Books, Web sites offer communication tips

What better promotional tool is there for selling yourself to a prospective em-ployer, or to sell your business to a customer, than the ability to expound on your strengths? The key is to do so with an element of tact.

Check out these books and access these Web sites from any of the eight branches of the Springfield-Greene County libraries to learn more about the finesse of self-promotion.

Books @ The Library

“First impressions often are as shallow as rain water on a leaky roof. Yet they are about as permanent as concrete.” “The First Five Minutes,” by Mary Mitchell, is about making that initial favorable impression in potentially difficult, sensitive or complicated situations.

A “career and confidence inventory” provides a comprehensive package of achievements that can be targeted to a specific career choice. “Marketing Yourself,” by Dorothy Leeds, shows how to construct this customized tool.

It is possible to communicate your talents and accomplishments without feeling or sounding like a walking billboard. “Brag!” by Peggy Kraus, will have you tooting your own horn in a way that is sincere, comfortable and constructive.

Pertinent Web sites

www.uwlax.edu/faculty/swanson/doug4.htm

Nobody can sell the business you’re in better than you can. So take every opportunity possible to promote your industry, your company, your products and services, your employees and your philosophies.

www.biz-whiz.com/print446.html

For some occasions, you should inform the media, your clients, referral partners and those all-important potential clients when you have done something special.

www.writing4success.com/career_self_promotion.htm

One of the reasons for small-business failure is the inability to promote the good points of ourselves and the services we provide. For a business to succeed, there must be promotion.

Mike DePue is the business librarian at Library Center.

[[In-content Ad]]