I have no charisma. How do I become the public face of my company?

Help my Aunty B

I am stuck. I have been advised by a consultant that I should become the face of the company. I would prefer to get in a celebrity (though that costs the earth and I can’t really afford it.)

I am reasonably good looking but I am shy, have no charisma and do not speak well in public. How do I become the public face of my company?

J Fisher,
Pyrmont, NSW

Dear J,

Look, you are not being asked to do a nude calendar. Being the face of your company just means setting yourself up as an expert.

It is easy. I assume that like most people running a business you have loads of knowledge about your area of expertise. Now you need to share the knowledge.

First off is the media. Think of the media as a hungry dog, chewing through content every day and needing fresh meat. You, J, can provide some of the meat. Get in an expert who can help you spot the opportunities and tailor your content.

Find a relevant publication and offer to write a blog or a column. Write in to publications offering an opinion. If you sound sensible and knowledgeable, journalists will add you to their contact list and seek your opinion when writing a story.

Do a course in public speaking and seek out opportunities.

Make sure your face is on your web site and on your promotional material.

Start a blog on your site about your area of expertise with handy tips and keep it updated. Google wants fresh material, so it wants fresh updated websites.

Yes, all this takes time but so does earning the money to hire a celebrity.

Besides you are committed for the long haul while a celebrity is gone at the end of a contract.

As for having no charisma, charisma often springs from confidence. If you believe in what you are doing, are passionate and successful – and you learn to communicate well – that is charisma. Look how well it worked for Gerry Harvey.

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