Meekness is great when you want to inherit the Earth, but if you’ re trying to sell your first book, get elected or manage a public relations campaign, you’re going to need an incredible dose of confidence in your work.  I don’t mean a tiny flicker of belief that your creation, skill set or campaign is worth folks’ time. I’m talking sincere, this-is-the-best-thing-since-sliced-bread type of language, strategy and passion that builds momentum.

Momentum is the secret ingredient in any successful promotional effort, be it one you’re doing for yourself or on behalf of someone paying you. I say  it’s a “secret” because your to-do list likely doesn’t say “build momentum” anywhere on it, but that’s what you’re actually doing when you embark on a series of public events and actions.

Without momentum, folks ain’t buying your book/running your story/hiring you/voting for you/attending your event. That’s why sending out one press release and calling it a day doesn’t get you much. You’ve got to have a strategy in place to keep the public talking about you. You know you’re succeeding when one day someone looks around and says, “Good grief! That person/candidate/idea/innovation is everywhere!”

I have a friend who is doing his own PR for his new book. Every time I harp on him about the importance of creating a sense of momentum around his creation, he looks at me like I’m nuts.

Me: “Your Website, copy, launch event, signings and interviews should communicate that you are kind of a big deal.”

Him: “I’m kind of a big deal. It’s hard when you’re talking about yourself to communicate that.”

Me: “If you aren’t willing to say what you’ve done/who you are is AMAZING, no one else is going to either. And this is why folks hire PR folks. We’ll brag on you all day long.”

The importance of momentum is often cited in politics. Pundits will debate who has or is losing momentum for hours–even through commercial breaks. Why folks don’t weigh momentum as heavily in PR is beyond me.

It’s sort of how we roll in America. We like being a part of a movement, be it American Idol, Twitter or the Harry Potter series. Successful ideas in this country pick up steam and barrel down hill. We tend to ride that train for as long as it will carry us. Or until it does something stupid. Or patently offensive.

If you’re going to do your own PR, I applaud you! But you’re going to have to put away your humble hat. People don’t just wake up one day and think you’re fabulous, you have to tell them you are.