Does anyone have any advice on blatant self-promotion? I know that nowadays self-promotion is as common as breathing, but I’m still not comfortable with it. After about six years of work on two separate projects, they are both done at around the same time and now I’m required to promote and pitch new projects, which is something I’ve never come to terms with. I used to believe you put your project out there and people will see it, and if it’s good enough you’ll get more work. The rules of the game have shifted and it kind of feels that everyone in the world is screaming ‘Look at me! Look at me!’ and no one is listening. It’s a strange time indeed.
I need to get over myself, my shyness, my self-esteem issues, my self-doubt, and yell and scream ‘Look at me!’ just like everyone else is, but maybe there’s another way. I’m much more comfortable with saying ‘Look over here, if you feel like it…’ so maybe that’s what I’ll have to do. I’ll start posting more often as the release dates get closer. I’m also going to reach out to friends who are good at self-promotion and use their advice to create a path forward. If you’re good at marketing and promotion please send me some words of wisdom. How do you promote yourself without burning out your network? How do you build new networks outside your bubble and move on to the next stage of your work? I’m still afraid of selfies and blatant self-promotion but maybe I can find a way to promote others who worked on the projects instead of myself. Perhaps the best way to promote yourself is to promote the people who make it possible for you to do your thing. Hopefully that might be a better way forward.
I’ve spent most of my life blocking my face in group shots and selfies. Maybe it’s time to just look towards the camera and smile.
