How to Market Yourself Just Like Sherlock Holmes
8 effective ways to promote yourself like Sherlock
We’ve all heard at least once of Sherlock Holmes. When we hear this name, we identify it with the most famous detective in the world.
When the author Conan Doyle wrote the first Sherlock Holmes story, he didn’t imagine the popularity the fictional character will gain from across the globe.
The fulminant success he had with Sherlock Holmes mesmerized the author. So much that he became an advocate for people who were being condemned to prison or death — being able to achieve some reprieves for the ones wrongly convicted.
He’d wanted to pay it forward by doing some good in the world. Like Sherlock Holmes, the fictional character he created, did for so many people over the years.
But two questions arise.
How did Sherlock Holmes become so popular, and why the world loved him so much?
The primary reason the world loves Sherlock Holmes so much it’s because of his unique personality, his extravagant behavior, and his skills of deduction and observation. Also, for his intelligence, and how he works, that draws many people in.
And on a more personal level, Sherlock Holmes fascinates them because he can solve any crime. No matter the difficulty or the lack of evidence, he always resolves the mystery.
People consider him a hero, that’s why they keep calling him to resolve any case. They trust and admire him for who he is, and for what he does for the community.
If you want to succeed at making a name for yourself and stand out from your competition — here are 8 ways you can market yourself like Sherlock Holmes:
1. Good branding
Everyone called Sherlock Holmes to solve a crime, even though there were many other detectives out there. And why is that?
Because he always delivers what he promises, which is solving the crime. And the proof lies in all the cases he solved. In fact, he solved them all.
Once he becomes involved in a case, he does everything in his power and doesn’t stop till he solves the crime. Nothing matters to him in that moment, his only focus is on solving the mystery.
This is the reason he is so popular and why people keep choosing him instead of other detectives in his field. He became known as the one person who could solve any crime, and so he made a name for himself. This is the power of good branding.
In your marketing try to act like Sherlock Holmes. Become so good at what you’re doing so people can choose you or your business instead of your competition.
“My name is Sherlock Holmes. It is my business to know what other people don’t know”.
2. Proper research
Sherlock Holmes never accepted a case until he did the proper research to know more about the circumstances. And, also to know more about the person and the motives behind the murder. By taking the time to research, he prepared himself to overcome any obstacle he faced during solving the case.
Without proper research, Holmes couldn’t solve any case — because he didn’t have all the facts he needed to find the perpetrator.
You can do the same if you want to make it with your business. Because without proper research you won’t be able to create a strategy. And without a good strategy, you can fake it till you make it but won’t do you any good.
“If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail”.–Benjamin Franklin
3. Don’t tell, show
Holmes never bragged about his skills, his intelligence or his successes. In fact, he never spoke about any of it in front of other people. He showed them instead, the wonders he could do with his expertise.
Bragging wouldn’t make him the best in front of anyone. In fact, what made him the best, was showing the world his skills, his abilities, his traits to solve any case that came at hand. This made him so popular.
Like Sherlock Holmes, you need to show people what you can do, instead of telling them.
People nowadays don’t care about how much you know — they care about what you can do instead.
You can brag all you want, but it won’t do you any good. People will categorize you as being an asshole. Instead, if you show them what you’re capable of, they will trust and choose you time and time again instead of others in your field.
“What is the point in being clever if you can’t prove it? “— Sherlock Holmes
4. He positioned himself as an expert
Whenever he got asked, Sherlock always lets people know he is the best at his job and no one is better than him in solving murders. So he showed them his skills right away.
He wasn’t bragging, not for a second. He only spoke his truth to others. This is the best way to promote yourself because no one will do it for you.
You got to tell people who you are, what you do, and what’s your expertise in your field. Even if you’re scared at first of them not believing you, show them what you are capable of. Soon they will trust you and will come to you to solve their problems.
If people don’t know who you are, you don’t exist for them.
5. Consistency
Sherlock Holmes never gave up on a case. No matter the difficulty or the obstacles he faced on the way, he never backed down from a fight. His perseverance and tenacity made him so good at resolving the mysteries right away.
For him, his professional life was the most important. He sacrificed so many times his personal life — because in his eyes the cases were his everything to him. They were a part of him.
By always staying consistent and bettering himself every day, he achieved amazing results. So much, he became the best detective in his field. Without any of these, he couldn’t have made it.
If he could do it, so can you. So start being more disciplined, work hard on your dream, and then you can chill, but not before.
6. His unique personality
It’s what made Sherlock popular in the first place. His charisma, intelligence, silly jokes, and complete honesty made people so fond of him — so much they identified with him on a deep level, and many of them followed in his footsteps. He was like a hero to them, an example of the person they aspired to be.
If he didn’t show his personality, he wouldn’t have stood out from his competitors. By doing that, he connected with people. This made him so special in their eyes. He was just being himself.
Start showing your personality to the world. This will help you stand out in your industry from your competition. And, also to grow a loyal following.
“Any truth is better than indefinite doubt”- Arthur Conan Doyle
7. His imperfection
Even if Holmes is a hero in the eyes of his audience, he isn’t perfect after all. And people realized it. So Doyle made the bold move to create Sherlock as a human and not a hero. He isn’t flawless and doesn’t need to be perfect for people to identify with him.
Because of the sad background he has in the story while showing his personal problems, like his addiction, his strange habits, and sociopath traits the author made him vulnerable, more human, so we can attach easier to him.
As humans, we can empathize more with someone who isn’t” perfect than we can with someone who acts and does everything perfectly.
By following his example, you got to show people your dark side. Not only the good parts of it, so they can identify more with you. You do that by being vulnerable, authentic, by being yourself.
8. He delivered his promises
Sherlock always kept his word. In fact, he lived by it. If something bothered him was not being able to keep the promises he made to others. Thus, he did whatever needed to get the results he wanted, meaning to solve the murders and get closure for both the victim and the perpetrator.
He wanted to make the world a better place for people to live in. It was his mantra. Even if he wasn’t fond of people at first, he let them in, like he did with Watson, his best friend, and his partner in solving crimes.
People attached to him mostly for his honesty and for delivering what he promised. He never failed at meeting the expectations of people.
Like him, your brand is a promise you make to solve the problems of your people, so you’d better not break that promise. Instead, live by it every single day and help people to face their problems. Be there for them, be a support for them, and they will repay you with their wallet, loyalty, and love.
Conclusion:
Sherlock stopped being a detective to people — he is now a hero in the heart of his audience. And he will always stay that way.
Despite all his problems, he is a role model for many because he does things that almost anyone would be capable of — if only they will sacrifice and put time and effort into it. But while most people lack consistency, perseverance, and determination, Sherlock has them all and he will bet on them every time.
If you want to market yourself like Sherlock, here is a Recap:
- Good branding
- Proper research
- Don’t tell, show
- Position yourself as an expert
- Consistency
- Unique personality
- Human touch
- Always deliver your promises
Thanks for reading my article!
Do you currently use one of these in your marketing strategy? Tell me in the comment section. I would love to hear from you.
