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Marketing Yourself with Internal and External Promotions
Copyright 2007, Written by Teena Rose, a columnist, public speaker, and a
professional resume writer
with Resume to Referral. She’s authored several books, including "20-Minute
Cover Letter Fixer"
and
"Cracking
the Code to Pharmaceutical Sales."
Surveys have shown that up to 80% of those employed are unhappy. Unhappiness results from being overworked/underpaid, a deteriorating relationship
with colleagues or management, or possibly, disappointment in oneself. If you plan to sell your time and abilities, why not take complete advantage
of your efforts. Being in control of your career and promoting yourself can dissolve dissatisfaction by providing more career options and opening
more doors to opportunity.
Volunteering on committees or with non-profit organizations (whether
internally or externally) or offering your capabilities when your employer
shows a need can educate you on new topics. While learning on the job
or within a volunteer position, you’ll likely uncover opportunities
through continued personal growth or by networking with individuals
you wouldn’t have met through your existing channels. Added responsibilities
will show management that you are serious on saving the company money,
or that you care about your community. Executives and business managers
want to see measurable results from employees, so I recommend making
the effort to step up to the plate.
The benefits of self-marketing can far outweigh the time needed to do
so; I’ll outline just how in this story about a salesman. If a sales
rep out-produces colleagues with over $2 million in yearly sales, then
the company probably won’t mind paying upwards of six figures to keep
this employee happy, right? The company is experiencing a very favorable
return on investment, and the employee is trained, independent, and
compensated well. It’s a win/win situation.
The question now is how did this sales rep turn into an asset. After
all, out-producing colleagues is not an easy feat. I’ll tell you exactly
how this person went from a mediocre $50,000 salary to over six figures
within less than 2 years.
First, he took the initiative to participate in evening classes on various
sales topics, such as relationship building, new selling techniques,
and identifying the aspects that provoke decision makers to buy. Did
the company pay for these classes? No. He saw the need for improvement
and jumped at the chance to enhance his education and produce more revenue
for the company.
Second, he focused on external marketing techniques by sending personal
press releases upon obtaining key accounts (more notably known as “People
on the Move” within business sections of newspapers and other publications),
participating on non-profit committees, and so on.
One opportunity was particularly beneficial. He elected to serve on
a high-profile committee and found himself talking to a secretary that
reported to the Director of Business Development for a prominent technical
firm. Ironically, his company had been pursuing this corporation for
over 5 years. He gradually built a relationship and eventually landed
the account that produced nearly a million dollars in new revenue for
his business.
Committee meetings were on his personal time and not compensated. Marketing
yourself to the community can enhance your existing job or job search
tremendously because companies like to see employees that I’ll label
“movers and shakers.” These individuals don’t wait for things to happen,
they make them happen.
Third, he documented all career successes and solidified his position
in the industry. Documentation can consist of letters from superiors
or customers, awards, and/or performance bonuses.
When seeking a raise, he created a presentation that focused on the
amount of new revenue he cultivated for the business over the last 12
months and compared it to the proposed new salary. The company would
be crazy to refuse his request, in my opinion. If they did, he would
subsequently work for a competitor making him an adversary rather than
an ally.
Taking a proactive approach, rather than being reactive, is what catapulted
this person to a six-figure salary. Prove yourself an asset to your
employer. Make them unable to live without your expertise, your devotion,
and your overall dedication to ensuring the company’s financial health
and customer loyalty.
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