Marketing as a Soloist

This article was originally published in issue #05 of my Flying Solo newsletter. Subscribe and read previous issues in the archive.

A quote from Emily Jeffrey-Barrett, founder and creative director at Among Equals, in a recent interview on Creative Boom, really stuck with me:

Is there anything harder than promoting yourself? I still struggle with it. I know I should post more on LinkedIn, but there's that voice saying, "Who cares?". I know I should share more opinions, but then I think, "Does the industry really need another lukewarm take on AI?" But I'm pushing myself. I wish I'd seen more women represented when I started out, so I try. I find it far easier to promote Among Equals than myself – championing the work, the team, and our clients.

I couldn’t agree more. She goes on to say:

But I'm also the biggest extrovert on the planet. I love being around people, speaking at events, doing podcasts, judging (work, not people). So I'm doing more of that. I just try to make sure what I say is useful – no one needs more noise.

While I would never describe myself as the "biggest extrovert on the planet", I do relate to a lot of what she says.

I am on LinkedIn, but I find the rhythm of posting regularly and in the "right" format difficult to maintain. It feels like you have to follow a certain template to get "engagement" and accompany every post with a contemplative selfie in a trendy hotel lobby. Kind of like this guy (image courtesy of ChatGPT)!

Maybe I should embrace it. But if not LinkedIn, then what? How do we share our work and expertise and show up online without burning out or feeling fake?

As someone running a solo business, I often feel like I’m not doing enough to promote what I do. There’s no company name to hide behind, and using “we” when it’s just me feels disingenuous. I can come up with loads of good ideas for clients (their words, not mine), yet I still find it hard to talk about myself online — even though I have plenty to say in person.

So yes, self-promotion still feels awkward — even after all these years. But here’s something I often remind my clients (and need to remind myself of, too) — a lot of what we’re already doing is marketing.

Thoughtfully replying to emails. Sharing a client win. Updating our websites. Speaking at an event. Guesting on a podcast. Offering a clear opinion in a meeting. It all builds a picture. It all counts. Maybe it’s time we gave ourselves a bit of credit.

Let me know how you're feeling about your marketing. And if you need a hand, cough, cough, hit reply and let's talk — I promise I'm way better working for you than I am for me!

This post was originally published on LinkedIn on Tuesday, 29th April 2025 … (I jest, of course)

Marketing as a Soloist

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