Self-promotion is a tricky thing. On the one hand, hard work and good deeds should be rewarded; on the other hand, too much self-congratulatory behavior may come off as incredibly arrogant. Being too prideful or too willful is a theme that has starred in many stories over time. My favorite example is Icarus – the winged character from Ancient Greek mythology who flew too close to the sun despite stern warnings from his father to fly neither too high nor too low. Hubris caused his literal downfall.
What can you do when you have achieved something worth publicizing but don’t want to morph into a modern-day Icarus? Here are three simple things you can do to celebrate without hubris taking over:
1. Practice humility.
Humility is defined as having a low or modest view of one’s own importance. This is not to say that you should be self-defeating in public, but you don’t have to hog the spotlight all the time. If you achieve something notable – an award, promotion or any other accolade – remember to thank those around you who made it possible. Thank all the organizations involved and the people who helped you. Think about the Academy Awards: No one gets on stage and takes credit for everything. Even if you truly feel that you are the sole reason anything is getting done (which this author highly doubts), it’s in your best PR interest to cast a wide net of being grateful.
2. Less is more.
There is nothing more annoying than sitting on the receiving end of a gloat. There is a fine line between celebration and straight-up bragging, and veering too far toward one side could end up turning reporters and potential customers and clients off. A recent CNBC article highlights the fact that consumers already feel bombarded by ads in the digital space. Millennials are especially burned out and have no problem leaving a site they feel is too aggressive with ad pushes. If you consistently slam people with statements about how good you are, you will likely send them elsewhere because your attitude is sending the wrong message.
3. Get someone else to say it.
One of the great things about a solid public relations strategy is getting a third party to say the things you want to say, without you having to say them yourself. You can take out ads and post all over social media about how proud you are of your achievements, but wouldn’t it make more of an impact to have someone else from a position of neutrality congratulate you on your success? This is a much more genuine way to build credibility because you aren’t selling anything to anyone.
I am sure a publicist writing about curbing ego seems fairly paradoxical, but staying humble and not hyping up every pitch to the moon and back has helped me in my career. Trust is broken when you begin to boast and exaggerate, whether you’re dealing with the press or trying to be your own spokesperson. Your best PR move is in action, not words.
