Eight types of self promotion

03.02.2011 3 min read

Self promotion, or rather self marketing is like art: It's harder to accomplish than it seems, it's often misunderstood and many of us would like to be good at it (but may not admit it). Obviously most use different approaches in different situations. Often the different approaches are mixed with each other. If you want to take a quick look around self marketing, I suggest checking out Twitter and how it's users are doing it.

In following I have listed and shortly described eight types of self marketing. There are more, I'm sure, but these are the ones I've mostly seen used. The approaches are not in any particular order. These approaches to self marketing can also be adapted to other marketing, maybe with small adjustments.
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#1 LOOK AT ME aka Aggressive

Aggressive approach to self marketing can be very effective. The idea is to shout loud and keep the noise on as much as possible. Constant noise does keep one on top of the discussion. Downsize is the fact that too much is too much and boredom is very possible. Aggressive marketing must be kept fresh all the time.

#3 Just hanging around aka Passive

Passive approach is... Well passive. Passive person just waits for others to do the promotion for them. One must to do something really interesting which will get others interested enough to talk about it. Thus usually not a very effective approach.

#2 Mr Douche

Mr Douche is the brother of aggressive approach. Actually being branded as a douche may be the (unwanted) result of aggressive marketing. This approach may include being angry and offensive, or just being too loud and promoting oneself too much. Mr Douche is very interesting choice and may be seen funny in sarcastic way. This approach may however also alienate some people.

#4 Mr Nice Guy

Mr Nice Guy is obviously the opposite of Mr Douche. Mr Nice Guy is trying to kiss everyone’s ass and as a result has a brown tongue and bad breathe. It’s a good approach for a while until everyone will start to realize how bad Mr Nice Guy’s breathe is.

#5 Martyr

Martyr approach is a very old and quite effective way of self marketing. The martyr approach requires a cause and usually one being arrested or somehow else being punished or suppressed by The Man. This approach also requires loads of true believers chanting the martyr’s name. The diluted version of martyr approach can also be effective (and require’s more common sort of problems). Though after a while it may start to sound whiny.

#6 No, no, look at them (and then look at me)

Being selfless and promoting everyone else might be the nicest way of self marketing. It must be done wisely, cause otherwise someone might see through it. Some seem to think they are actually being selfless while they are obviously self promoting. That’s nothing but stupid. This approach may start to get annoying, especially if it’s being done in the aggressive way. (There's no need to retweet every tweet about a certain subject.)

#7 Open and transparent

Self marketing with the transparent approach is a nice way to give the feeling of trust. In this approach one is very open and not shy to tell even very personal details. Of course transparency may go too far and result people getting bored or even grossed. All the details of one’s medical problems might not be relevant to everyone.

#8 Building a mystery

Mystery approach is almost the opposite of transparency. Not quite, but almost. With mystery approach one will give very selected info and only in small portions. Very good way to get interest, but at some point people will want something more and get annoyed.

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