Is it okay if we brag, just a little?

I realize the term “bragging” has a negative connotation. It can mean a “pompous or boastful statement.” Some even suggest that bragging promotes “crudity and alertness in glorifying oneself.” As Forrest Gump may say, “Now, I don’t know anything about that…” But when we get down to it, isn’t marketing a form of bragging? Maybe a more genteel form, but still, good marketing is good bragging.

Marketing allows businesses to promote their products and explain why their services have greater value than other available options. Today we have so many channels in which we can promote ourselves that allow us to be almost omnipresent. Social Media, direct mail email, radio, TV, photos, videos, podcasts and more – all these allow us to tell others why our products, our services, even our story, is better than the alternative.

At CustomXM, we like to use every opportunity to promote what we do. That’s how we make a living. When we complete a visually stunning project, we share photos of it. When a marketing campaign has a great story behind it, we write about it. We try not to be too pompous or boastful, but we do like to express our excitement about our success, and more importantly, that of our clients.

On May 6th, we experienced a different type of success. And we hope you don’t mind us sharing. The Little Rock Regional Chamber selected us as the Small Business of the Year in their annual Small Business Impact Awards. This award recognizes a small business within the Little Rock region that exemplifies both business and civic leadership. Community involvement, management practices and overall financial performance are the primary criteria for this category.

Our entire team was honored, and extremely proud to be the recipient of this award. No doubt, our efforts over the past year to give back during the pandemic were contributing factors in being considered for this recognition. Whether it was our Free Banner program for local restaurants, our Bore Buster Kits or our Postcards for Teachers program, our team found ways to stay positive and stay involved in the community during one of the strangest years in memory. When we look at all the other amazing stories the other business nominees shared, the gratitude is only magnified. And we are proud! I’m not ashamed to say it, we are extremely proud to have received this honor.

We do market ourselves quite a bit. We share photos, we send emails about what we do and how we can  help you market smarter. That’s all part of good marketing practices. But sometimes when the occasion arises, I think it’s okay to brag, if only just a little.

As Will Rogers, Walt Whitman, or Dizzy Dean once quipped, (the internet cannot agree on this one), “it ain’t braggin’ if you done it!”