Authentic Self-Promotion Strategies: Build Confidence and Connect with Your Audience

Ever felt that "ick" at the thought of promoting your work or yourself, fearing you'll come across as boastful or insincere? You're not alone. Join me, Jama Pantel, as I recount my own journey of turning the awkward task of self-promotion into a genuine act of connection. In this episode of Living the Whole Picture, I explore how shifting the focus from self-centeredness to serving others can transform the way we present our passions. We'll unpack the fears that hold many creatives back and discover practical strategies like sharing personal stories and providing educational content to make self-promotion feel less like a chore and more like an opportunity to build meaningful relationships.

This episode is all about embracing your authentic self while promoting your talents. I'll guide you through the benefits of sharing your journey and celebrating your successes, revealing how these actions can open new doors and foster valuable connections. Whether you're a photographer, entrepreneur, or content creator, there's a takeaway for everyone. I invite you to engage with us on social media, sharing your stories and triumphs, because one of our greatest strengths is supporting each other. Make a commitment to consistently show up for yourself and pursue those big dreams—because living life to its fullest potential starts with embracing who you truly are and the value you bring to the world.

https://www.jamapantel.com

Chapters

• 0:08 Mastering Authentic Self-Promotion for Entrepreneurs
• 12:43 Embracing Authentic Self-Promotion

Transcript

Jama: 0:08

Hey y'all, welcome back to Living the Whole Picture, the podcast where photography, business and inspiration collide. I'm your host, Jama Pantel, a luxury portrait photographer turned educator, author, influencer and dream chaser. Each week, we'll dive into topics that help you shine in front of the camera, build confidence in your brand and take bold steps towards your biggest goals. Whether you're here to improve your photography skills, grow your business or find the courage to show up authentically in life, you're in the right place. Let's get started as we work on living the whole picture together.

Jama: 0:42

If you've ever felt awkward talking about yourself or your business, like you're walking a fine line between confidence and coming across as all. Look at me, look at me. You're not alone. I actually still feel this way most days, and I think a lot of entrepreneurs do as well. Self-promotion can feel so tricky, especially for creatives, personal brands or anyone like me who isn't naturally comfortable with the spotlight. I swear I listen to others and follow some people and they make it look effortless all while here I am sitting here feeling awkward and self-conscious with everything I say and do. But here's the thing promoting yourself doesn't have to feel salesy or icky thing. Promoting yourself doesn't have to feel salesy or icky and in fact, when done right, it can feel completely authentic and even fun sometimes Not always, but it can be. Today, I'm going to talk through and break down what self-promotion really is, why it's essential for your business and brand, and how to do it in a way that feels natural and aligned with who you are. So grab your coffee or, if you're like me, tea or matcha and let's get started with living the whole picture.

Jama: 1:49

First things first. Let's talk about why self-promotion feels so hard. So, for one, it's the fear of judgment. What people will think if I'm constantly talking about my work or my accomplishments. Will they think I'm full of myself? And of course, there's also the stereotype of the pushy salesman or used car salesman or sleazy sales, which no one wants to be. For me personally, it's not so much about being judged or even salesy, but more coming across as look at me, look how important I think I am, which can feel really inauthentic, especially when talking to large groups. So I think just thinking about that has given me the idea for another topic in another podcast and we'll dive deep more into that later on and that's about learning to believe in yourself and trust in yourself, especially as a business owner, entrepreneur, personal brand and all the things. But first back to what we're talking about. You have to remind yourself that what you say, what you know, what you offer does have value. Maybe not to everyone and probably not to everyone. Like I said, we're not for everyone, but to some. It'll be worth it for them.

Jama: 3:00

When I started my photography business, I felt so uncomfortable promoting myself. It felt unnatural to post about my services or to even share testimonials from clients. I always just shared pictures, finished pictures. But eventually I realized if I don't talk about my work and what I do, how will people even know what I offer or if I can help them?

Jama: 3:23

Self-promotion isn't about bragging. It's about connecting. It's about showing the value you bring to the table and inviting people into your world through authentic storytelling. See, I think a huge part of this is redefining self-promotion, and mindset shifts with that are everything. So self-promotion isn't about selling necessarily, it's about serving, and if you focus on service, things will start to shift. When you approach self-promotion as an act of service, it feels less about look at me and more, and it really is more about how can I help you, how can you help the people you are providing your services for. So, whether you're a photographer, a coach, a content creator or an entrepreneur, how can I help you? How can you help the people you are providing your services for? So, whether you're a photographer, a coach, a content creator or an entrepreneur, your work has the potential to solve problems, bring joy and make someone's life better, easier, or all of the things. When you focus on that, self-promotion becomes a natural extension of your passion.

Jama: 4:23

Now that I've helped you reframe self-promotion a little bit, I want to talk about how to do it in a way that feels authentic and aligned. So here are some tips that will help you feel authentic about it, and I've said this before and I'll probably say it again over and over Lead with your why. That's what it always comes back to. People don't just connect with what you do. They connect with why you do it, and even with who you are as a person. Share the story behind the work. What inspired you to start your business? What impacts do you hope to make?

Jama: 4:56

For me, photography has always been, like I said, about helping people feel confident and seen, and that's the message I try to share every time I talk about my work. Everybody has value. Not everybody always sees that in themselves. So by taking a beautiful portrait of them and by beautiful, everybody is beautiful I just mean one where they can see what I see in everybody and that's that beauty, and I want people to see that in their work a reflection of themselves and a reflection of that beauty. So another way to feel authentic about this is to share those stories, not the sales pitches. Instead of saying something like book more photo sessions with me which I don't think I really do say I like to share stories about how a recent client felt after seeing their portraits and highlight the transformations or the value that brings them in. Through your work, stories resonate with people on a deeper level and it helps make your message more relatable.

Jama: 5:58

Another thing is to educate and provide value. One of the best ways to promote yourself without feeling salesy is to offer something valuable Share tips, insights or behind the scenes content that educates or entertains your audience. For me, I love sharing quick photography tips on social media because it helps my audience while also showcasing my expertise. I have done this outside after a run. I've done this inside in the studio, just wherever the inspiration strikes. I like to provide the value If I see good light, I usually turn on the camera and be light and explain it to my audience to help give them some kind of value and how to best take those natural light pictures.

Jama: 6:40

Another thing, and again it's simple, but be consistent. And that's something that I know I struggle with. Sometimes, as an introvert, I tend to shut down and have to have a few days rest. But showing up consistently is the key to building trust. That's, again, doesn't mean you have to post every day or be everywhere all the time. It just means being present enough that people remember who you are and what you do.

Jama: 7:03

And another thing engage. Don't just broadcast. Self-promotion isn't a one-way street. Running a business isn't a one-way street. It's who you serve. So engage with the audience, reply to comments, start conversations and genuinely connect with people who support you. The more you focus on the relationships, the less salesy you'll feel. People DM me and ask me questions about photography or personal branding or sharing up or showing up on social media, and I always take the time to respond to them. So again, don't just broadcast. Engage, connect, that's what makes you authentic.

Jama: 7:40

So kind of here's my a little bit about my journey with self-promotion. So when I first became an online run influencer, it took a whole new meaning for me. I wasn't just sharing my photography work, but also more of my personal life, my running, my fitness journey and my collaboration with this billion-dollar run brand. At first it was really overwhelming how much was too much? Would people even care? I had built an audience on my personal brand and on a few specific topics, and so I was concerned am I going to be sharing too much of this one company when I, too, am a brand and a business myself? But here's the thing when you're creating this personal brand, like I said, always pick a few topics that you're comfortable sharing and keep like I said always pick a few topics that you're comfortable sharing and keep sharing those in different ways. It might sound repetitive to you, but not everybody's gonna see everything you post.

Jama: 8:33

So when I started my personal Instagram page back in I think it was like 2012, and the page I am still the most active on today @jamapantel, I stuck with these rules. I already talked about my photography business. Everybody knew that's what I did. I shared my love of running and my love for traveling to run, because I was getting involved with a lot of really great running adventures, pacing friends to run incredible hundred mile races, running my own marathons in other states, and so that was something that I was very comfortable sharing. So what was newer to me and what really scared me, though, was showing my face and sharing a bit more about myself, instead of just the pretty pictures and the accomplishments like, oh, I ran another marathon, or I helped a friend finish a hundred mile race, or I had another amazing client. I never really had the courage to do that and share my face with my photography business, and again I wondered how much was too much or if people would even care. So what I learned was that being authentic was everything. When I shared the highs and lows of running and of business the real, unfiltered parts of my journey people really started to connect on a deeper level. It wasn't about selling a product or selling myself. It really was about building a community, and that's the same approach I take with my business now.

Jama: 9:57

When I talk about my work, I'm not just promoting a service, I'm inviting people to be part of this story, and I think that is what everybody wants to feel like they're a part of something, and, as that relates to like photography, that's their story, the story of their life, their accomplishments, where they are in that moment and coming back to that feeling when they look at this picture in the future. So the next step is overcoming that fear of judgment, right? So that's one of the biggest hurdles in self-promotion is that fear of judgment. What if people don't like what we post? What if they unfollow us? Well, here's the truth. Not everyone's going to connect with your message, and that's okay. You're not trying to reach everyone. You're trying to reach the people who need what you have to offer, and I never worried too much about who unfollowed me. If they didn't want to be there. You don't want them there. You need to find your tribe and love your tribe. Your tribe is not everyone. Focus on serving those people and let the rest go. The right audience will appreciate your authenticity and the value you bring. And remember every successful business started with someone putting themselves out there despite the fear, doing it and doing it messy y'all. I keep coming back to that.

Jama: 11:13

So building confidence and self-promotion comes with practice. The more you do it, the more natural it starts to feel. Of course, there'll be days where you second guess yourself, but it becomes easier and easier. So start small. Share a post about your work, talk about a recent success or a milestone. Over time, those small actions build momentum and help you find your voice. And here's a reminder you're not just promoting a product or service. You're promoting you, your unique perspective, your talent, your story and what sets you apart. And you can't share that if you don't talk about you. So own that, celebrate that, because when you believe in yourself and your work, others will too. I know this might sound simple, but it's huge. Own you and own your voice. There really is only one you. So here are some final thoughts for the day.

Jama: 12:07

Self-promotion doesn't have to feel icky or uncomfortable. It's about connection, service and sharing your passion with the world. Whether you're building a personal brand, growing a business or simply trying to put yourself out there, remember this. Your voice matters and your work has value. Don't be afraid to share it. I know I put it off long, long enough, and I was scared to put myself out there too. So take it from me Once you have the courage to actually do the hard things, the rest starts falling into place. My biggest regret will always be that I didn't start earlier and I didn't trust myself enough to put myself out there earlier.

Jama: 12:43

Thank you so much for joining me today on Living the Whole Picture. I hope this episode has inspired you to embrace self-promotion and be a little bit more confident with your authentic self. If you found this helpful, I'd love for you to share it with a friend or leave a review. It helps more people discover the podcast. And if you're on social media, tag me in your next post about what worked for you. I'd love to cheer you on. As always, I'm on all the socials @jamapantel and jamapantel. com. Until next time, keep chasing those big dreams, showing up for yourself and living the whole picture.