In order for customers to buy what you sell, they have to become aware of it first.  Right?  People can’t buy things they haven’t heard of or seen before.  So, it stands to reason that in order to get customers or clients, the message of what you do has to get out there somehow.  But what do you do if you place such deep value on humbleness – or you come from a culture that values humbleness – that it makes it feel like a moral conflict to tout your products or services in any way?

The truth is: if you want to have a business, some type of marketing has to be done.  Yet it doesn’t do anyone any good for you to look and feel uncomfortable with the message you put out into the world.  It doesn’t help anyone for you to bring yourself to tears and angst in the process of sharing the story of how you can help resolve the pain points of others.

Does this sound like you?  I want to tell you that it is possible for your business to be successful and for marketing to happen. It is possible to market your business even if you are humble.  You just have to be creative and honest with yourself about your limits.

It is possible to market your #business even if you are humble. #marketing #smb #smallbiz Share on X

Before I go on, if marketing is just slightly out of your comfort zone, you can do this.  Networking, marketing, advertising – it all comes in many forms.  Chances are that there is a way for you to put your business out there that will get comfortable for you after the first couple times you try it.  This is how we stretch ourselves.  This is how we grow our businesses.  This is how we create loyal fan bases.  You should know how to represent your business, even if you intend to outsource marketing work.

When you are humble, you can focus on leveraging other people in your #marketing. #smb Share on X

On the other hand, I have some clients who have a MORAL CONFLICT with speaking well of what they do.  If this sounds like you, know your limits and start looking for creative solutions.  When you are humble, you can focus on leveraging other people in your marketing.  Here are a few ideas to consider that may help you get going:

  1. Pursue partnership marketing with businesses or influencers with the same target market.  Give away product or services to targeted allies so they get to know your offerings for themselves.  These business or influencer friends can spread the word for you.   By leading with your offerings, you give them texture and depth to the referrals they can make for you.  Get to know them once you feel comfortable.  And ideally you are identifying the right types of partners up front who would benefit from cross marketing.  If you like the idea of partnership marketing and want more information, read here.
  2. If you have an About page of your website, try to include some interesting facts about you and then load it with testimonials. You can ask for the kind of testimonials you want.  Go to happy customers and ask them for the most interesting facts they have learned about you and what your services have done for them.  Now it is in their words, not yours.
  3. Lead with free samples. Yes, of course you want to have paying customers.  But, people are more inclined to try something that is free, and in your case this may be enough for them to realize for themselves the quality of your work.  Whether it is a product or a service that you sell, investing a little of your budget into giveaways like this might be the best way to go so you can convert more customers than if you were back-pedaling and softening your language in an ad or networking conversation.

If humbleness is a factor for you, you CAN still be successful in business.  But you DO have to find some way to market your business.  If you can lean in to the value of referrals, testimonials, and samples of what you do, you take the pressure off of your own words!