Working remotely has plenty of perks, but it’s also easy for your contributions to get overlooked. If you’re selling branded merch from your home office, it pays to be intentional about showing how your work helps your team. For example, maybe you’ve built a strong book of repeat clients or you’ve become the go-to rep for creative merch recommendations. You don’t need to shout about every sale, but you should know what to track and how to share it.
In a post for the Todoist blog, writer Jeremey DuVall says in a perfect world, your work would speak for itself. But those who know how to make themselves seen and their contributions visible (without being annoying about it) are the ones who usually get ahead.
Whether you tend to balk at self-promotion or you’re just not sure how to do it well, read on. In this issue of PromoPro Daily, we share DuVall’s tips for promoting yourself and your work when you’re not in the office every day — or at all.
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Understand the difference between intensive and extensive value. DuVall explains that intensive value is derived from a specific skill you’ve developed over time. For example, maybe you have a knack for finding the perfect merch for any client or event. When a tricky product request comes up, you’re the rep everyone turns to for creative ideas. Extensive value is derived from your relationships with others. Maybe you’re viewed as someone who can move multiple related but separate projects along. He says both pathways can lead to great success.
The real value, though, explodes at the extremes.
Build your own scorecard. Once you’ve decided which type of value you’re looking to build, DuVall advises determining how you’ll track your progress. Many positions come with built-in metrics that can be used to measure impact. These metrics can work, but they’re rarely sufficient to demonstrate the full value you bring to the table. You don’t have to ditch metrics entirely, he says. But you should be sure you’re using the right metrics. Choose ones that are easy to measure and highly valuable. You should be able to gauge progress from week to week, he says.
Send regular updates. Once you know the type of value you want to build and the metrics you’ll use, you now need a natural way to communicate your progress to the right people. Don’t just wait for a boss or an HR colleague to set up a performance review. Instead, DuVall recommends sending a quarterly update to HR or a weekly email to your boss with a recap. The goal, he says, is to keep everyone updated with your progress.
Remote work doesn’t mean working in the shadows. Keep track of your projects and your clients’ wins and share your successes with your team. You don’t need to oversell yourself. Just make it easier for others to see the work you’re already doing. That visibility can go a long way.
Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Jeremey DuVall has spent the past 9 years leading remote, customer-facing teams at places like Automattic, Zapier and Ness.
