I've just finished up a mindset program, which I went through with two fellow business owners. One of the days was focused on the confidence needed to connect and share our message.
This isn't something I've ever struggled with - even with being visible online - but I know it's a constant battle for some of my clients.
It got me thinking about where that confidence comes from.
While there's a myriad of different things that culminate to create that confidence, today I want to share one strategy I arrived at. Watch the video or keep scrolling to learn more:
Tell me, are you afraid of being visible online because you might be heard? And if you're heard, then you might be judged? And if you're judged, someone might openly criticise you online?
Look, it's really scary and I completely get it. Sometimes putting ourselves out there can be quite daunting. But I want to share with you why it's important to get your message out there.
Why You Should Share Your Message
It's important to get your message out, especially now when there is a lot of noise online because more businesses are having to move their brands and marketing to online platforms to be able to be heard.
No longer can we just rely on DL flyers in the mailbox, a banner across the side of a bus or a listing in the Yellow Pages. Although, that's not to say those things still don't work.
But back to online...
It makes it really scary when you've got to go live with a Facebook video post or you need to write a blog post and push that "publish" button - or whatever you need to do to make yourself more visible online.
Those fears can really creep in when you're seeking to share more of who you and your brand are.
A Strategy To Increase Online Visibility
When we tell stories that are authentic, connected to who we are, it gives us more confidence to put ourselves out there and to increase online visibility. And the reason for that is no one can criticise your story because you own it.
You start to forget about whether you know enough or comparing yourself to your competitor, because you strip all that away and get back to the core of what you do and why you do it.
Instead, you're looking through the lens of:
- Who am I?
- Why do I do what I do?
- How did I get here?
- What value do I have to bring to the people that I most want to serve?
The reality is, nobody does what you do like you do because of your past experiences and the way that you see the world.
So you need to tap into the right stories for people to be able to fully understand what it is you do and why you do it.
A Story Prompt To Be Visible Online
A great example of that is a story I want to give you today is a story around your cause or your why story to help you increase online visibility.
Here's the story prompt:
(TIME - On Friday as a child. On June 27, 1987), my (core beliefs, values) were tested when (the event that tested your values and the lessons you learned).
So for me, there's a few examples.
One of them is when my father in law passed away, we were living in a different state. I had to drop everything and go back to Tasmania to be able to say a final farewell to him and help with the funeral arrangements.
In that moment, because things happened so fast and we were in a completely different state to where we needed to be, my entire business had to stop while I went and did all that.
And so for me, it highlighted that I needed to have really good systems in place to ensure my business kept going without me.
I didn't have to question whether I could be a solopreneur, because I had the systems to support me no matter what.
I have another example of a similar story in that my husband had extremely high blood pressure and was taken to the emergency department.
In a room full of four patients, he was the youngest. The other three were in the 70s and 80s.
But it was he the doctor was most concerned wasn't of going to the make it through the rest of the day.
Once again, being a solopreneur, my business had to stop. I didn't want to focus on that. That wasn't my highest priority in that moment.
But because of the business that I've set up, because I've been so particular about systems, it was able to continue to grow, to book clients and to build my email list.
When I talk about storytelling, strategy and systems as the core of what I do, systems is one part of that. It's examples like this that share why I'm so passionate about what I do.
Even if we have team members - and some of my clients have large teams - you still need to be able to ensure your business would operate without you being there.
The client relationship building is also important, which is where the stories come in. This is where the two meet - the systems and the storytelling.
We need the systems in place to ensure our business can operate without us. But we need the storytelling to ensure we continue to deepen the relationships we have with others.
I would love for you to try the Why Story in your next:
- social media post
- online video
- blog post
- email newsletter
- online conversation
Share why you do what you do and why it's important, because nobody can criticise that story.
Gaining Confidence Online
As I mentioned, there are a myriad of things that can go into building your confidence to show up online.
For now, feel how confident you are sharing a story other's can't pick apart. Feel how the words flow more easily when you're sharing a part of your story.
By taking just one step today towards sharing one of your stories (there are many different types of stories you can share online), you're helping make your business more visible online.
The more you do it, the more your confidence will grow.
If you know procrastination is going to hold you back from taking that first step, I encourage you to find some accountability. We can plan and self talk all we like, but without doing it, you're not moving forward.
One of the greatest strategies I've used to build confidence online - apart from wrapping my knowledge and value in stories - is to have someone else or a small band of supporters to hold my hand and ensure I follow through.
If this is you, you might want to check out The Online Marketing Mastermind.
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