Being self employed means we need to be able to talk about ourselves and our businesses. When self employed, by default we are selling. Selling ourselves, our products, our services. In order to stand out in a very noisy world we need to get comfortable and confident with talking about ourselves.
We are all unique. We all have different skills. We all have different perspectives. We all do things differently.
"Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy." - Dale Carnegie
Some business owners are naturally confident, others have worked on it, or are working on it. And more often than not it means we are all working on it. Confidence in a professional capacity was something that I had to work on. I spent seven years as part of a local toastmasters program gaining skills and confidence to stand up and talk in front of people, which allowed me to host events and give talks about my topic of social media.
For many it is difficult to see ourselves and our businesses in the first person but feel comfortable doing so in the third person. To feel more comfortable in the first person, sit with a trusted friend or business owner who knows you well to help you shape a business statement that you can confidently share whenever you are in a personal or professional setting and someone asks what do you do? The more you do it, the easier it becomes.
Here are a few suggestions you can try to build your confidence:
- Remember we are all human
- Understand yourself, know your strengths and weaknesses
- Swap negative self talk for positive self talk
- Read, listen to podcasts, visit Youtube – to improve your confidence boosting skills
- Acknowledge the wins in your businesses
- Have your own business statement articulated and ready
What tried and tested action have you taken to build your confidence and talk more about you and your business?
Yours socially
Micala