Photo by Bruno Calmi, used under Creative Commons licence.

In the world of work, no-one knows what you’re doing unless you tell them you’re doing it. It doesn’t matter how great you are: unless you focus on your own publicity, chances are that you will be overlooked.  You’re working in PR!

Once you’ve established your personal brand, it’s up to you to get it out there, in the digital world and the real world too.  

When I started Panther Taekwondo Black Belt Academy, social media didn’t even exist! So we worked with the tools we had. Before we arrived at a tournament, we’d contact the local publicity and PR networks: find out the names of the local newspapers, ring a reporter, ring the mayor’s office. We’d invite local figures to give prizes to our fighters. Our reputation for bringing good news of success in our endeavours back to Lewisham got us so well recognised that we had a base at the mayor’s office!

Go for that promotion. Take chances to develop and learn

Nowadays, of course, there are many different ways to spread the word about your brand using social media, particularly Twitter and Instagram.  Sometimes the digital world can seem so big, and it’s hard to know where to start. So it’s worth taking a bit of time and effort to familiarise yourself with these powerful communication tools. Maybe your local college or library offers a course.  Maybe a friend who’s social-media savvy would show you the basics for an hour or so.  It’s really worth it to give yourself the confidence to get started.

And the traditional ways can still be very effective. Take every chance to be recognised for what you do. Volunteer and gain experience.

At work, put yourself forward.  Step up and take on a new level of responsibility. Go for that promotion. Every experience is a chance to develop and learn. You’ll gain confidence and as you do, you’ll find that you can exceed your own expectations.