A while ago Kristen Lamb wrote a post about marketing yourself. I’ll put my hand up right now, and say that before reading that post I had the wrong idea about ‘marketing myself.’ Not that I was doing what she described as a ‘no-no’ and engineering my efforts to ‘make people like me’. More that I misunderstood what the phrase ‘marketing oneself’ meant. And that’s why I was so uncomfortable with it.

Raven is much better at this. She wears horns (because she does) bright colours and big earrings. She has no trouble at all saying ‘look at me, look at me!’ and pulls it off, partly because of her attitude to it all. She loves talking to people and one of the reasons she’s so comfortable in wearing what she wears is because it brings people to her to talk to.

I know, I know. It’s weird for me to be saying this. But The Shared Brain split us up for a reason.

I’m far more quiet. I’m in the shadows. I kinda lurk and pipe up when I have something constructive to say. I speak when I have the energy to do so. I’m an introvert.

Part of me wonders if that’s why I find marketing so hard? And then, I read Kristen’s post and realised that’s exactly why. Because I was looking at it all wrong. Marketing oneself doesn’t mean running around insisting that people look at you. It’s far more about staying true to yourself, what you’re about and letting people know about that side of you. Certainly not about being someone you’re not.

I’ll probably never arrange a huge book launch for myself in a book shop or library. Not unless I get past this terrible shyness of mine. Raven on the other hand, will slap on her horns, don her little black dress, big boots and wait at the door to dish out hugs and cookies. I won’t (and don’t) shout on social media about all the cool things I’ve done or plan to do. Even Raven is cautious about how much ‘me, me, me’ stuff she posts. But, again, that isn’t what marketing is about.

Marketing is about relationships. I know I keep saying it, but it’s true.

If you haven’t spent much time over on Kristen’s blog, then I really do suggest you go have a look. The woman is amazing and her (massive) following is so loyal and vocal. All because of how she treats them and how she remains true to herself. She doesn’t spend all of her time telling this people ‘look at me, look at me.’ Instead she helps people. Interacts with them. Shares with them. Genuinely cares for them. That’s what it’s all about.

I originally took on this challenge to find myself more readers. But in reaching this point, I realise that such an attitude was all wrong. Yes, I have found more readers, and I thank you all for joining me, but better than that, I’ve found new people to share experiences with. To learn from. To connect with. That, in my eyes, is a hell of a lot more important.