The Personal Publicity Factor(TM) by Marion Gold

A must for businesswomen with their eye on the boardroom! 

Too often we are so busy climbing the corporate ladder, we tend to forget that part of our continued climb includes letting people outside the company know who we are and what we have achieved. This is the essence of public relations. It is the heart and soul of what I call Personal Publicity.

It’s easy to wrongly assume that a mentor (for those lucky enough to have one), or supervisor will take control and make sure that others in our industries become aware of our success and knowledge, how our talents contributed to the growth of the company, and what impact we can have on our chosen fields.

Well, guess again, my friends. You can attain a corner office, earn a handsome salary, and manage a large budget and lots of people, work 16-hour days, all without anyone outside of your company knowing just how talented and valuable you are to your industry. And that is exactly what you will need to achieve if you have your eye focused clearly on the career advancement.

First you need to obtain the world's attention—well, maybe not the whole world, but) our world. Then you need to convince that world that you have a contribution to make, and that they should pay attention to you. Women at all stages of their careers who want more visibility must take the first important steps towards developing a Personal Publicity Plan if they are serious about introducing their talents and commitment to the marketplace.

Will achieving Personal Publicity take time? Of course it will! But experience shows it is crucial for successful career growth. 

Will people think you’re bragging? Will they be jealous? Will you look foolish waving your own flag? A public or professional image can be created without losing credibility and self-respect. It takes thoughtful planning about the image you want to create, exploring your own comfort level with public exposure, and assessing the informational needs of your audience. This is called “positioning,” and it is the basis for all good marketing efforts.

Do you have to be GREAT? Take a look around you. Is every male Board member you read about a rocket scientist? Are all our politicians, who have been elected by millions of people, competent? Just read the business pages of this newspaper. I-low many million-dollar CEOs walk off with golden parachutes while their companies sink into oblivion, and the good people who worked for them take their places at the unemployment line? How many Board members are in “name only” with little to no contributions made to the companies they represent?

Sadly, we live in a world of mediocrity where image and tenacity are often more important than real talent, competence, and commitment.

Now, I am not professing that you sink to the levels of mediocrity that go before you. But if you are at least good at what you do, and have the heart to compete aggressively, and face adversity, and if you truly believe you have something to offer, you have a real shot at success—as long as you get the word out. And if you are really good...look out world!   

Personal Publicity Factor is a trademark of Marion E. Gold

BUY HER BOOK: PERSONAL PUBLICITY PLANNER:  A GUIDE TO MARKETING YOU