to go out and make a new group of friends, I probably would never have got this job,’ she says.
The rewards of self-promotion don’t stop there, either. Stella Biggins, 35, from Wales, has used it to find romance after years of being stuck in a relationship rut.
‘I was finding it hard to meet anybody new,’ she confides. ‘I started by joining a rowing club and an art class, which was a great way to meet people and helped me to feel confident chatting to new people. But there weren’t many men there.’
‘Then I started my own Facebook page to get myself noticed and asked every one of my friends to suggest one male friend who they thought would be suitable for me and to set up a date.’
It worked. Not only did Stella meet her current partner, Aled, through an old school mate, but she also made new friends.
‘Even though it was scary at first, the experience boosted my self-esteem and forced me to believe in myself. ’
The message is salutary but clear. Be proactive, put yourself forward and self-promote.
A go-getting attitude will get you a long way — a new career, promotion or perhaps new friends. And, who knows, you might even find love.
Last updated at 8:15 PM on 27th November 2011
‘As a new writer,’ she says, ‘I understood that self-promotion was essential. There are so many books out there — why on earth would a reader pick up mine if they’d never heard of me?’
So the 31-year-old hatched a plot as crafty as that in any novel to get noticed, by trying to beat the world record for the largest number of publicity events — interviews, book readings, signings and such like — for a single book.
Stand out from the crowd: Don't be afraid to promote yourself if you want to be successful
It was enough to get a buzz going. She was invited to speak on Radio 4’s flagship arts programme Front Row before the book had even come out.
Natasha understood that self-promotion was the key to success. But why do many women shy away from this? Could it be our traditional British reserve, or the sense that’s it’s inherently unfeminine to champion yourself that is holding us back?
Not only are women bad at self-promotion, sometimes we even do the opposite.
Peninah Thomson, chief executive of the Mentoring Foundation which aims to get more women round the boardroom table, says: ‘Women are more likely to tell you three good reasons why they’re not ready for promotion, whereas a man will give you ten good reasons why you should promote him, even if they are of equal ability.
Publicity machine: Author Natasha Solomons went into overdrive to promote her novel
‘Some women thrive when they are reminded how good they are, due to the fact women are more self-critical. But they should understand that self-promotion is not about puffing yourself up, but stating the truth about your achievements with poise and confidence.
‘Women also need to assume authority rather than waiting to be given it.’
Findings by the international research group Catalyst has found that self-promotion is the single most effective key to women’s success, not just in business but romance and friendship, too.
Those who did the most to make their achievements known advanced further, were more satisfied with their careers and got better pay rises than those who didn’t.
As word-of-mouth about Natasha’s book spread, sales increased — proof that in today’s world, whether you like it or not, smart self-marketing is critical to success.
Kate Grussing, managing director of Sapphire Partners which helps companies hire and promote senior women, says: ‘There are times when modesty is appropriate — giving credit to your team for example — and times when it isn’t.
‘There are very few examples of senior executives who are soft-spoken introverts.’
So what can women do to boost their self-confidence — and consequently their willingness to self-promote — in the workplace?
HIGH STEAKS
Lady Gaga once wore a dress made entirely out of meat in a PR stunt that made world news
First and foremost, says Kate, is taking the time and having the patience to ‘get sufficient road under your tyres’. In other words, the route up the ladder demands resilience and hard work, not just telling yourself you’re a star.
Along the way you need to invest in yourself, Kate believes, by getting further qualifications. And then there are things such as public speaking, essential today whether you are fundraising for a local charity or presenting to your team. Another tool is networking.
Adds Kate: ‘Seek out roles in which you might fail. Go for jobs without waiting to be tapped on the shoulder. Take risks.’
One woman who epitomises what self-promotion combined with what pure graft can achieve is Michelle Mone, the entrepreneur who has built her Ultimo lingerie brand into an international success and was recently voted Britain’s most powerful woman by Glamour Magazine.
Last year, after losing 6st in just three years, and in a brilliant piece of self-promotion that boosted her brand, the mother-of-three stripped off, aged 39, to become Ultimo’s own underwear model.
Glamorous as she is, following in the footsteps of Ultimo models Kelly Brook and Penny Lancaster, might have been a risk too far for the average businesswoman.
‘I’d worked hard at getting fit,’ says Michelle, ‘and it was the first time in years I felt confident about my body, so in part I was doing it for me.
‘But I also saw this as a way of connecting with real women and making them feel part of the brand.’
As Ultimo sales continue to rise it’s clear Michelle’s stunt paid off.
But it’s not just your career that can benefit from self-promotion. Being proactive and putting yourself out there can give your social and love life a boost, too.
Ultimate success: Founder of Ultimo lingerie, Michelle Mone, has been awarded an OBE and boosted her company further when she posed in the underwear
Just as many women struggle to shout about their achievements at work for fear of looking arrogant, similarly it can be hard to make new friendships as women don’t like to be seen to talk about how warm and supportive they are. After all, no one likes a show-off.
Adele McLay, 47, left behind her high-powered career as a financial consultant in New Zealand when she moved to London with her husband and daughter five years ago.
‘It was difficult leaving my job, friends and family to come to a place where I didn’t know anyone, with a young child to look after,’ she explains.
‘I knew I had to re-establish myself, so I made an effort to meet people and get involved with the local community.
‘First I volunteered as a guided reading helper at my daughter Gemma’s school and helped with its fundraising activities so that I got to know some of the other parents.
‘Then I became a “friend” of the local concert halls, supporting their events and helping to organise charity evenings.
When our neighbours set up a supper club, we hosted events at our flat and met all sorts of people from all over the area.’
Five years on, her enthusiasm has paid off. ‘Now I have a good network of friends and business acquaintances,’ she says.
Volunteer rather than waiting to be asked.Take a risk — such as working abroad for six months.Strike a balance between confidence and over-confidence.Be visible rather than reticent.Request a pay increase rather than assume one.Focus on your successes rather than your failures.Network, network, network.Seek out a mentor, someone who will champion you. People love to give advice.Dress for the job you want. Buy a new suit if you are going for a more senior role.
In fact, Adele became so good at making friends, she now makes a living out of it — as the director of a networking organisation for businesses in the South-east of England for Business Network International.
‘If I hadn’t been forced to promote myself and have the self-belief to go out and make a new group of friends, I probably would never have got this job,’ she says.
The rewards of self-promotion don’t stop there, either. Stella Biggins, 35, from Wales, has used it to find romance after years of being stuck in a relationship rut.
‘I was finding it hard to meet anybody new,’ she confides. ‘I started by joining a rowing club and an art class, which was a great way to meet people and helped me to feel confident chatting to new people. But there weren’t many men there.’
‘Then I started my own Facebook page to get myself noticed and asked every one of my friends to suggest one male friend who they thought would be suitable for me and to set up a date.’
It worked. Not only did Stella meet her current partner, Aled, through an old school mate, but she also made new friends.
‘Even though it was scary at first, the experience boosted my self-esteem and forced me to believe in myself. ’
The message is salutary but clear. Be proactive, put yourself forward and self-promote.
A go-getting attitude will get you a long way — a new career, promotion or perhaps new friends. And, who knows, you might even find love.
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