comes to promoting themselves, they tend to want to fade into the wallpaper,” she says. According to Calderwood and those who do it well, successfully marketing yourself means creating opportunities locally, being visible and telling better stories. Here’s how to get more comfortable doing it. CREATE OPPORTUNITIES LOCALLY Julia McDevitt, CMP, is the owner of Elm Events, a Fredericton, NB-based meeting, conference and event-planning firm. As a planner in a smaller province, McDevitt says there have been challenges, but she considers New Brunswick’s smaller market an advantage. “We’ve established ourselves as a go-to resource for clients, and we’ve taken strategic approaches to build our local presence,” she says. For example, her team purchased a golf hole sponsorship at a well-attended golf tournament and created an activation around it. “We’ve also strategically discounted our services for a few larger provincial projects in exchange for prominent logo recognition and brand visibility. This year, we’re managing a high-profile golf tournament and VIP event as a sponsor, which will provide substantial brand recognition that extends far beyond the immediate project value.” BE VISIBLE Visibility and marketing go hand in hand, and while self-promotion can sometimes feel icky, Calderwood says marketing yourself isn’t about being boastful—“it’s about positioning yourself as the expert so the right clients find you. If you’re only ever amplifying others, your own brand risks getting drowned out in the background noise.” Stay visible by using social media (behind-the-scenes snaps and videos are hugely popular) and email newsletters (show you’re an affable authority) in ways that benefit your audience. For McDevitt, educational articles are her company’s forte. “The more we share from our point of view, the more we position ourselves as thought leaders,” she explains. McDevitt is working on MPI’s theEVENT this year as a program partner and the planning lead for the city of Fredericton. “We’ll be working on creating great content around this. On top of posts just thanking our partners, we’re also working on a piece in collaboration with a big AV partner to showcase what each of us does.” TELL BETTER STORIES “Your lived experience is your superpower,” says Calderwood. “Whether it’s a client win, a behind-the-scenes moment or a lesson learned the hard way, stories humanize you. They help potential clients feel what it’s like to work with you before they book a call.” Market yourself as the honest, genuine and amiable pro you are by sharing personal stories, “especially the slightly embarrassing ones,” she says. “It makes your audience feel seen, builds trust and creates a connection based on a shared or relatable experience.” Calderwood often uses humour in storytelling. “It’s been the bridge between ‘stranger on the Internet’ and ‘I want to work with you.’” Making your CTA part of your storytelling is also a no-brainer. “When your CTA is a natural extension of your message and a natural next step to engage with you, it feels like guidance, not marketing.” IT’S ABOUT POSITIONING YOURSELF AS THE EXPERT SO THE RIGHT CLIENTS FIND YOU. IF YOU’RE ONLY EVER AMPLIFYING OTHERS, YOUR OWN BRAND RISKS GETTING DROWNED OUT IN THE BACKGROUND NOISE.” “ Fall 2025 | Ignitemag.ca | 41
