As 1099s and W-2s are posted in the mail for the previous year’s earnings, I often ask myself how can I earn more this year than I did last? There are many factors that affect that question. Productivity cost of doing business, sales pipeline and the economy to name a few.

One of the key ingredients to having a more profitable year is marketing.

Now whether you are the business owner or an employee everyone engages in some type of marketing. Recently one of my trusted advisors and I were speaking of this very topic of marketing oneself. There are so many factors involved. In fact I believe that often we don’t realize the impact of the little things we do that affects how others respond to us. Let’s take a look at some of those areas.

Appearance:

This is an important aspect of how people perceive us. Sometimes it doesn’t seem fair that how we dress or look weighs so heavily. The reality is that those who we do business with react to us based on how we dress, our grooming and our body language.

Actions:

It is true that actions speak louder than words. If what we say contradicts how we act then our integrity is questioned and trust is impaired.

Attitude:

Now you may be wondering what in the world does our attitude have to do with how we market ourselves. The secret here is being positive. Humans are drawn to light and positivity. If you exude a positive outlook and demeanor in how your carry yourself and your promotional materials others will want to associate with you. We all like winners or the perception of being associated with winners.

Associates:

Who you associate yourself with will determine your income level. As was mentioned in the attitude section, if you associate with winners you will win. Recently I read that if you want to lose weight or improve your health you need to spend time with people that are striving and actually reaching their health and fitness goals. We all need positive reinforcement. The same holds true for increasing your income associating with those individuals who have proven positive work habits. This will subconsciously help you improve your daily habits.

Accountability:

Being accountable for your actions or lack of actions will put you on the fast track to economic growth. So many people in the world fall into the habit of blaming others for their circumstances while not looking at themselves in the mirror. Then ask themselves what could I have done differently and what was my part in the outcomes. There is so much to explore with each of these five topics in marketing yourself.

One of the biggest questions you need to ask yourself is, “would I buy from me?” If not, why and what do you need to change within yourself so that the answer is yes.

It is not enough just to believe you can be successful but to really know it. You need to know this fact with every fiber of your being. If you know something you can’t help but exude this positive energy and others will want to associate with you. With this application your business and income will flourish and next year’s tax forms will be the proof in the pudding!