Announcements and Opportunities

Happy End of the Season! Can you believe summer is almost over? Enjoy these final balmy days -- we are! NAFE News & Notes will return on September 16th (no newsletter on September 2nd). Have a wonderful Labor Day holiday.

On the Radio. Despite teleseminars, podcasting, and other new media, radio talk shows continue to expand. The technology has changed, but the premise hasn’t – interesting personalities sharing their wisdom and experiences. NAFE Regional Coordinator Robbie Motter, who hosts shows with Diva Tool Box Radio and Women’s Information Network, discusses the promotional opportunities of these programs on her “It’s All About Showing Up” website. Gisella Thomas, who heads several NAFE For You networks on the West Coast, has a show on BlogTalkRadio. Click here to view her recent and upcoming programs.

WIPP ANNUAL CONFERENCE. Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) will host its yearly leadership conference on September 27-29 in Washington, DC. The second day of the event is called YOUR Day of Advocacy, which “provides policy briefings, speakers, and discussion, literally putting you in the room to directly interact with policy makers of your region and the nation.” Go here to learn more.

Want to promote your business? A square display ad (120x120 pixels) in one issue of NAFE News & Notes is just $75.00. Larger skyscraper ads (600x120 pix) are also a bargain at $175. Contact newsletter editor Paula Damiano to place your ad.

5 Tips… on Self Promotion
(Hint: It’s Not a Dirty Word)

by Paula Damiano, Editor – NAFE News & Notes and nafe.com

So what’s the truth about self promotion? Is it a valid tactic for increasing sales and working your way up the corporate ladder? Or is it tacky, counterproductive and… well… unfeminine?

In this tight economy, promoting and maintaining your brand – whether it’s merchandise, a service, or yourself as an employee – is essential. People need to know about your skills and achievements. And often the only way for them to gain that knowledge is from you.

Donald Trump says a key element to self promotion is bravado. “I play to people’s fantasies,” according to The Donald. “People may not always think big themselves, but they can still get very excited by those who do. That’s why a little hyperbole never hurts.”

Here are five tips for more effective self promotion:

1. Give yourself permission. I know, I know – you think it’s bragging, you think you’re not worthy, you have a thousand excuses. It’s the twenty-first century. Women are allowed to be proud of their own accomplishments. So get over the shyness thing.
2. Understand the politics of your professional environment. Who you promote yourself to is as important as what you say. You don’t work in a vacuum. By identifying the people who make the decisions, you’ll know where your promotional efforts can create the most positive change.
3. Write it down. Your resume should be updated regularly, whether you’re looking for a new job or not. Document your accomplishments on paper so you don’t forget anything. You may be surprised how many achievements you have!
4. Just speak up. If you have an idea, express it. Speaking up is the simplest form of self promotion. There’s the lunch room, the crowd around the copier, that accidental encounter in the elevator… And those periods of small talk before a meeting offer an excellent, informal opportunity for promotion, giving you a way to test out an idea before formally presenting it to someone in power.
5. Volunteer. There is no shortage of volunteer opportunities in any community. When you get involved, you automatically meet people – many of them outside your usual sphere of acquaintances. You’ll get known by a wider circle – and you can add that volunteer work to your resume and other forms of self promotion. Hint: Many women are less embarrassed to tell others about volunteerism than about their professional accomplishments.

So keep your personal brand active and growing by doing your own promotion. It won’t hurt – I promise!

Member News

Event planning expert Kimberly Clark is sharing her wedding tips via two websites for brides. You can read Kimberly’s advice on Weddzilla here and on Chocolate Brides (for African-American nuptials) here. Kimberly is the producer for drezrehersal Event Planning & Lifestyle Co.

NAFE newsletter editor Paula Damiano is writing and providing photography for an upscale lifestyle magazine, Local Flair. Based in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains, the publication showcases interesting and prominent personalities. Paula has two articles on local artisans in the current issue, which you can view online. Click on the August-September edition (pp. 16-18) here.

Learn all about your fellow business women on nafe.com under Member Profiles. The Flood Sisters are currently featured, as well as Janice Gallick of CareCircle, Robbie Motter and Teriilee Harrison. Click here.

Know another outstanding NAFE member you’d like to see profiled on nafe.com? Send details to NAFE News & Notes editor Paula Damiano at pauladamiano@hotmail.com.

Upcoming Events

For a complete list of events, see our online Calendar!

Long Beach, CA
August 25, 2010
Join the members of the Long Beach NAFE affiliate as they celebrate the group’s birthday! The For You Network monthly meeting and birthday party will be held at Ristorante da Vinci. Learn more here.

St. Louis, MO
September 1, 2010
Have breakfast with the Professional Women’s Alliance at the Ritz-Carleton Hotel. The speaker will be Maria Taxman, President of Chesterfield Trading. Click here for all the details.

New York, NY
September 7, 2010
Workshops in Business Opportunities offers learning opportunities at nine locations throughout the New York metropolitan area. The theme of the fall semester’s classes will be “How to Build A Growing Profitable Business.” You can find out more by clicking here.

New York, NY
December 2, 2010
Save the date! Join us for a celebration of NAFE's Women of Excellence winners at a breakfast event at The Times Center, 242 W. 41 St. in New York City. More details here.

• Go to nafe.com to view our ever-expanding Calendar of Events for opportunities around the country. The new Search function makes the Calendar even more useful and accessible.
• Use the Event Submission Form online to let us know about events in your area. Events submitted for the website will also be considered for the NAFE News & Notes– twice the exposure for one listing!

Check the NAFE Calendar of Events for network meetings, workshops and other happenings around the country.