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I attended Craig Duswalt’s Rock Star Marketing Bootcamp last week. I committed to attending the entire bootcamp; from Wednesday nights’ free seminar through Sunday afternoons’ finale. My butt got a little sore from sitting so many hours but my workaround to the soreness was this: I got up, met people, asked about their work, complemented them on their comments and questions, answered their questions about myself and generally worked the room to see and be seen.

Networking, promoting and marketing myself. Craig is a very gregarious and an open book. Full of ideas, eager to help and always willing to listen. He fosters an environment of safety which in turn makes audience confident to ask questions and make comments to the entire group. Now as you might imagine I don’t have that problem.

Let me illustrate. At lunch on Sunday (in the hotel café), a beautiful vibrant woman who was attending the event as well walked up to the table next to me and took the serving utensils for her use. She apologized for taking them. Of course this wasn’t necessary and sensing an opening I walked over to her table, smiled and said, “Don’t ever apologize for taking what you need.” She responded with a laugh and said that I’ve been funny the entire bootcamp and she appreciated the humor. She went on to comment that she remembered I am a photographer, published author and public speaker. These were the things I made sure came across whenever I asked questions or made comments during the bootcamp sessions to the audience. I was there to learn new marketing techniques and to market myself. Don’t waste opportunities, they are precious and few.

I told my new friend that this was by design that as an SECP, I am compelled to network, market, promote and sell whenever I sense an opportunity. Self employed people cannot be shy if they are also taking on the role of rainmaker.

As we talked she asked me if I would come and speak to her women’s club in Beverly Hills. An opportunity to speak about my favorite subject? A chance to promote the book? And my portrait photography business? Let’s see I thought about it for a millisecond. YES! This new door opening is what I was hoping to achieve before the bootcamp ended and here it was. I’m going to go through, make my presence known and grow my reputation amongst a class of people I’ve been trying to get in front of for awhile. Bingo!

Thanks Craig.