Here are some notes for anyone who isn’t attending SXSW or didn’t the chance to attend Peter Shankman’s session on self-promotion. This was one of the best sessions I attended thus far. Lots of great content and takeaways. If you ever get the chance to interact with Peter via email, at conference or in-person, it is well worth it.

How Self-Promotion Will Save the World – Peter Shankman

- Self promotion is getting other people to want to do your promotion for you.
- If something works, do it again. If it doesn’t, don’t keep doing it.

If self promo is done right, then:
- Its helping
- It’s giving people something to talk about.

Self promo is being, simply, “That Guy.” The person who can get you out of the shit.
Who is that guy?
- He’s the one whose emails you read.
- He’s the one who never wastes your time.
- He’s the one who always has the answer.
- He’s the one you never hesitate to recommend.
- Because he’s the one who makes you look good.

4 quick rules on how I do self-promo
Transparency
Relevance
Brevity – good writing, nothing more.
Top of mind presence – Barry Diller example. Called people, and got them to call you back.

HARO launched as self promotion slice of cantelope, wrapped in a bacon slice of help.
But no one saw it that way, because HARO helps people more than it promotes me.

We love to be “finders” -
And people love “finders:
Because they secretely, they want to be finders too.

What Finders find – Pedigree Example

Examples of self promo is “helping”
The Great Bellagio Photo Event – 300 new fans, Las Vegas newspaper, wedding invite.

- There’s no reason NOT to do this. Including $ and .
- When people like it, it’s not self-promo. It’s not self-promo, if people are loving it.
- Self promo is giving everyone else what they want.

If more people in the world actually incorporate helping in to their self-promotion, more people in the world will be helped.

Limit the number of things you post, say tyupe or tweet that start with the word “I”. Using the word “I” is the key to self-promotion failure.
- Find the hidden value in what you have
- I don’t just talk about skydiving, marathons, triathlons etc because I love them, I talk about them because I know they can change people’s lives.
- If you don’t believe in what you do, don’t bother promoting it. End of story.
- If perceived value is greater than perceived, self-promotion everyone wins. Give out value. Example: http://iwearyourshirt.com

How to do it.
- Be thankful. Thanking people is the most underrated action in the entire world. It can leapfrog you from someone to “That guy” in one hundred forty characters.
- Respect other people and say thank you.
- Sharing happiness is good self-promotion.

Everything you post, say, tweet, promote, friend, buzz, wave, foursquare, plancast share. Increases or decreases the credibility of your personal brand.
- Only you can control whether you’re a self promoting douchebag, or someone offering good stuff people actually want.
- Its never anyone else’s fault if you’re not perscerived as you want to be.

Final thoughts.
- Fun is contagious.
- So is smiling.